A Louisiana pastor convicted of child abuse for taping childrens mouths shut was a victim of woke case and cancel culture, his lawyers argued.
Pastor John Raymond, 62, a former contestant on the reality show Survivor, was the lead minister of New Horizon Church in Slidell and the founder and headmaster of Lakeside Christian Academy.
He was found guilty on Monday of juvenile cruelty for taping the mouths of three 13-year-old students to punish them at the academy, among other offenses.
But in closing arguments, his defense attorney Joseph Long said Raymond was simply a victim of cancel culture.
In response, Northshore District Attorney Collin Sims said it was the first time the office been accused of being woke in court.
Its not wokeness. Its dude thats my kid and I didnt tell you you could do that, Sims told the jury, NOLA.com reported.
Former Survivor contestant Pastor John Raymond, 62, who was convicted of juvenile cruelty for taping childrens mouths shut at a Christian school he founded in Slidell, Louisiana, said his actions were aligned with the Bible and he was a victim of cancel culture
Raymond was a contestant on the fifth season of Survivor, set in Thailand in 2002
Raymond has stated his actions were justified through the teachings of the Bible.
He originally turned himself in in April 2022 after police received numerous complaints about abusive behavior at the academy.
On March 18, several students were removed from a class due to excessive talking, the statement from police said.
John Raymond became angry and brought the students to his office. At some point, Raymond took a roll of packing tape and taped the students mouths shut by wrapping the tape around their heads.
After taping their mouths, Raymond made the students sit in the back of the class for around 45 minutes until another teacher grew uncomfortable and took the tape off.
John Raymond with his wife Elizabeth posing in front of the Seal of Louisiana
During his appearance on Survivor, Raymond was the first contestant voted off the island
The victims described struggling to breath and the painful process of taking the tape off.
In a separate incident, Raymond covered the mouth and nose of a four-year-old pre-K student during a tantrum and prevented him from breathing.
Officials stated that he suffocated the boy to the point of him going limp and that he only stopped when a staff member intervened.
The employee reportedly told detectives the child had mucus coming out of his nose, was unable to stand up and seemed out of it and lethargic.
He will be sentenced on October 23 and his bond is set at $100,000
The disgraced pastor is an elected member of the Republican Parish Executive Committee and currently serves on the Republican State Central Committee. He is likely to be removed from the position
Another act of cruelty came when Raymond whipped a four-year-olds buttocks after dragging him across the floor by his ankles.
The disgraced pastor is an elected member of the Republican Parish Executive Committee and currently serves on the Republican State Central Committee, according to NOLA.com.
He is likely to be removed from the position.
Raymond was a contestant on the fifth season of Survivor, set in Thailand in 2002. He was the first contestant voted off the island.
He will be sentenced on October 23 and his bond is set at $100,000.