Word of Life defendant takes plea deal; details of beatings emerge

Syracuse.com/June 22, 2016

By Elizabeth Doran

Utica, New York -- Bruce Leonard, who is accused of participating in a mass beating at the Word of Life Church that killed one and seriously injured another, accepted a plea deal today in Oneida County Court, according to Oneida County court officials.

Leonard pleaded guilty for first- and second-degree assault, according to court officials.

Pleading guilty to those charges satisfies other charges against him, the court said. He also agreed to testify in court against the other defendants.

Leonard originally faced charges of second-degree murder, first and second-degree manslaughter and two counts of gang assault.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. Court officials said the sentence agreed on was 15 to 16 years.

Leonard, 65, is the father of Christopher and Lucas Leonard, the two young men he is accused of beating. Lucas Leonard, 19, died as a result of his injuries and Christopher, his 17-year-old brother, was seriously injured.

Bruce Leonard is accused of joining his wife, Deborah, and seven other church members in beating the two teens.

The beatings took place Oct 11, 2015 at the Word of Life Church in Chadwicks, in Oneida County during a counseling session that lasted more than 10 hours.

In testimony in the courtroom, Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara said Lucas Leonard was hit 31 times, according to the Observer-Dispatch. The bulk of the injury to Lucas was in the groin area.

Bruce Leonard testified in court that his son Christopher asked his father to "stop beating me,'' according to the O-D report. Leonard also said at one point a tarp was put under him to prevent the blood from getting on the floor. He also estimated the whipping continued for an hour.

At one point, Bruce Leonard said he stopped whipping his son because he was bleeding. He testified that the two were whipped on their backs and all over. He also said in court that Lucas never tried to get away, according to the O-D.

The prosecution has said the pair were beat because of allegations of witchcraft, threats to leave the church and because some believed there was sexual molestation. The police have said there is no evidence of molestation against the church's youngest members.

Leonard rejected a plea deal in January, and was scheduled to go on trial Thursday in court, along with Sarah Ferguson, the victim's half-sister.

As of now, Ferguson is still scheduled to go on trial Thursday morning.

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