Exorcism Gone Terribly Awry

[chseeads]

The following are some local news articles regarding a criminal suit brought about by an attempted exorcism by a student minister at a church in Bloomington, IN. The church referred is the one that used to be Bro. Tiller's, which was formerly UPC back in the day.

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Man accused of battery at 'exorcism'

By FAITH HANNAH fhannah@heraldt.com
July 31, 2007


BLOOMINGTON — Monroe County police are seeking a Paoli man who they say left a teenage boy’s face black and blue in an attempt to cast out demons.

Monroe County Circuit Court Judge David Welch issued an arrest warrant on Monday for Edward “Eddie” Uyesugi II, 22, a former student minister at Cherry Hill Church in Bloomington.

According to Times-Mail archives, Uyesugi graduated from Paoli High School in 2003, and was valedictorian of the class. He participated in many extra-curricular activities, including varsity basketball and tennis.

Uyesugi is being sought on preliminary charges of felony confinement and misdemeanor battery with bodily injury. He had not been arrested as of 8:45 a.m. today.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Detective Sgt. Brad Swain gave the following account of the incident, based on police interviews with several witnesses, Uyesugi and the pastor of the church.

On May 27, a Bloomington woman brought her 14-year-old autistic son, who lives in a group home, to her home for a visit. The woman said Uyesugi had convinced her he could help heal the teen, who he said was possessed with demons. Uyesugi was a minister-in-training at Cherry Hill, the church the family attended. In an interview with police, the mother described the church as a “healing ministry.” She said she assumed the church pastor had knowledge of Uyesugi’s plan and had consented to it.

The woman said that when Uyesugi came to her home, he began praying loudly and scared the boy. The teen tried to run out of the room, but Uyesugi grabbed him. He began to struggle with the boy, who attempted to get away. According to the police reports, Uyesugi placed the boy on the floor and said, “You come out, you filthy demon!” The reports said he struck the teen several times on the chest with his open hand and his fist.

Police reports said the forceful praying carried on for almost two hours before the mother asked Uyesugi to stop. Later, the mother said she heard Uyesugi say, “They’re still here! The demons are still in you!” She told Uyesugi there were no demons in her son. When Uyesugi persisted, the boy ran away and Uyesugi grabbed him again.

Later, police said, Uyesugi put his hands down the boy’s throat, saying that there were demons in there, and causing the boy to vomit. Uyesugi instructed the boy’s brother to help restrain the boy and also to stick his fingers down his brother’s throat. His mother told Uyesugi she was going to call the church, but he yelled for her not to do so. Instead, Uyesugi told the mother to pray over the boy as he and the boy’s brother held him. According to police reports, Uyesugi continued to strike the boy in the face and told the boy’s brother to strike him, too. The “exorcism” continued until about midnight, police reports indicate.

Uyesugi was still at the home the next morning, according to the reports. The mother showed Uyesugi what he had done to her son’s face and advised him to call their pastor and tell him what happened, but he did not. Uyesugi left, apologizing to the mother and telling her that he had never cast out demons before.

The mother told police her son’s face was twice its normal size after the incident. She kept him home for several days before taking him back to the group home, fearful that what had happened would interfere with a custody case that was in progress. She did not tell the home’s staff what had happened to the boy. But the boy’s case manager notified police on June 14 that a child had been injured during a home visit.

Although the witnesses, the boy and his mother had similar stories, Uyesugi denied that he initiated the exorcism, saying the boy’s mother had asked him to pray over the boy. He told Swain that he restrained the boy to keep him from hurting his mother or himself. He said reports of the injuries to the boy’s face were an exaggeration.

Swain said the church pastor called the events described by witnesses “bizarre” and “ridiculous” during an interview. The pastor told police he had asked Uyesugi to leave the church’s parsonage, where he was residing, and told him he could no longer be a student at the church’s theology school. According to the police reports, the pastor said the school teaches how to cast out demons, but students would be able to do the practice only after graduation from the 2 1/2-year program. But the pastor told Swain he had never heard of the method reportedly used by Uyesugi, and that he would not pray for demons to be cast out of someone who is autistic. A woman who answered the telephone at the church Monday evening said the church would not comment on the incident.

