Youth minister faces trial in this county
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The defendant, Jeffery Simmons, 37, had asked the court to change venue in his case, which was set to go to trial next month. Simmons maintained the pre-trial publicity surrounding the case would make it difficult to pick a impartial jury here. His motion was denied by Circuit Court Judge Charles Haston last week, with the judge saying he may reconsider the motion if it appears picking a jury would be difficult once jury selection begins.
Simmons has been in jail almost two years awaiting trial on charges of aggravated sexual battery and solicitation of minors. He is charged with having inappropriate contact with five girls, all under 13, while he was youth minister at Gath Baptist Church.
Simmons is charged with inappropriately touching some of the girls and making improper suggestions to them, such as allegedly asking at least one of them to have his baby. The charges against Simmons came in the form of three separate sets of indictments as lawmen continued to produce alleged victims following Simmons’ initial arrest.
Simmons was terminated from employment around the time of his arrest. He continues to deny the allegations, saying he has been falsely accused by persons who either had a vendetta against him or wanted someone else in his ministerial position. Simmons filed a wrongful arrest suit, but the suit has been set aside by Haston.
Simmons was scheduled to go to trial next month; however, a motion for expert assistance filed by his attorney, Peg Stewart, prompted the court to move the trial.
A trial date will be set once the defense has obtained its expert witness.