Dale Neumann’s trial continues,Leilani testifies for 4 hours on behalf of divine healing

9:09 a.m. Court has begun and Leilani is taking the stand now.

9:19 a.m. Leilani told jurors that Dale calls the children by their first names and she calls them by their middle names. Throughout the trial, the Neumanns’ daughter is referred to by the attorneys by both Madeline and Kara. The Daily Herald has used the name Kara as that is the name she is most often referred to.

9:31 a.m. LaMont Jacobson, a senior attorney for the District Attorney’s office, is questioning Leilani. So far he has asked generally background questions, such as naming her children, husband, where she lives and describing the layout of her homes.

When asked why move from California to Wisconsin, Leilani said, “We care about the spiritual needs of the county.”

From her testimony: Dale’s family was from the Wausau area. While living in California, Leilani said material things began to not matter as much. They decided to take their California ministry back to Wisconsin.

9:45 a.m. Leilani’s answers to Jacobson’s questions are often long and she has a story for every answer when Jacobson was aiming for a short response.Leilani is answering the questions energetically. Other than having trouble remembering dates, she has been answering all of Jacobson’s questions, even if they are long-winded responses.

9:57 a.m. Jacobson was becoming frustrated when Leilani would not answer his question if she believed sickness is caused by sin with a yes or no answer.

Leilani tried to explain that God doesn’t want people to harbor disobedience and unforgiveness inside themselves and that there is a spiritual root cause to sickness.

“Answer yes or no. Maybe I’m too stupid to understand otherwise,” Jacobson said.

10 a.m. Courthouse security decided to put up the metal detectors today outside the courtroom. The metal detectors were up every day during Leilani’s trial in May with the expectation of large crowds. As it turns out, the courtroom audience was small and there were no problems.I’m guessing because Leilani was expected to testify today, security decided to take the precaution.

10:08 a.m. Jacobson asked Leilani about Kara’s condition Friday night, two days before she died. The Neumanns had a Bible study that night and she had noticed Kara was tired. She did not think anything was wrong with Kara so she did not cancel the Bible study.I love my children. If I sensed I needed to watch her closer, I would have,” Leilani Neumann said.

“I’m a mother and I love my children. If I sensed I needed to watch her closer, I would have,” Leilani Neumann said.Prior to that, Leilani had an interesting comment describing the family’s Bible study sessions at the coffee shop.

“It’s casual Bible study, but the word of God is intense,” Leilani said.

10:30 a.m. Leilani testified that she became scared when she discovered how pale and cold Kara was after coming home from work on Saturday, the day before Kara’s death.The family then began to pray for her, she said. Kara was carried to an upstairs bedroom because she was too weak to walk, Leilani said.

10:37 a.m. Leilani told juors that it was Dale who sent an E-mail to David Eells, who leads an Internet minisitry. In the E-mail, the Neumanns asked for emergency prayer for Kara who was pale and very weak. She could not recall who made the final decision to sent the E-mail.

11:10 a.m. We are taking a break after nearly two hours of testimony from Leilani. Judge Howard seemed frustrated by the slow pace, considering the prosecutors listed six witnesses to testify this morning. Howard said if things don’t change, court sessions might have to take place in the evening.
// 11:19 a.m. Court is back in session. Howard indicated that court will resume this evening after the jury eats dinner.

11:55 a.m. I just noticed that a second petition has been placed on the American Liberty Radio Web site to disbar a court official in connection with the Neumann case.Previously, The Daily Herald reported that a petition was created to disbar Jill Falstad, the former district attorney who prosecuted the Leilani Neumann trial. She has since taken the bench as a circuit court judge.

Now there is a petition on the Internet site to disbar Judge Vincent Howard, who has presided over both Leilani and Dale’s trials.

“We believe that the actions of Marathon County, WI Circuit Court Judge Vincent Howard clearly warrants the legal revocation of his law license and that an investigation by the state of Wisconsin be conducted into the Judicial Misconduct of Judge Vincent Howard and all court and police officials involved in the malicious prosecutions of both Dale and Leilani Neumann,” the petition says.

The Falstad petition has garnered 413 signatures and Howard’s has 53 signatures, according to the Web site.

11:59 a.m. Jacobson ends his questioning so a lunch break will be taken. I’ll be back at 1 p.m.

1:10 p.m. Court is back in session. Leilani Neumann is still on the stand, being cross-examined by Dale’s attorney Jay Kronenwetter.

1:25 p.m. Leilani spoke briefly about the family’s former coffee shop, Monkey Mo in Weston, where they held Bible study sessions. “Work, play, ministry are one. We never separate them,” Leilani Neumann said. “Monkey Mo was a way to be together with our own family It was our second home. … When people found out we were open to spiritual issues, we would talk for hours.”

1:55 p.m. Leilani made more comments about her religious beliefs, the role of healing and doctors.

“We are not against the people (doctors). The practice we consider not biblical,” Neumann said.

Leilani said there are two types of medicine in the Bible, spiritual and natural.

When the Neumanns came to Wisconsin, Leilani said she began to pray to better understand divine healing and to trust God completely.

“I remember very vividly when the Lord put it very heavy on my heart to believe in divine healing,” Leilani Neumann said.

Leilani said she had suffered allergies and anxiety attacks, but when she recognized the spiritual cause of the ailments, she was healed instantly.

2:02 p.m. Judge Howard asked Leilani to keep her answers shorter instead of giving long, narrative answers.“Keep it short and you might get off the stand yet today,” Howard said

2:05 p.m. I guess Leilani will get off the witness stand today. Jay Kronenwetter ends his cross-examination. LaMont Jacobson is asking another round of questions.

2:23 p.m. Leilani’s testimony is done.“Everything for us is about faith,” Leilani Neumann said. “It’s about trusting in God. We have to believe God’s word or you don’t. It’s a test every second of our lives.”

2:29 p.m. Dr. Michael Stier, who performed the autopsy on Kara, is now testifying.