The family has not attended the church since the incident. As of now, the church is not involved in the case, police said.

http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2007/0....nw-895792.tms

[chseeads]

Paoli ‘exorcist’ to turn himself in
Minister trainee accused of battering autistic teenager

BY MARCELA CREPS mcreps@heraldt.com
August 1, 2007

BLOOMINGTON — A Paoli man wanted for arrest in the case of an exorcism that witnesses say became a beating is expected to turn himself in to Monroe County police this morning, police said Tuesday night.

Eddie Uyesugi II, 22, faces preliminary charges of confinement and battery. He is accused of battering a 14-year-old autistic boy during an attempt to perform an exorcism.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Detective Brad Swain said he has been working with Uyesugi’s attorney to arrange for the suspect to turn himself in. Swain said it is not uncommon for cooperative suspects to be given time to get their affairs in order before surrendering to police. He said he notified the attorney late Monday of the filing of the charges and expects Uyesugi will turn himself in soon.

According to Bedford Times-Mail archives, Uyesugi graduated from Paoli High School in 2003 and was valedictorian of the class. He participated in many extracurricular activities there, including varsity basketball and tennis.

According to Swain’s report, Uyesugi believed he could cure the autistic teen by casting out demons he thought were in the boy. Uyesugi was described as a minister in training at Cherry Hill Church.

At the church at 16th and Dunn streets, a pastor said Tuesday he would have no comment on the case.

On May 27, the mother of the teen allowed Uyesugi to come to her home and attempt an exorcism, according to a police report on the case. The teen’s mother said that during the ritual, Uyesugi beat her son, choked him and caused him to vomit. The mother told police she believed Uyesugi was acting on behalf of the church, but she said he later claimed that he had never attempted an exorcism.

The incident was reported to police June 14 through Child Protective Services. The teen’s face was described as swollen and bruised after the ritual. The boy is a ward of CPS. Chad Bollhorst, administrative pastor at Cherry Hill Christian Center, would not answer questions about the incident or about exorcisms in general.

Messages left at the office of Child Protective Services director Lindsey Smith Tuesday, asking about the agency’s policies regarding charges against Uyesugi or anyone else connected to the case, were not returned.

According to police reports, in a police interview Uyesugi said the mother told him the teen had 12 to 14 demons in him. Uyesugi said the mother asked him to pray over the teen, who became violent during the prayers. Police say Uyesugi said he only struck the teen in an effort to restrain him. He also said he was only an usher at the church and lived at the parsonage, but never answered direct questions about his training or reasons for living at the church.

According to reports, Swain interviewed Pastor Kim Norris, who said Uyesugi had an interest in ministry. Norris said that in reviewing Uyesugi’s tactics, Uyesugi referred to a 19th-century evangelist who struck a woman in the stomach and cured her of a tumor. Norris said he told Uyesugi that didn’t relate to the situation.

Norris said Uyesugi told him that the ritual started at 1 p.m. and went until 6 p.m. He said they took a break, but later continued the ritual until midnight.

Norris told Swain that Uyesugi was asked to leave the church’s parsonage and is no longer a student at its theology school. Norris said that a ritual to cast out demons is part of the school’s teaching manual, but only upon graduation from the 2 1/2-year program are people qualified to cast spirits out, and it is done in the church, not the home.

Marcela Creps is a reporter for the Herald-Times of Bloomington, a sister newspaper to the Times-Mail.

http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2007/0....nw-985468.tms

[chseeads]

Accused exorcist turns himself in today

By Marcela Creps mcreps@heraldt.com
August 1, 2007

BLOOMINGTON — Eddie Uyesugi II turned himself in to Monroe County Police this afternoon, Sheriff’s Detective Brad Swain said.

Uyesugi is accused of beating a 14-year-old autistic boy during a hours-long ritual exorcism in May.

The pastors for Cherry Hill Ministries in Bloomington released a statement this morning denouncing Uyesugi’s behavior in his attempt to “cast demons” out of the boy during a ritual session conducted at the request of the boy’s mother.

“We emphatically denounce the method, manner and mentality of this unauthorized and unsupervised exorcism attempted by this young man,” said Kim Norris, pastor of Cherry Hill in a prepared statement.

In the press release, sent by the church’s attorney, the church emphasizes that Norris was the one who contacted Child Protective Services about the incident. It also states that the Uyesugi was immediately expelled from the Cherry Hill School of Theology and was asked to resign membership in the church.

