Anna Duggar (née Keller) was spotted holding tightly to her husband Josh Duggar‘s hand as the pair entered the federal courthouse at the start of his child pornography trial on Tuesday, November 30. 

In a video shared by Garrett Fergeson, an assignment manager at KNWA, the 19 Kids and Counting alums could be seen entering the John Paul Hammerschmidt Federal Courthouse in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Anna, 33, held onto Josh, also 33, with both of her hands as they walked in with the disgraced reality TV star’s legal team.  

The TLC alum’s trial began on Tuesday morning with the jury selection. While phones, laptops and recording devices have been banned from the courtroom, it is expected that U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks, who is overseeing the trial, will rule if testimony regarding Josh’s prior molestation scandal would be allowed as evidence during the trial.  

On Monday, November 29, Josh’s father, Jim Bob Duggar, appeared before the judge during the evidentiary hearing after he was subpoenaed by the prosecution to discuss his son’s molestation controversy. The defense has moved to exclude the evidence from the trial. 

In 2015, In Touch obtained a police report from 2006 through the Freedom of Information Act. The report revealed that Josh, who was a teenager at the time, inappropriately touched five underage girls while they slept. Two of his sisters came forward as two of the victims. 

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When asked about the police report, Jim Bob, 56, said, “I can’t remember,” according to People, and called it “tabloid information.” 

“I’m not going to allow it, are you going to allow for that?” the Arkansas State Senate hopeful asked the judge.  

“If there is [an] objection to be made, someone will make it, but it won’t be you,” the judge replied.

During Jim Bob’s testimony, he claimed he did not recall the details of Josh’s admission but that he did remember Josh coming to him and his wife, Michelle Duggar, in 2002 and admitting to “inappropriate touching.” 

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“We were shocked this had happened but we were thankful he came on his own and told us,” he said. “He had told me that he had touched some of the girls when they were sleeping on their breasts … they didn’t wake up.” 

Family friend Bobye Holt, who is married to Jim Holt, an elder at the Duggar family’s church, also testified on Monday, November 29. Bobye stated that Josh admitted in 2003 and 2005 to the “inappropriate touching.”

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Jim allegedly recommended that the couple take their son to the Arkansas State Police station in 2006. Jim Bob claims Josh “confessed everything” to the police. He also revealed that Josh had received spiritual counseling from Jim and Bobye during the scandal.

Josh was arrested on April 29 and charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. He pleaded not guilty on April 30.   

Josh and Anna, who married in September 2008, share seven children together, Mackynzie, Michael, Marcus, Meredith, Mason, Maryella and newborn Madyson. Anna announced the arrival of their newborn daughter on Tuesday, November 16. On November 18, she showed support for Josh ahead of his pretrial hearing, walking hand-in-hand into the courthouse. 

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