MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, USA: A church minister who prosecutors say pinned an eight-year-old autistic boy as he tried to release demons from the child has been charged in the boy's  death by suffocation.

Ray Hemphill, 45, was charged on August 26 with physical abuse of a child causing great bodily harm. He faces up to 10 years in prison and $25,000 in fines if convicted. The charges stem from a service on August 22 at the storefront Faith Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith.

At the initial appearance on August 27, Ray Hemphill was given a $5,000 signature bail, meaning he did not have to post the actual money to get out of jail but would forfeit that amount if he violated bail conditions. As a "strict condition" of bail, Court Commissioner John J. Valenti said that Hemphill was not to "engage in or even attempt any sort of exorcism or spiritual healing."

Valenti said the case was "one of the most troubling cases ever to come before this court."
He said that, no matter how well-intentioned Hemphill was, the court could not ignore that his actions may have led to Terrance's death.

Hemphill, 45, showed no visible reaction during the rather perfunctory proceeding and did not acknowledge the flank of television cameras erected outside the glass. Jeff Carpenter, a public defender handling intake appearances on August 27, appeared with Hemphill.

Valenti reviewed the complaint and found probable cause to hold Hemphill for further court proceedings, which is standard in an initial appearance. James Frisch, the prosecutor handling the appearance, said Hemphill had substantial ties to the community, no prior record and was not considered to be a flight risk.

When Hemphill was released from the jail at about 4 pm on August 27, he was met with a horde of television cameras and reporters. After seeing the media, Hemphill ran down dead-end hallways for several minutes until he made it outside. Hemphill had not arranged to have anyone pick him up and used a television reporter's cell phone to call for a ride.
After a 30-minute wait, Hemphill's ride arrived. He left without answering questions.

A preliminary hearing date was set for 8.30 am. on September 8.

Hemphill told investigators he had laid face-to-face on the boy's chest for about an hour during the service, according to a criminal complaint.

The boy's mother, Patricia Cooper, said in the complaint that Hemphill had held Terrance down on the ground with one hand on his head, another between his legs and his knee pressed into the boy's chest. Cooper and another woman each held one of his legs, while a third woman laid across his torso.

"(Cooper) stated that, while this was going on, she could see Ray Hemphill talking to Terrance Cottrell and telling him that the 'Demon should leave him'," for about two hours, the complaint said.

Hemphill said the August 22 session had started at around 7.30 pm and was relatively intense. It was hot in the room, which was not air-conditioned, and there were no breaks to get refreshments or go to the bathroom.

"He states that, when he rose up off Terrance Cottrell, both he and Terrance Cottrell's shirts were soaking wet with sweat," the complaint said.

Cooper said that, when the service ended, the boy was not breathing and his face appeared blue, the complaint said. She said several people had tried to revive him, but they finally called 911 (the emergency services) at about midnight.

The boy had suffered extensive bruising on the back of his neck and died of suffocation because he could not breathe, the complaint said.

Although the medical examiner ruled the boy's death a homicide, Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann said that the charge would have required that prosecutors to prove Hemphill knew his actions would be likely to kill the boy, rather than just hurt him.

"He would consciously be aware that what he was doing had a great likelihood of causing death. We did not feel we could prove it," McCann said.

He said the fact that the boy died at a religious service made the case more complicated.
"Their intent was to help this young man. No one says they set out to hurt this young man," McCann said. 

Cooper began taking her son to the church tucked in a run-down strip mall three weeks ago for the special prayer services three times a week, said Bishop David Hemphill, the leader of the church and Ray Hemphill's brother. She would pray with several parishioners for God to release the evil spirits they believed had caused the boy's illness, he said.

Church members had wrapped the boy in sheets to keep him from scratching himself and others, but he was allowed to sit any way he felt comfortable, he said.

David Hemphill's voice mailbox was full when The Associated Press tried to contact him on August 26. But the church earlier released a statement saying that Terrance had taken some strong medication before the August 22 service that sometimes caused him to act violent.
The church statement offered condolences and prayers to the boy's family.

Cooper's complaint said she had told investigators that her son was very disruptive and had stayed at Children's Hospital because of his behavioural problems.

(Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 28, 2003; Associated Press, August 27, 2003)
 

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, USA: A church minister who prosecutors say pinned an eight-year-old autistic boy as he tried to release demons from the child has been charged in the boy's  death by suffocation.

Ray Hemphill, 45, was charged on August 26 with physical abuse of a child causing great bodily harm. He faces up to 10 years in prison and $25,000 in fines if convicted. The charges stem from a service on August 22 at the storefront Faith Temple Church of the Apostolic Faith.

At the initial appearance on August 27, Ray Hemphill was given a $5,000 signature bail, meaning he did not have to post the actual money to get out of jail but would forfeit that amount if he violated bail conditions. As a "strict condition" of bail, Court Commissioner John J. Valenti said that Hemphill was not to "engage in or even attempt any sort of exorcism or spiritual healing."

Valenti said the case was "one of the most troubling cases ever to come before this court."
He said that, no matter how well-intentioned Hemphill was, the court could not ignore that his actions may have led to Terrance's death.

Hemphill, 45, showed no visible reaction during the rather perfunctory proceeding and did not acknowledge the flank of television cameras erected outside the glass. Jeff Carpenter, a public defender handling intake appearances on August 27, appeared with Hemphill.

Valenti reviewed the complaint and found probable cause to hold Hemphill for further court proceedings, which is standard in an initial appearance. James Frisch, the prosecutor handling the appearance, said Hemphill had substantial ties to the community, no prior record and was not considered to be a flight risk.

When Hemphill was released from the jail at about 4 pm on August 27, he was met with a horde of television cameras and reporters. After seeing the media, Hemphill ran down dead-end hallways for several minutes until he made it outside. Hemphill had not arranged to have anyone pick him up and used a television reporter's cell phone to call for a ride.
After a 30-minute wait, Hemphill's ride arrived. He left without answering questions.

A preliminary hearing date was set for 8.30 am. on September 8.

Hemphill told investigators he had laid face-to-face on the boy's chest for about an hour during the service, according to a criminal complaint.

The boy's mother, Patricia Cooper, said in the complaint that Hemphill had held Terrance