Norris further stated that the church believes in “deliverance through prayer” as do many Christian churches. He explained that it is done through laying on of hands with no harmful physical contact.

Uyesugi is accused of battering the teen in the process of an exorcism. Police have said that although Uyesugi was a student at Cherry Hill, he performed the acts without the knowledge or direction of the church.

Marcela Creps is a reporter with the Herald-Times of Bloomington, a sister newspaper to the Times-Mail


http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2007/0....nw-004699.tms

[chseeads]

Accused exorcist turns self in
Church speaks out against attempt on autistic boy, 14

BY MARCELA CREPS mcreps@heraldt.com
August 2, 2007

mcreps@heraldt.com

BLOOMINGTON — Eddie Uyesugi II turned himself in to Monroe County Police at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. His bond was set at $20,000 surety, $500 cash, Monroe County Sheriff’s Detective Brad Swain said.

Uyesugi faces preliminary charges of confinement and battery with injury. Uyesugi is accused of beating a 14-year-old autistic boy during an hours-long ritual exorcism in May.

The pastors for Cherry Hill Ministries in Bloomington released a statement Wednesday denouncing Uyesugi’s behavior in his attempt to “cast demons” out of the boy during a ritual session conducted at the request of the boy’s mother.

“We emphatically denounce the method, manner and mentality of this unauthorized and unsupervised exorcism attempted by this young man,” said Kim Norris, pastor of Cherry Hill, in a prepared statement.

In the press release, sent by the church’s attorney, the church emphasizes that Norris was the one who contacted Child Protective Services about the incident. It also states that the Uyesugi was immediately expelled from the Cherry Hill School of Theology and was asked to resign membership in the church.

Norris said the church believes in “deliverance through prayer,” as do many Christian churches. He said this is done through laying on of hands with no harmful physical contact.

Child Protective Services officials said Wednesday they will not make any official statement.

What is exorcism?

While the term exorcism has traditionally been used by Catholics, most Protestants and charismatic Catholics prefer the term deliverance, according to Candy Gunther Brown, Indiana University associate professor in religious studies.

Brown said many who practice deliverance are trained psychologists and psychiatrists who know and understand mental illness, but also recognize there are limits to what medicine and counseling can provide. She said many believe there is a third force — the spiritual effect — that benefits from deliverance ministry.

As for what happened in the case of the autistic teen, Brown said that type of force is not the standard.

“I cannot think of a single kind of Protestant or Catholic group that would endorse what you just described,” she said. “That’s not at all a kind of standard practice.”

Brown said the tradition of casting out of demons took place up until the 4th century and experienced a resurgence in the middle of the 19th century. She said many believe the resurgence is an attempt to recover what’s been forgotten by the churches.

As deliverance has gained new emphasis, so have the practices. Brown said the aggressive tactics used to battle demons have changed. Instead of shouting at demons and causing people to vomit, the practice is more subdued, with quiet talking. She said that while old practices might including finding out how the demons got in, the new practice attempts to keep the demons from reacting to the process.

“The emphasis is on binding demons and commanding them not to manifest,” she said.

While many people don’t believe in deliverance or exorcisms, she said large segments believe there are spiritual realities such as angels and demons that can’t be explained.

“Even with all of the advances, there are a lot of Americans who believe that is not a sufficient explanation,” Brown said. “That’s why you still see the practice of deliverance ministry.”

She also said that what Uyesugi tried to do was not something any beginner should attempt.

“He just didn’t know what he was doing,” she said.

Brown said the Bible has a number of examples of Jesus casting out demons and healing the sick, which people will point to as examples of how and why prayer would work.

“That’s kind of a world view that we’re talking about,” she said. “It’s a world view that there is a supernatural that interacts with the natural.”

Uyesugi is accused of battering the teen in the process of casting out demons. Police have said that although Uyesugi was a student at Cherry Hill, he performed the acts without the knowledge or direction of the church.

Marcela Creps is a reporter for the Herald-Times of Bloomington, a sister paper to the Times-Mail.



http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2007/0....nw-073019.tms

[Elizabeth]

The guy was very ignorant, I am glad the boy survived the incident.

