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Christopher Leonard testifies in Oneida County court Monday, June 27, 2016 in the Word of Life church trial. Leonard was severely beaten by his own family and members of the church in October 2015, according to police.

(Elizabeth Doran | edoran@syracus)

Christopher Leonard testified in Oneida County court this morning that he saw his brother had stopped moving and he knew something wasn't right after his family and members of the Word of Life Church in Utica beat the two young men.

Leonard started testifying this morning in the trial of his half-sister, Sarah Ferguson. She is charged with manslaughter, murder, assault and gang assault in the beating death of Lucas Leonard, 19; and the assault of Christopher Leonard, 17, and Lucas' brother.

Christopher Leonard sat stoically on the witness testifying as to what happened Oct. 11, 2015.

Christopher Leonard said he and his brother, Lucas Leonard, were whipped repeatedly by their father, mother and sister, Sarah Ferguson.

The assault started, Christopher Leonard said, when the pair were questioned about witchcraft and about making a voodoo doll of their pastor, Tiffanie Irwin.

At first, Joe Irwin, a parishioner, punched Christopher Leonard in the stomach twice, and then Linda Morey, another parishioner, took off Christopher Leonard's glasses and punched him in the nose.

They then switched to using a cord, Christopher Leonard testified. Christopher Leonard said his dad, Bruce Leonard, hit him with the cord in the back and chest at least 30 times.

"I was crying and screaming in pain,'' he said.

Sarah Ferguson then took over the whipping, hitting both teens in the back, chest, legs and genitals. "Everywhere,'' Christopher Leonard testified.

Lucas Leonard, who died following the attack, also was crying, Christopher Leonard testified. He said he and his brother tried to protect themselves, but didn't fight back.

Christopher Leonard said after the whipping, at some point, he saw his brother and noticed he wasn't moving. Everyone rushed over, and Christopher Leonard was told to breathe into his lungs while someone else did chest compressions.

Meanwhile, Bruce Leonard was discussing whether or not to take him to the hospital, Christopher Leonard said. He finally decided to do so, Christopher Leonard said.



You can follow the testimony on Twitter at @lizdoranLD.

We also will report on the trial at syracuse.com.

Ferguson is being tried before Judge Michael Dwyer. She waived their right to a jury trial, and instead opted for a bench trial in which the judge hears the evidence and delivers the verdict.

Nine Word of Life Christian Church defendants are charged with beating the two young young men for hours after an eight-hour church session in October 2015. Of the defendants, two - Deborah Leonard and Bruce Leonard - have accepted plea offers.

Bruce Leonard, the father of Christopher and Lucas Leonard, accepted a plea deal that calls for him to get 15 to 16 years in prison. He was scheduled to and Sarah Ferguson is the boys' half-sister.

The bizarre case has attracted national attention, with People magazine featuring a story on the alleged "Killer Cult" in May.

Prosecutors have said the beatings began when Tiffanie Irwin, the church pastor, allegedly challenged the teens' for using witchcraft, plotting their parents' murder and allegedly sexually abusing their siblings and nieces.

The Oneida County District Attorney's office has said the pastor's allegations are not true.