Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Interview With John Biemer
Aired August 26, 2003 - 10:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention back to the case of that 8-year-old autistic boy who died during an apparent exorcism at a Wisconsin church.
Now as we reported earlier, the death was ruled a homicide and a minister is now being held by police. "Chicago Tribune" reporter John Biemer joins us now by telephone to talk some more about this case.
John, this case seems to get more and more troubling as we go along. Tell us what is the latest now with this reverend that is now being held? Are police convinced that he is the one responsible for this boy's death?
JOHN BIEMER, "CHICAGO TRIBUNE": Well police are saying that the boy had been restrained during this prayer service. And clearly, there's only one person in custody, and that is the minister.
We're waiting right now, though, to find out from the district attorney whether or not there actually will be charges. And it's obviously an unusual case so the district attorney seems to be taking their time.
HARRIS: So there has not been an official determination yet as to who police think is guilty?
BIEMER: No, not official. No.
HARRIS: What about the mother right now? Where is she and what is happening with her?
BIEMER: Well the mother has been out of reach. We've spoken to a number of her relatives but the mother herself hasn't spoken to any of the media as of now.
HARRIS: Now, as I understand it, I've been reading what's been written in your newspaper for the last couple of days. It seems as though the story is changing. The story that this reverend is telling, Reverend Hemphill, and some of the other people in the church and in the community are telling is a little bit different today.
The first telling of the story said that this boy was just being held down by sheets. Now we're hearing and the report today in the newspaper that this reverend was actually laying down on top of this boy. What do you make of that?
BIEMER: Well, it's very interesting. They say that what they were doing, that the technique came from the Bible, from the first book of Kings, it's Chapter 17, Verse 21. And it goes, "And he stretched himself out on the child three times and cried out to the Lord and said, Oh, Lord, my God, I pray let this child's soul come back to him."
The brother of the minister who is in custody says they were simply following the word of the Lord which instructed his brother, the minister, to lie on top of him. Although, they say, there was no malicious intent whatsoever and he was not lying on top of him with his full weight.
HARRIS: Yes, from what I understand, what's complicating this as well is that thing you just quoted, this quote from the Bible. If it's determined that this was something that was being done as a religious practice, doesn't that affect the way this case gets prosecuted?
BIEMER: Yes, the law seems to allow for people to provide treatment to a child by spiritual means. And as I said, the brother of the man in custody said there was no malicious intent whatsoever.
So obviously, if you were going to try to file murder charges, you have to establish some sort of intent, and I think that is holding it up right now.
HARRIS: Boy, there's got to be an element of common sense around here. If a grown man lays on a boy for up to two hours at a time -- that's the report that this man has said himself that he would sit on this boy's chest for up to two hours at a time during these prayer services. And it seems like they're admitting that they've been doing this for sometime.
BIEMER: Well they said they had done this for a couple of times and this was not the first time he laid on top of him. Apparently he would go off and on him during the course of the service. And from some of the witnesses we spoke to who were actually at the service, they said he was not actually sitting as much as lying kind of in a perpendicular way with his chest over the child's chest.
HARRIS: Boy, you can just imagine what this boy was thinking.
Tell me, John, do you know whether or not there are going to be any court appearances today or tomorrow on this?
BIEMER: Well it depends on the charges. And yesterday, we were led to believe that there would be a determination on charges or not today. And if they are today, then there could be a court appearance sometime within the course of the day.
HARRIS: You know this story's gotten national attention. It's gotten out attention for the last couple of days.
What about there in Milwaukee? What are people there saying about this case? Is it getting widespread attention there? Are folks widely shocked by what they're reading and hearing?
BIEMER: Well sure. I think it's on a lot of people's mind. And the brother of the minister in custody says he's received a number of phone calls from concerned citizens, to say the least. And he said he received one threatening phone call. So I think it certainly is on people's minds here.
HARRIS: John Biemer of "The Chicago Tribune." Thank you very much. We appreciate the information on this rather troubling story. No doubt will take some more twists and turns from here on out. We appreciate you and your reporting.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 26, 2003 - 10:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention back to the case of that 8-year-old autistic boy who died during an apparent exorcism at a Wisconsin church.
