Mo. prosecutor stays mum on dropped church sex abuse case

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) -- A week after dropping all charges in a high-profile church sex abuse case, a southwest Missouri prosecutor remained silent on the reason and declined to respond to allegations by a victim's lawyer that the prosecutor violated victim rights under Missouri law.

The attorney for one of two women who said they were sexually abused said McDonald County prosecutor Janice Durbin did not notify the victims ahead of time about dropping the charges against the leader of a commune-style church community, his wife and their sister-in-law.

In a written statement, attorney Erin Willis said the suspected victim she represents and other former members of Grand Valley Independent Baptist Church represented by her office were "shocked and appalled" that the case was dropped a week before trial.

Durbin has repeatedly declined to answer reporters' questions about why she ended the case. A defense lawyer said last week that it was because the two women who alleged they had been abused as children had stopped cooperating, but Willis said that was untrue and the women wanted to testify at trial.

Durbin declined Wednesday to come to the phone or respond to e-mail questions about the allegations from Willis that she had not notified the victims about dropping the charges. The Associated Press had e-mailed Willis' statement to Durbin on Tuesday seeking her response.

"At this point she still has no comment," Durbin's office manager said by phone.

Willis said state statutes on victim rights required Durbin to notify the two women before dropping the case. Instead, Willis said, her client found out about the decision from a newspaper story.

Missouri law states that victims have the right to be informed by prosecutors "in a timely manner" about developments, including "final disposition" of a case. It also gives victims the right to be informed of "the status of any case concerning a crime against the victim."

The state attorney general's office declined to comment on the case, including any requirements about notifying victims.

Willis did not return calls seeking comment about her statement and whether she planned to seek any legal action against Durbin.

In her statement, Willis said the suspected victims were "courageous individuals" who were ostracized by their live-in church community for coming forward.

"They have been abandoned, and they are deeply saddened by the prosecutor's neglect of her duties to them and to the other citizens of McDonald County," Willis said.

Durbin dropped charges Nov. 6 against the Rev. Raymond Lambert; his wife, Patty Lambert; and their sister-in-law, Laura Epling. All three had pleaded not guilty and were scheduled for trial this week.

Last month, Durbin told The Associated Press she was confident about the cases. After dropping the cases, she said "a number of factors" led her to the dismissal but that "professional ethics" prevented her from elaborating.

Durbin would not say whether she planned to refile charges but added, "No decision is final."

Defense attorney Robert Evenson said Tuesday that he believed the cases were dropped because the two accusers had not appeared for depositions by his office.

Willis said the women were not properly notified of the deposition appointments.

The case drew national attention in August 2006 when the Lamberts and two male church elders were charged with abusing several young girls over many years at their community on an isolated Ozarks farm.

The case expanded to include abuse charges against Laura Epling and George Otis Johnston, an uncle of Raymond Lambert who led a smaller religious community in neighboring Newton County.

The case against Johnston remains on track, according to Newton County prosecutors. Johnston has pleaded not guilty to 17 felony counts on suspicion of abusing two girls, one of them from the time she was 8 until she turned 17 and left his community in April 2006.