The Willis Family: Rape Charges Part 2

[Lurky]

Like everyone else, I'm so glad for the victim(s) that he pleaded guilty and didn't put them through any more than he already did.  Really crappy it took so long for him to do it, mind you.

I'm also glad he didn't get a mitigated sentence for pleading guilty.  And like everyone else, his victim(s) and family are in my thoughts, and I hope they can heal, and build a healthy, strong, happy life in the future. 

ETA I'm so relieved about this outcome.  It is so depressing, every time there was an update here, and continues to be in the Brett Alan Smith thread, and it wasn't this news.  So glad this one has a resolution, at least.

[holierthanyou]

I only heard of this yesterday and while disgusted at yet another staunch fundamentalist conservative Christian man sexually abusing children, I was genuinely surprised and impressed with the family statement... it was clear that the family respected the privacy and vulnerability of the victims beyond all else, and went out of their way to publicly thank law enforcement and the district attorneys for handling everything so sensitively. Classy and brave, that is one fundy mom who just earned a lot of respect from me.

[Coy Koi]

I'll give the mom a limited amount of my conditional respect. I am so glad that she chose the side of her children and the victim(s) over her husband, but did she really not have any idea before that he might be an incestuous child rapist? (I believe the public record states that the victim(s) were relatives). She did the right thing eventually, but she's far from Mother of the Year. She still knowingly raised her children in an extremely toxic environment. Just how much of the toxicity was or should have been known to her is open to question, but there's no question that she was aware of a lot of it.

[Nomorethanfour]

Have Toby's parents made any statement? I haven't read anything in the articles.

So happy the victim (s) and family won't be subjected to a trial. Brenda gets mad respect from me. The way she immediately drew a line in the sand with her initial statement.  Just a guess, but I don't think she had a clue what was going on. The way she deleted all social media and canceled all of their concerts shows me she was thinking only of her kids and not the spotlight. Gentle healing to them all.

[justmy2cents]

Since their show was on the air for a season we got to see how much stock they all put into men being manly.  The middle brothers wrestled and some of the girls said they wanted a husband who was manly and needed to pass some macho test.  That attitude seemed to be heavily influenced by Toby and I wonder if they've changed their opinion about that.  I know they've gone private but it would be interesting to know what affect this will have on their lifestyle.  

[Ms Lucy Fur]

2 hours ago, justmy2cents said:

Since their show was on the air for a season we got to see how much stock they all put into men being manly.  The middle brothers wrestled and some of the girls said they wanted a husband who was manly and needed to pass some macho test.  That attitude seemed to be heavily influenced by Toby and I wonder if they've changed their opinion about that.  I know they've gone private but it would be interesting to know what affect this will have on their lifestyle.  

The macho test for potential suitors was a wrestling match with Toby. 

[mstee]

10 hours ago, Coy Koi said:

I'll give the mom a limited amount of my conditional respect. I am so glad that she chose the side of her children and the victim(s) over her husband, but did she really not have any idea before that he might be an incestuous child rapist? (I believe the public record states that the victim(s) were relatives). She did the right thing eventually, but she's far from Mother of the Year. She still knowingly raised her children in an extremely toxic environment. Just how much of the toxicity was or should have been known to her is open to question, but there's no question that she was aware of a lot of it.

Some people can hide very dark secrets very well. I've seen it happen in friend's families, and even my own. It's always easy to look in from and outsider's perspective and say "gosh how didn't he/she know?" But the way Brenda immediately stood by her children and not Toby after the arrest says to me that she had no clue. There is no reason to conclude she wouldn't have had the same reaction 10 years ago when the crimes occurred had she known what was happening. It's disgusting that it happened, but it's a breath of fresh air to see a fundy mother react appropriately. I hope that those kids thrive under their mother's care and are able to move on. 

