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Gateway Church founding pastor Robert Morris and his wife, Deborah, are asking a court to throw out a civil lawsuit filed by the woman he sexually abused when she was a child, NPR’s North Texas station, KERA News reported Tuesday.
In a new filing submitted Monday, the couple denied defaming survivor Cindy Clemishire or attempting to cover up years of abuse. They also argued that her claims are barred by statutes of limitation and that her alleged damages were partly the result of her own negligence.
Clemishire and her father filed the lawsuit in June, asserting that Morris and Gateway leadership hid the abuse for years and later defamed her when she came forward publicly.
The lawsuit notes that Morris once referred to her as a “young lady,” and claims that church leaders financially benefited by keeping the allegations hidden.
Court documents say Morris framed the abuse as a consensual relationship, even though he was 22 and Clemishire was just 12 years old at the time. Earlier this month, Morris pleaded guilty in Oklahoma to five counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child.
Morris received a 10 year sentence, but is only expected to serve six months in jail. He must register as a lifetime sex offender and pay Clemishire $270,000. His nonprofit ministry, Gateway Church and four elders also filed previous motions to be dismissed from the case, saying they did not defame Clemishire.
Morris resigned from Gateway after admitting to what he called an “inappropriate relationship,” which led to significant turmoil within the church including major declines in attendance, financial instability and staff reductions. A civil trial date has not yet been set.
Are You a Survivor of Southern Baptist Convention or Other Clergy Sexual Abuse?
Learn how to hold abusers and institutions accountable through our Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide. If you survived clergy abuse in another religious institution, SurvivorsRights.com may help connect you with an attorney who specializes in these types of cases and will represent you on a contingency basis, meaning you don’t pay anything unless you are awarded financial compensation through a legal claim. Fill out the confidential, secure form to have your free case review started.
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Gateway Church Sexual Abuse: Four Elders Removed
Gateway Church Faces Another Sexual Abuse Lawsuit, This Time Over Its Youth Group
Texas’ Gateway Megachurch Abuse Scandal Sends Worshippers Flocking Elsewhere
