Duggar Family Secrets Spilled as '19 Kids' Stars' Court Battles Intensify

Not only do we have updates regarding. the criminal cases of Joseph Duggar and. his wife Kendra, but also Joseph's. brother Joshua, too, as he's now looking. at spending more time behind bars. But, we got a chance to sit down with their. cousin, Amy Duggar King. What are her. thoughts, her feelings, her opinions on. everything that has happened in the past. few months? Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law & Crime. I'm Jesse. Weber.

So, as you know, we have been following. the criminal cases involving the. Duggars. And a little bit later on, I'm. bringing on Amy Duggar King to get her. perspective on all this. But, 31-year-old Joseph Duggar is facing. charges in two different states. In. Florida, the 19 Kids and Counting star. has been charged with felony counts of. lewd and lascivious molestation of a. victim less than 12 years old, lewd and. lascivious behavior conducted by a. person 18 years or older for This is. again the allegations, allegedly. sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl.

during a family vacation back in 2020. He was released from Florida jail after. posting a $600,000 bond. But, at the. same time, he and his wife, 27-year-old. Kendra, are also facing charges in. Arkansas. Now, apparently, as part of. this ongoing investigation, authorities. there charged them with the misdemeanor. crimes of four counts of endangering the. welfare of a minor second degree, four. counts of false imprisonment second. degree. Not entirely clear what that all.

is related to, possibly something to do. with their four kids, as per reporting. And by the way, I might have a better. understanding of what this is in a. second. But, I will tell you, People. magazine, for example, reported that a. source close to the family told them, "I. can tell you the arrest was a result of. a home inspection and the door locks. being on the exterior of the doors. We. can't confirm that 100%, but we know. that she bonded out, she's been. released. They have each pleaded not. guilty to all of these charges. And they. will reportedly make their first court. appearance on these Arkansas charges.

August 10th. Now, we have a new piece of. information. Kendra has been reunited with these. kids, her kids, after the court. dissolved a no-contact order that had. been put in place. According to people, though Joseph, by the way, is still not. permitted to have unsupervised contact. with his children given the charges in. Florida. Travis Story, the lawyer for. both Kendra and Joseph, argued in court. paperwork that Kendra had been. prohibited from seeing her children, her. kids, since March 20th. Argued, quote,

"The alleged victims have expressed a. desire to have contact with Kendra." So, by saying alleged victims, seemingly. confirming, right, the kids are the ones. these Arkansas charges are about, right? Goes on to say, quote, "That Kendra has. complied with all terms of the. no-contact order and has not committed. any violations." And also made the. argument that the continued enforcement. of the no-contact order is preventing. evaluations by qualified third-party. agencies that are necessary to.

resolution of the case and to ensure the. ongoing safety and well-being of the. protected parties. Does make me wonder. if there is some sort of settlement that. may be worked out here and this might. not go to trial. Now, the district court. agreed to dissolve the order, added that. the Arkansas Department of Human. Services will supervise, communicate, and facilitate reunification between. Kendra and the children. And with that. in mind, I actually have the opportunity. real quick to interview Courtney. Kleinman, uh who's an SVU and domestic. violence prosecutor. Take a listen.

Courtney, thanks so much for taking the. time. Um this no-contact order that kept. Kendra from seeing her four kids, it was. dissolved. Is that typical in cases like. this? I mean, when you compare her. charges with what her husband is facing. out in a different jurisdiction, it's. one thing, but is it typical to see. that? >> Um I would say absolutely. Um, the charges that Kendra uh are. facing are not. direct sexual abuse of her children. Um,

so usually when cases like that happen. and the other parent is charged, it's. usually called something endangering the. welfare of a child. And it's very, very hard to terminate. parents' rights. And because the crimes. were not abuse of her own children, the order of protection that makes sense. for it to be dissolved, but it could. also be modified later in family court. as well. >> Let me just challenge that for a minute.

