Jury begins deliberating in child porn trial against Josh Duggar who faces up ...

Jury begins deliberating in child porn trial against Josh Duggar who faces up ...
Jury begins deliberating in child porn trial against Josh Duggar who faces up ...

Jurors have begun deliberating in the trial of former reality TV star Josh Duggar who faces up to 40 years behind bars if he's found guilty of downloading a vile trove of child porn.

In closing speeches Wednesday, the government ridiculed the 'fantasy' claim of Duggar's lawyers that a 'high level hacker' could have remotely accessed the reality star's work computer to trawl for the sick material.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Marshall also recalled what Duggar had told the FBI in November 2019 when they raided his car lot in Springdale, Arkansas: 'What's this all about, has someone been downloading child pornography?'

'No-one had mentioned child pornography,' Marshall told Duggar's federal trial in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

'Where did his first thought go? Who is the first one to bring up child pornography – Joshua Duggar.' 

Josh Duggar and wife Anna arrive at court in Fayetteville, Arkansas Wednesday ahead of closing arguments in his child porn trial

Josh Duggar and wife Anna arrive at court in Fayetteville, Arkansas Wednesday ahead of closing arguments in his child porn trial 

Duggar, 33, who pleaded not guilty, is soon to learn his fate as the jury deliberates

Duggar, 33, who pleaded not guilty, is soon to learn his fate as the jury deliberates

The court heard that Duggar further admitted to the FBI that day that he was familiar with the sort of sophisticated peer-to-peer 'dark web' software that was key to the case.

He told them it was installed on all three seized devices, his work HP desktop computer, his MacBook Pro and his iPhone 11, Marshall told jurors.

The government's case is that Duggar installed a secret second operating system on the HP that only he could access via the same password he used for his internet banking.

It's behind that secret divide – known as a Linux partition – that Duggar is said to have downloaded and viewed sickening images and videos of little girls being abused.

Duggar spent seven days in jail after his April 29 arrest before being fitted with an ankle monitor and bailed into home detention

Duggar spent seven days in jail after his April 29 arrest before being fitted with an ankle monitor and bailed into home detention

Marshall recapped the multiple texts and photos that she said placed Duggar at the car lot on May 14 through 16, 2019 – the three day period when the warped trove was harvested, watched then deleted.

'Does the evidence show this was a hacking case? Does this evidence show this was a remote access case?' she asked the court.

'Or does the evidence show you that Josh Duggar was behind the computer when it received, possessed and viewed child pornography.'

She added: 'Is this really a whodunit? His car lot, his office, his computer, his family image on the desktop background, his password. The evidence shows that Josh Duggar was the person behind the HP desktop computer.'

Justin Gelfand, defending, reminded jurors that they were obliged to clear Duggar unless 'every reasonable doubt' had vanished from their minds, adding: 'Every single person has the power to say no.'

Gelfand said the government failed to preserve vital evidence such as Duggar's internet router, an oversight he described as 'unforgivable' as that would have revealed definitively who was accessing the network when the child porn was downloaded.

Jill Duggar made her first appearance at her brother's trial Wednesday with her husband Derick Dillard, who has been a spectator in the proceedings

Jill Duggar made her first appearance at her brother's trial Wednesday with her husband Derick Dillard, who has been a spectator in the proceedings 

Duggar family patriarch Jim Bob Duggar was present at the courthouse again on Wednesday as the trial of his eldest son was set to wrap up

Duggar family patriarch Jim Bob Duggar was present at the courthouse again on Wednesday as the trial of his eldest son was set to wrap up   

Justin Duggar arrives wife wife Spivey with her parents Wednesday as week two of proceedings continues with Closing arguments in Fayetteville Arkansas Picture Chris Bott For Dailymail.com

Justin Duggar arrives wife wife Spivey with her parents Wednesday as week two of proceedings continues with Closing arguments in Fayetteville Arkansas Picture Chris Bott For Dailymail.com

'They were so starstruck at the possibility of investigating and prosecuting Josh Duggar that they refused to let the evidence get in the way,' he told the court.

Gelfand said that even the government's own computer expert had conceded that hacking was possible because of Duggar's unprotected internet network.

'Both experts agree on the possibility of remote access. Where they disagree is the issue of probability,' he said. 'It's a possibility they could not dispel and they have not dispelled.'

The defense also accused prosecutors of dredging up Josh Duggar's teen molestation scandal to sway jurors despite its supposed lack of relevance.

'The dig up an allegation from 20 years ago where Josh was a child going through puberty. That's not what this is about,' Gelfand told the court.

He added: 'Everything is on the line. The stakes could not be higher. I ask you to find Josh Duggar not guilty.'

The final word went to the prosecution, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts taking one last pot shot at the defense case.

Showing jurors a photo of Duggar's tiny, trash-strewn office at Wholesale Motorcars, he quipped: 'Does this look like the sort of place that would be the target of a hig- end cyber-attack?

'Now is the time to hold him [Josh Duggar] accountable.'

Judge Timothy Brooks asked jurors to begin deliberations just after midday local time, instructing them to dispel any preconceived notions about Josh Duggar or his famous family.

Jill Dillard made a rare brief appearance outside court Tuesday while dropping off husband Derick at brother Josh Duggar's child porn trial

Jill Dillard made a rare brief appearance outside court Tuesday while dropping off husband Derick at brother Josh Duggar's child porn trial

Jill and Derick Dillard. Jill has been notably absent at the trial, where she had been named a potential witness last week

Her husband Derick has been seen attending the proceedings multiple times since the trial began

Jill has been notably absent at the trial, where she had been named a potential witness last week. Her husband Derick has been seen attending the proceedings multiple times since the trial began 

Four of Josh's sisters, Jessa, Jinger, Jill, and Jana Duggar in 2014. Jurors heard testimony Monday from a longtime family friend who described how Josh confessed to molesting his sisters when they were sleeping

Four of Josh's sisters, Jessa, Jinger, Jill, and Jana Duggar in 2014. Jurors heard testimony Monday from a longtime family friend who described how Josh confessed to molesting his sisters when they were sleeping 

'Everything you hear outside the four walls of this courthouse is not evidence,' he said.

As Duggar awaited his fate Wednesday he was surrounded by family members and supporters who took up several rows of the public gallery, making gestures of support and putting on a united front as the case wrapped.

His wife Anna was flanked by Duggar's sister Jill – who was among a list of possible witnesses but never gave testimony – and family patriarch Jim Bob. Others in attendance included Jessa, Jason and Jill's husband Derick Dillard.

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