Inside the Courtroom
Trial of the Child Molestation Case
WARNING: Some readers may find the content of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.
On Sept. 11, while our country mourns the fifth anniversary of our nation's worst domestic tragedy, another domestic tragedy will unfold in a suburban Atlanta courtroom. Former foster parent Ronald William Shelton will be put on trial before the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Ga., for molestation of two of his foster children.
The allegations are grim. The State of Georgia accuses Shelton of nine counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation. Eight of the counts include sexual acts between Ronnie Shelton and a young girl. The remaining count includes a sexual act with a young boy.
Fostering Families Today is undertaking a unique opportunity to share the story of a real life foster parent on trial for allegations of child sexual abuse. Each day, Fostering Families Today through an experienced, knowledgeable, former foster parent, Erik Cooper, will bring to you a summary of actual trial events, including the jury selection process, opening statements of both the prosecutor and defense, victim and witness testimony, closing arguments and, of course, the verdict. The intent is not to sensationalize or exploit the life-changing events of this legal process. View this trial as a classroom, where we will identify in layman's terms, the legal procedure and terminology commonly used in the courtroom to enhance your understanding of the process as it unfolds.
We strongly recommend reader discretion of this story. Some readers may be offended by the content. Details of the accusations against Shelton may be considered graphic and disturbing to some readers. Please do not allow any child to read our coverage of this trial.
Coverage of this case will be objective and impartial. Neither this publication nor this writer will claim the innocence or guilt of Ronnie Shelton. Instead, as our readers, you will be provided fair and balanced coverage of the daily courtroom activities. Both Fostering Families Today and I are excited about this unique opportunity to share with you, trial of the child molestation case.
Fostering Families Today will provide daily updates of courtroom testimony available at www.adoptinfo.net. Upon conclusion of the trial, Fostering Families Today will publish a complete story of Trial of the Child Molestation Case. |
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September 19, 2006 previous day's entry
DAY 7: TENSION HIGH AS COURTROOM DRAMA UNFOLDS
By Erik A. Cooper
WARNING: Some readers may find the content of this story disturbing. Discretion is advised.
Tension in a Gwinnett County courtroom was elevated today as the trial of former foster parent Ronald William Shelton continued. Shelton is accused of nine counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation involving two of his former foster children. The children, now teenagers, accuse Shelton of multiple acts of sexual abuse while the children resided in Shelton’s foster home for more than five years.
Breach of Sequestration Creates Havoc During Trial
As the court resumed session today, Assistant District Attorney Tracie Hobbs informed the court of an issue which arose early this morning. Upon arriving at work and checking her e-mail messages, Hobbs discovered communications sent to her by Jack Morgan, adoptive father of the two alleged victims and a witness subpoenaed but who has not yet testified at trial. Morgan’s real name has been changed to protect the identity of each of the alleged victims.
Morgan’s e-mail message included commentary indicating he had discussed testimony of the case, in some form or manner, with his wife, Melissa Morgan, and possibly other witnesses, including his biological and adoptive children who had already testified last week. As obligated by Georgia’s rules of criminal procedure, Hobbs disclosed the shared documents e-mailed to her to the defendant’s attorney, Douglas N. Peters. Hobbs went on the record this morning explaining the breach in sequestration of witnesses to the court and indicating further action may be necessary.
Judge R. Timothy Hamil, clearly concerned by this news, allowed state prosecutor Hobbs to call Morgan to the witness stand outside the presence of the jury. Once sworn, Morgan proceeded to explain a series of events leading to his decision to send Hobbs his e-mail communications today.
Morgan explained he sent the e-mail to provide a “chronology of events” related to Ryan’s outcry of sexual abuse. Morgan claimed his wife, Melissa Morgan, did not discuss her testimony with him as instructed by the court. However, Morgan later confessed he had, in fact, discussed his wife’s testimony last Friday morning.
