Alleged victims deny any abuse by sect leader

Athens Banner-Herald/January 17, 2004
By Terry Dickson

Brunswick -- Five young women whom the government contends were sexually molested as children by cult leader Dwight ''Malachi'' York all denied Friday that York ever molested them.

They testified at the end of a stream of defense witnesses on the 10th day of York's federal trial on charges that he operated a continuing criminal enterprise to support his lavish lifestyle and illegal sex. York was arrested May 8, 2002, when the FBI and state agents raided his United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors compound outside Eatonton.

The trial before U.S. District Judge Ashley Royal was transferred to Brunswick because of extensive publicity in the Macon area, where York was to have been tried.

The final witness of the day, an 18-year-old who was born into York's organization in Brooklyn, said she was traumatized when agents descended on the Eatonton compound with drawn guns and ordered everyone to the ground.

''To this day, I still have nightmares about it,'' she said. ''It's scarred on my soul.'' As did others, the woman said she heard glass breaking and shouted orders.

''I don't think anybody realizes what we went through that day. It was horrible,'' she said.

She and four other women, including two sisters, denied testimony by earlier witnesses who said they saw York have sex with them when they were children.

The woman acknowledged calling York ''Babba,'' or Father, and said she had heard him referred to as Supreme Grand Master. Asked how she thought of him, the woman said, ''Just a regular guy.''

Prosecution witnesses have said York's religious philosophies covered Judaic, Islamic, Sumerian, Babylonian, Egyptian and most recently American Indian cultures.

Defense witnesses also identified photos of several of the alleged female victims with Jacob York, Dwight York's estranged son, who lives in the Atlanta area. They went on a trip to Miami's South Beach together and went to the FBI days after returning to Atlanta, defense lawyer Adrian Patrick told the court.

Patrick said he will show that the younger York schemed with those women to bring down his father.

Jacob York was angered when his father refused to give him money to help with his music business, Patrick said.

Jacob York then told his friends, brothers and sisters, ''I'm going to get mine, basically,'' Patrick said.

Patrick noted that all those who stayed with the organization are denying the charges against York - while those ousted from the community are testifying against him.

Regardless of how the federal trial ends, York still has other legal problems ahead.

He has pleaded guilty to 77 counts in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, including child molestation, aggravated child molestation and influencing witnesses, said District Attorney Fred Bright.

Under a plea agreement, York would serve 15 years in prison and 36 years of probation and pay a $15,000 fine and $150,000 in restitution to fund counseling and therapy for his victims, Bright said.

That sentence cannot be handed down until after the conclusion of the federal trial, he said. ''Under Georgia law, he has the right to withdraw his guilty plea up until the time the state judge signs the sentence,'' Bright said.