Friday, August 26, 2011
Church Leaders Lawyer Up In Sex Crime Investigation
Well, this is just sad. Unfortunately, it was also predictable. I was really hoping Morrison Heights Baptist Church was going to be the exception and not the rule.
Read along and let this sink in:
According to his alleged victim, John Langworthy's sex crimes took place 22 years ago when the former minister of music at Morrison Heights Baptist Church was babysitting.
McBride: "And obviously it's a very serious allegation."
Prosecutors say the accusations against the 49-year-old husband and father include multiple acts of child molestation.
McBride: "I guess it really would fall under both sexual battery and gratification of lust, both lustful touching and penetration.
Assistant district attorney, Jamie McBride, wants to know what church leaders know about Langworthy's possible past sex crimes, but elders at Morrison Heights are now speaking through their attorney.
McBride: "The attorney for them has asked us to come up with some law to talk about whether or not that's privileged conversations or not."
Ross Adams, WJTV News, Channel 12
Could this be what all the "lawyering up" is about?
Who may report a suspected case of child abuse?
In accordance with Section 43-21-353 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated, "Any attorney, physician, dentist, intern, resident, nurse, psychologist, social worker, family protection worker, family protection specialist, child caregiver, minister, law enforcement officer, public or private school employee or any other person having reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a neglected child or an abused child, shall cause an oral report to be made immediately by telephone or otherwise and followed as soon thereafter as possible by a report in writing to the Department of Human Services, ..."
What will happen if you know of abuse and don't report it?
Upon being found guilty, the individual shall be punished by a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by imprisonment in jail not to exceed one (1) year, or both. Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated Section 43-21-353(7).
Related articles:
Clarion Ledger >> August 28th >> Abuse case talks called privileged
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services >> Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws
Wolves in the Music Ministry
Wolves in the Music Ministry - Part 2
Letter to the editor in the Clarion Ledger from David Clohessy, national director of SNAP.
WAPT-TV >> Grand Jury To Consider Case Against Former Clinton Minister
Associated Baptist Press >> Prosecutors want information from church about former minister suspected of child abuse
We saw the same stonewalling from Bellevue during the Paul Williams investigation.
Deny, Deny, Deny!
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63 comments:
I don't want to even get started. Dare I say WE TOLD YOU SO! We have seen it time and time again. This is so sad. If there aren’t any victims at MHBC as so many want to profess what are they worried about? Or could there be victims there?
The only laws they have to worry about are the ones written in the book they preach from every Sunday.
This is such a shame on the family of God.
David
We saw this same thing during the Paul Williams investigation.
Deny, Deny, Deny!
The only laws they have to worry about are the ones written in the book they preach from every Sunday.
Not if they knowingly failed to report JL's confession or any knowledge of victims to the authorities.
If I were a member of MHBC I'd be asking Greg Belser and the "elders" how much the church is paying in lawyer's fees and why they felt the need to lawyer up now. If, as they claim, they took proper precautions and conducted an investigation and "the problem" has gone away and they just want to move on, then why do they need a lawyer now? Do they have knowledge of other victims? I wouldn't expect to get any answers, but I think I'd be asking anyway.
To NewBBC @ 3:02
Exactly. That's why I wanted to make sure you saw this latest news. This has all gotten way shadier now that MHBC has lawyered up. What do the elders know that they don't want to tell? Why are they protecting JL when they should be concerned about his victims and any other victims that haven't come forward yet?
Hey blog owner- how can i contact you without it being made public on the blog? Email?
I think at this point they're probably more concerned about protecting themselves than JL. He's become the proverbial chewing gum on the bottom of the shoe. You can get rid of it, but it's still sticky.
Midge,
E-mail's in my profile. Just click on it.
Letter to the editor in the Clarion Ledger from David Clohessy, national director of SNAP.
Nothing is mentioned about this on other local news channels. Strange? Or did we jump the gun?
"We"?
OK, nothing meant by that. I'm merely concerned that we not be so anxious to get news out that we neglect to verify...I haven't seen anything yet on actual news sites in MS area. Maybe it's coming.
Uh... this is from an "actual news site" in MS.
