Four women stood outside a Tulsa County courtroom on Monday, their eyes fixed on pastor Joe Campbell as he waited for his case to be called. It had been nearly a month since his arrest on charges of sexual abuse against two girls, including 56-year-old Lisa Ball, who was just nine when the alleged abuse occurred. The hearing before an Oklahoma district court judge focused on the terms of Campbell's release while he awaits trial, but for the women, it marked a long-awaited reckoning.
"We're not those little girls anymore," Ball said, her words echoing in the air as she stood alongside Kerri Jackson and two other accusers, who have shared similar stories of abuse at the hands of the 68-year-old pastor. Campbell is charged with first-degree rape in connection with one woman's allegations and one count of lewd or indecent acts against another.
The courtroom appearance marked a turning point for the women, who say their complaints were ignored by pastors, law enforcement, and child welfare officials when they first came forward as teenagers. Jackson, now 53, has said Campbell sexually abused her repeatedly in Tulsa in the early 1980s, beginning when she was about nine. Ball, meanwhile, says Campbell invited her to live with him after she became a teen mother and then sexually abused her repeatedly.
Campbell's silence is telling, as he has not entered a plea and his lawyer did not respond to questions outside the courtroom. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison.
The hearing comes as part of an ongoing investigation by NBC News into years of sexual abuse allegations against Campbell, who was once a prominent figure within the Assemblies of God, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. Nine other people have come forward with similar allegations, including four men who say they were subjected to similar forms of abuse.
As the women stand outside the courthouse, their faces set with determination, it is clear that this is more than just a case – it's a moment of justice for survivors of childhood trauma and abuse.
"We're not those little girls anymore," Ball said, her words echoing in the air as she stood alongside Kerri Jackson and two other accusers, who have shared similar stories of abuse at the hands of the 68-year-old pastor. Campbell is charged with first-degree rape in connection with one woman's allegations and one count of lewd or indecent acts against another.
The courtroom appearance marked a turning point for the women, who say their complaints were ignored by pastors, law enforcement, and child welfare officials when they first came forward as teenagers. Jackson, now 53, has said Campbell sexually abused her repeatedly in Tulsa in the early 1980s, beginning when she was about nine. Ball, meanwhile, says Campbell invited her to live with him after she became a teen mother and then sexually abused her repeatedly.
Campbell's silence is telling, as he has not entered a plea and his lawyer did not respond to questions outside the courtroom. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison.
The hearing comes as part of an ongoing investigation by NBC News into years of sexual abuse allegations against Campbell, who was once a prominent figure within the Assemblies of God, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. Nine other people have come forward with similar allegations, including four men who say they were subjected to similar forms of abuse.
As the women stand outside the courthouse, their faces set with determination, it is clear that this is more than just a case – it's a moment of justice for survivors of childhood trauma and abuse.
I mean, come on, 56 years old? That's not little anymore, Lisa Ball! 
You're a survivor, congratulations, but don't you think it's time to move on from the past and focus on your life now? This guy's been charged with some serious crimes and if he gets convicted, he'll be lucky to get out of prison alive. 
I'm not buying the whole "I was just a little girl" thing, Ball. You're a grown woman now, it's time to take control of your own narrative and not let someone else define you. 
...these stories are like rips in my heart it's hard to even think about how these girls were treated as kids they were basically ignored and nobody believed them until now...and the fact that this pastor was a respected leader in his community, wow just thinking about it is making me angry 
...the justice system finally stepped up but it's like 30 years too late for those girls...I hope Campbell faces life in prison and I hope these other survivors find some peace knowing they're not alone 
Just thinking about what those girls went through as kids makes my blood boil... I mean, I'm glad they're finally getting the justice they deserve, but how many others are still out there suffering in silence? 
I'm glad to see these women finally getting some closure, but I gotta say, I'm still uneasy about Campbell's silence. If he was truly innocent, wouldn't he be defending himself by now? 
I mean, the fact that his lawyer isn't even commenting on the allegations is pretty telling. And what about all these other people who've come forward with similar stories? It seems like a really big pattern of abuse here... 
Still, I'm glad these women are getting their voices heard and finding some justice after being silenced for so long 
the fact that these women are finally speaking out and getting some justice is everything, it's like they've been silenced for far too long 
. I'm glad to see the community is rallying behind them, it's about time someone held this man accountable 
. the statistics on the number of people who come forward with abuse allegations are insane, 9 more victims? that's just heartbreaking 
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The thought of him facing life in prison if convicted is definitely a justice outcome, but I wish it didn't have to come to this. Can we just go back in time and prevent these young girls from suffering so much trauma? 
. these women r saying he abused them, but what if it were the other way around? what if they r the ones who did the abusing? i mean, think about it, kerri jackson and lisa ball are 53 and 56 now, that's some crazy stuff going on in their brains 
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This is so not okay and it's good that these women are finally speaking out 
. This case is not just about Campbell, it's about the system failing them and that needs to change 
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Campbell's silence is deafening, sayin nothin' ain't gonna make dis go away 
i feel so bad for lisa ball & kerri jackson they went thru hell as teens & no one believed them 
life in prison if he gets convicted tho, i hope justice is served 
the fact that 9 other ppl came forward with similar allegations is crazy 
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. Can't they just have closure and move on already? I mean, I'm glad they're finding their voice and stuff, but can't we just focus on healing instead of airing all this grime in public 
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You know what's wild? We're living in a world where these kinda things are finally getting the attention they deserve... like decades later! 
I just hope that Campbell gets what he deserves, but more importantly, I hope that these women get the closure and healing they need. They deserve it! 
And let's not forget about all the other survivors who are coming forward, sharing their stories... it's a movement, people! 
They deserve every bit of justice they're fighting for 
Life in prison should be on the table for him if convicted 
Those 9 other men who came forward with similar stories of abuse deserve their own justice too 
We can't just focus on one case, we need to make sure all survivors are supported and believed 
. Are there more people coming forward? Is there gonna be some real accountability here?
He's basically just letting his fate be decided while these women are finally getting the closure they deserve