Simmons says there?s conspiracy against him
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?McMinnville probably believes that I?m guilty of these crimes because the state has been hiding all the illegal acts of their witnesses from the community,? wrote Simmons in a letter after the grand jury decided not to hear his claims against witnesses and prosecutors. ?However, because the grand jurors of Warren County have chosen to become accessories after the fact and conspirators to illegal state witness misconduct, the truth will never be known.?
Simmons, who has been behind bars since the first of several charges were brought in 2000, is serving a 48-year sentence for his conviction for fondling an 8-year-old girl who was having a sleep-over with his daughter. He attained a hung jury last year in the case of his alleged fondling of a 12-year-old member of the Gath Baptist congregation where he was youth minister. There are three more accusers lined up for their day in court against Simmons and prosecutors say they intend to try all the cases.
From his cell in the Whiteville State Prison where is he to remain until 2048, Simmons has maintained his innocence, saying he was the focus of a conspiracy by church leaders and prosecutors. Simmons says he can prove 250 counts of aggravated perjury committed by witnesses against him and has asked the TBI to look into his claims.
Simmons was recently granted an audience with a committee from the grand jury. According to rules of evidence, a private citizen can bring charges before the grand jury if a committee of the tribunal finds there is probable cause for the entire grand jury to hear the case. In the case of Simmons? claims, the committee did not recommend the case be heard before the whole grand jury. Simmons believes his shackled appearance had something to do with the denial.
?They had me handcuffed and chained up like a dog where I could not present my evidence,? Simmons recalled of his appearance before the committee. ?Therefore it is my opinion these three grand jurors conspired to hide illegal state and state witness misconduct, to hide a sex scandal in a local church, to protect those involved in this sex scandal and to protect the local DA and his assistant because of the upcoming elections.?
The identity of the three-person committee which heard Simmons is unknown due to the grand jury secrecy law.
With his chance to appear before the grand jury rebuffed and his chance of getting a TBI investigation a long shot, Simmons issued a challenge to the parents of the children who are testifying against him.
?Have them take a polygraph test,? Simmons challenged. ?I don?t believe these parents would do this because they do not want their children to be revealed as filthy liars who had the youth minister thrown into prison for the rest of his life. Life goes on for them, but not for me.?