WJTV-TV >> Jackson, MS >> Church Leaders Lawyer Up In Sex Crime Investigation
Question: Shouldn't JL's wife, Kathy, be held accountable under the same stipulations of reporting abuse that the other church 'leaders' are? She was well aware of his past at P'Wood, moved with him to MS and was/is a staff member at MHBC. She chose to stay with him, and allow him to potentially abuse other children by not speaking up, right??
Please get your facts straight. I think you are taking the title of WJTV's newest story too literal. Anyone that is a MHBC attendee has been advised to give any media the church lawyer's name and phone number. There are too many speculations and gossip stories circulating around. It is best to have one spokesperson for the church.
This was a quote from a story published in the newspaper was 2 days after JL's statement:
'A church staff member who answered the phone Tuesday said Belser was forwarding all calls from the media to Gunn.'
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011108100350
Looks to me like WJTV is twisting the story to their favor.
"Church Leaders Lawyer Up In Sex Crime Investigation"
I didn't pen the title. That was the title of the video on the WJTV site.
McBride: "The attorney for them has asked us to come up with some law to talk about whether or not that's privileged conversations or not."
How do you interpret that?
"just the facts" is making the point I was trying to express. This does not seem to be new news, but a follow-up of legal process. It would be better to let matters now take their legal course and not try to create something more out of what normally happens in cases like this. Same thing goes for Just Wondering's question. What's motivating you...are you trying to create misery for the family as well? Would our Lord have us ask such questions?
I am compiling the news sources as they are published. If this story is such a big deal for you, why don't you take it up with the reporter, Ross Adams? I'm sure his contact information is on the WJTV site. I wonder why this particular report seems to have stepped on so many nerves.
All I'm saying is that this is no time to be reckless. FYI, there are three network news sources in central MS (Jackson), and the story is not showing up on their daily websites, unless I've missed it. The WAPT video appears to be related to an earlier story, as "just the facts" has noted. Let's not claim something as breaking news when it was part of the story 2/3 weeks ago, until we can be sure.
The latest video was published on August 25th and was not connected with the previous reports. Why has this particular video struck a nerve with some people? Again, if you have questions about the timing or content of it, contact the reporter, Ross Adams. I'm just the messenger.
It would be better to let matters now take their legal course and not try to create something more out of what normally happens in cases like this.
Unfortunately this is too often what happens in cases like this. Everyone lawyers up and stonewalls. I was really hoping MHBC, now that this story is out, would have done the right thing and fully cooperated with the police, but it appears their lawyer is looking for loopholes that will enable them to withhold information the police need to complete their investigation. I still don't understand why they need a lawyer at this point. JL made his statement, elder Tim made his statement, and Belser brought up the rear, saying everybody's "okay." (Well, he didn't mention the victims, but he covered himself, the church, the elders, and the people.) "Okay" people don't usually feel the need to lawyer up.
Maybe the story hasnt appeared on WLBT(NBC) Channel 3 sine the GM is one of the Elders at MHBC. Hmmmm
WLBT has run 3 stories on this already. Only WJTV has covered this angle. So far.
My question is serious, "a". Does she not have the same ethical and legal responsibility to warn others when she knew, very intimately, of his past abuse of children??
If she knew "very intimately," yes. Can I explain it? No. I can't even comprehend it.
As far as I know she could not be compelled to testify against him in a court of law.
What I can't get over is if someone was going to be "accountable" to a small circle of close people why the circle wouldn't include your pastor, especially when your pastor was, in effect, your employer. Has anyone ever said, even anonymously, "I knew and JL made himself accountable to me"?
I didn't think so.
To "just wondering"
If you are to hold Kathy to task, should the first people you hold accaountable be Prestwood, including Amy Smith who started this....she had oh, let's say 20 something years to speak up...how many victims is SHE responsible for???
To BBC forum,
NO Greg Belser did not say, "everyone is ok". get your facts straight, what he said was "are you all OK?" Since I was there and YOU were not, I know more about it. He also not only mentioned the victims, but also said not only to pray for them, but also appealed to anyone who was a victim, or knew of a victim to come forward, and further pledged any help they needed to get through this.
