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Durham, NC --Prosecutors have charged three people, including two
ranking members of the Durham County Democratic Party, as part of an investigation into allegations of rape and kidnapping that
prosecutors said involved satanic worship.

The latest person charged is Diana Palmer, 44, the first vice
chairwoman of the county Democratic Party, a volunteer group.

She turned herself in to police Wednesday afternoon and was charged
with one count of accessory after the fact of assault with deadly
weapon inflicting serious injury.

Palmer's arrest came five days after police arrested Joy Johnson,
30, the county party's third vice chairwoman, and her husband,
Joseph Scott Craig, 25.

The allegations surfaced last week, and the local party chairman
expressed exasperation to the News amp; Observer of Raleigh for a
story posted online Tuesday.

"The Durham Democratic Party is a volunteer organization," Kevin
Farmer, chairman of the organization, told the paper. "I'm not a
professional. I'm not equipped to deal with this. I bake bread for a
living."

Authorities have said little about the case outside of the
information included in arrest warrants, which allege that Craig
beat a man and a woman, raped the woman and that Johnson watched as
he did so.

Durham County Assistant District Attorney Mark McCullough said
earlier this week that charges stemmed from some sort of satanic
ritual.

Attorney Bill Thomas said Palmer denies any association with satanic
worship or any knowledge of a crime. He said the allegation against
her is that Johnson or Craig asked her to take some items away from
their house.

"The Durham Police Department has knowledge that my client was not
present and did not have knowledge of crimes for which others have
been arrested, and I hope the investigator will share this with the
public," Thomas said.

Craig faces three counts of second-degree kidnapping, one count of second-degree rape, one count of second degree forcible sex offense
and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious
injury.

Johnson faces several counts of felony aiding and abetting. Court
documents filed this week said the incidents occurred in December
2007 and in January and May.

The warrants accuse Johnson of "instigating and encouraging" her
husband as he handcuffed a man and forced him "into a dog cage,
leaving him there for hours, terrorizing him."

Other charges against Johnson stem from accusations made by a woman
who listed the couple's home as her address.

The man listed in the warrants as having been caged also lived at
the house. Craig and Johnson are being held in the Durham County
Jail. The Durham County Public Defender's office was still in the
process of assigning attorneys to their case. Bond was being set for
Palmer late Wednesday.

The three were partners in a company called Indigo Dawn. Its Web
site says the company offers services including "intuitive guidance,
past-life regression, spirit guide communication and healing and
cleansing."

https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/three-charged-in- durham-rape-kidnapping-investigation/83-402241300

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