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Father Of Teens Beaten Inside NY Church Is Offered Plea Deal

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas
Published December 22, 2015 at 4:50 PM EST
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The father of two teens beaten inside an upstate New York church has been offered a plea deal in his second-degree murder and assault case.

Sixty-five-year-old Bruce Leonard appeared briefly Tuesday in Oneida County Court, where the judge informed him that attorney David Longeretta will be representing him.

Leonard, his wife, Deborah, and six other members of the Word of Life Christian Church in New Hartford were charged in October in the fatal beating of 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and the beating of his 17-year-old brother, Christopher. Prosecutors say Lucas had indicated he wanted to leave the church.

Deborah Leonard pleaded guilty to assault.

Bruce Leonard is due back in court Jan. 19 to accept or decline the plea offer from prosecutors. Details of the offer haven't been released.

© 2015 AP
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Central New York News Christianityword of life church
Dave Lucas
Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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