MORNING STAR BOYS' RANCH abuse trials (2010-2011)

[Ursus]

This is essentially the very same article as was published the previous day (3 posts back), save for a grammatical polishing or two. However, it has a different title and a whole new set of comments, so here it is again:

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The Spokesman-Review
Sex procurement alleged in boys' ranch trial
Judge to rule whether witness can testify
January 22, 2010 in City

Kevin Graman

An unexpected witness may testify that former Morning Star Boys' Ranch director Joseph Weitensteiner had him procure boys for sex and then gave the witness money years later to keep it quiet, according to a motion Thursday in the first sex-abuse trial against the ranch.

The dramatic revelation in the lawsuit by Kenneth Putnam came outside the presence of the Superior Court jury when Judge Kathleen O'Connor demanded to know why Putnam's attorney had called an unscheduled witness three weeks into proceedings.

That witness is Michael Clarke, a former boys' ranch resident who is currently an inmate at the Airway Heights Corrections Center on a conviction of first-degree theft.

Putnam's attorney told the judge Clarke informed him Friday that in 2006 Weitensteiner allegedly paid Clarke $2,000 in exchange for Clarke not revealing that he groomed and procured other Morning Star boys to have sex with Weitensteiner. Clarke told the attorney, Tim Kosnoff, that those encounters took place in a nearby farmhouse, owned by the ranch, where Weitensteiner lived in the late 1970s.

Under questioning by Kosnoff on Wednesday, Weitensteiner denied giving money to Clarke, but said he had presided at Clarke's wedding. On Thursday, Weitensteiner denied that Clarke had procured boys for him. But the reason for those questions wasn't revealed until later Thursday.

Morning Star's attorney, Jim King, protested the admissibility of Clarke's testimony and the potential new line of evidence, saying it was a violation of trial management and "a whole different trial."

If Kosnoff wants to present such a case, "let him take it to the prosecutor," King told O'Connor. "We don't think Clarke has any place in this trial."

Kosnoff told the judge "nothing could be more central to this case" than Clarke's expected testimony. He said he can produce a witness who saw Weitensteiner hand Clarke an unsealed envelope containing the cash.

O'Connor ruled that Clarke would appear before her Monday morning and she would hear what he has to say, without the jury present, before ruling on the admissibility of his testimony.

In other testimony Thursday:

• Weitensteiner denied grooming Stephanie Miller for sexual contact. Miller, a transsexual who was born Carl Smith, is a former resident of the ranch who has filed a separate lawsuit against Morning Star claiming to have been sexually abused there.

• Under questioning by Kosnoff, Weitensteiner had difficulty recalling whether the ranch had a written policy regarding allegations of abuse.

• Putnam, 34, testified that he had been molested by Weitensteiner and a counselor named Doyle Gillum, who is now deceased.

Putnam said Gillum came into his bedroom late at night and fondled him while he was under the influence of medication given to him by the ranch to control his bed-wetting.

He said he reported the incident to a supervisor, but that a week later Gillum again entered his room at night and began molesting him until Putnam slapped the counselor. Gillum "punched me so hard in the chest I couldn't breathe," Putnam said.

• He also testified that Weitensteiner molested him on the priest's 27-foot powerboat on Lake Coeur d'Alene where the priest took him and another boy in the early 1980s.

While Putnam, who was 10 or 11 years old at the time, was lying down seasick, he said, Weitensteiner pulled down his shorts and touched him until the boy kicked Weitensteiner in the face, jumped overboard and swam to another boat. The other boater returned Putnam to Weitensteiner, who said the boy was mentally ill.

That night Weitensteiner took the boys back to his home at St. Patrick's Parish, where he was pastor, and again molested him, Putnam testified. Putnam recounted that Weitensteiner told him, "Nobody is ever going to believe you. Look who you are, an orphan. Nobody ever comes for you."

• He said Weitensteiner later fondled him again when he forced the boy onto his lap behind the wheel of the priest's car. Putnam was later taken from Morning Star Boys' Ranch and placed in a foster home in Chattaroy.

