Anna Duggar has broken her silence following her husband Josh Duggar‘s December 2021 conviction on one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The former 19 Kids and Counting star’s wife shared an Instagram post on Thursday, February 3, which simply read, “There is more to the story,” and instructed followers to “see link in bio.”
That took readers to Josh’s motion for acquittal or new trial. In the paperwork obtained by In Touch, Josh’s attorneys argued that the prosecution failed to present evidence that Duggar “knew that the visual depictions were of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.” Prosecutors had argued in trial that some of the images on Josh’s work computer showed minors under the age of 12.
“The evidence elicited at trial does not support a conviction on either count — even in the light most favorable to the Government. Specifically, even accepting arguendo and only for purposes of this motion the allegation that Duggar received and possessed visual depictions of child pornography, the Government failed to adduce any evidence that Duggar ‘knew that the visual depictions were of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct’ — a necessary element for conviction of each count,” the motion claimed.
It also argued that there was no evidence that Josh actually viewed the child porn images allegedly found on his computer. “Indeed, the evidence at trial established that certain files allegedly found on the HP desktop computer were never viewed by any user of the computer and that all the files at issue had been deleted shortly after being downloaded,” the motion read.
The paperwork added that “the jury had no evidence that Duggar personally viewed any specific portion of any of the files allegedly found on the computer. As such, there was no evidence of mens rea from which the jury could base its guilty verdict as to each count.”
Josh was arrested on April 29, 2021, when a federal grand jury in Arkansas indicted the former reality star for “knowingly” receiving images of children under the age of 12. He was then charged with one count each of possessing and receiving child pornography. His trial began on November 30, 2021, and concluded on December 9, when he was convicted on both charges. Josh is currently behind bars while awaiting a sentencing date.
While Anna is being supportive of her husband in his effort to get a new trial, several of Josh’s siblings came out with critical statements against him following his guilty verdict. Anna did not attend the Duggar family’s annual large Christmas gathering and will be banned from having conjugal visits with her incarcerated husband if he’s sentenced to prison time. Josh faces 40 years behind bars in his case, with each count carrying a maximum of 20 years.
Anna’s last Instagram post was on November 16, 2021, less than two weeks before Josh’s trial began, showing the couple’s infant daughter and seventh child, Madyson Lily Duggar.