Clark Fredericks told a Sussex County Court judge and a courtroom full of people that: “From the time I was 8 years old until I was 12 years old, I was sexually assaulted and raped by Dennis Pegg.”
A 49-year-old New Jersey man admitted in court last week that he fatally stabbed his former Boy Scout leader in response to what the 68-year-old-man did to him 40 years ago. Based on the circumstances in the case, prosecutors agreed to a lenient sentence.
“Dennis controlled me by torturing and killing animals in front of me, saying he would do the same to me if I ever told anyone about our secret,” he added.
“It started with him wanting to touch my scar that I had through open-heart surgery at the age of 6,” Fredericks continued. “It progressed to wrestling matches and eventually led to him raping me.”
The New Jersey man also testified that Pegg raped his best friend, Jeff, who committed suicide in 1983.
“I started stabbing Dennis,” Fredericks recounted. “I said, ‘How does it feel raping little kids now. It’s not so fun raping little kids now, is it?’ At the end, I slit his throat.”
Fredericks pled guilty to passion provocation manslaughter in a deal with Sussex County’s prosecutor. The crime carries a maximum of 5 to 10 years in prison. “We feel it is a fair and appropriate result given all the circumstances,” said prosecutor Gregory Mueller.
When the emotional Fredericks got up to leave, the courtroom erupted with applause.
h/t: Eagle Rising