Morgan acknowledged his wife, after testifying before the jury last week, told him to be concerned about Ryan’s chronology. At a dinner table with other family members, including young children, some of whom have already testified in this trial, Melissa Morgan told her husband to “beware of the way [defense attorney Doug Peters] asks questions.” Morgan said, “[Peters] tends to make several statements and then asks a question,” alleging Peters was straying from the facts of the case and filling his questions with innocuous and distractive information. Morgan continued to tell Peters his wife said, “Sometimes you were nice and friendly, but you were disingenuous.” Morgan also claimed his wife said about Peters, “Sometimes you go on tirades.” Regarding her own appearance before the jury, Morgan said his wife told him, “I must have looked like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Morgan said his wife claimed, “This was the most draining thing she had ever done.” Morgan continued to attack Peters’ style of cross examination by telling him his wife had claimed his statements were “hostile to the truth.” Morgan concluded by telling Judge Hamil statements his wife made about Peters and his personality, and said his wife explained her experience as a witness testifying in the case as “not an enjoyable morning here.”
Judge Hamil proceeded to question Jack Morgan himself, asking him “Did [Mrs. Morgan] tell you about questions she had been asked?” Morgan replied “No, she was very careful not to.” Judge Hamil continued by asking, “Did she tell you about her testimony?” Morgan again answered “No. She didn’t tell me what her answers were.” Morgan concluded his testimony by explaining to the court that witnesses involved in the trial of Ronald William Shelton were “intermixed” with witnesses from the murder trial of Barton Corbin. Corbin, a Gwinnett County dentist who confessed last Friday to murdering his wife by shooting her in the head while she slept, also confessed a second murder involving his former girlfriend while they both attended medical school. Corbin’s criminal trial gained national media attention since last week.
Jack Morgan, under cross examination by Peters, admitted his wife told him “You need to think about the order of dates.” Morgan claimed he was somewhat unclear about exact details of his discussions with his wife because the family was “dealing with other traumatic stuff this weekend and not this trial.”
When asked about statements his children made, some of whom are witnesses in this trial, Morgan said about his 11-year-old daughter, “We threatened to put duct tape on her mouth.” Morgan claimed she wanted to discuss her testimony, but alleged victim Ryan and his older brother Michael, who also testified during the trial last Friday, did not want to discuss their testimony.
Though Hobbs argued there was no violation of the rules of sequestration, Judge Hamil was visibly disturbed by the testimony and conduct of Melissa and Jack Morgan, the adoptive parents of alleged victims Emma and Ryan. Further concerns were raised during the trial due to the alleged breach of sequestration. Peters asked the court to call Melissa Morgan to the witness stand to be examined about her role in the matter. Judge Hamil found a violation of the rule of sequestration had been made, and insisted Melissa Morgan be called to testify about the matter. Judge Hamil also informed the attorneys he would instruct the jury regarding their role of considering the credibility of the witnesses in light of the breach.
Judge Hamil called Jack Morgan back before the court and admonished him for his acts, telling Morgan to have no contact whatsoever with his wife until after 1 p.m. today, the time Melissa Morgan was expected to testify. Judge Hamil reminded Morgan of his sequestration and dismissed him from the courtroom.
Motion for a Directed Verdict
In Georgia, an attorney is permitted to submit a Motion for Directed Verdict at anytime following conclusion of the state’s case against a defendant. A Motion for a Directed Verdict claims the state prosecutor failed to meet the burden of evidence required to charge the defendant with a crime. Representing his client’s interest in this case, Peters made an oral motion and requested all counts be dismissed, especially one particular count in which the alleged victim indicated no such sexual act had ever occurred.
In response, Hobbs indicated the state had met its burden to prove the allegations alleged in the indictment except for one particular charge. Hobbs consented to dismiss the charge. Judge Hamil granted dismissal of one count of the indictment. As to the remaining counts involving both alleged victims, Hamil denied the defense’s motion for a directed verdict to conclude the case. Judge Hamil found the state had sufficient evidence to get over the “low bar” that they have to present its case.