[Texas Toast]

I agree that Brenda deserves respect in this. I think the way she handled everything when the police arrested Toby speaks volumes about who she is. She stood her ground and protected her family.  I highly doubt the guilty plea would have happened had she not put her foot down and said "we support law enforcement in this." He was suddenly left with no support. The fact that he ended up with a public defender speaks to that. 

He deserves every horrible minute of that 40 years in jail. I hope his victims can heal from this and go on to live fabulous lives. 

[Dandruff]

Don't know if this has been discussed before, but why on earth would a rapist (who, presumably, wanted to stay out of jail and didn't need the money) agree to be part of a national "reality" TV show?

[Nomorethanfour]

8 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

Don't know if this has been discussed before, but why on earth would a rapist (who, presumably, wanted to stay out of jail and didn't need the money) agree to be part of a national "reality" TV show?

Ego.

[Palimpsest]

12 hours ago, Nomorethanfour said:

Have Toby's parents made any statement? I haven't read anything in the articles.

Not to my knowledge.  I just did a search on their names (Pastor Duane "Scott" and Janet Willis) and found nothing.

I miswrote above. Toby Willis wouldn't have necessarily received anything from the $100 million out of court settlement after that horrible car accident.  The settlement would have gone to his parents - not that it would have compensated them for the terrible deaths of 6 of their children.

So as Toby was reduced to a public defender - it doesn't look as though Mom and Dad Willis were paying his legal bills for this.

12 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

why on earth would a rapist (who, presumably, wanted to stay out of jail and didn't need the money) agree to be part of a national "reality" TV show?

Money aside (see above about the settlement) why would the Duggars?  Or Mama June with all the sexual and physical abuse allegations in that family?  Or that Cheerleader mother accused of raping a 13 year old boy?

TLC has a really bad record when it comes to their UNreality stars.

[Texas Toast]

10 hours ago, Dandruff said:

Don't know if this has been discussed before, but why on earth would a rapist (who, presumably, wanted to stay out of jail and didn't need the money) agree to be part of a national "reality" TV show?

He probably thought he got away with it. That after all these years, his victim (or victims) wouldn't come forward. 

[Coy Koi]

17 hours ago, mstee said:

Some people can hide very dark secrets very well. I've seen it happen in friend's families, and even my own. It's always easy to look in from and outsider's perspective and say "gosh how didn't he/she know?" But the way Brenda immediately stood by her children and not Toby after the arrest says to me that she had no clue. There is no reason to conclude she wouldn't have had the same reaction 10 years ago when the crimes occurred had she known what was happening. It's disgusting that it happened, but it's a breath of fresh air to see a fundy mother react appropriately. I hope that those kids thrive under their mother's care and are able to move on. 

I don't disagree. I'm very glad she reacted appropriately as soon as the allegations were officially made (and perhaps as soon as they were made unofficially if that happened prior, I have no way of knowing). I suppose it's possible that she truly had no reason to suspect that he was capable of anything like that beforehand (although I feel it's more likely that she couldn't bring herself to entertain the possibility, which can be somewhat understandable to a certain point). I just mean that there was a lot of creepiness and inappropriateness that was apparent just from the public persona, so even if he never did anything to let on that he could be a child rapist, a good parent would have still recognized this as an unhealthy environment. I wish the best for her and especially for her kids, but I really hope she is able to see the errors in judgment she made, and to do better in the future.

[Gobsmacked]

On 13 July 2017 at 7:23 AM, Ms Lucy Fur said:

The macho test for potential suitors was a wrestling match with Toby. 

Really? !! I didn't see the show. Not sure if it was aired over here.

[Four is Enough]

I remember that they had an enormous basement gym and the boys were working out in there constantly, it seemed.

[ChunkyBarbie]

I hope with Toby gone, the family will develop healthier boundaries and not be so enmeshed. Isn't that enmeshment, is that a word, a big part of the reason Jer's engagement was called off?  

