Josh Duggar was due to stand trial next month to answer to his charges of receiving and possessing child sex abuse material, but the former 19 Kids & Counting star was granted a delay by an Arkansas judge, giving him a few more months to prepare (and hang out on home confinement).
The Sun broke the news on Tuesday that the start date for Josh’s pre-trial conference has been moved from July 2 to November 18, 2021. This postponement comes after Josh and his legal team asked the court to delay the trial until or after February 2022 so that Josh’s team could bring in “an independent computer forensic expert who must conduct a computer forensic examination of each of the devices at issue.”
One of the devices in questions, which the Government alleged contained the offensive child sex abuse material, must be reviewed at a government facility, Josh’s team claims.
Josh and his team asked for the February 2022 or later start date to “give Duggar sufficient time to fully prepare a defense in this case.” They also stated that Josh had “certain scheduling conflicts during the remainder of 2021.”
(Many believe that the “conflict” Josh’s team was talking about here is the fact that Josh’s wife Anna is due to give birth to their seventh child soon.)
While the government did not grant Josh & Co.’s request for a six-month-plus delay (an attorney for the United States even deemed it “unnecessary”), it did allow for a three-month-long postponement.
“[The United States] does not oppose a reasonable continuance of approximately three months to allow a defense hired expert to review the digital evidence in this case and provide a subsequent opinion,” court papers obtained by The Sun state. The government also stated that, because Josh and his legal team have had evidence since May, three months “should provide ample time to ‘complete’ their review of the reports and identify any alleged witnesses favorable to the defense.”
“The Court grants this continuance based on its finding that the ends of justice served by taking such action outweigh the best interest of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial, because otherwise the defendant’s counsel would be denied the reasonable time necessary for effective preparation, taking into account the exercise of due diligence,” the United States claimed.
As The Ashley previously reported, Josh was arrested on April 29 and charged with possessing and receiving child sex abuse material. (You can read more details about what he’s accused of here.)
Josh has entered not guilty pleas to all charges against him. According to The Sun, he can change his plea to guilty up until October 18, and can submit a signed plea deal up until October 20. A change of plea hearing has been set for October 22, but it is unknown if it will be needed.
“Josh Duggar has been charged in a two-count indictment,” his legal team said in May. “He has pled not guilty to both charges and we intend to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly. In this country, no one can stop prosecutors from charging a crime. But when you’re accused, you can fight back in the courtroom—and that is exactly what Josh intends to do.”
While Josh awaits trial, he continues to live with Duggar family friends LaCount and Maria Reber, who agreed to act as his third-party custodians, as he is not allowed to reside in a house with minor children, including his own. Josh is currently only allowed to visit with his own six children when his wife Anna is present.
View this post on Instagram
Now that the trial date has been pushed back, it is likely that Josh will remain at the Reber residence until November.
RELATED STORY: Josh Duggar’s Cousin Amy Says She’s Worried About Josh’s Six Kids; Discusses Child Sex Abuse Charges Against Him: “It’s So Evil”
(Photos: TLC; Instagram)
16 Responses
Can I just say, I feel bad for the forensic expert that’s gonna have to go through all of this disgustingness? Just reading about the ages made me feel sick to my stomach.
As if anyone gives a fuck about his scheduling conflicts. Laughable at best that he thinks he’s someone! Scum. He’s lucky his wife welps at home. Maybe the Renee’s will let her do it in their field so Her sicko husband can be there to watch/fulfill some sick fantasies. Put his ass away.
Reber’s. Damn spell check! ??
Sounds like Josh just wants to take another look….
Seriously, this perv can go trick or treating one more time, but he is going DOWN, and now that TLC has canceled the Duggars for good, Jim Boob is gonna have to think of a new way to keep his kids standing at the pay line.
If your name starts with J….Nows the time to get a real JOB, wear some JEANS, and have a great time with no Judgement!!
PS. Blanket training in jail…totally different than Michelle did it.
