With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Video: '7th Heaven' Star Tells Story Of Sexual Misconduct With Young Girl While Wife Was Sleeping
On the heels of actor Stephen Collins publishing a lengthy confessional in PEOPLE yesterday, there's now video of the 7th Heaven star describing the inappropriate things he did with an underage girl—one of which took place in his home while his wife was sleeping.
In anticipation of his interview with Katie Couric that airs on ABC's 20/20 this Friday, two teaser videos (via Yahoo! News) were released today. In one of the clips (which can be seen below), the 67-year-old actor says: "In 1973, there were two occasions where I exposed myself to this one woman. And several months later she came to visit and came to stay with us—with my first wife and me. And my wife had gone to sleep, and she and I were watching TV alone together and I took her hand and moved it in such a way that she was touching me inappropriately."
Just two months ago, TMZ released a audio recording that Collins' wife, Faye Grant, apparently taped without his knowledge during a therapy session in 2012. (Collins and Faye are in the middle of nasty divorce.) Collins allegedly admitted to molesting three girls—who were 11, 12 and 13 years old—in the recording.
Support for LAist comes from
In another video clip, Collins tells Couric that he's a "flawed person" and then goes into his religious faith and brings up Jesus Christ. "This came out," he says. "I didn't choose this to come out. I didn't want to have to deal with these things publicly. I had dealt with them very strongly and commitedly in my private life. But I think I'm a human being with flaws and I've done everything I can to address them."
The video can be seen here:
In his PEOPLE statement, he writes that he apologized to one of the victims 15 years later and said she was "extraordinarily gracious," and that he didn't approach the other two because it "could actually make things worse for them by opening old wounds."
TMZ reported that one of Collins' victims, who is now in her 50s and was the one whom he placed her hand on his penis, is reportedly telling family members that she doesn't understand why he isn't apologizing to the other victims. According to TMZ, she says, "Stephen is minimizing the incident. It was not just a spontaneous touching ... that aggression resulted in him ejaculating."
While the L.A. Sheriff's Department, L.A. Police Department and New York police investigated the allegations, no criminal charges have been filed against Collins. The actor says that his inappropriate sexual misconduct with the young girls occurred between the years of 1973 to 1994.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist