As Dale Giffin sat with his lawyer, and with his wife and sons just a few feet away, his victim stood before Judge Jim Evans. She asked not to be photographed but read a 25-minute statement detailing her involvement with the man who was her pastor for three decades.
Giffin was indicted back in February, accused of repeatedly raping the victim while she was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Cornersburg. The charges dated back to 1993, but the victim claims the abuse began when she was just 15. In court, the victim described her first sexual encounter, saying Giffin "reached over and put his hand on my thigh, and he leaned into me and he kissed me on the lips."
The gallery included dozens of church members, some shaking their heads in disbelief as the woman claimed her sexual encounters with Giffin took place all around the Zion Lutheran property.
When she finally went to the bishop with her accusations a year ago, she said Giffin tried to ostracize her with the congregation. She claims Giffin "publicly characterized me and others as crazy and delusional liars who are not to be believed."
Because prosecutors admit they would have had trouble proving Giffin forced the victim to have sex, his charges were reduced to misdemeanor assault, and he pleaded guilty. Although he never apologized or expressed remorse to the victim, he told the judge his life is now ruined, saying "in short, this past year has been a living hell."
As part of his sentence, Giffin was ordered to serve thirty days of house arrest and pay a $1,500 fine. He's also prohibited from ever serving in the clergy again.