• King declined to cross-examine either Weitensteiner or Putnam. Both will be called as witnesses when the defense presents its case, probably next week.

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Comments for the above article:


Stephen Eugster on January 22 at 3:58 a.m.

For more about the trial and this development see

http://www.washcourts.com/?p=166[/list]
Stephen Eugster on January 22 at 8:10 a.m.

If the Clarke Allegations are untrue then someone, perhaps along with others, is attempting a massive shakedown of Morning Star Boys Ranch.

True or not true, the Clarke Allegations make it incumbent upon Spokane Prosecuting Attorney Steve Tucker to act - to at least call for a Special Inquiry Judge to mount an investigation. See RCW Ch. 10.27. Perhaps a grand jury should be empanelled.

What the allegations could relate to is a criminal endeavor involving a lot of people. Judge Kathleen O'Connor's taking testimony of Micheal Clarke this coming Monday, January 25, 2010, is not going to be enough to get at the truth and the magnitude of what must be taking place. Any way one looks at the Clarke Allegations and the timing of the allegations, or the matters contained in the allegations, someone (perhaps in concert with others with others) is engaging in significant criminal activity. The truth must be found out. It cannot be found out in the limited context of a hearing on Monday or later testimony in a personal injury action.

twoandthree on January 22 at 3:36 p.m.

I'm going to start logging my postings and repost them when the S-R removes them.

Ryan's looking for job security.

© Copyright 2010, The Spokesman-Review

[Ursus]

This is essentially the very same article as was published the previous day (3 posts back), save for a grammatical polishing or two. However, it has a different title and a whole new set of comments, so here it is again:

-------------- • -------------- • -------------- • --------------

The Spokesman-Review
Sex procurement alleged in boys' ranch trial
Judge to rule whether witness can testify
January 22, 2010 in City

Kevin Graman

An unexpected witness may testify that former Morning Star Boys' Ranch director Joseph Weitensteiner had him procure boys for sex and then gave the witness money years later to keep it quiet, according to a motion Thursday in the first sex-abuse trial against the ranch.

The dramatic revelation in the lawsuit by Kenneth Putnam came outside the presence of the Superior Court jury when Judge Kathleen O'Connor demanded to know why Putnam's attorney had called an unscheduled witness three weeks into proceedings.

That witness is Michael Clarke, a former boys' ranch resident who is currently an inmate at the Airway Heights Corrections Center on a conviction of first-degree theft.

Putnam's attorney told the judge Clarke informed him Friday that in 2006 Weitensteiner allegedly paid Clarke $2,000 in exchange for Clarke not revealing that he groomed and procured other Morning Star boys to have sex with Weitensteiner. Clarke told the attorney, Tim Kosnoff, that those encounters took place in a nearby farmhouse, owned by the ranch, where Weitensteiner lived in the late 1970s.

Under questioning by Kosnoff on Wednesday, Weitensteiner denied giving money to Clarke, but said he had presided at Clarke's wedding. On Thursday, Weitensteiner denied that Clarke had procured boys for him. But the reason for those questions wasn't revealed until later Thursday.

Morning Star's attorney, Jim King, protested the admissibility of Clarke's testimony and the potential new line of evidence, saying it was a violation of trial management and "a whole different trial."

If Kosnoff wants to present such a case, "let him take it to the prosecutor," King told O'Connor. "We don't think Clarke has any place in this trial."

Kosnoff told the judge "nothing could be more central to this case" than Clarke's expected testimony. He said he can produce a witness who saw Weitensteiner hand Clarke an unsealed envelope containing the cash.

O'Connor ruled that Clarke would appear before her Monday morning and she would hear what he has to say, without the jury present, before ruling on the admissibility of his testimony.

In other testimony Thursday:

• Weitensteiner denied grooming Stephanie Miller for sexual contact. Miller, a transsexual who was born Carl Smith, is a former resident of the ranch who has filed a separate lawsuit against Morning Star claiming to have been sexually abused there.

• Under questioning by Kosnoff, Weitensteiner had difficulty recalling whether the ranch had a written policy regarding allegations of abuse.