since we don't know the exact. circumstances or allegations that. surround her charges. Let's say they are. about her own children. But is that. would that change the analysis? Could. you say there could be a situation where. even she's charged with respect to. alleged activity behavior with respect. to her own children and she could still. have uh have that no contact order be. dissolved? >> So, I think every criminal case that um. starts with abuse of a child and it's a. parent, um, there is a no contact order.

of protection in place that starts. However, that order of protection is. almost always, depending on the. jurisdiction, usually subject to family court. modification. And what So, you can have a no contact. order of protection in criminal court, but then you can go to family court and. apply for a no offensive contact order. of protection, which is a less. restrictive order of protection, which. allows you to have contact with the. child, or you get supervised visitation.

Um, you can have a third party be with. you when you are seeing your child. It. is very, very difficult to terminate a. parental um, order of protection. >> All right, before we go any further into. this, I have to say this is a little bit. of a 180, but I think a surefire way to. ruin a great outfit is with a broken, worn-out belt, right? That's where Anson. Belt and Buckle comes in. This is huge. This is a family-run company that has. completely reinvented how belts should. work since they launched in 2009.

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He reportedly will now spend an extra. two months in prison, tacked on to his. sentence. Scheduled now to be released. February 2nd, 2033. This is according to. the Bureau of Prisons, per reporting. from People. So, Josh's attorney, Bo. Brinley, told People, told the outlet, "There is no way to know the basis of a. deviation of this limited magnitude.". Adding that it could be the result of a. program availability, which is wholly. out of the inmate's control. So, not.

necessarily saying a violation of some. kind, right? Or that he did something. wrong. And this comes as Josh has been. pushing forward with his fourth appeal. of his conviction. In fact, recently the. United States Supreme Court declined to. hear an appeal of his in June of 2024. But now I go to his cousin, Amy Duggar. King, claims that he has been placed in. solitary, has some thoughts on the. extension of this prison sentence, has. some thoughts on the situation.

developing with Kendra and Joseph. I got. a chance to sit down with her and ask. her all about it. Um Amy, good to see. you. Thanks so much for taking the time. Really really appreciate it. I I have to. imagine this is an incredibly. tough and confusing time for you and. your family. So I just want to start. there. How are you doing? How is your. family doing throughout all this? >> Yeah, I think it's it's like a nightmare. that never ends. And so I am trying to.

do everything that I can in order to. just help me have some mental clearness. and my mental health is really important. to me. So I'm focused on, you know, my. son, my marriage, you know, our our life. and our little family and my mom. And. it's something that is really helping me. through it, honestly. I homeschool, I am. very hands-on mom. You know, he has lots of play dates, lots of stuff like that. And so I'm just. trying to keep myself busy. and not really focus on.

probably all the details that are to. come. >> Uh have a lot of people been reaching. out to you, asking you questions? I. mean, what's that been like? >> I have had so many people reach out. I've had friends drop over flowers and. gift cards and just been so sweet. I. just feel like there's such a loving. community here. My friends are, you know, my little. inner circle that I have and I just love. them so much. And so yeah, that's the. people I vent to, the people that I you.

know, I share my inner thoughts to and I. know that they are just going to be. there for me and just to help me through. it. So, I just have to lean on that. >> There is so much that's always talked. about with your family for years and. there's a lot being said right now. What. do you think is the biggest. misconception? The biggest biggest. misperception that people have right. now, whether it's about you, whether. it's about your family, the Duggar. family in general. What is something. that you know, if you you have the. platform, you could say everyone's.

getting something wrong. What do you. think it is? >> Yeah, I think it really stems down to. the IBLP practices. I believe that's, you know, what my family has believed. for years and years and they follow. these teachings and I do think that. people think it's godly. People think. that it's just. so I honestly believe that the IBLP. framework of just the belief system is. so messed up. And so I think people want. to believe what was shown on TV, but.

they don't want to believe the other. half, right? They want to believe what. they've been shown all of these years. And so, you know, there's going to be the. supporters and the ones that actually. see black and white and see for what it. is. >> Just to expand upon that, based on the. allegations that. Joseph and Kendra are facing and these. are allegations at this point. They. haven't been found guilty in a court of. law. Very different charges that Kendra. is facing than Joseph. I mean, there's a. they're facing similar ones in in. Arkansas.

