Josh Duggar is making yet another attempt to be granted a new trial or to overturn his guilty conviction– this time, by accusing former Duggar family friend Bobye Holt of providing an “uncorroborated and prejudicial testimony” against him during his 2021 trial. The jailbird also provided seven other reasons why he feels he was “deprived of a fair trial” when he was found guilty of receiving and possessing child sex abuse materials (CSAM).
If the disgraced 19 Kids & Counting star does somehow manage to get himself a new trial, he will be representing himself, as he no longer has a lawyer and has no more money for one. (As The Ashley previously told you, Joshy’s request to have the court appoint him a lawyer so that he could fight his conviction was denied in June.)
According to The Sun, Josh stated he is unemployed, in prison and has no savings. He also states he owns no property, has no assets and owes debts including “legal restitution and fines.”
Josh declared in his latest motion that he wants a new trial or to have his guilty conviction thrown out, claiming that his “constitutional rights” were “violated” during his 2021 trial. Among his claims, Josh alleges that Bobye— whose family was very close to the Duggar Clan around the time a teenage Josh molested five young girls, including four of his sisters– shouldn’t have been allowed to testify about that situation.
At the time that Josh’s actions were discovered, Josh was “dating” Bobye’s daughter Kaeleigh. Bobye and her husband Jim have said that they were informed of what Josh had done because the Duggars felt that, by molesting his sisters, Josh had “cheated” on Kaeleigh. The Holts called off Kaeleigh’s courtship with Josh in 2003 after learning about what had happened, and Josh went on to marry his wife Anna several years later.
Bobye testified against Josh during his trial, discussing what happened during that period of time. (The Ashley was at Josh’s trial, and covered it extensively. If you’d like to read some of what Bobye said on the stand, click here.)
In his new motion, Josh is insisting that Bobye gave “uncorroborated and prejudicial testimony” during his trial, claiming that Bobye said what she did in court because she was “bitter” that Josh didn’t marry her daughter Kaeleigh.
Josh argued in his new motion that the trial court allowed Bobye to testify about “an alleged confession of uncharged criminal conduct by the defendant dating back to 2003,” despite multiple objections from his counsel. He also claimed that Bobye’s motivations on the stand were “far from neural,” citing his past relationship with her daughter.
“In many ways, she resembled a bitter ex who hated Joshua since she couldn’t have him for her own daughter,” the court papers state.
Josh also slammed Bobye for participating in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets– the scathing docuseries about the controversial TLC family that premiered on Prime Video in 2023– insisting that it “directly defamed and disparaged the Duggar family.”
(Bobye and Jim both appeared in the docuseries, as did Josh’s sister Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, and Jim Bob’s niece Amy Duggar King.)
According to Josh, Bobye also made “anti-Duggar” statements on social media and had a “deep-rooted desire to destroy the Duggar family.”
“This pattern of hostility and bias was not disclosed to the jury,” Josh claimed in court documents, while also claiming that Bobye refused to speak to his counsel prior to the 2021 trial, and that “prosecution failed to disclose key facts undermining [Bobye’s] credibility.”
The exposing of his teenage crimes is another reason Josh gives in his new motion as to why he should get a new trial or have his conviction thrown out.
“Structural conflict of interest and government collusion resulted in a fundamentally unfair trial, including public exposure of confidential juvenile records involving the Defendant’s sisters,” Josh states.
Bobye is not the only person that Josh is taking aim at in his newly filed motion for a new trial. He also claims that government agent James Fottrell committed perjury by “intentionally modifying” a computer image and then lying under oath about the Internet connection of the computer the CSAM was found on. Josh claims that these alleged actions are responsible for “fatally undermining the integrity of the trial.”
Josh is also, once again, pointing the finger at Duggar family friend Caleb Williams, stating that it was not fair that the court would not let his defense team present evidence of Caleb being an “alternative perpetrator.” Josh states that this was a violation of his constitutional rights.
As The Ashley has previously reported, Josh has made several attempts in the past to push the blame onto Caleb. Back in 2022, he filed an appeal claiming that his former friend Caleb was responsible for the CSAM that was found on the work computer at Josh’s now-shuttered car lot. That same year, the father of seven’s legal team also alleged that Josh’s rights were violated during the 2019 raid on his car lot and that he was denied the ability to present a case against Caleb during the 2021 trial.
(In the years since Josh’s trial, Caleb has spoken out about Josh’s attempts to blame him for the crimes. In 2022, he wrote on social media that he feels “pity” for Josh and sadness that the Duggars are trying to accuse him of Josh’s crimes.)
Before Josh’s lawyers dropped him, they filed a motion for a new trial in 2023 that was eventually denied. Despite multiple failed efforts, Josh went on to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for another trial, which he was denied in June 2024.
As The Ashley reported in June, Josh’s release date from prison was pushed back (for the second time) by three months; he is now set to be released from prison on December 23, 2032.
RELATED STORY: Amy Duggar King Gives Update on Her Relationship with Duggar Family: “We’re Living Different Lives”
(Photos: Amazon Prime, TLC, Instagram)
28 Responses
A man who represents himself has a fool for a client.
He needs to give it the f up. No remorse whatsoever.
This is disrespectful to his victims and embarrassing to him and his family. Especially his children. Shut up Josh and do your deserved time.
