Letter to the Editor: Justice for Pastor P

The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Vicksburg Daily News. 

The Editor
The Vicksburg Daily News
March 21, 2020

Dear Sir:

In recent weeks a trial took place in Warren County and the outcome of that trial should cause anyone with a backbone or inkling of common sense to question the jurisprudence in this county. I am referring to the case against Troy Piccaluga, the former Pastor recently found guilty on one count of statutory rape and one count of sexual battery of two minors and sentenced to 55 YEARS in prison. Murder convictions can carry less time! The only truth to this circus of an investigation and trial is that Pastor Piccaluga was railroaded by a corrupt and incompetent justice system. The case against Mr. Piccaluga was not based on physical evidence, supporting facts or solid proof but rather hearsay, social outrage and political ambition. In our world today concrete evidence is no longer needed when two young girls accuse a pillar of the community of such atrocities. We rush to judgement based on a he said/she said narrative and almost always lean in favor of the minors, never questioning if it just might be possible that those minors have a motive or agenda to hurt someone they feel has wronged them. Such a rush to judgement provides the perfect storm to destroy lives, especially when that judgement involves a socially, emotionally and politically charged allegation rarely questioned by society. Allegations that elected officials might see as certain victory in an election year. I am certain District Attorney Smith could better answer that question given his case was based on NO DNA recovered from the locations cited as crime scenes. Or perhaps Sheriff Pace could answer the question as to why his department did not present cell phone records from any of the parties involved, or any other viable evidence for that matter. Or why Mr. Piccaluga was charged with statutory rape of a minor when your paper printed that one of the girls was 16 years of age – the age of legal consent in Mississippi? The only evidence the Warren County Sheriff’s Department did provide was a recorded conversation between one of the minors and Mr. Piccaluga in which the Sheriff’s Department recorded a phone conversation, without Mr. Piccaluga’s knowledge and encouraged the minor to make false statements in an attempt to entrap Mr. Piccaluga. We could also ask Judge Terrett why she did not allow professional witness testimony on behalf or Mr. Piccaluga or why a twice-hung jury was “encouraged” to reach a verdict the very night the trial ended? Shouldn’t the jury take all the time they need to decide on a verdict? These are just some of the items that should be questioned regarding this entire miscarriage of justice. We could also bring up the mental health history of all parties involved, or the prior allegations made by one of the victims in her previous state of residence. I do realize these things are not admissible in a court of law as they would not pertain to this particular case but to be unequivocally fair, any actual evidence in the case against Mr. Piccaluga was not admissible courtesy of the Good Ole Boys Club of Warren County. I would urge all residents of Warren County to take a long, hard look at the true events of this case and take heed as your sons, brothers or fathers could easily become a victim under this charade of a justice system.

I welcome anyone to email me at justice4PastorP@gmail.com if they too feel Mr. Piccaluga has not received his due process or would like to share information that proves he has been denied due process. I would especially be interested in hearing from the jurors from this trial. All correspondence will remain confidential.

Awaiting Actual Justice,
Heather O’Neal
Maryland