To Daivd,
I hear alot of why didn't MHBC or CPS do this or that, blame, blame blame...I have yet to hear from Amy Smith on her responsibility to this. SHE SHOULD HAVE REPORTED IT. Yes, all the crime lay at JL's feet, but if you are holding MHBC and CPS respsonsible, why not prestwood, why not amy smith
What makes you think Amy knew about JL's "activities" for 20 years? She said she knew him. She never said she knew what he was doing back then.
NO Greg Belser did not say, "everyone is ok". get your facts straight, what he said was "are you all OK?" Since I was there and YOU were not, I know more about it. He also not only mentioned the victims, but also said not only to pray for them, but also appealed to anyone who was a victim, or knew of a victim to come forward, and further pledged any help they needed to get through this.
Really? Here are Belser's exact words, transcribed from the video. The missing section was just a word or two, not "missing minutes."
We're going to enter into a time of prayer, and I'm going to ask John and Kathy, and our elders, and anybody else who wants to come... to pray. We're going to pray. So John... would you mind coming down here so we can get around you? We're going to pray for you.
{unintelligible} You have witnessed the evidence of a biblical response. You've witnessed the strength of having elders in a church who could examine this discreetly, carefully, righteously, and this morning you've had the opportunity to respond not... outwardly, but every one of you has processed it inwardly. Some of you have been doing that for some time because you've heard rumors or you've heard stories or you have, in recent days, read various correspondence.
As a rule, blogs are not completely accurate. There are many people in recent months who have decided to speak for me on various things. That's not a problem if they get it right. {laughs} But when they get it wrong and people believe them, that's not how the... an easy thing. But it's okay. I'm okay. The church is okay. The elders are okay. Are you okay? {laughs} Yeah.
What you've seen today is church. It's mercy. It's accountability. It's the pain of confession publicly. It's the acknowledgement of real sorrow as a result of sin more than two decades ago.
The elders have sought to be confidential. Some have insisted that this not be confidential. But you need to know that the elders were seeking to honor the bests of people who are involved in these situations. They requested confidentiality.
{missing}... be handled differently. None of us are judge and jury of anybody, least of all John. God is our judge, and He pronounced sentence on His own Son because of our sins, these sins of serious consequences. That's the reason why John Langworthy resigned. We take them seriously. John takes them seriously. He loves you. He loves this church. He loves Christ. So what you're seeing today is the gospel. It is the acknowledgement of the pain. It is the acknowledgement of the consequences. It is a request... for forgiveness. That is the gospel. We don't deny our sin. We confess....
continued...
We don't deny our consequences. We must live with our consequences and ask God for grace and mercy. But we then ask God that He would restore our hearts and give us great joy. John has done that... to God, to his family, to the... people involved, and now to you.
I like the analogy of being thrown in the deep end of the swimming pool... not knowing how to swim. At some point the way to save your life is to sink all the way to the bottom and push off... 'cause if you don't find the bottom, the bottom will find you. Now John has found the bottom, and today... he has pushed off. And he's asked for life, not judgment. He has asked for life, not condemnation. These are grievous circumstances... and we treat them so. But we love God's grace.
So... we've got a song that we've prepared... about that very thing, and we've got Matt to sing. We love you, Matt. Thank you, brother. We hope you can sing {laughter} 'cause we need to hear this song.
You said, "He also not only mentioned the victims, but also said not only to pray for them, but also appealed to anyone who was a victim, or knew of a victim to come forward, and further pledged any help they needed to get through this."
Did he say this some other time besides August 7th? I hope he did. That would be commendable.
I called the Dallas Police department myself many months ago and asked to make a report of sexual abuse that I had heard was the reason John Langworthy was fired from Prestonwood. In 1989, I had only heard rumors of the abuse and never spoke personally to a victim until February 2011 after I reached out to several people who I thought may have been victims. I had only been a youth ministry intern and was never involved in any meetings with staff regarding John. I was a college student at the time. It was never discussed with me. I never saw or spoke to him again after June of 1989. I was told by the Dallas police that I could not make a report myself of the abuse, but that it still need to be reported even after I explained that it occurred in the mid to late 1980s. I explained that the perpetrator was fired from his position at a church. The officer told me that the child abuse would need to be reported by either the victim or the church staff who heard directly from victims at the time and who fired the minister. I then replied to an email from the executive pastor at Prestonwood detailing the information I received from the Dallas police department and urging Prestonwood staff members who could to make a report of the abuse that occurred to kids during John's time while on staff at Prestonwood.
