Jury acquits former pastor in Madison child sexual assault case | News

MADISON, Wisconsin – A jury acquitted a former pastor in the sexual assault of a child in Madison on Wednesday night after deliberating the case for about four hours.

Robert Stine, 61, of Middleton, was charged with two counts of first-degree child sexual abuse of a person under the age of 13. He pleaded not guilty to both counts. The case was first scheduled to go to trial in 2023.

In a statement to News 3, Stine’s attorney Christopher Van Wagner wrote: “We are grateful that the jury carefully reviewed the evidence and made the right decision. My client thanks everyone whose prayers have been with him in this case.”

Stine was pastor of Midvale Baptist Church in west Madison, where the alleged sexual abuse took place.

According to a previous News 3 Now investigation, Stein lost his license to operate the church-run daycare Kid’s Best in June 2023 after the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and the Madison Police Department launched an investigation.

In his closing argument on Wednesday, Stine’s defense attorney asked the jury to question whether the young girl’s testimony was credible.

“Check the veracity of the vague, fuzzy statements that are remembered years later. Did you hear the witness on the stand change some things?” said Christopher Van Wagner.

However, the prosecutor argued that the girl’s claims were valid.

“Through the clarity of your testimony, the state has proven every single element of the crime that the judge went over with you,” the lawyer said in his closing argument.

Stine also testified on Wednesday, saying he had only a vague memory of the girl and continued to insist he did not sexually abuse her.

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