Child abuse, rape trial begins this month in Montgomery County

A former foster family will face a jury this month on allegations they severely abused, tortured and raped two of their adopted daughters.

Windie Perry, 53, her husband Earnest L. Perry, 67, and their adopted daughter Elizabeth Perry, 22, are all charged with several counts of aggravated child abuse, especially aggravated kidnapping and child abuse and neglect. Windie and Elizabeth Perry also face several counts of child rape and aggravated rape.

Each faces 74 counts, with 44 counts to be heard by a Montgomery County jury at 8:30 a.m. April 25 in Judge John H. Gasaway's court. Jury selection begins Monday, April 18, and a jury will be selected before April 21. The jury will be sequestered for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last a week or longer.

Thousands of pages of medical records, Department of Children Services files, civil suit files and more have been reviewed by Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Lund and attorneys Greg Smith, who represents Elizabeth Perry, Frank J. Runyon III, who represents Windie Perry, and Assistant Public Defender Charles Bloodworth, who represents Earnest Perry.

Friday in Judge John H. Gasaway's court, a pre-trial conference was held and Runyon spoke about files DCS presented to Lund about two weeks ago that included reports on the alleged victims' behavior while the case has been pending. Runyon said the few files he reviewed showed they displayed anger, unruliness and violent behavior while in numerous foster homes during the course of the case.

It is expected there will be expert witnesses, DCS workers, the Perrys' other adopted children, medical personnel, the alleged victims and numerous other witnesses testifying during the course of the trial.

All three will be tried together.

The allegations

The original indictment accused the Perrys of inflicting "heinous, atrocious and cruel" acts of abuse that amounted to "torture," on two of their adopted children who were younger than 13 at the time from May 2006 to March 2008.

Among several charges of specific torture and abuse involving jumper cables, curling irons, duct tape and beatings with extension cords, the Perrys are accused of depriving the two of food for four to five days, according to their indictments.

In an interview with The Leaf-Chronicle in January 2009, the Perrys said they were innocent of all charges.