Do you think that. potentially plays a role in what they're. accused of doing? >> I think it definitely plays a role. Allegedly, I hope it's not true. I hope. all these charges are there's no truth. to them, but I do believe there's a. reason why the kids were taken. I do. believe that there's more to this story. and we're just now uncovering it and. it's going to take a while. You know, court dates are months apart and so I I.

feel like we're all on pins and needles. as we wait for to hear more information. and to find out the verdict and just. there's just so much it's just it's. ongoing. It is an ongoing investigation. and I hate that it is someone that I'm. I'm related to. >> Have you spoken to them or when was the. last time you spoken to Joseph or. Kendra? >> No, I actually haven't spoken to them in. quite a while. Um when Josh was uh. arrested and was put in prison um before.

before his first scandal the one. actually the one involving his sisters. and that huge scandal. I um. I confronted him and I really spoke. truth about how I felt in that situation. and I wrote it in my memoir Holy. Disrupter um just really told the whole. story of just uh of just of the of that. entire scene. I really painted it for. people you know to really understand. what went on and in that moment I. realized that I in my opinion the big. house the big you know my cousin's house.

it was not a safe place for me to be and. I have not gone back and that includes. anyone that showed support for Josh. Unfortunately in my opinion those. cousins Joe and and everyone else really. did show their support for Josh during. that time and um I had to make a very. healthy boundary and and and say I. cannot support anyone who is going to. support this this man. There has been a. healthy boundary. I haven't actually. spoken to them in probably 5 years. >> Oh wow. And and what about anybody else.

from the family? Do you stay in touch. with anybody else or. >> So Jill and I are very close. Uh Jill is. someone that I really lean on and she. leans on me and I watch her kids and we. have a really great cousinship. Um so I. think she's gotten a lot of clarity and. a lot of therapy and I think it's been. really great for her um to really see. things for what they are. um and yeah we've been able to connect. on different levels of just how we feel. about certain things but as far as. anyone else is concerned, no, my. boundaries are high and they're put.

there for a reason. >> What do you think about the fact that. the court has now dissolved that no. contact order, so Kendra can now have. contact with her children again? >> I really hope that the kids are just. safe in every aspect. I don't believe. you can cherry-pick on how children are. safe and how they're protected and how. they're cared for. So, I hope that. they're being cared for at the highest. level. Um I just I don't know what more. to say. I don't know really what went on.

because we still don't know cuz of her. court date and all the things we don't. really know. I know that she has been. compliant. I know that she's, you know, I think she's in touch with them is is. what I'm sure I'm sure that's happening. Um and I just I just wish them all the. best and I hope that Kendra, whatever. she needs help with and whatever she. needs therapy for, that she'll she'll. receive it. >> Do you know if other members of the. family are helping Joseph, Kendra, the. kids during this time? >> I know nothing. I have no information.

that's given to me, but I have heard. through the grapevine that that is the. case. >> What was your reaction when the news. broke about those charges? >> I think the first time uh that it that. the charges were, you know, if they. were, I was absolutely broken-hearted. And the fact that now allegedly it could. be Joe, Aha, like I loved I loved him. He was. he's such a sweet, well, if from what I.

knew, such a sweet person, uh someone. that people really relied on, very. funny, very friendly, big teddy bear, knew how to, you know, just he was just. really humble and kind. And so, the fact. that this is Joe, it absolutely just. breaks my heart uh in a whole other way, in a whole other way. Um like I said, it's a nightmare that. doesn't end, and I. uh hope and pray there's not any more, but at the same time.

