Why Josh Duggar's Lawyers Are Requesting A New Trial

Josh Duggar's life in prison came as a shock to former fans of the TLC reality show "19 Kids and Counting." What we know of Duggar's prison sentence horrified viewers of the show, revealing damning allegations that Duggar was in possession of sexual abuse material of children. According to CNN, the oldest Duggar son was arrested and indicted on federal charges for possession of child pornography in April 2021. Duggar was convicted in May 2022 and given a 12-and-a-half-year sentence, as NPR reported.

While prosecutors sought a 20-year sentence, they maintained that they were content with Duggar's punishment. "While this is not the sentence we asked for, this is a lengthy sentence," U.S. Attorney General David Clay Flowkes said. Though Duggar received a shorter sentence than the prosecutors initially asked for, his attorneys are now gearing up to ask for another chance in the courtroom and requesting a new trial.

Josh Duggar's attorneys first appealed the former reality star's 12-and-a-half-year sentencing in October 2022, saying that his constitutional rights had been violated, according to The U.S. Sun. The outlet published quotes from court documents that claimed Duggar had been "blindsided" by armed agents and was "restrained."

"Duggar — blindsided in a rural area, surrounded by armed agents wearing ballistic vests, and without access to a vehicle — attempted to call his attorney only to have his phone physically taken and was told his attorney would not be allowed on the scene," Duggar's brief read (per KNWA). As such, Duggar's counsel has asked the federal court to "vacate his conviction, suppress his statement, and remand for a new trial." Though Duggar has filed for a new trial, it is unclear if the Eighth Circut Court will revisit his case. As the U.S. Sun explained, Duggar has begun serving his sentence at a federal prison in Texas.