Defendant Testifies
Defendant Ronald William Shelton, now accused of eight counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation involving two of his former foster children, took the witness stand this afternoon after being informed of rights against self-incrimination administered by Judge Hamil. Shelton, 53, cried openly several times during his 50-minute testimony. Peters carefully constructed a defense through Shelton for the jury. When asked if he had committed each of the eight counts of child molestation and aggravated child molestation alleged against him, Shelton responded, “No sir, I did not,” to each inquiry.
Shelton described himself as a man who grew up as a boy in the Atlanta projects with little. With a choked voice and tears in his eyes, Shelton said he became a foster parent “because I wanted to give back to other people and children.” Shelton told jurors his mother could not afford healthcare, so early childhood hearing problems developed into significant hearing problems as he aged. With tears in his eyes, Shelton claimed he did not receive hearing aides until 2003 because he couldn’t afford them. In an attempt to minimize his statements made to detectives during a June 2003 interview at police headquarters, Shelton said he was trying to fix his hearing aides.
Some of the nearly 20 friends, co-workers and family members who appeared at trial in support of Shelton also wiped tears from their eyes while Shelton testified. Shelton described himself to jurors as a high school graduate who had never previously been arrested. Shelton said he had three biological sons, ages 30, 27 and 21, and two grand children, ages 10 and 5. When asked why he decided to become a foster parent, Shelton told jurors he and his wife “prayed together to have foster kids.” In 1994, Shelton opened his foster home to his first foster children – alleged victims Emma, then age 6, and her brother Michael, then age 3½, and her youngest brother and alleged victim Ryan, then an infant.
When asked about his relationship with Emma, Shelton said, “Emma meant the world to me. I put her on a pedestal. She was sweet and kind. She’d always run and sit down beside me wherever I was.” Shelton described his family’s daily routine to include his awakening at 4:30 a.m. to have coffee and dress for work, arriving at 5:30 a.m. to begin work at 6:30 a.m. Shelton said his wife, Lynn, would go to work later, so she would get the children ready in the morning and take them to day care before going to work herself. Shelton said his wife would pick up the children from day care in the evenings, while Shelton himself returned home earlier in the day to take care of other things.
Shelton described his home as a five acre lot where kids played in the yard. “We went above and beyond” to provide for the kids. Shelton told jurors Emma was a great student, and that he’d never known her to be hurt or injured while in his care. Shelton explained he never expected Emma and her brothers to be in his foster care for five years, but when the children’s biological parents failed to get the children back, they kept Emma, Michael and Ryan until the three siblings were placed for adoption with the Morgans. Shelton told jurors the children’s case worker, Liz Watson, was involved frequently with the children and the children never claimed to have been molested on many occasions when they could have. “I raised these kids in church” Shelton said.
Within his home, Shelton told jurors seven people lived in the house, including Shelton and his wife, Emma, Michael and Ryan, and his two biological sons. Shelton told jurors Emma did not stay up late in the evenings as she had claimed, and this his wife went to bed at 8 p.m. each night to get up for work the next day. Shelton claimed his wife was awake until 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night.
Shelton proceeded, with the assistance of his counsel, to show jurors two poster-sized diagrams of both his primary residence and lakeside cottage where the alleged molestation acts occurred. Using a book of 8x10 photographs also tendered as exhibits, Shelton described the layout of his home and observation possibilities from various vantage points within and outside of the home, denying he had any opportunity to molest a child without being caught by a late-night teenager returning home, or his wife sleeping in the master bedroom only feet away.
Though Hobbs made no objection to Peters’ questions toward Shelton, Judge Hamil admonished Shelton’s defense attorney saying, “Mr. Peters, no more leading the witness please.” Leading questions are not permitted during direct examination of any witness.
