PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. — A case of “broken trust.” That’s how William Wittenbrook, with the Attorney General of Virginia’s Office, described the child sex abuse case against former Prince George County Assistant Superintendent William Barnes.
The Commonwealth displayed a photograph of 15-year-old Donald Newbold on an easel during opening statements Tuesday in the trial of his adopted father.
Barnes served as Newbold's guidance counselor before adopting him from a broken home. Newbold delivered graphic and emotional testimony as the prosecution's first witness. He detailed how he says Barnes repeatedly sexually assaulted him for three years while he was a teenager in their shared home. He testified that money and toys were waiting for him after the alleged abuse occurred.
Newbold also testified that Barnes provided him with alcohol and exposed him to pornography during this period.
During his testimony, Newbold showed special prosecutor Timothy Dustan and jurors a sexual assault awareness tattoo he had done on his arm featuring the number "37" — representing the years it took him to come forward with the allegations.
The defense focused on that delayed reporting in their opening statements, pointing out that Newbold had multiple opportunities to report Barnes as he rose through the ranks to become assistant superintendent in Prince George and into Newbold’s adulthood. Defense attorney Craig Cooley noted that Newbold continued living with Barnes, along with his wife and two children for years after the alleged abuse.
Cooley showed the jury social media posts and cards Newbold had written expressing admiration for his adoptive father. Cooley argued Newbold wanted revenge as his marriage was failing and he placed the blame on Barnes for getting involved. Cooley pointed out Newbold only disclosed the allegations after Barnes and Newbold's estranged wife obtained a protective order against him following threatening text messages. Newbold said he had checked himself into the hospital and a nurse probed him and he said he finally told of the alleged abuse and then texted his family.
The defense outlined seven motivations they claim drove Newbold to bring these allegations, including lost family relationships, protective orders against him, Barnes siding with Newbold's estranged wife, being barred from the family home, being denied employment with the school system, a temporary detention order for hospitalization, and financial losses.
University of Virginia Forensic Psychologist Dr. Lucy Guarnera testified for the prosecution that delayed disclosure in child sexual abuse cases is the norm rather than exception. She explained to Attorney General of Virginia prosecutor Ella Kilgore that boys are less likely to report abuse and typically wait longer to come forward than girls.
Before the Commonwealth concludes their case, prosecutors plan to call another Barnes accuser from the 1970s to testify, along with Newbold's former girlfriend from high school.
Barnes faces 11 charges related to allegations he sexually assaulted three men when they were teenagers. The case involves Newbold, the 1970s accuser who will testify, and a third man who came forward to police in 2014 with allegations that weren't investigated at the time.
The trial will resume Wednesday at 9 a.m. in Prince George County Circuit Court, where the defense will present their case after the Commonwealth wraps up.
Barnes has two additional criminal trials scheduled for later this year.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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