[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Josh Duggar is once again trying to fight his way out of prison, but this latest attempt just ran into a very serious snag — and it could derail everything before it even really begins.
The disgraced former reality TV figure appeared virtually in federal court on Wednesday, hoping to push forward his latest appeal tied to his 2021 conviction for receiving and possessing material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct. He is currently serving a lengthy 151-month sentence on those charges, and has already spent about four years behind bars at FCI Seagoville in Texas.
Related: Read Josh Duggar’s Wife Anna’s Message To Joseph In Jail After His Molestation Arrest
During this newest legal effort, according to People and others on Thursday, Duggar put forward eight separate arguments as to why his conviction should be overturned or why he deserves a new trial. Among them, he claims his previous legal team failed to question a key individual who had access to the computer where the illegal material was found. He also alleges misconduct from US Department of Justice experts, including one Duggar actually accuses of lying under oath and another he claims introduced prejudicial information that unfairly influenced the jury.
Whoa…
On top of that, Duggar argued that the release of a past police report involving allegations he molested four of his sisters created an unfair trial environment. Heavy claims, to say the least. But surprisingly, the court didn’t spend much time digging into those arguments. Instead, per People, the real drama centered on something much more procedural, but just as critical: whether Duggar even filed his appeal on time!
Prosecutors have raised serious doubts about the timeline. Duggar and his attorney, Beau Brindley, insist the appeal was mailed on June 24 of last year — which was the absolute final day he was allowed to file after the Supreme Court denied his previous attempt. But a mail log from the prison tells a different story. According to records, only two pieces of mail were sent out that day, and neither one was from Duggar.
That discrepancy is now front and center. The judge made it clear he won’t even consider the substance of Duggar’s arguments until this issue is resolved. In other words, if the appeal wasn’t filed on time, all those claims about witnesses, experts, and fairness may never even be heard. And that’s a huge problem for Duggar, whose legal options are now rapidly narrowing…
As a reminder, the original case included disturbing evidence presented by prosecutors, who said Duggar had repeatedly downloaded and viewed graphic sexual material involving children, including particularly severe and abusive explicit content. A jury ultimately found him guilty, and he was sentenced the following year.
Related: Josh Duggar Attacks Witness Who Testified He Molested A 4-Year-Old — WTF
Now, everything hinges the postmark date of a piece of mail, and whether Duggar can prove he met one simple deadline. It’s a small detail with massive consequences. And for now, it’s stopping his appeal dead in its tracks…
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If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
If you have sincere cause to suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
[Image via Washington County Sheriff’s Office]