Peters asked the defendant about his interests to adopt Emma, Michael and Ryan. Shelton said he never wanted to adopt the three siblings because he and his wife were getting older and had grandchildren. Shelton claimed the children’s adoption was a “very emotional time” for Ronnie, his wife and the children.
Shelton told jurors after Emma had been adopted and left his home, she and her brothers often returned for visits at Christmas, Thanksgiving and for birthdays. Shelton said the children even went to church with the family because they had friends there. Emma returned to babysit children ages “10 to 12” according to Shelton.
When asked about events alleged at his lake house, Shelton denied ever doing anything inappropriate toward Emma at his lake home. When asked if he was innocent of the charges, Shelton replied emphatically, “very innocent.”
Defendant is Cross-Examined
During cross examination of Ronnie Shelton, Hobbs got Shelton to admit he had been involved in preparing his defense, charts and attended hearings. When asked if he was aware certain documents the defense requested were denied by the court because they were not relevant to his case, Shelton claimed he was unaware of the court’s ruling. Hobbs got Shelton to admit he went to work early and his wife, Lynn, went to work late. Shelton also admitted the younger boys, Michael and Ryan, went to bed earlier than their sister, Emma.
Shelton testified during the five years he was a foster parent for Emma, Michael and Ryan, he was never alone with Emma. Hobbs took advantage of Shelton’s statement by eliciting an admission from Shelton that he had been alone with Emma when he took her to church. Shelton recanted and acknowledged being alone with Emma only one time. Shelton, who had also testified he had never removed anything from a shed on his property, where several alleged acts of child molestation were reported by Emma to have occurred, admitted he removed Christmas trees and decorations from the shed during the period of 1994 and 2003.
Regarding the Shelton’s decision not to adopt Emma, Michael or Ryan, Shelton acknowledge he did not want to adopt the children in 1999 because he and his wife were too old. Hobbs emphasized her point by stressing to Shelton that he was not too old to continue fostering children after Emma, Michael and Ryan were adopted by the Morgans. Shelton responded that he and his wife were “winding down.” Through another witness presented later during the proceedings today, Hobbs successfully got Shelton’s youngest son, Brandon, to admit Shelton and his wife had considered adopting a young girl, Emily, in 2003 just before Ronnie Shelton was accused of child molestation.
Hobbs concluded her cross examination of the defendant by asking him if he agreed with everything Emma told the detectives except what got him into trouble. Shelton had Hobbs repeat her question several times, claiming he did not understand what she was asking. Shelton finally agreed with Hobbs’ point. Anxious to get his client off of the witness stand, Peters asked no redirect questions and had Shelton step down from the witness stand and return to the defense table quickly. Through her cross examination of Shelton, Hobbs opened a hole in Shelton’s testimony, undermining Shelton’s claim that he was never alone with his foster children while getting Shelton to admit he would pick up his foster children after work and stay with them until his wife returned home from her job.
Melissa Morgan Returns
The trial proceedings were briefly interrupted this afternoon when, outside the presence of the jury, state witness and adoptive mother of the alleged victims, Melissa Morgan, was called to the stand to testify regarding her involvement in breach of the court’s sequestration instructions.
When asked about her communications with her husband, Jack Morgan, and her children, including alleged victims and witnesses in the case, Morgan acknowledged she discussed the “nerves of [her testimony experience]” and “feelings of frustration.” Morgan claimed her husband, Jack Morgan, daughter and parents were present. When asked specifically what she had discussed with her husband, Morgan explained she said testifying was “really tough,” that she “got confused” easily, and her husband “needed to be real clear on any dates and when they are.” Morgan admitted she discussed misstatements Peters made during her testimony, stating she recalled Peters’ claim that “Emma was in trouble” when she hadn’t been in any trouble, Peters’ reference to the “Columbine” school incident, and that she was “frustrated with the extremity of it,” claiming Peters was “making it worse” than it was. Morgan used examples of her claim for Peters’ misstatements, telling the court if Morgan had told the court she knew someone on a track team, Peters would have misstated that the individual “ran away.” Morgan also stated if she said that someone was hungry, Peters would have misstated her testimony as someone having an “eating disorder.” Morgan recalled telling her husband, “You need to know your dates.”