• Putnam, 34, testified that he had been molested by Weitensteiner and a counselor named Doyle Gillum, who is now deceased.

Putnam said Gillum came into his bedroom late at night and fondled him while he was under the influence of medication given to him by the ranch to control his bed-wetting.

He said he reported the incident to a supervisor, but that a week later Gillum again entered his room at night and began molesting him until Putnam slapped the counselor. Gillum "punched me so hard in the chest I couldn't breathe," Putnam said.

• He also testified that Weitensteiner molested him on the priest's 27-foot powerboat on Lake Coeur d'Alene where the priest took him and another boy in the early 1980s.

While Putnam, who was 10 or 11 years old at the time, was lying down seasick, he said, Weitensteiner pulled down his shorts and touched him until the boy kicked Weitensteiner in the face, jumped overboard and swam to another boat. The other boater returned Putnam to Weitensteiner, who said the boy was mentally ill.

That night Weitensteiner took the boys back to his home at St. Patrick's Parish, where he was pastor, and again molested him, Putnam testified. Putnam recounted that Weitensteiner told him, "Nobody is ever going to believe you. Look who you are, an orphan. Nobody ever comes for you."

• He said Weitensteiner later fondled him again when he forced the boy onto his lap behind the wheel of the priest's car. Putnam was later taken from Morning Star Boys' Ranch and placed in a foster home in Chattaroy.

• King declined to cross-examine either Weitensteiner or Putnam. Both will be called as witnesses when the defense presents its case, probably next week.

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Comments for the above article:


Stephen Eugster on January 22 at 3:58 a.m.

For more about the trial and this development see

http://www.washcourts.com/?p=166[/list]
Stephen Eugster on January 22 at 8:10 a.m.

If the Clarke Allegations are untrue then someone, perhaps along with others, is attempting a massive shakedown of Morning Star Boys Ranch.

True or not true, the Clarke Allegations make it incumbent upon Spokane Prosecuting Attorney Steve Tucker to act - to at least call for a Special Inquiry Judge to mount an investigation. See RCW Ch. 10.27. Perhaps a grand jury should be empanelled.

What the allegations could relate to is a criminal endeavor involving a lot of people. Judge Kathleen O'Connor's taking testimony of Micheal Clarke this coming Monday, January 25, 2010, is not going to be enough to get at the truth and the magnitude of what must be taking place. Any way one looks at the Clarke Allegations and the timing of the allegations, or the matters contained in the allegations, someone (perhaps in concert with others with others) is engaging in significant criminal activity. The truth must be found out. It cannot be found out in the limited context of a hearing on Monday or later testimony in a personal injury action.

twoandthree on January 22 at 3:36 p.m.

I'm going to start logging my postings and repost them when the S-R removes them.

Ryan's looking for job security.

© Copyright 2010, The Spokesman-Review

[Ursus]

This is essentially the very same article as was published the previous day (3 posts back), save for a grammatical polishing or two. However, it has a different title and a whole new set of comments, so here it is again:

-------------- • -------------- • -------------- • --------------

The Spokesman-Review
Sex procurement alleged in boys' ranch trial
Judge to rule whether witness can testify
January 22, 2010 in City

Kevin Graman

An unexpected witness may testify that former Morning Star Boys' Ranch director Joseph Weitensteiner had him procure boys for sex and then gave the witness money years later to keep it quiet, according to a motion Thursday in the first sex-abuse trial against the ranch.

The dramatic revelation in the lawsuit by Kenneth Putnam came outside the presence of the Superior Court jury when Judge Kathleen O'Connor demanded to know why Putnam's attorney had called an unscheduled witness three weeks into proceedings.

That witness is Michael Clarke, a former boys' ranch resident who is currently an inmate at the Airway Heights Corrections Center on a conviction of first-degree theft.

Putnam's attorney told the judge Clarke informed him Friday that in 2006 Weitensteiner allegedly paid Clarke $2,000 in exchange for Clarke not revealing that he groomed and procured other Morning Star boys to have sex with Weitensteiner. Clarke told the attorney, Tim Kosnoff, that those encounters took place in a nearby farmhouse, owned by the ranch, where Weitensteiner lived in the late 1970s.