The delay isn’t someone being “paid off.” ? It’s due process because that’s the LAW. It doesn’t change just because we hate this piece of shit. By giving him more time to investigate his electronics it is protecting future possible victims. He won’t be able to file an appeal claiming he wasnt given time to prepare a decent defense. His appeal will most likely be denied and we all know he’s going to be convicted. This is insuring his nasty ass stays in jail when the verdict is read.
The amount of people here who are willing to simply ignore the law because they are upset and say so is disturbing. Innocent until proven guilty, that’s how it works no matter how disgusting the charges. You can’t just say “guilty!” online and be done with it.
The amount of uneducated commenters here blows my mind. Read a book, turn off the TV, get off social media and actually do something besides bitch online. You’re literally doing nothing. Try volunteering at a shelter for abuse victims. Maybe actually do something for the victims you’re willing to ignore the law for. But, you won’t. Everyone here is all talk and no action…unless using the downvote button counts as action. You don’t care about these people. You care about getting attention and likes using others pain and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
So, you’re doing what here again?
it is due process and it is the law, but guaranteeing another three months isn’t actually the law. The law, and due process merely states sufficient time. This judge has ruled three months to be that in this case, but that’s not actually the norm in a lot of cases. Most people who aren’t famous in some way, wouldn’t get a granted extension of this amount of time, it’s typically 60 days, if you’re lucky and there’s enough room for reasonable doubt in the evidence already presented. People are right when they say he doesn’t deserve it, because he doesn’t.
Then again, you’re a hypocrite out here bitching at others, sitting on your ass the same way everyone else is while reading here. I won’t judge you and assume that’s all you do, you should try the same. I don’t think anyone owes you, or anyone else, information on all the things they do, just as you don’t owe anyone else that information either.
Why should anyone care about him after everything he’s done? I definitely don’t care about him, at all. I do care that he gets prosecuted and the full arm of the law comes down on him. I do care about his victims, and the countless potential victims. I care about the people he’s already harmed. I care about his children, because they are truly innocent in all of this and will feel the brunt of everything. I’m certain I’m not alone.
A lot of people who comment online about this case know nothing about the criminal justice system and think Josh should have plead guitly at his first appearance, a whole day after he was arrested. It’s annoying that people are so uneducated about the justice system yet spout off BS about this case. Josh is a dirtbag and he will go down but he has rights, the rights we all have.
I appreciate that at least one person here doesn’t have their head up their ass.
Umm… he violently assaulted a sex worker. Molested his own damn sisters has a porn addiction cheats on his wife left and right. And your saying let’s give him a chance. We aren’t stupid we know the law. Innocent until proven guilty. Stevie wonder can see hes guilty. Byeeee stupid.
Josh isn’t charged with assaulting a sex worker, molesting his sisters, having a porn addiction or being unfaithful to his wife (that’s not a crime).
No one is saying let’s give Josh a chance, whatever that means.
Hey prosecution!!
HE DID IT!
These porns weren’t sent to the wrong address and he didnt think they were 18. They didn’t clone his phone and none of this is a misunderstanding.
Yeah, innocent until proven guilty, except.. He’s guilty.
Yes. Yes he is. Therefore, his hired forensic expert will find the same things that Homeland Security did. However, denying his team that opportunity is more likely to result in a mistrial than prison time. If you want something done well, you need to do it right. The court of public opinion is not the court of law.
Fkn disgusting, someone is paying off authorities.
Do we really think Jim Bob will let his prize son go to gel?
No. He’s gonna pay everyone off– judges, lawyers, the media, even the jury.
I don’t know what kind of money it would take to “pay off” the entire federal criminal justice machine, but I’m quite sure the Duggars don’t have it.
Good. I hope the extension works against him & keeps him in jail longer. Another website posted the type of stuff he was viewing with an 18 month old child and I wanted to throw up.
If the extension means more jail time. Then so be it.
Jim Bob is loaded. He has investments between the church and his own personal dillings. The TV money is nothing compared to what hes actually worth.