To blog biased????
The only person who started this is John Langworthy when he made the choice decades ago to sexually abuse children.
Amy Smith is but one person who attended and interned for a church whose membership hovers somewhere around 26,000 right now. There were HUNDREDS of people attending Prestonwood in 1989 who heard the same rumors and grumblings that Amy heard but nothing was ever confirmed for us. And most of us were teenagers at the time. Those who wish to blame Amy for stepping forward and bringing this to light once she had actual CONFIRMATION FROM A VICTIM need to grab a larger bag of stones, because lots and lots of people knew something. That "something" is simply "gossip" until a victim steps forward.
Again, I ask where was our leadership? Where was Jack Graham? Where were Neal Jeffrey, Neville Leverett and the half dozen other youth staffers? They sat all of us youth together in a big room during the Sunday school hour that day in 1989 and told us John was gone. They did not tell us why. Imagine...if only they'd done the right thing then and called for any victims to step forward, someone in that audience of students might have gone home and opened up to their parents. The police might have actually been notified. An investigation might have commenced. And the proverbial rug at Prestonwood might not have so many demons beneath it today. Worse still, Morrison Heights wouldn't be currently in the throes of this community devastation.
Clarion Ledger >> Abuse case talks called privileged
To whomever said this was "old news," it's not. According to their lawyer, MHBC is hiding behind "priest-penitent privilege" so as not to fully cooperate with police.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services >> Clergy as Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect: Summary of State Laws
See specifically footnotes 2 and 3.
to blog biased????
Major difference between Kathy and Amy: Amy did not know where JL was after leaving Pwood. Kathy DID--she was WITH HIM--and apparently did nothing about warning the church or school of his past abuse. How is that not irresponsible?
Has Kathy ever admitted to knowing what happened with John? I know she was with him in Texas, but how do we know she was told why he was fired? Or was she even told he was fired?
Before accusing her - I'm just wondering where people are getting their information from regarding her status in all of this.
I'm an active member of MHBC and have never been told to refer the media to the churches attorney. Thats a load of crap because that has never been said in church. After the brief showing the day JL came out, nothing else has really been said to the church. We were told to ask the elders if we had questions. So now will they refer me to the attorney? Needless to say I'm currently looking for somewhere else to take my family. I don't have a clue where our administrators moral compass has gone! It's sad, it appears the church is more worried about getting sued than helping an investigation (by law enforcement, the ones who should have done the entire investigation).
Please for those that keep trying to read something else into what I have said. The ONLY person to blame for any of this mess is JL. There is no one else, ok? If that is not clear enough let me make if more clear: neither CPS or MHBC are to blame, they are victims too. But I am certainly critical of their actions once they got word and information of what he had done. That is a big difference in blaming them for JL’s actions. Just look at what some of your own fellow members have said on this blog about those actions or inactions.
As for JL’s wife I too am not certain what he has told her. You must remember this; pedophiles are master at deceit and lying. Look what he did to you, your church, the school system and your community; he made you his victims also. In the Bellevue scenario, the victim was PW’s son. To this day the son does not allow his father to be around his children at all. Even after the father has said there are no more victims. Regardless of what the pedophile claims it is just too dangerous to trust them. Pray for them but don’t trust them.
For those that continue to deny, claiming this blog is not a source of truth, that you cannot trust the news or media, I feel for you. I doubt there is anything that will convince you. If you doubt the media I suggest you call the DA’s office and ask them the truth better yet call your church leadership or will they refer you to their attorney? I hate it when religious leaders begin to act like CEO’s instead of men called of God. But I have seen it happen so many times over and over again when faced with the actions of an admitted pedophile minister.
Once again the ONLY person to blame for any of this is JL.
David Brown
from a member;
in our bulletin on Sunday, there was an announcement,which said if you needed abuse/victim counseling to please contact the church and they would set it up. The church is not going to mention this over and over during services. We are there to worship and to learn. This would be allowing sin to over take us. Many of us are saddened, sickened, shocked, and we are praying for everyone who is involved. The victims, the church, the families. MHBC is not hiding behind anything, but no one would participate in any investigation without legal representation. This is no different. Greg Belser is an honorable and Godly man, and he will do what is biblically correct.
