RC Sproul Jr, 2016 MERGED

[Howl]

Really must disengage from this, but RC-Lisa Sproul just posted a new selfie, with RC behind the wheel (they're in a car, you can see the shoulder strap of the seat belt).  I was reeeeeally hoping he'd lose his license, at least during his probation. 

[Jellybean]

Is it possible that Lisa might be behind the wheel? Some phones flip the image on selfie mode. I'm probably just being naive and hopeful, but it seems impossible to me that RC Sproul Jr could have received a suspended prison sentence for felony DWI/DUI with two minor children in the car and not have lost his licence. Is it possible (if the image isn't reversed) that he has an ignition breathalyser lock on the car already?

[MamaJunebug]

I just pray no innocent persons suffer because of him.

[FundieFarmer]

I just pray no innocent persons suffer because of him.

Dare I say, innocent people already have.

I hope no more do.

[Howl]

19 hours ago, Jellybean said:

Is it possible that Lisa might be behind the wheel? Some phones flip the image on selfie mode.

I don't think so.  If you look at her left hand, you can see her wedding ring.  

There was a drunk driving hit and run case in our area awhile back; a 23-year-old woman, after a night of heavy drinking, hit and killed a 30-year-old nanny walking by the side of the road.  The driver, Gabrielle Nestande, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide.  She was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years probation.  She did not lose her license. 

The light sentence so enraged the family, the police and the Texas legislature that laws were changed to allow much stiffer penalties for hit and run. 

 

[starfish]

Depending on state law, you don't necessarily lose your license.  He might have received an occupational exception, something like that. But you can believe someone will report that FB shenanigan to his PO. He's not going to like have to go report, attending AA, submitting to drug tests, etc.

[hoipolloi]

4 minutes ago, starfish said:

But you can believe someone will report that FB shenanigan to his PO. He's not going to like have to go report, attending AA, submitting to drug tests, etc.

From your keyboard to God's or the FSM's ears. 

Devoutly hope that he has some external supervision because the more I see of Lisa the less I think she's capable of anything but enabling him.

[Howl]

Don't have details on the terms of his probation yet.  I wanna know, though.  I'm nosy that way. 

One of the commenters at Spinderella Sproul noted that a convicted felon can't vote, own guns, and would be barred from entering most foreign countries. 

This is a list of charges and the disposition of those charges from court last week: 

As you can see, he took a plea on one charge and the others were dismissed with prejudice.  I googled and this came up on a website about preparing oneself for court in Indiana: 

Quote

A Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice is filed so that the state or prosecution must dismiss the case and cannot bring the charges up again. When a case is dismissed without prejudice, it may be resubmitted at a later point.

A dismissal with prejudice is warranted when there are major problems with the suit or charges that would prevent the other party from ever being able to prove their case.

Reasons such as an improper handling of the initial complaint, such as a violation of rights during a traffic stop.

I guess this is why you pay the big, big, big bucks to high-powered attorneys.  This is hugely depressing -- I'm afraid he's basically skated on the drunk driving issue.  No wonder they thought it was a GREAT day. 

[hoipolloi]

Looks like FJ isn't the only online venue for Spanky gossip.

From the comments section of the most recent Spinderella Sproul entry:

Quote

Here's a comment I saw posted on another blog and the response. Very disturbing stuff:

Bulldogmom: " A few years ago, he was senior pastor at a church in Florida, another job he had no qualifications for, and he stole much money from that church and had to resign in disgrace. Then, DADDY set him up again in these seminary positions, and DADDY and others in the Reformed church gave him the spotlight on many occaisons to pretend to be an evangelical minister/ speaker, and make the public think he was a true man of God, which he has NEVER been. He's a fat, boviated drunk, and a sexual predator. It has now caught up with him, as it will with others in his realm who are living the same way, and being covered by the famous and powerful men who steer the Reformed and Evangeiical tides in this country."

GNL: "I don't know which church Bulldogmom is referring to but I know that R.C. Sproul Jr. has ripped off several churches and a number of ministries. One of his favorite ploys is double and triple billing his travel expenses. When he was pastor at St. Peter Presbyterian he'd use his Highlands Ministries Amex card to pay for travel expenses, not to mention many things that weren't legitimate ministry expenses at all. Highlands Ministries would pay the tab, which he then had St. Peter reimburse, without the knowledge or consent of his church members. He used St. Peter as his personal piggy bank. Then he'd bill the church or ministry that had him speak and pocket the money, even though he'd already been reimbursed. If two or more ministries were involved in sponsoring a conference he'd bill them both. He did this many times and defrauded many of his ministry 'friends.' He even ripped off his own father's Ligonier Ministries in this way many times. He's pocketed tens of thousands of dollars with this scam."

 

[Howl]

On 6/5/2017 at 3:55 PM, starfish said:

He might have received an occupational exception, something like that.

Laughing because he has no occupation right now.  He's a defrocked minister who's currently a kept man.  Hopefully he's being a good dad and caring for his two sons, who are out of school for the summer -- assuming that they are attending public school or a private school, rather than being home schooled. 