Morgan claimed none of her discussions with her husband were heard by the children, and that they discussed her experience testifying at the lunch table last Friday afternoon. Morgan claimed her 11-year-old daughter was “dying to tell us” about her testimony, but that she and her husband refused to let her discuss it with them. Morgan said she discussed her husband’s intent to send to Hobbs the e-mails and told him, “I guess you can.” Morgan said she knew her husband had sent the e-mails this morning.
Judge Hamil, clearly angered by these events, told Morgan, “You and your husband have caused a problem with this trial.” Judge Hamil told Morgan she violated the rules of sequestration, and admonished her to have “no more discussions whatsoever,” including the clothes that Peters wore to court today.
Jurors Want to Ask Questions
Following today’s lunch break, Judge Hamil informed the attorneys that several jurors wanted to know if they would have an opportunity to ask questions. Georgia’s rules of criminal procedure do not allow jurors to ask questions. At one time, Georgia’s rules did not allow jurors to take notes. Judge Hamil explained the standard rules of criminal procedure to jurors after they entered the courtroom this afternoon.
The Defense
Peters flooded the court this afternoon with eight, almost nine, character witnesses for the defense. Each character witness knew Ronnie Shelton either as a cheerleading coach for Emma, a second cousin of Shelton’s, a forklift operator at Shelton’s workplace, or Shelton’s own daughter-in-law. But the court’s brakes lit when Peters tried to introduce his ninth character witness, Shelton’s 11-year-old grandson.
The blonde-haired boy entered the courtroom and sat in the witness chair before the jury this afternoon, but never uttered a word as Hobbs openly objected before the jury regarding the boy’s capacity to testify as a character witness. Peters argued the child was capable of testifying, while Judge Hamil grimaced and twisted in his chair as he wrestled with the idea. Before the jury, while a bewildered boy sat motionless, both attorneys approached the judge’s bench and whispered outside of microphone range their arguments about the boy’s testimony. As the heat became hotter, Judge Hamil dismissed the jury and asked the boy to step down from the witness stand and into the hallway. Once the jury was cleared from the courtroom, Judge Hamil expressed his serious concerns with Peters’ decision to call an 11-year-old boy, the grandson of the accused, to testify as a character witness. Judge Hamil referred to his own grandfather and his grandfather’s character and reputation, stating he did not know himself if he could have testified about his own grandfather when he was an 11-year-old boy. Judge Hamil said he was concerned about the relevance of the boy’s testimony and told Peters he must lay a foundation for the boy’s opinion. Judge Hamil said he did not believe Peters could lay such a foundation, as required, and if Peters insisted on presenting the boy as a witness, the child would be subjected to Hobbs’ cross examination. “I am very troubled by this. If you want to do it, you can try to do it.” Judge Hamil warned. Peters chose to dismiss the witness and to move on with the defense.
The Defendant’s Wife
Tearful testimony continued this afternoon when Lynn Shelton, the defendant’s wife, took the stand to testify. Dressed in a white jacket and skirt, the colors of innocence and purity, Shelton explained to jurors that she and her husband would “divide and conquer” when it came to shuffling their biological and foster children between their various extracurricular activities, implying there were occasions when Ronnie Shelton would be alone with children. Lynn Shelton told jurors she had a “close” relationship with Emma. “I thought I had a very close relationship to her,” she said. “We loved them. We still love them,” Shelton explained while wiping tears from her face. When asked about Emma, Michael and Ryan returning to her home after being adopted, Shelton responded, “They were always glad to be back to our house.”
