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Stephen Collins (7th Heaven) Caught on Tape

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This is just an awful story if true, and since its on tape, it seems likely. I feel like this could have beena blind item, but I can't find any that fit the bill right now. I remember thinking, this shouldn't be blind, it should be a police report. But since more than one blind has left me feeling that way, who knows. From TMZ.

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Stephen Collins -- who played the pastor/dad on "7th Heaven" -- confessed to his estranged wife he was a child molester, and it's all on tape ... a tape obtained by TMZ. And the New York Police Dept. is now conducting an active criminal investigation involving sexual contact with multiple children.

 

Collins -- who is in the middle of a nasty, prolonged divorce with actress Faye Grant -- revealed to her in 2012 he had molested and/or exposed himself to several underage girls years before. Collins and Grant went to a therapist where she peppered him with questions about the incidents ... and he not only answered, he was specific.

 

Here's what Collins didn't know at the time. Grant taped the therapy session. We're told her lawyer advised her it was legal to secretly record the conversation because in California you're allowed to secretly record conversations to gather evidence the other person committed a violent felony ... and molesting a child under the age of 14 qualifies.

 

We have protected the names of the victims Collins mentions on tape. As you listen ... you will hear Collins refer to a "disclosure" and a "list." This refers to a confession Collins had already made to his wife ... which triggered the therapy session.

 

You hear Collins flatly confess to molesting an 11-year-old New York girl -- a relative of his first wife -- saying, "There was one moment of touching where her hand, I put her hand on my penis." He also acknowledges exposing himself to the girl "a couple of times" ... he says when she was 11, 12 and 13.

 

Grant asks, "When you exposed yourself ... did you have an erection?" He responds, "No, I mean, no. Partial, maybe I think."

 

Grant then inquires about other girls. Collins mentions an L.A. girl who lived in their neighborhood, but says he tried righting the wrong by apologizing to her years later.

 

And then they talk about yet another girl. It's incredible ... Collins has trouble keeping the girls straight, but then he gets clear and confirms the incident. We're told this girl was also from New York and was between 12 and 13 at the time.

 

TMZ has learned ... the NYPD is in possession of the tape, and last Wednesday 2 NYPD detectives from the Special Victims Unit flew to L.A. to interview Grant. We're told they asked her about the tape and about other potential witnesses.

 

An NYPD official tells TMZ ... there is a current, active investigation. The official says there are "at least 3 victims" and the nature of the investigation is "inappropriate sexual contact with minors."

 

Law enforcement sources tell us ... one alleged victim in the investigation is the relative of Collins' first wife, who we're told first reported the molestation in 2012. One law enforcement source tells us ... although decades have passed since the molestation, they believe the case can still be prosecuted because the statute of limitations runs from the date of reporting.

 

Collins -- who is on the National Board of the Screen Actors Guild -- frequently interacts with young actresses. In addition to "7th Heaven," he was also on the ABC Family show "The Fosters," about a bunch of young kids being raised in a foster family. And he had a role in the recent show, "Revolution" ... which also had underage actors.

 

We contacted Collins' reps ... they had no comment.

 

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2014/10/07/stephen-collins-child-molestation-7th-heaven-audio-tape-nypd-investigation/#ixzz3FSOfjuW8

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Here's what Collins didn't know at the time. Grant taped the therapy session. We're told her lawyer advised her it was legal to secretly record the conversation because in California you're allowed to secretly record conversations to gather evidence the other person committed a violent felony ... and molesting a child under the age of 14 qualifies.

 

bullshit.

 

Unless she was working for the police before the therapy sessions, he had an absolute right of privacy -- both patient/doctor and husband/wife. Even if she wasn't working for the police, she cannot waive the privilege -- he has to - the privilege cannot be waived unilaterally waived.

 

Also as far as any statute of limitations, they believe the case can still be prosecuted because the statute of limitations runs from the date of reporting I would want to know reported by whom to what agency

 

This sounds pretty serious, and I don't discount that, but this is reported by an ex and a woman who is the middle of a contentious divorce proceeding years after the alleged event.

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I also thought that the doctor/patient privacy does not apply if they have intent to harm themselves (threaten to commit suicide, can 5150 them) or someone else (in this case, molest children). :huh:

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Because of him, I am always going to feel differently whenever I watch 7th Heaven which is one of my most favorite shows and not in a good way.

 

God bless you and his victims and everyone else who made the show what it is always!!!

 

Holly

 

P.S. As for Mr. Collins himself, if he has no regrets, then may the Lord have special plans for his booty hide!!!

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I don't know the laws, but I do know that it is a travesty that NOTHING was done if this is true. Did he magically become a non-pedophile? I don't see how anyone could sit on this without any thought that it may still be happening.

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I saw a statement from the wife saying she turned this tape over to the police in 2012 and had nothing to do with its release. Don't know about that, but the news that it has been with police for two years is an addition to the story. He's been fired and reruns have been pulled, so the backlash has definitely been swift as the news broke.

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she turned this tape over to the police in 2012 and had nothing to do with its release.

 

 

 

if the police have had the tape for two years and nothing has come of it, I have to wonder why it is just now being released -- interesting coincidence that it comes during the middle of a divorce proceeding.

 

Again, if he did it and he DA can prove it, he should be hung up by his balls.

 

On the other hand, if this was done to gain an advantage, she just shot herself in the foot. He will probably never work again because of the release of this tape and there goes her alimony/spousal support and I were him, I would make sure he did not agree to anything short of trial. Per CA law, a final property judgement as to be as equal as possible. I wouldn't pay her a fucking dime willingly. I don't believe for one minute that she did not have anything to do with the release. I doubt the doctor released it and that leaves her or someone in her attorney's office. As they say -- follow the money. Somebody got paid.

 

I have all kinds of issues with this. Its against all kinds of privacy laws to tape someone without telling them -- all the more so during a doctor patient situation.

 

Again, if guilty, he should be hung up by the balls. On the other hand, I am not having so much sympathy for the soon to be ex wife.

 

I also have to wonder about the fact that he has worked in movies and tv series for years and years with kids and this just now comes out?

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What I don't understand is, why didn't the doctor report him?!?! When you are a danger to yourself or someone else, they are REQUIRED to report it to the authorities.

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Not to sound like an uncaring bitch, but I want to hear the tape before I believe it. I've heard a lot of crazy things made during divorce proceedings by a spouse just to screw over the other. And the cops investigated and didn't press charges? Something isn't right here.

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I used to work in family court and it irritated me how many women happily spent their drug dealing husband/boyfriend's money until they broke up. All of a sudden she was shocked! Shocked I tell you, that he was a dealer. I am very saddened at the news of what Collins did, and I have heard the tapes, but I think wifey is using it to get the upper hand in the divorce. Just nasty. The whole thing.

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I used to work in family court and it irritated me how many women happily spent their drug dealing husband/boyfriend's money until they broke up. All of a sudden she was shocked! Shocked I tell you, that he was a dealer. I am very saddened at the news of what Collins did, and I have heard the tapes, but I think wifey is using it to get the upper hand in the divorce. Just nasty. The whole thing.

 

Agree with everything you say! (well, other than that I have never worked in family court...) The timing is very circumspect.

 

Now, on whatver news channel I was listening to (Today show on satellite radio on the way to work?) they were saying that in CA the therapist should have been a mandatory reporter?

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Yeah, something's definitely rotten in the state of Denmark here on all fronts. Team Nobody here, at least when it comes to the "adults". I could not even begin to imagine what the victims must be going through now that this is being played out in public and after so much time.

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