A woman was found guilty by a jury after she confided in her pastor, who also happened to be a major in the sheriff's office, about her intention to visit her fiancé's girlfriend's house to confront them together. This incident was reported by WAFB.
Peggy Valentine, aged 44, had her attorney argue that this matter should never have gone to trial as she was seeking spiritual guidance from her pastor. However, the judge sided with the prosecution, stating that it wasn't a private conversation, and another deputy from the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office was present in the room.
Authorities claimed that Valentine unlawfully entered the girlfriend's home and attacked her while she slept, using a box cutter. Fortunately, the victim managed to defend herself and escape, as reported by WBRZ.
Valentine's attorney, David Belfield III, argued that the other woman had invited his client into the home on the morning of May 4, 2022. He pointed out that there were no signs of forced entry, broken doors, or broken windows, suggesting that someone inside had let her in.
Valentine had gone to the house with a relative to sort things out, especially since the girlfriend had recently given birth to the fiancé's child. She brought some baby clothing, as she believed they were still trying to work out their relationship.
On the other hand, Ascension Parish Assistant District Attorney Brant Mayer, who prosecuted the case, informed the jurors that Valentine had broken into the home and attacked the woman while she was sleeping.
Valentine had initially reached out to her pastor, who was a major at the local sheriff’s office. He advised her to cooperate with the investigators, which she did voluntarily because she believed she had acted in self-defense. Belfield noted that during the conversation, it was clear that Peggy had been questioned by the authorities for a while, and she was highly distressed. She eventually stopped talking to the pastor and demanded to speak to him privately.
However, during her conversation with the pastor, another deputy remained in the room. During this discussion, she confessed her intention to catch her fiancé and his girlfriend together.
Belfield questioned the pastor's dual roles as a pastor and a deputy, emphasizing that he never warned Peggy about the implications of her words. He also questioned why a deputy would be present while she talked to her pastor when the same wouldn't be allowed during a conversation with her attorney.
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