Sadly, as made clear in the post above, the alcoholism is the tip of the iceberg of bad behavior. 

[MamaJunebug]

So. Incredibly. Nasty. 

All of it!

[CyborgKin]

Oh so that's how Biblical Economics works! https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Economics-Complete-Study-Course/dp/1934554464

[subsaharanafrica]

@Howl That probably has to do with the plea agreement. There is no reason to plead guilty to one charge in exchange for the others to be dropped if the state can just refile the dropped charges again down the road, so they're dismissed with prejudice.

If the charges had been dismissed because the evidence was disallowed it probably would have affected all of the charges instead of just three (because all of the charges more or less rested on the same evidence). 

[Howl]

Thanks for the clarification, @subsaharanafrica,  that does make sense. I'm just sad that my fantasy of Spanky in prison or rehab is down the drain.  I really want to know if he's wearing an alcohol monitoring bracelet. If he is wearing one, we can be certain there's enforced sobriety.  If he isn't wearing one, it's business as usual and nothing has changed. 

 

[mirele]

I would hope at the very minimum Spanky is required to have an ignition interlock device placed on his car(s).

[pelerine]

Just checked out the Indiana MyCase; on the 8th the court sent over paperwork to the BMV* for a suspension of license. No indication of how long they suspended it.

*Because apparently in Indiana they have a Bureau of Motor Vehicles.  

ETA: The court also sent an SR16, which according to the BMV: "This form is used by courts to notify the BMV that a driver has been convicted of a citation, failed to appear for a citation, or failed to pay a citation for violating a motor vehicle law. This form also notifies the BMV when matters have been dismissed or orders have been vacated. Drivers may not submit SR-16 forms at license branches. SR16 forms may only be submitted by a court directly to the BMV."

[Howl]

Wowza, @pelerine,  things are looking up!  Not for R.C., of course, but this is great news.  

[hoipolloi]

GodDAMN.

According to further comments at Spinderella Sproul, Spanky got his license back & has no other restrictions, like an ignition lock:

Quote

We checked with the court on Thursday, after the Court Summary had been updated, to verify what the terms of the suspension were. We were told it was a "zero day suspension." In other words the SR16 form, in this case, actually informs the BMV to reinstate his suspended driver's license. 

It's standard procedure in Indiana that when a driver is arrested for OWI that their license is "administratively suspended" by the BMV pending trial outcome. If the court had wanted his DL to remain suspended they would have stipulated something like "365 day suspension" on the SR16. 

Specifics are a little sketchy at this time, but as far we can determine RC Jr has his full driving privileges restored with no restrictions of any kind. He won't be wearing a SCRAM tether. No ignition interlock. 

Those who had hoped that the Indiana courts would ensure that the public would in some way have been protected from RC Jr's drunken exploits, even for just a year, will be sadly disappointed. His parole officer will have no way of knowing if RC Jr is still getting liquored up and driving. He's basically on some sort of honor system, so it's not hard to see how that will likely turn out. 

If this is all true, it's absolutely disgusting.

[Howl]

10 hours ago, hoipolloi said:

If this is all true, it's absolutely disgusting.

Agree 100%.  Nothing will change with R.C.. Nothing. His children will continue to be endangered and damaged from living with an alcoholic. 

As the child of an alcoholic who was never able to achieve sobriety, this is a sad, sad thought. 

[pelerine]

Sad day.

I kind of think drunk driving penalties should be harsh. Like one conviction = suspended license for at LEAST six months harsh. Then I have an argument with myself along the lines of:

"What if the drunk driver is the sole breadwinner and he loses his job and then the innocent kids go hungry?"

"Yes, but what if he had hit and killed another innocent driver?"

"[Crime] doesn't concern the victim and the guilty only. It affects the innocent too." (Agatha Christie, Death in the Air)

Dang it, Agatha.

[DomWackTroll]

Vesta is all over their Facebook page right now, supporting Precious. 

[MamaJunebug]

36 minutes ago, DomWackTroll said:

Vesta is all over their Facebook page right now, supporting Precious. 

Mm, mm, mm.  And his two bestest girls went with him to a *pub,* and Vesta shared the location. Go, Ruth! Hi, Vesta! Vesta, if I get rich I'm calling you to get your plastic surgeon's name! Nice work. 

[Marian the Librarian]

46 minutes ago, DomWackTroll said:

Vesta is all over their Facebook page right now, supporting Precious. 

Screen shots, please? I'm not seeing it...

[hoipolloi]

6 hours ago, Marian the Librarian said:

Screen shots, please? I'm not seeing it...

From her/their Facebook page:

 

Spoiler

ETA: And this appears to be a rear view of Spanky:

 

 

Spoiler

 

[Quinquagenarian]

What zoo? And I must confess ignorance but who is Ruth to whom she refers as resembling?  Lisa looks pretty nonplussed in her shorts. He is a sorry scoundrel