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Prosecution Won’t Call Sect Member In Murder Trial

Associated Press, USA
Jan.26, 2004
www.turnto10.com

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Tuesday January 27, 2004

Former Member Testifies About Leaving Group

TAUNTON, Mass. — A member of an Attleboro sect will apparently not be called to testify against a former member of the group accused of killing her infant son. Karen Robidoux is being tried in Taunton Superior Court for the second-degree murder of her son, Samuel.

The Body

In early press reports, The Body was referred to generically as the “Attleboro cult” or “Attleboro sect.”

The group’s doctrines and practices have been heavily influenced by the teachings of Carol Balizet’s Home in Zion Ministries

The Body is a cult, both sociologicall and theologically. Theologically it a cult of Christianity

Research resources on The Body

Prosecutors claim she allowed the baby to starve to death.

Defense attorneys said she was powerless against the leaders of the sect and forced to follow their prophesies. Robidoux allegedly withheld solid food from the boy on instructions to feed him only breast milk.

News Channel 10′s Brian Crandall reported that the prosecution will not call David Corneau to testify against Robidoux.

Corneau said last week that for religious reasons, he would not answer questions, even though he has an immunity deal and he was willing to go to jail. The prosecutor will instead enter previous comments from Corneau into the record.

Another former sect member, Daniel Horton, took the stand Monday. He told the jury how hard it was to break away from the sect.

“I didn’t feel as though I was able to just walk away. The fear of leaving God was so great. I don’t know, it was, it was paralyzing,” Horton said. “I feel foolish. Now, looking back, I feel stupid. How could I have let myself get to the point that I would sit there and listen to this and think it was right?”

The prosecution also called a starvation expert and the medical examiner from Maine, where the baby’s body was found.

Robidoux’s husband, Jacques Robidoux, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.