When asked if she believed the allegations against her husband were true, Shelton answered, “He would never do anything to hurt me.” Shelton denied ever seeing any marks or bruises on Emma that she never saw any blood or tears in any clothing or linens, and that Emma never appeared uncomfortable or sore when she sat down.
Sticking with the same story as her husband, Shelton claimed she was responsible for getting the children ready in the mornings, taking them to day care or school, and picking them up in the afternoons while Ronnie went home from work and cleaned up around the yard.
While questioning Shelton and without any objection from the state prosecutor, Judge Hamil again admonished Peters before the jury for asking leading questions.
Shelton told jurors she and her husband decided not to adopt Emma, Michael and Ryan because the Sheltons were “too old” to adopt children. When asked about Emma’s response to the Shelton’s decision, after having Emma and her brothers in their foster care for five years, Shelton, with tears in her eyes, said Emma told her, “I can’t believe you let us be adopted out.”
Shelton cried again when explaining to jurors about her husband’s arrest for child molestation. Shelton was jailed for 31 days until being granted bond. Shelton told jurors she’s had three heart attacks, her gall bladder removed, and that the events had been “very stressful.”
Under cross examination by Hobbs, Shelton was asked if she ever told the children’s adoptive mother, Melissa Morgan, “We don’t want them.” When asked why she and her husband chose not to adopt Emma, Michael and Ryan. Shelton denied ever making the statement.
Hobbs told the court that Lynn Shelton was subject to being recalled as a witness, and dismissed Shelton from the courtroom upon concluding her 50-minute testimony.
Events Unfold
The defense concluded this afternoon’s hearing with testimony from Shelton’s three grown sons, now ages 22, 27 and 30. In his testimony, 27-year-old Chris Shelton told jurors the defendant went to bed first, before his wife, causing a conflict in his father’s earlier testimony. Thirty year old Benjamin Shelton told jurors he did not believe his father would commit such a crime, but admitted he was not living in the home since 1995 – only one year after Emma, Michael and Ryan arrived in the Shelton’s foster home for their five year stay. Youngest son Brandon, 22, told jurors he was jealous of Emma and her brothers, since he was once the youngest child in the family and center of attention before Emma, Michael and Ryan arrived. Under cross examination, Hobbs got Brandon Shelton to admit his parents had plans to adopt another foster child, Emily, placed in their care in 2003. Brandon’s testimony affects Shelton and his wife’s earlier testimony stating they had no desire to adopt Emma, Michael or Ryan four years earlier because the Shelton’s were getting older.
What’s coming up?
Peters told the court this afternoon he intends to introduce several fact witnesses and several expert witnesses during the next two days. The defense is expected to rest its case by Thursday morning, allowing for closing arguments to be presented and the case to be handed to the jury for deliberation before the end of the week.
Learn more about this true life trial of the child molestation case by checking this website daily and clicking on each day’s new link.
Have a question?
Did our coverage of this trial exclude something you find important? E-mail us at editor@adoptinfo.net, or louis@adoptinfo.net to ask us your question. We will share your thought with our writer, Erik A. Cooper, and post his response to your question in our blog soon.
Share your opinion!
Your opinion counts! With your input, we can all learn from this coverage. What do you think? Share your opinion by e-mailing us at louis@adoptinfo.net or editor@adoptinfo.net.
About the writer:
For more information about Erik Cooper’s personal experience as a foster parent accused of child molestation, visit his website at www.ErikCooper.com. You may also read Cooper’s personal story written exclusively for Fostering Families Today online at this link:
http://www.fosteringfamiliestoday.com/FFT/fft_web/ci_spotlight_beanId_2837.html.
DISCLAIMER: Trial of a Child Molestation Case is a true story involving actual events and the people involved. Whenever possible, the actual names of those involved in the case have been used. All minor children’s names have been changed to protect them. All information is available through access of public records, including actual courtroom testimony, transcripts, and other written documentation. Some information may not be available under seal of the court.
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