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Fundamentalists Go on Trial In Va. Beating Death of Son

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Fundamentalists Go on Trial In Va. Beating Death of Son

July 7, 1987

The Washington Post

As trials began today for a couple charged in the beating death of their 13-year-old adopted son, prospective jurors were questioned about their religion and views on spanking.

Michael Diehl, 42, and Karen Diehl, 36, pleaded not guilty to all charges against them in the Oct. 29 death of their emotionally disturbed son, Dominick J. (Andrew) Diehl. According to an autopsy, the boy was beaten to death in the converted school bus where the couple lived with their 17 children, 13 of whom were adopted.

[This is an excerpt of the original article]

1987 Jul 7