[mstee]

According to Radar online (aka trash news) there were 4 separate victims, not just 4 separate incidences. I was under the impression that it was one victim. So sad no matter how you cut it. 

http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/toby-willis-child-rape-graphic-details-four-victims-forty-years-prison/

[Buzzard]

Based on what they wrote it looks like they have a copy of the indictment, which means that this may actually be true

Spoiler

Toby Willis on or about January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 did unlawfully, knowingly and feloniously sexually penetrate a person less than 13 years old,” the papers read of the victim, who was around 10-years-old at the time.

For the second count, he “sexually penetrated” a second victim, who was around 9-years-old at the time, on or about January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

He was then charged with a third count for sexually penetrating a 12-year-old on or about February 1, 2013 through February 28, 2013.

For the fourth and final count, he sexually penetrated an 8-year-old on or about January 1, 2011 through December 21, 2011.

I'm glad that they didnt publish the document.

[withaj]

9 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

Based on what they wrote it looks like they have a copy of the indictment, which means that this may actually be true

  Hide contents

Toby Willis on or about January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 did unlawfully, knowingly and feloniously sexually penetrate a person less than 13 years old,” the papers read of the victim, who was around 10-years-old at the time.

For the second count, he “sexually penetrated” a second victim, who was around 9-years-old at the time, on or about January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

PHOTOS: Pamela Anderson Reveals Rape, Molestation and Gang Rape During Charity Foundation Speech

He was then charged with a third count for sexually penetrating a 12-year-old on or about February 1, 2013 through February 28, 2013.

For the fourth and final count, he sexually penetrated an 8-year-old on or about January 1, 2011 through December 21, 2011.

I'm glad that they didnt publish the document.

Ohgod, that makes me sick. How horrific.

Also, it appears they did post the document.

The names are redacted, but from the length of the redacted names, as well as from the time periods and ages given, it appears that they may all be different victims.

Incidents were in 2002, 2004, 2013, and 2011 (the four counts are listed in that date order, for some reason).

[SweetLaurel]

1 hour ago, Chewing Gum said:

4 different victims? Wow. <redacted>

I don't think we should speculate on the identity of minor victims.   Whoever it is - is horrible.       So glad he was stopped. 

 

[Palimpsest]

22 minutes ago, Buzzard said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Toby Willis on or about January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002 did unlawfully, knowingly and feloniously sexually penetrate a person less than 13 years old,” the papers read of the victim, who was around 10-years-old at the time.

For the second count, he “sexually penetrated” a second victim, who was around 9-years-old at the time, on or about January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004.

PHOTOS: Pamela Anderson Reveals Rape, Molestation and Gang Rape During Charity Foundation Speech

He was then charged with a third count for sexually penetrating a 12-year-old on or about February 1, 2013 through February 28, 2013.

For the fourth and final count, he sexually penetrated an 8-year-old on or about January 1, 2011 through December 21, 2011.

I'm glad that they didnt publish the document.

I'm afraid they did.  Redacted though.

Yes, four separate victims.  May he rot in prison.

5 minutes ago, SweetLaurel said:

I don't think we should speculate on the identity of minor victims

It is against the rules.

[Chewing Gum]

Oh yeah, sorry, you're right. Just thought that was kinda obvious given the posts before me. 

[withaj]

It is beating a dead horse to say again that speculation is inappropriate here, as stated in our rules and dictated by common decency and human compassion. However, I'd already started typing when the other replies popped up, so I'll throw my voice in with the chorus.

Whoever the victims, it seems that the later three incidents did not come to light until the investigation into the first incident began. What a relief and a horror it must be to find out you aren't the only victim... I wish Brenda and her children well and hope that the victims find the support they deserve.

Now, if only Alan Smith's case could be resolved swiftly and justly.

[Carm_88]

What a disgusting human being.  My skin crawls just thinking of him. 

[RosyDaisy]

There's a very special place in Hell for Toby Willis. May be burn there.