Crime & Safety

Jurors Begin Deliberations in Sex Assault Case Against Ex-Reporter

Charles Leaf is accused of sexually abusing a 4-year-old in his Wyckoff home, reports say.

Jurors began deliberating Wednesday in the sex assault case against Charles Leaf, a former Fox 5 reporter who is accused of abusing a 4-year-old girl in his Wyckoff home, NorthJersey.com reported.

According to the report, Leaf was charged in 2010 after the girl told her babysitter that he touched her private parts and instructed her to do the same to him. Investigators also found child porn images on his computer, the report said.

However, during the testimony that began last month, the girl, now 8, recanted her statements and said that the babysitter instructed her to make up the allegations, the paper reported.

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Leaf’s father-in-law also testified that he was the one who looked at the pornographic images on Leaf’s computer, and the ex-reporter denied the charges on the stand, the report said.

Leaf is facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

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Jurors deliberated for about four hours Wednesday and are expected to continue deliberations Thursday, the report said.


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