[chseeads]

Lawyer: Uyesugi to plead not guilty
Attorney says his client plans to become doctor

BY MARCELA CREPS mcreps@heraldt.com
August 4, 2007



BLOOMINGTON — The attorney representing a man accused of beating a Monroe County teenager during a religious ritual exorcism said Thursday his client expects to enter a not-guilty plea before Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Marc Kellams at an initial hearing set for Aug. 10.

Edward Uyesugi II, whose bond was set at $5,000 surety, $500 cash, paid his bond and was released about an hour after he turned himself in at the Monroe County Jail Wednesday, jail records show.

Uyesugi, of 208 W. Campbell St., Paoli, faces preliminary charges of confinement and battery after he was accused of beating a 14-year-old autistic boy in an attempt to cast out demons.

Uyesugi was booked into jail at 12:32 p.m. Wednesday. According to jail staff, he was released at 1:48 p.m.

Matt Blanton, Uyesugi’s attorney, said he has yet to talk to the Monroe County prosecutor about the case.

“What’s been relayed to me versus what I’ve read isn’t necessarily consistent,” Blanton said. “As with everything, there are varying recollections of what occurred on the day in question.”

Blanton said Uyesugi has never been in trouble with the law. The 22-year-old is a student at Indiana University and has plans to become a doctor. He said Uyesugi is scheduled to graduate from IU in December.

Uyesugi graduated from Paoli High School in 2003 and was valedictorian of the class. He participated in many extracurricular activities there, including varsity basketball and tennis.

The pastors for Cherry Hill Ministries in Bloomington released a statement Wednesday denouncing Uyesugi’s behavior in his attempt to “cast demons” out of the boy during a ritual session conducted at the request of the boy’s mother.

In the press release, sent by the church’s attorney, the church states that the Uyesugi was immediately expelled from the Cherry Hill School of Theology and was asked to resign membership in the church.

http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2007/0....nw-285825.tms

[chseeads]

Uyesugi pleads not guilty in attempted exorcism
Faces charges of confining, battering 14-year-old autistic boy

BY JAMES BOYD jboyd@herealdt.com
August 11, 2007



BLOOMINGTON -- In his white polo shirt and black dress slacks, Eddie Uyesugi II looked more like a church choir member than a defendant in an exorcism case.

After watching a 30-minute video informing him of his rights as a defendant, Uyesugi, 22, of Paoli, entered a formal not-guilty plea to initial charges of confinement and battery Friday afternoon in Monroe Circuit Court.

Uyesugi is accused of injuring a 14-year-old autistic boy during an exorcism attempt in May.

Friday marked the first step of a legal process that could culminate with Uyesugi being sentenced to up to nine years in prison and paying up to $15,000 in fines if convicted on all counts.

Uyesugi turned himself in to authorities last month after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed by Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Detective Sgt. Brad Swain, Uyesugi hit the autistic child in the face and shoved his hands down the boy’s throat in an attempt to cast out demons he said were in the boy’s body.

During the exorcism, Uyesugi struck the boy to the extent that his face later turned black and blue and swelled to nearly twice its size, the affidavit said.

Friday’s initial hearing revealed no new details in the case, as it was simply an early step in the criminal justice process.

Uyesugi was asked if he understood the charges against him and whether he understood his rights.

He was then asked if he wanted to enter a plea.

Uyesugi pleaded not guilty, as his parents looked on from the back row of the courtroom.

He is being represented by Blanton and Branstetter Law Office, based in Jeffersonville. One of those attorneys, P. Matt Blanton, has experience in high-profile cases.

He represented a Kentucky woman who had accused MSNBC host Tucker Carlson of rape, although charges were never filed against him.

Neither Blanton nor Jeffrey Branstetter could be reached for comment following Friday’s hearing.

James Boyd is a reporter for the Herald-Times of Bloomington, a sister newspaper to the Times-Mail.

http://www.tmnews.com/stories/2007/0....nw-855505.tms

[chseeads]

K, I'm done posting a billion articles...lol

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Jeanie

The guy was very ignorant, I am glad the boy survived the incident.

[revrandy]

there is obviously two sides to the story here...

Seems to me the both parties are somewhat suspect... Mom & the young man.. the boy is the victim I think of both...

I would bet there will be a lawsuit against the church coming soon...