Don’t worry and trust me.. this is going nowhere other than entertainment for everyone involved but him. He has no case
Pure bullshit, especially IMO about the Holts being pissed that he didn’t marry their daughter. That girl dodged a bullet.
I LOVE how the parents focused on “Duggars felt that, by molesting his sisters, Josh had “cheated” on Kaeleigh.”
Ah yes, that was the real problem here /eyeroll.
My god I wish the JimBob and Michelle got punished too… What utter failures they are
Ok so let’s say this works and sex pest gets a new trial. Jill would probably testify instead of Bobye to the exact same things Bobye testified to, since she was slated to testify,but didn’t have to because of Bobye…. is sex pest going to appeal claiming Jull’s angry because he “cheated” on her????
Im thankful they’re most likely goin to throw this out
People like him are the reason people, both inside this country and out, do not take our “due process” seriously and think it’s a joke. We give way too many chances at appeals, regardless of the crime(s) committed, and this needs to be changed. A judge has already declared, now more than once, that his constitutional rights have never been violated. He shouldn’t even have any more appeals at this point.
We all understand why we have due process, and we understand that it’s warranted because, yes, sometimes the system fails and innocent people get convicted (or worse even). We need to allow that due process to exist, to a certain extent. But sometimes, the failure is allowing too much leeway in the system for ACTUAL CRIMINALS WITH PROVEN CRIMES to continue wasting the court’s time (and taxpayer money) for stupid shit. If there is zero doubt, no room for any to exist in the future and ample actual evidence of the crime(s) being committed by the offender, appeals ought to be limited to a reasonable amount (2-max). Anything above and beyond ought to come with a stipulation that time will be added simply for the sheer audacity to continue trying to bog down the system with nonsense. (I know, totally unrealistic pipe dream on my part, but damn).
A pedophile is a pedophile is a pedophile, for life. A simple bullet would rid the world of this sort of problem. It’s not as if jail or prison time will ever remedy what they did/have done/are doing. There is no rehabilitation, there is no fix for the heinous creature that he is. Once released, he’ll still be a pedophile and children will still be in danger because of him.
Well said.
There’s no rehab for them.
You do that sh*t once, that’s it, game over. You’re done. There is no cure except….
Wood chipper!
Wow! You took the words out of my mouth on every point you made! It’s a shame that in some states a person convicted of the possession of illegal substances gets more time in prison that a pedo! Pedo’s cannot be rehabilitated! They should get life in prison. They will forever be a threat to young children as long as they roam the streets!
I also think that those convicted of drug possession should get sentenced to 1 year in a mandated drug rehabilitation program with no option of walking away. If they try to quit then maybe jail time. 30 day programs are bandaids on a hemorrhage! It takes at least a year with counseling, job education and more. Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk 🙂
I think this is beautiful. Can they give him another few months for being annoying?
This delusional POS really thinks he is something special. Hate is a very strong word, but I hate him. He doesn’t stand for anything that is good. He is desperate for another victim. Just rot already.
It’s a worry this guy will be free while he still hasn’t admitted his faults and worked on them. He will have access to young girls in his family. He will have access to internet again.
You can’t fix or “work on” pedophilia, there is no solve for this problem, except removing such heinous creatures from this planet. He’s a pedophile, he’s always been a pedophile and he will always be one. Even if he ever admitted his faults (he never will), he’ll still always be a pedophile.
It’s just as worrisome that some people, especially in his family, still defend him. They’ll be the ones most likely to give him access to children.
He choose his sisters over his gf..Ick
As the saying goes “he who represents himself has a fool for a client”. So it’s not surprising that narcissistic predator decide to go that route after he has no sense or shame.
As for his new “defense”, no sane parent wants their child to marry someone who molested their siblings. It makes you wonder what’s wrong with his wife and her parents but I digress. If TLC and their fundie centric programming has taught me anything it’s (1) they don’t vet these families very well and (2) these dinosaur denying “christians” are incapable of taking responsibility for their criminal behavior and indiscretions.
He thinks he’s such a catch and every woman (or underage girl) wants him. He’s more delusional than Jenelle
And that’s saying A LOT.
Bahahahahaha yeah ok. My guess is that that girl’s parents are on their knees three times a day thanking god that their daughter didn’t get STUCK with you – the pedophile, cheater, liar, fraud, behind bars, unemployed, broke, disaster of a person.
Instead the lucky Anna got you – she’s living a life of pure misery, embarrassment, shame, pain, and hurt while raising 7 kids on her own.
How is he not too embarrassed to say these things??!
It’s the narcissist in him. He feels he’s the smartest one in the room with that Duggar education 🙄
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
oh he’s DESPERATE DESPERATE to get out of prison 😂 but anyways NOTHING BEATS A JET2 HOLIDAY ☺️
This predator is absolutely where he belongs. All children are safer without him on the streets, especially his own.
His smugly face just boils my blood and makes me want to be extremely violent on his nasty ass. 😡🤬
Dude, just give up and fade into obscurity already. Does he really think any of this will work? Can he not comprehend that it only makes us hate him more? The fact that he not only isn’t taking an ounce of accountability for his vile actions, but is also trying to throw other people under the bus is just ensuring the disgust decent people have for him intensifies.
Just stop you creep you are where you belong shut the f__k up and stop trying to get out of jail you are disgusting and should never get to live with your children again