06-22-2016, 02:09 PM
![[Image: B9319308061Z.1_20151016165651_000_GMPC90JOP.2-0.jpg]](http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/20b6bbafbd66b9b4354c7d02e5ab665d696d9657/c=130-0-3167-2278&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/2015/10/16/Binghamton/B9319308061Z.1_20151016165651_000_GMPC90JOP.2-0.jpg)
The father of a 19-year-old New York man who was beaten to death during a church counseling session has pleaded guilty for his role in the attack, which also injured another son.
Bruce Leonard (pictured above) pleaded guilty to assault Wednesday in Oneida County Court, where he was scheduled to go on trial on a more serious murder charge Thursday. His wife, Deborah Leonard, pleaded guilty to assault in December.
As part of the plea, Leonard will have to testify against his step-daughter, Sarah Ferguson, who's among seven others awaiting trial for the October attack that killed Lucas Leonard and injured 17-year-old Christopher Leonard. Authorities said the boys had discussed leaving the secretive Word of Life Church.
Ferguson, the victims' half-sister, waived her rights to a jury trial and instead opted for a bench trial, which is scheduled to begin Thursday. Trials for others facing charges in the case aren't scheduled to begin until September.
Bruce Leonard is expected to be sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/father-of-ne...ds-guilty/
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15 years for helping to beat your son to death because he wanted to leave your church -- not enough, in my opinion.
I guess the police believe the stepdaughter was more directly responsible and really want the parents' testimony to put her away for a long time.