Under questioning by Kosnoff on Wednesday, Weitensteiner denied giving money to Clarke, but said he had presided at Clarke's wedding. On Thursday, Weitensteiner denied that Clarke had procured boys for him. But the reason for those questions wasn't revealed until later Thursday.

Morning Star's attorney, Jim King, protested the admissibility of Clarke's testimony and the potential new line of evidence, saying it was a violation of trial management and "a whole different trial."

If Kosnoff wants to present such a case, "let him take it to the prosecutor," King told O'Connor. "We don't think Clarke has any place in this trial."

Kosnoff told the judge "nothing could be more central to this case" than Clarke's expected testimony. He said he can produce a witness who saw Weitensteiner hand Clarke an unsealed envelope containing the cash.

O'Connor ruled that Clarke would appear before her Monday morning and she would hear what he has to say, without the jury present, before ruling on the admissibility of his testimony.

In other testimony Thursday:

• Weitensteiner denied grooming Stephanie Miller for sexual contact. Miller, a transsexual who was born Carl Smith, is a former resident of the ranch who has filed a separate lawsuit against Morning Star claiming to have been sexually abused there.

• Under questioning by Kosnoff, Weitensteiner had difficulty recalling whether the ranch had a written policy regarding allegations of abuse.

• Putnam, 34, testified that he had been molested by Weitensteiner and a counselor named Doyle Gillum, who is now deceased.

Putnam said Gillum came into his bedroom late at night and fondled him while he was under the influence of medication given to him by the ranch to control his bed-wetting.

He said he reported the incident to a supervisor, but that a week later Gillum again entered his room at night and began molesting him until Putnam slapped the counselor. Gillum "punched me so hard in the chest I couldn't breathe," Putnam said.

• He also testified that Weitensteiner molested him on the priest's 27-foot powerboat on Lake Coeur d'Alene where the priest took him and another boy in the early 1980s.

While Putnam, who was 10 or 11 years old at the time, was lying down seasick, he said, Weitensteiner pulled down his shorts and touched him until the boy kicked Weitensteiner in the face, jumped overboard and swam to another boat. The other boater returned Putnam to Weitensteiner, who said the boy was mentally ill.

That night Weitensteiner took the boys back to his home at St. Patrick's Parish, where he was pastor, and again molested him, Putnam testified. Putnam recounted that Weitensteiner told him, "Nobody is ever going to believe you. Look who you are, an orphan. Nobody ever comes for you."

• He said Weitensteiner later fondled him again when he forced the boy onto his lap behind the wheel of the priest's car. Putnam was later taken from Morning Star Boys' Ranch and placed in a foster home in Chattaroy.

• King declined to cross-examine either Weitensteiner or Putnam. Both will be called as witnesses when the defense presents its case, probably next week.

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Comments for the above article:


Stephen Eugster on January 22 at 3:58 a.m.

For more about the trial and this development see

http://www.washcourts.com/?p=166[/list]
Stephen Eugster on January 22 at 8:10 a.m.

If the Clarke Allegations are untrue then someone, perhaps along with others, is attempting a massive shakedown of Morning Star Boys Ranch.

True or not true, the Clarke Allegations make it incumbent upon Spokane Prosecuting Attorney Steve Tucker to act - to at least call for a Special Inquiry Judge to mount an investigation. See RCW Ch. 10.27. Perhaps a grand jury should be empanelled.

What the allegations could relate to is a criminal endeavor involving a lot of people. Judge Kathleen O'Connor's taking testimony of Micheal Clarke this coming Monday, January 25, 2010, is not going to be enough to get at the truth and the magnitude of what must be taking place. Any way one looks at the Clarke Allegations and the timing of the allegations, or the matters contained in the allegations, someone (perhaps in concert with others with others) is engaging in significant criminal activity. The truth must be found out. It cannot be found out in the limited context of a hearing on Monday or later testimony in a personal injury action.

twoandthree on January 22 at 3:36 p.m.

