Lucas Richards, a U.S. citizen, pleaded not guilty on March 6 to charges of attempting to murder his Liberian wife, Jessica Lloyd. Richards, a Christian missionary from the Creekside Church, maintained his innocence before Judge Nelson Chinneh of Criminal Court 'B', and Jessica Lloyd's family.
Despite expectations of a guilty plea, Richards, clad in a blue suit and tie, firmly stated "Not guilty", causing shock among the courtroom attendees. Judge Chinneh requested the prosecution present their witnesses in response to Richards' plea.
Initially, Richards' lawyers rejected a jury trial. The proceedings were adjourned to March 7 after the first witness testified. The court denied Richard's permission to travel abroad for medical reasons, modifying his bail conditions to prevent him from leaving Liberia during the trial.
The victim, Jessica Lloyd, who survived the attack, actively participates in prosecuting her husband. Chinneh's decision was influenced by concerns that Richards would potentially not return if allowed to leave Liberia due to the absence of an extradition treaty with the U.S.
The indictment alleged Richards attacked and injured Lloyd in Dixville, Caldwell, on September 14, 2023. The Creekside Church initially expressed support for the victim and maintained Richards' innocence upon learning of the situation.
Despite conflicting reports, the church trusted the Liberian legal system to uncover the truth. Acknowledging the extramarital relationship between Richards and Lloyd, the church withdrew its support.
"The information we received from his wife, who was serving with him in Liberia, was that Lucas was attacked and robbed, so we posted a prayer request for our congregation. News later broke that Lucas had been incarcerated and accused of the attempted murder and aggravated assault of a Liberian girl, Jessica Lloyd. He maintains his innocence," the church further said.
They emphasized cooperation with authorities and sought truth and justice. The church confirmed that Lucas was not a member, but had his church in Liberia with an independent structure.
"Our social media post calling for prayer made it seem to the Liberian community that we are insensitive to the victim and appearing to defend the accused, and by extension dismiss his charges," the church noted. "This was not the case. Prayer is our priority when confronted with a situation such as this. The church is sensitive to Jessica, who also accuses Lucas Richard of perpetrating the act. For her sake and in light of our relationship with the Richards, we always must seek the truth, a task made more difficult considering that the eyewitness accounts are radically different."
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The church reiterated its focus on prayer for all involved and seeking truth and justice. They expressed sensitivity to the victim and emphasized their commitment to the truth despite challenging circumstances.
Transitioning to a positive note, the Creekside Church statement mentioned ongoing collaboration with relevant parties. They encouraged continued prayer for everyone involved in the case.
"We trust the legal system in Liberia to find the truth and render justice regarding the allegations," the Church said.
Sadly, "we have confirmed today through an eyewitness from Liberia that Lucas had in fact entered into a marriage with Jessica, which neither we nor Lois had any prior knowledge of. While there are many points of allegations we cannot confirm, since the extramarital relationship has been verified, this alone makes Lucas ineligible to represent our church or receive our support.
"We are continuing to work with the State Department, contacts in Liberia, and others to seek both truth and justice. Please continue to join us in prayer for all involved," the Creekside Church statement added.
