GUILTY PA - John Coy for child sexual abuse, Sligo, 2006

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John Avery Coy​
"A 55-year-old Shippenville man facing a trial on charges of sexual abuse of children was once at the center of a landmark case in Iowa which resulted in his conviction being overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
John Avery Coy is charged with second-degree felony sexual abuse of children; felony permitting a child to engage in a prohibited sex act; third-degree felony endangering the welfare of children and first-degree misdemeanor indecent exposure and corruption of minors between September 2004 and January 2006...

Iowa case
In August, 1985, in Clinton , Iowa , two 13-year-old girls built a tent using a picnic table and blankets in the backyard of one of the girl’s home.

Sometime during the night, a man entered the tent in which the girls were sleeping and grabbed one of the girls by her throat.

The man allegedly told the girls to take off all their clothes and put the girls’ underwear into a bag he was carrying. The man allegedly fondled and kissed the girls.

According to an account of the allegation published in a 1991 book by Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy entitled, "In our defense, the Bill of Rights in action," the man in the tent also ordered the girls to kiss each other, to fondle him and perform oral sex acts on him.

According to the account offered in the Alderman/Kennedy book, the assault lasted about 90 minutes and involved other alleged acts. The man then tied the naked girls up with their clothes and left the tent."
Following an investigation by Clinton police during which testimony was provided by the victims and neighbors, Coy, then 34, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Neighbors entered Coy’s home and allegedly found a cup in the trash which appeared in part to corroborate part of the girls’ testimony. Police were alerted to the cup, a search warrant was secured, and the cup and other items familiar to items the girls described their assailant as carrying were found.

Coy was then charged with two counts of lascivious acts with a child.

At the time of the trial there was no DNA testing and the case was based almost entirely on the testimony of the girls which at times was conflicting.

Four months prior to the pending trial, the Iowa legislature had passed a law allowing child witnesses under the age of 14 to testified via closed-circuit television or from behind a screen or mirror.

At a preliminary hearing, Coy’s attorney objected to the use of the closed-circuit television system asserting the system violated Coy’s Sixth Amendment right to "be confronted with the witnesses against him."
Following five days of testimony and five hours of jury deliberations in November, 1985, Coy was convicted of the charges against him and sentenced to two consecutive five-year terms in the prison – the maximum sentence allowed in the case.

Coy appealed the conviction on the Sixth Amendment argument to the Iowa Supreme Court.

The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the conviction and Coy appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1988, by a 6-2 margin, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Iowa Supreme Court based largely on the Sixth Amendment. The Iowa Supreme Court then ordered a new trial for Coy.

According to the Alderman/Kennedy book, the victims in the case, by then 17 years old, refused to go through another trial.

Alderman and Kennedy, in closing the "In our defense, the Bill of Rights in action," chapter on Coy and the Sixth Amendment case, wrote Coy married the woman with whom he was living and "moved with her and her daughter to Pennsylvania."

Full story here:
http://www2.theclarionnews.com/General_News/58814.shtml
 
Gee, isn't it wonderful that HIS rights were upheld? What about those poor young girls? And the more recent victims? Let's hope that he does not get away with it this time for any reason. Creep!
 
Even if his conviction wasn't overturned, he would have been paroled a few years later and probably committed those very same abuses he is now being charged for.
 
While I am so sad that a child abuser goes seemingly unpunished in this case and in all probability will reoffend, I have to side with the Court on this one. The rights that they are protecting are essential to a free society and to the fairness of our justice system.

Everyone gets the same basic rights...even when they are wrong. I don't for a second think our justice system is perfect, but I believe with all my heart that it is the best justice system in the world.
 
CLARION - A former Shippenville man will serve 10 to 20 years in state prison in a Clarion County child sex abuse case.

John A. Coy, 55, was sentenced Wednesday on felony charges of sexual abuse of children - photograph/film a child, unlawful contact with a minor and endangering the welfare of children and misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and corruption of minors.
"I deeply regret the pain, the inconvenience and the embarrassment this has been on my family," he said.
Clarion County President Judge James Arner issued the order and said Coy has been determined to be a sexually violent offender according to Megan's Law following an evaluation.
Allegations were that he took nude pictures of a 13-year-old girl and exposed himself to her.
The crimes were reported to have occurred between September 2004 and January 2006 at a Sligo residence where the victim had lived with her mother, who was dating Coy.
"This is one of the most heinous crimes in our society," Arner said. "You showed a total lack of concern for the child and only for yourself."

(snip)

Coy will receive credit for 328 days time served.
He also apologized for the time and cost to the county.
District Attorney Mark Aaron prosecuted the case, and Coy was represented by Menu during the April 24 trial held before Arner.
Coy had been the subject of a Pennsylvania Crimestoppers initiative and was taken into custody in September 2006 in Arizona.
The county's Children and Youth Services agency and state police became involved after the alleged victim told a cousin about the incidents.

http://www.thederrick.com/stories/01242008-4012.shtml
 
Hmmm. I didn't see any apology to the girl mentioned in that article. Just to HIS family and to the county.

He needs to be behind bars till he dies.
 
Hmmm. I didn't see any apology to the girl mentioned in that article. Just to HIS family and to the county.

He needs to be behind bars till he dies.

Yea and he is only sorry because he got caught. I didn't see any appologies prior to that? Lock him up and throw away the key along with all the other child molesters.
 
If he is a violent sex offender, this is not nearly enough time. His apology missed the point, didn't it?
 
WOW, how nice of him to apologize to his family! Hope they keep him behind bars forever.
 
John Avery Coy

Housed: Cresson
Case Disposition Date: 04/24/2007

Offense: Photograph/Film/Depict on Computer Sex Act-Child
Sentence: 45 months - 90 months

Offense: Contact/Communication w/ Minor - Sexual Abuse
Sentence: 45 months - 90 months

Offense: Endangering the Welfare of Children
Sentence: 30 months - 60 months

Offense: Indecent Exposure
Sentence: 21 months - 42 months

Offense: Corruption of Minors
Sentence: 24 months - 48 months

Still trying to find out if this is concurrent or consecutive.

This case is awaiting a decision from the Appeals Court. (Hey, it worked the first time he did it.)
 
John Avery Coy

Housed: Cresson
Sentence Date: 01/25/2008

Offense: Photograph/Film/Depict on Computer Sex Act-Child
Sentence: 45 months - 90 months - Base

Offense: Contact/Communication w/ Minor - Sexual Abuse
Sentence: 45 months - 90 months - Concurrent

Offense: Endangering the Welfare of Children
Sentence: 30 months - 60 months - Consecutive

Offense: Indecent Exposure
Sentence: 21 months - 42 months - Consecutive

Offense: Corruption of Minors
Sentence: 24 months - 48 months - Consecutive

Updates bolded.

05/17/2010 - Judgement affirmed by Superior Court.

Knowing him he will try to appeal to the Supreme Court again. Also, he was NOT deemed to be a Sexually Violent Predator.
 
While I am so sad that a child abuser goes seemingly unpunished in this case and in all probability will reoffend, I have to side with the Court on this one. The rights that they are protecting are essential to a free society and to the fairness of our justice system.

Everyone gets the same basic rights...even when they are wrong. I don't for a second think our justice system is perfect, but I believe with all my heart that it is the best justice system in the world.

he has the right to get up on the stand and attempt to refute there testimony. i dont get whats so darn important for a defendent to sit there and attempt to intimidate his 'alleged' vicitms.

now how many other victims did this slimeball have cause the supreme court let him off?
 
.... Had the case been handled correctly by the trial judge, I am certain Coy's conviction would have stood any test. I investigated this case.
I arrested Coy. I interviewed those girls. I have never spoken out about it, but will now because I am well retired. Coy should not have been free to marry a woman with a child, and should not have been free to travel to Shippenville to offend again. I will be forever bitter that this case was botched so completely at the hands of idiots.
BBM SBM for focus

Hello spook551,

Congrats on your 1st post.
Your summary helped me understand what actually happened.

Thank you for your LE service, which helped make the world a better place.
Hope you are enjoying your retirement.

:seeya:
 
BBM SBM for focus

Hello spook551,

Congrats on your 1st post.
Your summary helped me understand what actually happened.

Thank you for your LE service, which helped make the world a better place.
Hope you are enjoying your retirement.

:seeya:

where did you see that post that you quoted? was it here on WS?
 

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