I'm going to be real and be honest and. tell you that there probably is. >> J- Jumping on that for a second, did you. look at this and say, you know, a lot of. people when someone's charged with a. crime, they go back, they look at their. past with that person, and something. that maybe they didn't see back in the. day, maybe they ignored, now they look. at it with a different light. Again, these are allegations, hasn't been. proven guilty. Very serious allegations. Do you go back and you say to yourself, "Huh, there's a couple of times in my. interactions with him, my past with him,

things that I've seen, heard from him, that maybe you look at a little bit. differently?". >> I don't think so. Like I said, I. whenever I was around him, it was when. we were filming. So, I didn't really. It's It's very interesting. I have a big. family, sure, but we weren't very close. They didn't know me as like a person. They knew me as what I was allowed to be. shown to them. And so, I got to know. them on a very surface level. Uh even.

even years of them filming with me and. and all the things that we did together, um and me filming with them, I I. literally knew them on a surface level. It was the weather, it was how pretty. their skirts were, it was, you know, we. were Our conversations were what we were. what we were told to talk about. So, uh. we never really discussed, you know, what we were struggling with or what we. were learning or. um just the inner workings of who we. are. I didn't even know their their like. favorite color. If that gives you just an idea of the.

kind of how level surface it was. And. so, um. I think that because I haven't been. around in 5 6 years, uh a lot can. change. A person can change. I don't. believe Now, here's what I don't. believe. I don't believe that someone at. 25 years old, you know, goes to a beach. vacation and decides become a monster. just randomly, you know, on a big family. vacation, allegedly. I don't believe. that is the start of something. I think. that we have to look at generational.

trauma. You have to look at patterns and. you have to disrupt them. And so that's. what I've had to do with my family is. say hey, boundaries are very important. and I'm not going to allow this to like. to involve my inner family. I'm going to. keep them safe and keep peace intact. And I'm going to just stand up for. truth, stand up for what is right. And. uh. I don't I I don't know where it began. with Joe. I don't know where it began. with Josh. But I have a lot of questions. just like everyone else.

>> Uh 100% and I'll tell you one of the. things that surprised me and I'm curious. what your reaction to it was and maybe. I'm looking at the wrong way. But since the aftermath of his arrest. and the charges, I've seen a number. members of the family issue public. statements where it wasn't like he's. completely innocent, he didn't do this. There seems to be an acknowledgement at. least saying again, he's in he's. innocent until proven guilty, but they. seem to say that he did it and they hope. that he heals and they hope they learn. from it. I was a bit surprised by that.

I mean, did you see the same thing where. they're saying, you know, what this is. about the victim in this case, not even. they say alleged victim, they say. victim, that he needs help. I thought. that was interesting to see that. response from the family. >> I thought it was very interesting as. well. I saw my uncle's response. I saw. some of the brothers' responses. I also. think it's interesting because. yes, they're showing support as for him. to get help and for him to, you know, get saved or, you know, to change his. ways or whatever. But at the same time,

I I've heard that there is a lot of. support happening behind the scenes and. I hope that the. you know, comments and support. supportive emails going out to, you. know, the media and everything like that. actually stands because I hope it's not. a PR, you know, plug-in. >> Right. >> Um. I Yeah, I feel like. I feel like that. the media can spin things and I feel.

like they I mean, allegedly, they can. spin things. And so, I just I I just. hope that he does. I hope he pays for what he did. Whatever. it might be. If it's If it is If he is. guilty and he has done these things, then, you know, uh punish him to the. fullest amount. >> Amy, I got to ask you about Joshua. So, this was interesting. He um. his time in prison has been extended, apparently reportedly put in solitary. You believe you know why that happened,

right? >> I mean, I believe that he had a cell. phone. Isn't that correct? And he had another cell phone. >> So, so I'm curious about it cuz I've. seen some reporting where it suggested. like we don't know what the potential. violations were. Do you have some more. information as to what if there were. violations or why it was extended or. what happened here? Because I don't. think we've gotten an official reason. why. >> No, I don't think that we've gotten an. official why either. And even, you know, I put on my social media cuz everybody.

