Father of victims in church beating offered plea deal

UTICA, N.Y. (AP) — The 65-year-old father of two teens beaten inside an upstate New York church has been offered a plea deal in his second-degree murder and assault case.

Bruce Leonard appeared briefly Tuesday in Oneida County Court, where the judge informed him that attorney David Longeretta will be representing him.

Leonard, his wife Deborah and six other members of the Word of Life Christian Church in New Hartford were charged in October in connection to the hours-long beating of 19-year-old Lucas Leonard and 17-year-old Christopher Leonard. Lucas died of his injuries.

Deborah Leonard has pleaded guilty to assault.

Bruce Leonard is due back in court Jan. 19 to accept or decline a plea offer from prosecutors. Details of the offer haven't been released.

Calls to Longeretta's Utica office went unanswered Tuesday.