By Donna Westfall – June 14, 2017  –

Back on October 11, 2013, the  TRIPLICATE newspaper ran an article titled, “C.C. Man to face sex crimes charges,” and proceeded to give some of the lurid details while starting their article with, “A local man faces the possibility of a life sentence after a judge ruled there was enough evidence…..”

Four long years Bryan Ranger has sat in jail proclaiming his innocence.  He refused to take a plea deal because of continuing to proclaim his innocence.  His wife has stood by him every single day.

During those four years, new information was released. That information was buried in mountains of discovery, but it was uncovered in late 2016.  The information?  Their oldest daughter, now 21 years old,  confessed in 2014 to having sex with the neighbor. The fact that she apparently lied years before could have made a difference as  to who was arrested and who was prosecuted. It could have made a difference in whether or not Judge Follett would have terminated both Bryan and Judy Ranger’s parental rights in 2013. But the fact of the matter today is that Bryan Ranger is on trial and it’s up to his defense team to see how and when to release that information and what effect it will have on the Jury.

Yesterday, in court, Judge Spinetta went through and described VOIR DIER to the prospective jurors.

In the United States, Judge Spinetta explained in great detail, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It is up to the prosecutions team to prove their case.  If they fail, the jury must conclude that Bryan Ranger is not guilty.  He also described that in France, it’s the exact opposite.  You are presumed guilty and must prove your innocence.

Other admonitions given to prospective jurors:  You are not to research this case through the news media, through social media nor are you to talk to anyone about this case for the duration of this trial. The trial is expected to take two to three weeks.

I filed paperwork with the courts asking to be allowed to take in a motion picture camera, audio recording equipment and a still camera into the courtroom. The Judge only allowed me to take still pictures of Bryan Ranger and NO pictures of anyone else…  not his defense team, not the prosecution’s team, not the jurors, or anyone else in the courtroom.  And, the Judge cautioned me that I could not take pictures while Bryan was conferring with this attorney.

Today, jury selection and two alternates is expected to be completed.