comes to me for answers cuz I'm the. outspoken one that they're like, "Hey, you were there. Tell us more. Tell us. more." And I'm like, "I'm finding out. just like you guys are." I assume though. it is probably because of a cell phone. That's just my take. That's my guess on. it. And it's because it's happened. before. You know, I do believe that he. thinks he's above the law. I do think. that he thinks, "I can get away with. whatever. They're, you know, I'm Josh. Duggar." You know, that whole thing. And. and I do think that pride goes before a. fall. And so, uh yeah, I do think it was.

probably a cell phone. I have no proof. of that whatsoever. Um but it just makes you wonder who gave. it to him, how did he get it, and who what's he. doing with it? What's he looking up? What's. I got questions. I have so many. questions. >> How do you feel about the fact that he'd. spend more time in prison? >> Oh, I'm celebrating it. I'm celebrating. it. I hope he stays there until. um, his his children are 18 years or. older. Yeah.

>> By the way, just talking about uh, being. locked up, one of the things we covered. on this show, just going back to uh, Joseph Echevarria, a lot of their phone. calls were released. I don't know if you. had an opportunity to listen to any of. them. Um, >> I heard them all. >> What did you think of them? >> Oh my goodness. Okay, well, how much. time do you have, Jesse? Because let me. let me tell you uh, they were so sad. They were so sad. I I. felt, this is my own opinion, but I felt.

like Joseph was extremely selfish in. those situations. He wasn't showing any. concern for Kendra. Um, you know, Kendra had to ask like, do you. still love me? And. uh, like I'm like in my head, I'm screaming. like, Kendra, do you love yourself? Do. you love yourself? Here's someone. allegedly that might have hurt a. 9-year-old. Do you love yourself enough. to break free? You know, I've said this. in other podcasts, but this is her time. to shine, right? She can protect those.

children. She can she can. get out of that situation and let it if. if it's correct, if it's you know, guilty verdicts, all the things. And. I just I just don't know what's going to. happen. I hope to God that she widen. like she widens up and she. uh, she really sees it for what it is. >> Did you just get the sense that when I I. mean, they were very careful not to. explain the substance of the charges cuz. they know it's recorded. I mean, it was. says it's recorded line. But did you get. a sense that.

about how they may be approaching the. Arkansas charges. Like what their. perception of it may be, how they view. it. >> Well, I know that I saw emails that were. from my uncle that said. it's ridiculous that Kendra was charged. It's ridiculous that she was arrested. Like we're going to see if we can get. those dropped. Like that kind of stuff. But. again, think about the meter of how to. protect a child, right? Like what is.

good, what is bad, and where where do. you draw the line of saying like, "Okay, I'm a good parent if I feed my kids. I'm. a good parent if I, you know, protect my. kids from. predators allegedly." You know, what. like where is that line at? Cuz I think. it starts it starts with making sure. they're safe, protected, loved, and. cared for every single day of their. life. And if they're not, then we need. to look deeper into the situation.

Uh I just. my heart goes out to those children. I've never met them. Uh but my heart goes out to them so. much, and I just I just hope that. they're safe. uh wherever they're wherever they are. >> Amy, you've been so generous with your. time and really being so open about. this. Thank you so much. Really. appreciate it, and I'm looking forward. to sharing this with our viewers and our. listeners so they can get your. perspective on all this. But thank you. so much. >> No, thank you so much, Jeff. >> Thank you again to Amy Duggar King.

Really appreciate it, and thank you all. out there for following us here on this. case. That's all we have for you right. now here on Sidebar. Please subscribe on. YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should get your podcast. You can also check us out on NBC's. Peacock as well. If you want to follow. me, X, Instagram, my NewsNation show. Jesse Weber Live, Monday through Friday. 11:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you next. time, everybody.

>> Mhm.