11/24/08 – KSLA VIDEO Report: Alamo speaks after hearing deciding fate of children
KSLA
November 24, 2008
Alamo speaks only to KSLA News 12 after hearing deciding fate of children
TEXARKANA, AR (KSLA) – Controversial Evangelical Leader Tony Alamo spoke only to KSLA News 12 just moments after taking the stand Monday afternoon. The hearing was to decide the fate of two sets of sisters taken from Alamo’s ministry during a raid back in August.
“I wish I could be cross examined by somebody who knows the Bible.” Handcuffed in shackles and guarded under tight security, Alamo spoke as authorities were preparing to return him to jail.
“It’s exaggerations and a bunch of lies,” he said.
“I was surprised, not shocked, but surprised as to who subpoenaed him as opposed to him being subpoenaed,” said Circuit Court Judge Joe Griffin.
Griffin presided over the hearing in which he could give custody of the two sets of sisters back to their parents or to keep them in foster care.
On Friday, Judge Jim Hudson ruled another pair of sisters taken during that same raid could be returned to their parents only if the parents left the ministry. Griffin says that decision will not be a factor in the case he’s hearing.
“It’s steady. We’re pretty well proceeding as fast as the attorneys can get their questions posed to the witnesses,” Griffin said.
Along with the hearing on the fate of the girls, a probable cause hearing was held to determine if the State of Arkansas had enough cause to remove 20 more children from the compound during another raid last week.
“The hearings went very well. Everybody was in place. CASA was appointed to the cases this morning,” said CASA Representative Danita Abernathy.
Abernathy says right now the children are being cared for by the state and will remain there until another adjudication hearing scheduled for January 12th.
“Any visits that take place here in Texarkana will be facilitated by our staff,” Abernathy said.
Members of the media were not allowed inside the courtroom while Alamo was on the stand.