On Thursday, Josh Duggar was convicted of receiving and possessing child pornography.
After the verdict was announced, Josh was cuffed and taken to a nearby county jail, where he will await an April sentencing hearing.
The 33-year-old faces 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
Several of Josh’s family members were in court when the jury delivered its verdict, including one person who had not previously attended the trial.
Jill Duggar was one of the five young girls Josh molested while he was in his teens.
These days, she’s a well-adjusted 30-year-old mother of two, but the trauma of her abusive childhood is something she surely carries with her.
So it stands to reason that she would have avoided the courthouse for most of Josh’s trial, as the evidence and witness testimony — some of it having to do with Josh’s attacks against his sisters — may have had a triggering effect.
But Jill was present, with her husband Derick Dillard by her side, when Josh was convicted yesterday.
And now, the Dillards have made their true feelings known in a statement posted to their blog:
“Today was difficult for our family,” the couple wrote.
“Our hearts go out to the victims of child abuse or any kind of exploitation,” the Dillards conttinued.
“We are thankful for the hard work of law enforcement, including investigators, forensic analysts, prosecutors and all others involved who save kids and hold accountable those responsible for their abuse.”
Up to that point, the couple kept it vague and avoided any comments that might create controversy or anger Jill’s estranged family.
But the portion that follows makes it clear that Jill and Derick are done concerning themselves with what Jim Bob thinks.
“Nobody is above the law. It applies equally to everybody, no matter your wealth, status, associations, gender, race, or any other factor,” they wrote.
“Today, the people of the Western District of Arkansas made that clear in their verdict,” the Dillards added.
“As a Christian, we believe we are all equal at the foot of the cross, and, likewise, we are all equal under the law.”
Jill and Derick concluded by explaining exactly why they felt the need to be present in court as Josh’s verdict was rendered.
“We have been lied to so much that we wanted to hear the evidence for ourselves in court,” they wrote.
“After seeing all the evidence as it was presented, we believe that the jury reached a just verdict today, consistent with the truth beyond a reasonable doubt.”
While Jill made her first appearance in court yesterday, Derick had been present every day of the trial.
Witnesses say he took copious notes for the purposes of keeping his wife informed about the day’s events.
Jill and Derick concluded their statement by offering their condolences to Josh’s long-suffering wife and seven children.
“Josh’s actions have rippled far beyond the epicenter of the offense itself. Children have scars, but his family is also suffering the fallout of his actions,” the couple wrote.
“Our hearts are sensitive to the pains Josh’s wife, Anna, and their seven children have already endured and will continue to process in the future.
“This trial has felt more like a funeral than anything else. Josh’s family has a long road ahead,” Jill and Derick continued.
“We stand with them, we are praying for them and we will seek to support them however we can during this dark time.”
Also breaking their silence yesterday were Josh’s parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, who have long been accused of enabling his actions.
“Today, God’s grace, through the love and prayers of so many, have sustained us. Our hearts and prayers are with anyone who has ever been harmed through [child sexual abuse material],” the couple said in a statement issued to Us Weekly.
Jim Bob and Michelle assured fans that they intend to “do all we can to surround our daughter-in-law Anna and their children with love and support.”
Jill cut ties with her parents back in 2019.
There were many reasons for her decision, including the allegations that Jim Bob stole millions from his children by intercepting the money they earned from their time as reality TV stars.
But the long-standing claims that Jim Bob and Michelle turned a blind eye to Josh’s predatory behavior surely played a role in Jill’s decision.
Now, she can take some comfort in knowing that the justice system has succeeded where Jim Bob and Michelle failed by preventing Josh from claiming more victims.
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