5 Things That Happened at Andrew Brunson's Court Hearing in Turkey

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Friday, October 12, 2018

3. Brunson's "silent tears"

American Pastor Andrew Brunson in this undated photo. | (Photo: The American Center for Law and Justice)

After hearing the prosecutor's recommendation, Brunson was said to have broke down into "silent tears."

"At one point when he's looking back toward Norine and us who were sitting in the back, he just broke down in silent tears. You could tell he was shaking a bit and looking down. I was struck by it myself," Weber explained. "You really got the impression of how much it has affected him in observing his composure in the courtroom."

Even though Devlin, Weber and the other onlookers were sitting in the very back of the room, Devlin said it was clear that Brunson was "visibly crying."

"He was wiping his eyes with a handkerchief because at this point, nobody had any idea, but it didn't look real good," Devlin said. "It looked like he was going to go back to prison based on what the prosecutor said."

As judges ordered a 15-minute recess around 3 p.m. after the prosecutor finished his plea to send Brunson back to prison, Devlin said that he was able to walk half way up the courtroom and stand about 30 feet from Brunson. Devlin vowed to Brunson that he would serve any sentence received in Brunson's place.

"He said, 'Pastor Devlin, I know you.' I said, 'If you go to jail today, you tell the judge that I am ready right now to be your replacement for you to be released and I will go in and serve out whatever sentence they give you. I am ready. My family is ready,'" Devlin recalled telling Brunson. "He chuckled a little bit as he was wiping his eyes."

Devlin, who serves the Infinity Bible Church in the Bronx, also travels the world to support persecuted believers. He told CP that he has asked Christians on every continent to pray for Brunson.