Josh Duggar, of TLC's 19 Kids & Counting fame, may have been found guilty in December 2021 of possessing child pornography, but the eldest son of Jim Bob and Michelle is requesting a fresh trial. Following a raid of his Arkansas car dealership last April, the father of seven was arrested on two counts: one for receiving illicit images and one for possession. Several months later, a jury found him guilty on all charges. As Josh looks at a potential 20 years in prison and hefty $250,000 fine per count, he's asking for a second shot at innocence.
Ever since the Duggar clan made their TLC debut in 2008, they've been vocal about their devotion to the conservative independent Baptist religion. Despite the family's seemingly wholesome nature, a dark cloud formed when troubling details surfaced about Josh. It was revealed that in 2006, Josh molested several of his younger sisters as well as a babysitter. Evidence also came to light that Josh, who has been married to wife Anna for 14 years, was a member of Ashley Madison, a website used for extramarital affairs. However, his most recent offense is inarguably the most heinous. The jury found Josh guilty of downloading onto his work computer 60-plus photos of children--as well as a baby--being sexually assaulted.
A sentencing hearing is slated to take place within the next few months. In the meantime, according to USA Today, Josh is requesting either a new trial or an acquittal. The argument from Josh and his attorneys is that prosecutors failed to prove something that's necessary for conviction--that Josh knew the "visual depictions were of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct." They've also argued that there's no proof of Josh downloading the images and videos onto his computer at the dealership. They said it could've been someone else.
Currently, Josh's wife, Anna, is one of the few loved ones still supporting Josh. She previously shared how she wants to make divorce a "last resort." The same can't be said for his siblings. When Josh was arrested, Jinger and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, said they were "disturbed" by the charges and "condemn any form of child abuse." As for parents Jim Bob and Michelle, it seems they're trying to focus on the positives, especially after hosting a large-scale New Year's Eve party. Still, Josh's actions appear to be affecting them too. A week after Josh's conviction, Jim Bob lost his campaign for an Arkansas Senate seat, garnering a mere 15% of the vote.
At this point, it's unclear when a decision will be made regarding Josh's request. But given his history of molesting his own sisters, not to mention infidelity, the idea of him not realizing the horror of those images seems extremely far-fetched--so does the idea of somebody else downloading the images onto his computer. It's likely that even if this 19 Kids & Counting star is granted a new trial, the end result will ultimately be the same.
Source: USA Today