Special Prosecutor Assumes Control of North Carolina Church Abuse Case Following District Attorney Removal
A district attorney in North Carolina has transferred criminal cases involving a secretive religious group to a special prosecutor, following allegations that members held down and brutally beat a former congregant thirteen years ago. The victim, Matthew Fenner, successfully petitioned to have District Attorney Ted Bell removed from the case just days before a long-delayed retrial was scheduled to commence in December 2025.
Victim Alleges Prosecutor Bias Towards Word of Faith Fellowship
Matthew Fenner asserted that District Attorney Ted Bell had shown partiality towards the Word of Faith Fellowship, a nondenominational Protestant church founded in 1979 by Sam and Jane Whaley. Dozens of former congregants have come forward with allegations of systematic abuse within the church community. Fenner joined the church as a teenager in 2010 with his mother and described a traumatic incident during a service at the church's compound in Spindale, North Carolina.
According to Fenner's testimony, members including church leader Brooke Covington initiated what the congregation termed a "blasting" session, during which he was forcibly restrained, choked, and beaten for approximately two hours while others prayed to expel what they called "homosexual demons." The initial criminal case against Covington, involving charges of second-degree kidnapping and simple assault, concluded in a mistrial in 2017 after jury misconduct.
Independent Investigation Finds No Evidence of Special Treatment
Superior Court Judge William T. Stetzer supported the findings of an independent investigator who determined that delays in the case resulted from a combination of factors, including court backlogs exacerbated by COVID-19 shutdowns and attorneys from both sides resigning or experiencing health issues. The investigator found no concrete proof of preferential treatment between District Attorney Bell and the Word of Faith Fellowship.
Bell provided evidence including a text message where church leader Jane Whaley requested to discuss Covington's case, which he refused. He also stated that he promptly ended a meeting with a church leader and Republican Party official when he realized the discussion concerned the Covington case. "I am grateful that the truth has triumphed over false statements and innuendo, and that this frivolous petition has been thrown out," Bell declared in an official statement.
Case Complications and Plea Deal Controversy
Fenner reported that Bell appeared increasingly disinterested in the case as the 2025 trial date approached, failing to investigate potential new evidence or witnesses. Court records indicate that Bell offered Covington a plea deal reducing charges to a misdemeanor and dropping the felony kidnapping allegation. Initially, Fenner supported this decision, but Bell was forced to withdraw the offer after receiving an email from Fenner expressing dissatisfaction and alleging a tainted investigation.
Fenner's legal representative, Andrew LaBreche, stated that his client sought to have Bell and other witnesses testify in a public hearing that could have exposed further issues with the district attorney's handling of the case. "Matthew Fenner respects the rule of law, accepts the Court's ruling, and remains committed to the principle that victims deserve not only process, but prompt and meaningful justice," LaBreche affirmed.
Extensive Media Investigation Reveals Church Practices
In 2017, The Associated Press published a comprehensive series investigating the Word of Faith Fellowship, detailing allegations from former members worldwide. The investigation included analysis of secretly recorded conversations with church leaders and review of hundreds of pages of law enforcement, court, and child welfare documents. The AP reported that the church exercised extreme control over members' lives, dictating marital choices, educational paths, and college attendance.
Former congregants described regular physical abuse during intense group prayer sessions, including slapping, choking, and being thrown to the floor. The investigation also revealed that the church and its followers influenced local law enforcement and social services, potentially obstructing fair investigations. Church membership, which numbered approximately 700 in North Carolina a decade ago, has reportedly dwindled to between 300 and 400 members according to a sworn statement from a former church leader.
Church Denies Allegations and Cites Religious Freedom
Jane Whaley has consistently denied that she or other church leaders ever abused Word of Faith members, asserting that any disciplinary measures would be protected under constitutional religious freedom provisions. The church has characterized allegations presented to The Associated Press as false claims made by disgruntled former members intent on targeting the congregation, maintaining that it does not condone abuse of any kind.
Covington's retrial was postponed pending the independent investigation, with no current indication of when proceedings might resume. On January 22, 2026, District Attorney Bell formally requested appointment of a special prosecutor to assume control of the case, citing Fenner's efforts to remove him and noting that any prosecutor pursuing charges against Covington would need to evaluate potential discrepancies in Fenner's statements regarding the alleged incident.
