Army attorney John Jackson and his wife Carolyn are facing 15 counts of sexual abuse . The couple 's first trial ended in a mistrial last November when a prosecutor accidentally mentioned the death of one of their son 's . That detail was barred from the trial since the couple had not been officially charged in the boy 's death . On Monday , the Jacksons appeared in New Jersey federal court for their second trial . Prosecutors alleged the couple starved their three foster children and beat them so several that they had broken bones all over their bodies . The couple 's defense attorneys claim that they may have been ' crappy parents ' but are not criminals .
Army Major John Jackson and his wife Carolyn are facing 15 counts of child abuse . The couple 's first trial ended in a mistrial last November when a prosecutor accidentally mentioned the death of one of their son 's . That detail was barred from the trial since the couple had not been officially charged in the boy 's death . On Monday , the Jacksons appeared in New Jersey federal court for their second trial . Prosecutors said the couple starved their three foster children and beat them so several that they had broken bones all over their bodies . The couple 's defense attorneys claim that they may have been 'crappy parents ' but are not criminals .