The Jacksonville, Fla. judge handling the capital sexual battery case of a former pastor denied the latter's bail request for the third time.
Based on a report by News4Jax, the judge argued that the former Jacksonville Assembly on the Body of Christ Pastor Paul Dyal's health condition is non-life-threatening. This counters the argument of Dyal's attorney that the health issues of the former preacher are an emergency.
Details of Dyal's Health Condition
The doctor who scrutinized the beleaguered ex-pastor's medical records testified to the court that Dyal's heart issue is "multi-fold." The physician specified that Dyal suffers from hypertension, coronary disease, diabetes, and stage 3 kidney disease, among others.
Dr. Alberto Castiel argued that Dyal's current medical condition necessitates intensive medical attention, which could be jeopardized if he remains in jail.
Castiel said Dyal underwent a 2016 open heart surgery. He added that the former pastor suffers from "a leaky heart valve," the report noted.
Accordingly, Dyal's attorneys used these findings to request the judge handling the former preacher's case grant his pre-trial release. Three times, they filed a bail petition; three times, the court said no.
'A Ticking Time Bomb'
Mitch Stone, Dyal's lawyer, argued before the judge that the accused's continued incarceration was "a ticking time bomb."
Stone told the court that his client is "not a flight risk" given his medical condition. The defense attorney added that Dyal's recent psychological evaluation revealed the effect of his health problems on his mental health condition.
Despite such pronouncements, the Florida State Attorney's Office countered that the accused is getting appropriate medical attention even while in jail.
The public prosecutor in charge of Dyal's case also argued that should Dyal need immediate medical care, UF Health is within three miles of his cell.
Additionally, the state prosecutor mentioned that Dyal's attorneys were blowing things out of proportion to get the court to grant their petition for pre-trial release. The State Attorney's Office argued that Dyal's doctor even updated his prescriptions recently and advised him to come back for another checkup five months hence.
Background of Dyal's Case
A previous Christianity Daily report noted that Dyal was among three men arrested in a series of arrests by police last month.
The news outlet said the former pastor allegedly engaged in sexual and physical abuse of minors. The article added that Jacksonville police charged Dyal with capital sexual battery and two other men, Jerome Teschendorf and Vernon Williamson.
According to the female complainant, she turned to Dyal for help due to the alleged abuse by Teschendorf. Dyal allegedly threatened to cut off food and welfare aid to the woman and her family should she report Teschendorf's abuse to the police.
Meanwhile, the News4Jax article said the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released a statement saying their probe discovered "both long-term sexual and physical abuse of minors in the church spanning a period of over thirty years."
The sheriff's office reportedly started investigating allegations against the former pastor in September 2020 following a tip.
Related Article: Jacksonville Ex-Pastor, 2 Others Accused of Physical, Sexual Abuse of Minors To Appear in Court
