Josh Duggar's Appeal for New Trial Denied, Disgraced Reality Star's Pornography Conviction Upheld

Josh Duggar will not get a new trial, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday, August 7.

The reality star, who was convicted in 2021 of downloading child sexual abuse images, had asked the Eighth Court of Appeals to give him a do-over in court. However, they shot the request down.

“The right to present a complete defense does not trump a district court’s discretion to keep out confusing or misleading evidence, even if it would be helpful to the defense,” the appeals court ruled.

Duggar, who rose to fame on TLC's show 19 Kids and Counting, is serving a 12-year sentence after hundreds of photos were found on his computer in his car dealership.

Duggar's attorneys argued that statements he made to investigators amid the car dealership search should not be allowed at trial since his attorney wasn't present. ‘What is this all about? Has somebody been downloading child pornography?” prosecutors said Duggar asked the agents. But Duggar declined to say he had looked at the material online, and the comments were later used as evidence in the trial.

Duggar's attorney Justin Gelfand disagreed with the court and said they would evaluate all options.

As OK! previously reported, the 35-year-old is currently behind bars at FCI Seagoville, a low-security facility in Texas.

Duggar's prison stay as been anything but rosy, as more maintenance issues popped up during a heatwave in mid-July.

According to a family member of the inmates, "most of the buildings" at the facility do not have working air conditioning despite the temperature being in the 100s. "Other loved ones are sharing how inmates are passing out," the insider claimed. "The electricity keeps going in and out because the generator is overloaded. When it's working, it's relatively cool though."

Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!

A spokesperson for the prison replied to the rumors, explaining that some A/C units were without air.

"In the units without A/C, there are rooms within those units where inmates can sit in A/C, as we have TV and computer rooms that give them a chance to cool down," they explained. "Additionally in those housing units we have fans to circulate the air. All housing has ice available to inmates."

"While FCI Seagoville did have an issue with power outages back a few months. We have not had any power-related issues affecting A/C lately," they added. "FCI Seagoville was built in the late 1930s and has had additions of new housing units and program buildings since. All those newer areas have A/C."