David's Sentencing

David Morey was sentenced on January 9, 2017, to 5 years in state prison. While he was complicit in committing very much the same crimes as Joseph Irwin, David did so, I believe, because he was under the complete control of the Irwins. After the sentencing, David's defense attorney, Michele DeTraglia thanked me for the statement I gave, saying that it touched David and was what he needed to hear.

  

              David grew up being trained as the slave of the Irwin boys, meekly following their orders. Even his mother, Linda, was trained to see her son in that role. I remember one day when the boys were still quite young, around 10, the founding pastor, Jerry Irwin, scolded Linda for allegedly thinking that his boys, Daniel and Joseph, existed solely to entertain her son, David. At that point, the boys were simply playmates, and David was the oldest of the three. But even then, it was being established that the oldest would serve the youngest.

                I feel sorry for David. He grew up knowing little else besides the teachings of the Irwins at Word of Life.  His mother ensured that. I always knew David to be a quiet, meek young man. The only thing intimidating about him was the fact that he would do whatever any of the Irwins instructed.

                This sentence of 5 years is plenty for David. What he really needs is to be far removed from the Irwins’ control and given the chance to have true freedom of mind.

                Now having said this, I do believe that David could have realized the brutality of what was happening and done something to stop it, rather than incite further violence. From my own experience at Word of Life, I know that the members would do nearly anything that the Irwins were in favor of, but there has to come a point where you say enough is enough. Did David really think that what was happening was the will of God? Again, I know, David was trained thoroughly to believe that whatever the Irwins directed or condoned was in fact the will of God.

                David was part of the gang that attacked my brothers. David believed the lies. And because of the control he was under, he committed a crime. Regardless of the control, a violent crime was committed in his presence, and he provided physical aid to those that savagely beat my brother Christopher and fatally beat my brother Lucas. And even after Luke was dead, David still did not seek medical assistance for Christopher—even though he knew how badly Christopher had been beaten, and knew how it compared to the beating that Luke got, which killed him. David, wake up. Stop trying to protect the people whose control over your life has helped land you in prison, because they want to use people like toys.