In a dramatic conclusion to a closely watched case, a jury in Morgan Hill, California, acquitted former San Jose youth pastor Brett Bymaster of all charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of two minors. The verdict, delivered late on November 19, 2025, brought to an end more than a year of legal proceedings, public scrutiny, and deep division within the local faith community. The case not only highlighted the complexities of prosecuting abuse allegations in religious settings but also echoed broader frustrations among survivors and advocates elsewhere who continue to call for accountability and reform.
Bymaster, 49, once helmed the youth ministry at The River church in San Jose from 2014 to 2019 and later co-founded the Healing Grove Health Center, a nonprofit serving low-income families. His arrest in April 2024 followed allegations by two sisters, identified in court as "K. Doe" and "J. Doe," who claimed Bymaster molested them over several years during their childhood and adolescence. The accusations, which spanned from when K. Doe was eight until she was thirteen, led to a total of ten felony counts, according to reporting by The Mercury News.
The trial, presided over by Santa Clara Superior Court Judge Stuart Scott, was marked by emotional testimony, contentious arguments, and a divided jury that initially struggled to reach consensus. After signaling a deadlock on several counts, the jury, following a brief recess and renewed deliberations, returned with unanimous not guilty verdicts on all charges. The courtroom, filled with Bymaster’s family and supporters, erupted in tears and relief as the decision was read.
Following his acquittal, Bymaster issued a statement expressing gratitude. “After over a year of waiting, the truth has finally come to light. I am grateful that the jury saw past the lies and prevented a miscarriage of justice,” he said, as quoted by San Jose Spotlight. “I am ready to get back to the hard work of serving Jesus and loving our neighbors in the downtown San Jose Washington community. Our family continues to pray blessings and healing for all those involved – both our accusers and our supporters.”
The prosecution, led by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Paynter, painted a starkly different picture during the trial. Paynter argued that Bymaster exploited his authority as a spiritual leader to manipulate his accusers, describing alleged incidents of inappropriate touching disguised as “side hugs” and massages, as well as more serious acts. He urged the jury to consider the courage it took for the sisters to come forward, especially in the face of skepticism and community backlash.
After the verdict, Paynter voiced his disappointment but affirmed his respect for the judicial process. “I am disappointed by the results of the jury’s verdicts in this case but deeply respect the criminal justice process and the jury’s dedicated service in this trial,” he told San Jose Spotlight. “This was a difficult but righteous case on behalf of the victims that went to jury trial. I would ask at this time for the privacy of the victims and their families to be respected.”
Bymaster’s defense team, attorneys Dana Fite and Renee Hessling, countered the allegations by suggesting they were fabricated by five influential church families seeking to scapegoat Bymaster and secure a $2.1 million settlement from the church. They claimed the accusations were rooted in longstanding disagreements over Bymaster’s leadership style, which had previously been criticized as “toxic” and “spiritually abusive” in a 2021 internal church inquiry. Notably, that inquiry—conducted after Bymaster left The River following a critical job review—did not uncover or address sexual abuse claims, a point that later fueled outrage among parishioners and prompted renewed investigations.
“Today’s verdict reaffirms what we have known from the very beginning: Brett is innocent. We have believed in him and the truth of his story from day one,” Fite and Hessling said in a joint statement to The Mercury News. “This outcome is a powerful example of our justice system working and we are honored to have played a part in ensuring that the truth prevailed.”
While the Bymaster case concluded with an acquittal, the broader issue of sexual abuse in faith settings remains a source of anguish and frustration for survivors and advocates far beyond California. In Northern Ireland, for example, survivors of church-related abuse have grown increasingly vocal about government inaction. As reported by BBC News NI, survivors wrote to the region’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly on November 20, 2025, expressing their dismay over the lack of progress on a promised public inquiry into abuse in religious institutions.
“It’s really disheartening, and it feels like we as survivors have been left behind,” said Nikella Holmes, a survivor who was abused by a youth leader and has campaigned for an inquiry. Holmes and others emphasized that recent revelations about safeguarding failures in the Presbyterian Church underscore the ongoing—rather than merely historical—nature of the problem. “The recommendations in the research projects would make churches safer and should be acted upon,” Holmes told BBC News NI.
The frustration is shared by Tony Gribben, founder of the Dromore Group and a survivor of abuse by a Catholic priest. “A failure by Stormont to follow up on the recommendations submitted to them by the independent researchers generates exponential risk for the next generation of children,” Gribben said, describing the mood among survivors as “livid.”
Three major reports commissioned by the Northern Ireland Executive—one on survivors’ stories, another on historical records, and a third on safeguarding practices—have yet to be published or acted upon, despite being completed earlier in 2025. The Executive Office has stated that ministers are reviewing the findings and engaging with victims, but advocates like Alliance Party MLA Paula Bradshaw have called for greater urgency and transparency.
The resonance between the Bymaster case and the Northern Ireland survivors’ campaign is unmistakable. Both underscore how allegations of abuse in faith communities are fraught with emotional, legal, and institutional challenges. Both also reveal the persistent tension between the desire for justice and the difficulties of achieving closure, particularly when institutions are slow to acknowledge or address claims.
Meanwhile, the San Jose community has also grappled with related scandals. Last year, former city councilmember Omar Torres, who had publicly vowed to prevent those accused of abuse from accessing city youth spaces, was himself arrested and later sentenced to 18 years in prison for child molestation. The episode added another layer of complexity to the ongoing reckoning with abuse and accountability in positions of trust.
As the dust settles on the Bymaster trial, the questions it raises—about truth, justice, and the responsibilities of faith institutions—remain as urgent as ever, both for those directly involved and for communities around the world still waiting for answers and action.
