Sex charges against Baptist youth pastor dismissed after Investigator Misses Trial

Black Collar Crime

Tuesday, January 29, 2008
UPDATED: 12:18 PM
Sex charges against Bullitt youth pastor dismissed

By Brandy Warren
bwarren@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

Sexual-abuse charges against a Bullitt County youth pastor were dismissed after an investigator failed to show up for a probable-cause hearing. Bullitt County District Judge Rebecca Ward dismissed the charges against Clayton Pruett during the hearing yesterday.

Pruett was arrested Dec. 14 and accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Pruett had been placed on paid voluntary administrative leave by the church until the case was resolved. He also was suspended without pay by Bullitt County Public Schools, for which he had worked as an assistant wrestling coach and substitute teacher.

<snip>

Givhan asked the judge to dismiss the charges when Detective Scott McGaha of the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office failed to appear for the hearing. Chief Deputy Danny Thompson of the sheriff’s office said McGaha had been called to Illinois for a family emergency.

Thompson said the sheriff’s office may continue to pursue the case and possibly submit it to a grand jury.

More:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/ZONE10/80129017/1008/NEWS01

someone in his office told him not to go

...isn't it?

You don't think something unexpected and totally out of the investigators control could have kept him from the trial?

if a police employee's testimony was critical to a trial and couldn't be there, the prosecutor would move for a continuance

and unless it life or death, the prosecutor would make damn sure the witness was there

...there was supposedly a family emergency, which if it was severe enough to keep him away from a trial was probably life or death.