Now as we reported earlier, the death was ruled a homicide and a minister is now being held by police. "Chicago Tribune" reporter John Biemer joins us now by telephone to talk some more about this case.
John, this case seems to get more and more troubling as we go along. Tell us what is the latest now with this reverend that is now being held? Are police convinced that he is the one responsible for this boy's death?
JOHN BIEMER, "CHICAGO TRIBUNE": Well police are saying that the boy had been restrained during this prayer service. And clearly, there's only one person in custody, and that is the minister.
We're waiting right now, though, to find out from the district attorney whether or not there actually will be charges. And it's obviously an unusual case so the district attorney seems to be taking their time.
HARRIS: So there has not been an official determination yet as to who police think is guilty?
BIEMER: No, not official. No.
HARRIS: What about the mother right now? Where is she and what is happening with her?
BIEMER: Well the mother has been out of reach. We've spoken to a number of her relatives but the mother herself hasn't spoken to any of the media as of now.
HARRIS: Now, as I understand it, I've been reading what's been written in your newspaper for the last couple of days. It seems as though the story is changing. The story that this reverend is telling, Reverend Hemphill, and some of the other people in the church and in the community are telling is a little bit different today.
The first telling of the story said that this boy was just being held down by sheets. Now we're hearing and the report today in the newspaper that this reverend was actually laying down on top of this boy. What do you make of that?
BIEMER: Well, it's very interesting. They say that what they were doing, that the technique came from the Bible, from the first book of Kings, it's Chapter 17, Verse 21. And it goes, "And he stretched himself out on the child three times and cried out to the Lord and said, Oh, Lord, my God, I pray let this child's soul come back to him."
The brother of the minister who is in custody says they were simply following the word of the Lord which instructed his brother, the minister, to lie on top of him. Although, they say, there was no malicious intent whatsoever and he was not lying on top of him with his full weight.
HARRIS: Yes, from what I understand, what's complicating this as well is that thing you just quoted, this quote from the Bible. If it's determined that this was something that was being done as a religious practice, doesn't that affect the way this case gets prosecuted?
BIEMER: Yes, the law seems to allow for people to provide treatment to a child by spiritual means. And as I said, the brother of the man in custody said there was no malicious intent whatsoever.
So obviously, if you were going to try to file murder charges, you have to establish some sort of intent, and I think that is holding it up right now.
HARRIS: Boy, there's got to be an element of common sense around here. If a grown man lays on a boy for up to two hours at a time -- that's the report that this man has said himself that he would sit on this boy's chest for up to two hours at a time during these prayer services. And it seems like they're admitting that they've been doing this for sometime.
BIEMER: Well they said they had done this for a couple of times and this was not the first time he laid on top of him. Apparently he would go off and on him during the course of the service. And from some of the witnesses we spoke to who were actually at the service, they said he was not actually sitting as much as lying kind of in a perpendicular way with his chest over the child's chest.
HARRIS: Boy, you can just imagine what this boy was thinking.
Tell me, John, do you know whether or not there are going to be any court appearances today or tomorrow on this?
BIEMER: Well it depends on the charges. And yesterday, we were led to believe that there would be a determination on charges or not today. And if they are today, then there could be a court appearance sometime within the course of the day.
HARRIS: You know this story's gotten national attention. It's gotten out attention for the last couple of days.
What about there in Milwaukee? What are people there saying about this case? Is it getting widespread attention there? Are folks widely shocked by what they're reading and hearing?
BIEMER: Well sure. I think it's on a lot of people's mind. And the brother of the minister in custody says he's received a number of phone calls from concerned citizens, to say the least. And he said he received one threatening phone call. So I think it certainly is on people's minds here.
HARRIS: John Biemer of "The Chicago Tribune." Thank you very much. We appreciate the information on this rather troubling story. No doubt will take some more twists and turns from here on out. We appreciate you and your reporting.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
