CROSS COUNTY, AR (KAIT) – A
pastor accused of raping a minor appeared in a Cross County courtroom Thursday.
According to the Cross County
Circuit Clerk's Office, James Edward Davis had his court date continued to
Monday March 12.
James Edward Davis, pastor
of Morning Star Baptist Church, is charged with four counts of raping a minor.
According to police,
deputies arrested Davis after a middle school counselor reported the pastor to
the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children's Division child abuse
hotline.
After hearing the news of
his pastor's arrest, Morning Star Baptist Church deacon L.C. Brown said there
is no room for the court of public opinion in the investigation. "I don't
know if he did it. The only one know (sic) is him, and the girl, and the good
Lord, and we cannot judge, and the Bible say (sic) who without cast the first
stone."
Police said the mother of
the middle school student is in jail, and Davis is the former boyfriend of the
mother. The family of the girl allowed her to live with the pastor and his
current wife while the mother of the girl is in jail.
Police said she described
incidents dating back to 2010, one in which the pastor told the girl she could
have sex with him in place of being punished. Deacon Brown said it is hard for
him to believe his pastor of more than three years is capable of committing
those crimes. "I think he's a good man. We don't ever know what's going to
happen to us," he said.
Family members of the
victim said she is now pregnant.
Deacon Brown said the best
thing for people to do right now is let justice run its course. "Just let
the courts make their decision. Then, we'll know what to do, but we can't judge
that man. We don't know what he did."
Davis posted a $50,000 bond
after a judge lowered it from $500,000. He is set to appear again on Monday
March 12.
Region 8 News will continue
to track this story and bring you the latest details as soon as they become
available.
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2012 KAIT.
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James Edward Davis (Source: Cross County Sheriff Department)
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