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La. man goes on trial for incest
Published Thursday, October 22, 2009
VIDALIA — A Concordia Parish man went on trial on charges of aggravated incest Wednesday.
Charles Ables faces charges of four counts of aggravated incest. The case involves one alleged victim.
He was initially arrested in January 2007, but the case was delayed several times. One judge — Leo Boothe — recused himself from the matter, citing personality conflicts with Ables’ attorney.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the only witness to speak was Mckenzie Gauthier, a social worker formerly affiliated with the Rapides Children’s Advocacy Center who interviewed the victim.
The case is being argued before Judge Glenn Gremillion, and is being heard by a six-person jury.
The penalty of conviction for aggravated incest carries a minimum sentence of five years prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years per count, District Attorney Brad Burget said.
Conviction with a six-person jury requires a unanimous vote.
The court recessed the matter at 5 p.m. Wednesday, and Gremillion told the jury the case would likely go well into the evening Thursday.
Comments
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 12:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So if one out of the six says not guilty, he walks?
Posted by generoberts (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That's what unanimous means.
Posted by FamilyofGod (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 8:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It has to be unanimous either way, guilty as charged or acquitted, otherwise it is a hung jury and a mistrial. It goes back to ready to be fixed for trial.
Posted by flowerpower (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hopefully he won't walk far.
Posted by sturgismom (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We should all be praying for the jury as well as the defendant and the victim in this terrible case and leave it up to the jury to decide if he's guilty (he has maintained his innocence all along, could he possible be telling the truth?) So glad I don't have to decide.
Posted by HappyAppy (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He admitted when he was first arrested for this, on tape, that he did it....
Posted by peaceful_eagle91 (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've know Mr. Ables for 20 yrs. he would not, could not do the things that he's been accused of. He's been around my children & my friends and family members children, if he done that wouldn't he did it before the incident on which he was accused of. I believe he is being railroaded. Has been the hold time.
Posted by tuesday (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Go to the courtroom listen with your own two ears that is what I did. It made me sick, and yes I knew charles before & no I would not have believed he did that. But I was in court on the day they played his taped confession, it made me sick to hear him say it outloud on the witness stand. He may be hollering foul now, but who confesses in one hour. Get Real People, he is guilty as sin.
Posted by destiny (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 1:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Children usually do not tell. They will just hold it in. They will try their best to stay away from the molester at all times. Many children grow to be adults before they feel free enough to discuss it and then they just blurt it out. I know this to be a fact and other abused people know it. And usually (a well known fact) IT WILL BE THE LAST PERSON YOU EXPECT TO DO THE MOLESTING. Mine was by a brother-in-law (a much older sister's husband) and a minister. Would I have thought these people would do such a thing? Not until they did it. My sons were molested by a priest. They were grown men before they told me.
Posted by tuesday (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well what do you know.....Just in "charles I am innocent" Just pleaded GUILTY in a court room full of people. Now put that in your head...and think it over.
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 2:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did he get some kind of deal? Is the sentencing going to be today too?
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
just goes to show that parents need to take action and get the biological evidence ASAP and be sure you have a good case.....
it would be terrible to convict a truly innocent person
but also terrible to let a guilty one walk....
I don't think anyone should be convicted on heresay
Posted by lsutigerfan (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 3:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You never really know what goes on behind closed doors. Some ppl are good at hiding the monster they really are.. Just a thought..
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tuesday, if what you say is true, then this is a very disgusting piece of trash! Anyone who can do such things are the lowest life form.
Posted by peaceful_eagle91 (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 8:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too many people are ready to put him behind bars. He had no one to stand up for him in that parish. I know that law inforcement can brow beet people. I still believe he is innocent, Krogers you're right don't go on heresay.
Posted by jammin1 (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 9:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
peaceful_eagle91, from what I understand he couldn't stand up for himself.
He ADMITTED what he did! How can you still feel sorry for him and disbelieve he is guilty when he himself said he was! The DA has him on tape confessing and even giving the details of what he did!
He pleaded out to keep from doing more time than what he is getting! 4 counts equal life. This way he pleads to one count and gets 5 years suspended and probation!
I feel sorry for the child, not the man!
Posted by blacksheep (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 10:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is really so bad about this, he gets off with a plea bargan, to lesson his time. Being the coward he is, he done the plea bargin to keep from telling what happened in open court and throwing more judgement toward him, which would have given him forever in the prison system.
The child didn't have that choice. What happened is going to be stuck in that little mind for the rest of it's life. It didn't have a choice . I pray for the child. For Charles, well, burn you SOB, burn in hell. He admitted to it, I say feed him to the wolves. Please pray for the little one .
Posted by shoppinglady15 (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He should be very glad it wasn't my child, there wouldn't be a trial is all I can say.
Posted by FadedGlory (anonymous) on October 22, 2009 at 11:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I have been following this case for the last 2 years and I am glad to hear that he finally admitted what he did.
It was time for him to man up and take his lumps for what he did do to this child!
I think he should get a very hefty sentence, but I don't believe it will happen. He had to have gotten a plea bargain to suddenly decide to admit his guilt after a jury had already been selected and seated.
I think he will get the minimum with probation.
Now for all of you who claimed the child was lying and he was such a great guy to have around your children, maybe you need to be asking them if he ever messed with them.
I do not like child molesters and I sure have no sympathy for him.
Posted by bobbye (anonymous) on October 23, 2009 at 2:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He will probably be found guilty since he confessed
but the sentence will be too light.
Posted by HappyAppy (anonymous) on October 23, 2009 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Castrate Him!!!!
Posted by ladylynn1950 (anonymous) on October 23, 2009 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
incocent till proven guilty .yes i too was n the court room and he never took the stand would u break down after being brow beaten for over 13 hrs did u hear all the das statemment and what the dr said why was she taken to alex by a the male cop that interview both of them yes charles is incocent until u know all facts shut up
Posted by FadedGlory (anonymous) on October 23, 2009 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It not uncommon for the close relatives of a molester to adamantly deny that the molester did anything wrong.
It is always someone else's fault that he got into this mess.
That is how these sick individuals keep getting access to children, because some people just won't face the truth. So the cycle of abuse continues.
In this case, he hadn't been brow beat. He just thought no one would do anything to him about it. Guess he thought wrong.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I am not guilty of something, I will not admit to it. I will fight tooth and nail to establish my innocence.
He did it, he knows he did it, and now most everyone else knows he did it too!
Posted by Michelle (anonymous) on October 23, 2009 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LADYLYNN1950, I am the mother of the child if you was in the court room yesterday maybe you need a hearing aid. HE SAID HE WAS GUILTY. His lawyer did not want him on the stand because of how he acted the last time he was on the stand, was you there then? He acted like a fool. He convicted himself. If you are so intrested in this call me and I can tell you the TRUTH.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on October 23, 2009 at 8:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WORD!
Posted by hitchcock (anonymous) on October 24, 2009 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder why Leo Booth keeps finding personal excuses to not judge that particular case?
Michelle,
Don't listen to the others you know what your daughter has told you & that's what matters. The others are only listening to what the accused claims and that's a huge difference.
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