I'm going to start logging my postings and repost them when the S-R removes them.

Ryan's looking for job security.

© Copyright 2010, The Spokesman-Review

[Ursus]

Washington Courts
Courts of Washington and Idaho

Morning Star — The Clarke Allegations, Random Thoughts
Posted on January 22, 2010, 6:21 am, by Steve Eugster, under Morning Star Boys Ranch.

My guess is that it is going to be some time before I understand what is, or may be, going on regarding the so-called Michael Clarke allegations yesterday – that he procured boys for Father Joe and was paid $2,000 by Father Joe to keep silent. Some random bits:

• Tim Kosnoff, plaintiff Putnam's attorney, did not list Clarke as a witness in his case.
• Kosnoff found out about the allegations last Friday, January 15, 2010, after a week of jury selection.
• Kosnoff has been working on this case and related Morning Star claim cases for years.
• There were at least 5 to 6 other lawyers in the courtroom during the week, from time to time, who have clients who have claims against Morning Star and appeared to me to be aligned with Kosnoff. That is, Kosnoff in a way may also be working or assisting in the cases for their clients.
• Clarke's lawyer, Julie Twyford, has been in the courtroom the last two days – Wednesday and Thursday, January 20 and 21.
• Kosnoff and the other lawyers are there, are in this case and the other cases, for personal reasons, their personal reasons, money being, I would suppose, the primary motivator.
• Kosnoff has put on a weak case thus far.
• He has not developed the depth of the evidence he said he was going to present.
• He seems to want to throw things up on the wall with the hope they will stick in the minds of the jurors and will affect them so that they will have enough hooks to hang their hat of money for Putnam if that is what they are inclined to do.
• For instance, out of the blue, when he was examining Weitensteiner he asked whether Father Joe knew the meaning of the word "narcissist." One could hear an unspoken "huh?" from the courtroom observers, at least some of us.
• The sexual contacts described or better said, attempted, by the so-called perpetrator abusers seem to have a similar context: The perpetrator is being aggressive, forceful, tactless, and the person being abused is rejecting, aggressive, not wanting the contact, not ever having indicated in any way he wanted the contact. This is not how it really works. Seems the situations described are more than likely fantasy because between men and boys or older boys and boys things just do not work the way the witnesses, especially Putnam, are describing them.
• At the end of his opening statement, Kosnoff put up a picture on the screen in front of the jury which said something to the effect that Putnam had been abused by "Doyle Putnam" and Father Joe.
• At the time I thought the use of the term Doyle Putnam was really just an innocent slip. Before he had said the person's name was Doyle Gillum (sp), who is a man now dead.
• Then during Putnam's testimony yesterday, he said that the name of his absent, child abandoning, and neglecting father is Doyle Putnam and that his older brother's name is Doyle Putnam.
• Now I wonder whether Kosnoff's use of "Doyle Putnam" in his opening argument could be pregnant with meaning. I wonder whether this case is about Kenny Putnam playing out an Oedipus Complex of emotions of anger directed to the father who never cared for him and a mother who was almost as careless and worthless and also a great disappointment. For a young man, the worst disappointment in life is to realize his father is not really a father. The anger and disappointment stays with a boy into his manhood and permeates his whole being.
• The Clark allegations are explosive.
• If they are untrue one wonders who else is involved in them, and the timing of their disclosure.
• One can only reasonably suspect there is some terrible wrongdoing here. But what is the wrongdoing and who are the wrongdoers?
• I come back to the weakness of the Putnam case and the claim against Morning Star.
• Putnam is off the stand now and will not be recalled by Kosnoff.
• Putnam has not testified to his damages. Things can happen to a person which should not have happened and someone might be responsible. But to get money, one has to prove damages – one must develop facts which show injury and somehow the injury must be quantified. The jury does not have the power to just throw money to a person from another because the latter did wrong.
• So what is this case, in actual fact, all about?  
• Why do the Clarke allegations surface now?
• I do not recall any damages as having been actually established.

Tags: Clarke, Doyle Putnam, Gillum, Kosnoff, Twyford, Weitensteiner