House of Prayer members reject plea offer

ATLANTA - Eleven members of the House of Prayer have rejected a prosecution offer that they accept sentences of five years probation in the case of alleged beatings of children in the church. <br> <br> The defendants, including the pastor, the Rev. Arthur Allen Jr., opted instead Monday to go to trial and face prison sentences on charges of cruelty to children and aggravated assault. <br> <br> The 11 were indicted in January and pleaded innocent in March to the charges, which stemmed from allegations near the end of February 2001. Two boys, then 10 and 7, said they were held in the air and whipped by the adults at Allen&#39;s direction. <br> <br> The boys&#39; parents are among those charged. <br> <br> The church members maintain that the state has no right to interfere in the disciplining of their children. <br> <br> In all, 49 children were removed from the homes of members of the small northwest Atlanta church last year after accusations that they were routinely disciplined with severe beatings. Most of the children have since been returned to the custody of the parents. <br> <br> Members had refused any terms set by judges or social workers, especially any that would restrict their ability to use corporal punishment. Allen teaches that spanking is the only appropriate punishment for some infractions, and some children have been whipped during church services. <br> <br> The 11 defendants also waived their right to have an attorney represent them, despite warnings by Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford Jr. about the legal perils of attempting to represent themselves. <br> <br> Bedford noted that Allen could face 80 years in prison counting all the charges against him. <br> <br> ``I&#39;m 70 years old. I might be looking at death,&#39;&#39; Allen told the judge. <br> <br> The trial is expected to start in September or October. <br> <br>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/6/193174