Thank you, anon. I was responding earlier to "I Was there" who said re Belser's statement in the August 7th video, "He also not only mentioned the victims, but also said not only to pray for them, but also appealed to anyone who was a victim, or knew of a victim to come forward, and further pledged any help they needed to get through this."
I simply pointed out that he said nothing of the sort in the August 7th video.
I was also in attendance that day. Greg Belser did make an appeal for anyone who was a victim or knew of a victim to please come forward, and he did pledge help for anyone who might come forward. It must have been at a different point during the service and that's why it's not on the transcript or in the video. They didn't record the entire service.
Thanks, IWT2. That's what I asked two days ago...
Did he say this some other time besides August 7th? I hope he did. That would be commendable.
I'm very glad to hear that. I hope we hear the D.A.'s office say he's decided to fully cooperate with them now, too.
The point here is to come to our FREE Grace Counseling Service.
August 12, 2011
Better Days
The circumstances of the last few days have been painful for all of us. There are many, many sorrows in this life and when they become your personal sorrows, well, they are enormous it seems.
These circumstances are grievous and are not to be minimized in any way. But every circumstance, painful or not, demands a righteous and biblical response.
Our elders have sought to protect and shepherd the church through a difficult and damaging season and through imperfect men, God has enabled us to accomplish that safe passage. I thank God for these men and the multiplied hours they spent away from their families trying to determine truth from falsehood and how best to care for you.
Genesis 50:20 records the occasion when Joseph had the opportunity to demonstrate unparalleled grace to his brothers in light of their great evil against him almost 20 years prior. God will turn every evil for His good in our lives in some way. This remains our confident hope. Jesus was the victim of enormous sin and God used that to accomplish our salvation. We cling to the promise
that sin never has the final word. That word is entrusted to Christ alone who spoke it (one word in Greek) from the cross: It is finished! He is the conquering One who will vanquish the enemy and redeem His people from the power of sin and death.
Thanks be to God!
On a related note, if you or others in our church need to consult with a counselor in light of these circumstances, our elders have approved the allocation of some resources to provide some help
with that counseling through
Christian ministries in Jackson or
you may take advantage of
counseling at no charge through our
own ministry, Grace Biblical Counseling. Do not struggle alone.
God and His people will be a
strong resource in your life.
Sunday begins a new chapter. Bring your Bible and pray for the Holy Spirit to fall upon us.
Dr. Greg Belser
My understanding is that they are trying to cooperate with the DA's office - which is why they have legal representation. Quite frankly, if the DA's office called me tomorrow to come and tell them anything I know - just as a past choir member - I would contact an attorney too - and I have NOTHING to hide. It's fine if you all want to make assumptions based on what you're reading or hearing on the news but, please keep in mind, that we are only hearing bits and pieces of what is actually happening.
http://wap.wapt.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=230&nid=61352587&cid=4619&scid=-1&ith=0&title=Local+News
Sounds like progress is being made!
The latest:
WAPT-TV >> Grand Jury To Consider Case Against Former Clinton Minister
Sounds like Belser and the "elders" are still trying to hide behind "clergy-penitent privilege."
Statistics indicate a child molester is likely to molest again. Am I to understand Belser and the "elders" would rather protect a confessed pedophile than disclose evidence which could help one victim's quest for justice and potentially prevent others from being victimized in the future? We're not talking about stealing a candy bar here, folks. We're talking about a confessed pedophile. If one of the "elders" confesses to Belser tomorrow that he murdered and disposed of three women's bodies 20 years ago but hasn't killed anyone since, would that be considered confidential, too? I shudder to think what the answer might be.
Also, if JL "confessed" to the "elders," are they all claiming "clergy-penitent privilege," too? What about those "family and friends who were aware of the past situations"?
I'm not a lawyer and don't have the expertise (or desire) to dig through Mississippi state law, but this source states (addressing knowledge of child abuse) that "Mississippi, for example, specifically indicates that the act of reporting is 'not a breach of confidence' and thirty-three states provide a criminal penalty for failure to report such crimes." I assume that's based on someone's reading of MS state law. Since there's apparently no statute of limitations in Mississippi my uneducated but common sense impression is that there was a duty to report before and an obligation to fully cooperate now.
Updated video:
WAPT-TV >> Pastor's Sex Scandal
Thanks for the posting the latest news. It just keeps getting messier. I really hope that if there are any more victims, that they would come forward. But, if I were a victim, and I saw how the community and church have responded so far.... I'm not so sure I would have the guts to come forward. What a shame. JL is NOT the victim here, people.
After viewing the latest news story I am deeply sadden and reminded of a very similar story that happened in Memphis about 7-9 years ago. The local assistant DA was after the Catholic Diocese here in Memphis to turn over information on 7 priests that abused. The Bishop here used an “in-house” attorney who he was very close to, to give him guidance. Their attorney told them at according to his interpretation of the Tennessee law in effect at the time they did not have to cooperate. Well they went back and forth and finally the DA, not the assistant DA stepped in and told them if that was their position fine but if they got one more complaint against any of those 7 priests they would prosecute them to the fullest and that included the Bishop personally. That caused the Diocese to blink and they turned over information on 10 priests, 3 more than was previously known. Sound very familiar to what is going on in Clinton?
And it does not end there. Since 2004 we then knew there were 10 offending priests. We did not know their identities or locations. In 2010 after a civil suit was over the Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Daily news sued and intervened in that case to get the files that was produced in the civil case. There is clear case law that those files were important to the welfare of the people and were thus produced. Guess what we found out; they had 7 more priests bringing the total to 17 pedophile priests. Wow were we ever stunned. Still don’t know all their names or where they are to this day.
At SNAP all we ask for is full truth and transparency. Simple as that but as you can see that is extremely hard to get. Ministers suddenly become CEOs. They not only defy man’s law but also God’s laws.
As for a recent post talking about hiring an attorney if they had been contacted by DA’s office let me remind you they have been represented by an attorney for several months now. But that same attorney is also an ordained elder, wow sounds so much like the Memphis scenario.
If you are a survivor and want to seek help let me suggest that you reach out to one of us in SNAP that post on here. Also I suggest you seek legal counsel not to sue but to advise you of your rights. If the church can have their attorneys why can’t you have yours? You can also visit our national SNAP website for additional contacts: ”SNAP”
Once again why can’t these ministers be truthful and transparent? Do you really think this sends a good message to other survivors and victims?
David Brown
Last night's updated WAPT video has now been combined with the original story.
Associated Baptist Press >> Prosecutors want information from church about former minister suspected of child abuse
Not surprisingly there's not been one peep about this story on Baptist Press.
The Baptist Press generally does not report on things that would bring a negative light to Southern Baptists.
This is not my opinion... It's an indirect quotation of the Editor in Chief that I heard him make when he was interviewed by The Associated Press several years ago... Because I was sitting in the room when he said it.
Do you know how much manpower time it would take.. And space it would take to cover every church split?
Which was the quote? The first sentence or the last?
He has been arrested! FINALLY!!!!
http://www.wapt.com/news/29107210/detail.html
WAPT just released the news JL has been arrested on 8 counts. Link is
http://www.wapt.com/news/29107210/detail.html?QS=1
Langworthy arrested on 8 counts according to WAPT. 2 in cinton and 6 in Jackson.
http://www.wapt.com/news/29107210/detail.html#COMMENTTOP
JL was arrested today -- 8 counts of gratification of lust, 5 victims under the age of 14.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110907/NEWS/110907012/Former-Clinton-music-minister-arrested-sexual-abuse-case?odyssey=nav|head
Bond has been set in Clinton, MS for 2 of the charges, but a hold has been placed because they plan to file additional charges. There are 6 other charges in Jackson, MS.
http://www.my601.com/content/breaking/story/langworthy-arrest-clinton-mississippi/p4QlBLxK4UOs9PQm2lrtbg.cspx
From Fox40 news -- victims were from First Baptist Church and Daniel Memorial Baptist Church in Jackson. Acts happened in dorm room at MS College while he was a student there.
JL arrested today at 11:00 am CST
Links to arrest info, please :o)
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