Bishop Eddie Long Denies Sexual Abuse as Plaintiffs' Lawyer Promises More Evidence

Another case of the leader of a "Mega-Church" coming under fire with allegations of sexual impropriety.

Jamal Parris, 23, alleged in a suit filed today that Bishop Eddie Long used his private plane to fly him around the world -- from Los Angeles to Trinidad to New York -- and sexually abused him along the way. Parris alleges in the documents, obtained by ABC News, that the bishop would request he be nude while in his presence and would request "sexual massages" and "oral sodomy" when they traveled.

Parris joins two other young men, Maurice Robinson and Anthony Flagg, who also say the bishop recruited them into the youth ministry and then forced sex upon them.

His accusers believe more young men will come forward from a youth ministry that numbered in the hundreds. The young men say that many people at the church who were close to Long knew what was going on but covered for him and kept quiet for years.

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This story has been all over our local news here in Atlanta. Long and his supporters are denying the allegations.

The irony here is that Long is known for being very homophobic and unaccepting of gays.

It is the same church that hosted Coretta Scott King's funeral in 2006, a ceremony that some civil rights leaders refused to attend because Long is so anti-gay.

Bishop Long is a well known figure, who leads a Church that boasts a membership of over 30,000 members. Long is also well known in political circles.



Eddie long with President George W. Bush

Long is also no stranger to controversy.

2005 -- AJC reports in August that Eddie Long has received compensation of $3 million in salary, benefits and property use from nonprofit, tax-exempt charity he established for the poor, including use of $350,000 Bentley automobile.

2007 -- Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) investigates six televangelists, including Eddie Long, for alleged lavish spending using church funding.

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So. What think you, sharp minds of ATS? Is Bishop Long being targeted, unfairly, as he suggests - or has he been caught, red handed, in hypocrisy?

An update to this story:

Bishop Eddie Long, the powerhouse leader behind the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in suburban Atlanta, issued a statement today again denying that he coerced three teenage boys into sexual relationships and promising that the "truth will emerge."

"I am anxious to respond directly to these false allegations and I will do so," he said in the statement that was distributed by a publicist. " However, my lawyers have counseled patience at this time."

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The articles speak about some pictures sent, by Long, via cellphone:

But B.J. Bernstein, the lawyer for the three men, has said that she has photos, texts and e-mails that show a relationship between her clients and the bishop.

I've found two examples purported to be such images:



I'll keep adding information as it becomes available or as I find it.

Here's the thing. In June of this year, there was a break-in to Eddie Longs office. Thieves stole jewelry, an iPhone, and an iPad.

Now I don't know about you, but I keep tons of lame photos of myself on my iphone and ipad... if someone stole mine they could make all sorts of claims that I emailed them to them or something.

However, ISP logs and/or phone records should bear out whether or not there is any legitimacy to these claims.

Though I'm the first person to point the finger anti-gay homosexuals becoming perverse in this way due to the self-loathing that comes along with being a gay christian, I have to say that this *smells* like extortion to me...

However it might be the real deal. If so... it's going to blow the African American community away here in Atlanta...

reply to post by HunkaHunka


I completely agree. There's not enough evidence as of yet to see where this is all headed. And the break-in does cast a heavy dispersion upon at least one of Bishop Longs accusers.

I've been scouring the news for the last half an hour, or so, as time permits, trying to find updates on this story and the only thing that seems new, as of now, is an uncorroborated source, apparently attached to a Twitter feed, which says the following:

BOSSIP has learned from a well-placed source within the Church that AT LEAST 30 young men have contacted BJ Bernstein, the lawyer who filed the civil suit on behalf of Anthony Flagg, Maurice Robinson and Jamal Parris, and both Long and the Church are fearful more are coming.

Our source also tells us that Long had initially planned to step down from the Church today, however, with plans to address the congregation in this Sunday’s sermon it’s likely that he will announce his decision to take a reprieve from his duties when he is at the pulpit on Sunday.

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Again, this information is nothing more than hearsay as of now. But it will be interesting, over the next two days, to see if any aspects of it begin to pan out.

I imagine that the details of this story will begin to unfold rather quickly as many aspects of the allegations are easily verifiable - such a the gifts Long was alleged to have given the young men, travel records, and, as you said, cell phone records.

Very interesting story either way though... I look forward to seeing which direction it heads.

reply to post by Hefficide


Yep... I'm doing the same thing... I'm half thinking of going to New Birth Sunday Morning just to see what happens... I wonder if there is a live feed as there sometimes is at other mega churches I have visited.


Update: This link gives times for the broadcast at 8:30 Sunday morning...

reply to post by HunkaHunka


Thanks for that link!

I see that TBN will be broadcasting at 8:30 pm. By then the potential resignation will be a foregone conclusion, as the local news, theoretically, will have been all over the story hours earlier.

I see that Fox5 is reporting that a fourth man has joined the lawsuit today:

Attorney B.J. Bernstein says she is filing a lawsuit Friday on behalf of a member of New Birth Charlotte. New Birth Charlotte is a satellite church run by Long in Charlotte, N.C. The man met Long in May 2005

The lawsuit says the bishop took the teenager to Kenya in July 2005 when he was 17 and engaged in sexual activities with him. It said that Long later encouraged him to move to Atlanta, where the activity continued until early 2009.

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This story seems to be picking up steam!

reply to post by Hefficide


So far more allegations...

With such alarming allegations you would think there would be something more tangible that the prosecution would be releasing/leaking to the public outside of allegations and a couple of pics which could be attributed to theft.

That's the really weird thing for me... I've got allegations, and rather innocuous pics which could have been acquired via theft. But I don't have anything else to go on... why such a deficit of evidence in this case?

Is it just too early?

reply to post by HunkaHunka


The same could also be said about Bishop Longs camp. He did cancel all media opportunities until Sunday. I am left wondering if there might not be the possibility of some sort of criminal charges possible...

Mega churches make a lot of money, I wouldn't be suprised if this is some sort of extortion scheme. The theft and to me those pics seem a little recent adds to my thinking.

Doesn't matter though, he belongs to a church and is accused of a horrible offense. He is guilty until proven innocent.

Originally posted by Becoming
Mega churches make a lot of money, I wouldn't be suprised if this is some sort of extortion scheme. The theft and to me those pics seem a little recent adds to my thinking.

This is entirely possible. In fact even if a financial resolution is reached it could just be a payoff to get rid of unwanted hassles and not an indication of guilt. It'll be interesting to watch and see how it plays out!

Originally posted by Becoming

Doesn't matter though, he belongs to a church and is accused of a horrible offense. He is guilty until proven innocent.

Absolutely!

reply to post by Hefficide


I was being sarcastic with that last bit, I hope you don't actually agree with it.

I live in a world (the military) where you are guilty until proven innocent and it isn't something you would want to become common amongst the rest of America.

reply to post by Becoming


Ah. To be honest I actually misread what you wrote! In my mind it seemed to say "innocent until proven guilty'! Now, upon rereading, I retract my "absolutely!".

Wow. What a mess. Of course, I feel sorry the victims, if thats true. I also feel sorry for the membership of the church. If the church is anti-gay, this will just reaffirm the belief that gays are bent on destroying the church. This will also reaffirm the belief of many that the church is filled with hypocrites. If there is blame to be placed, I hope it lands squarely on one man, not a couple of different groups.

reply to post by 23refugee


You bring up a very interesting aspect of this... The power struggle that is possibly brewing within this Mega church. The revenue involved is quite staggering, as eluded to in the links.

It leaves me curious as to how the power balance, within the church, is functioning at present.

reply to post by Hefficide


No matter what, the church will be rendering unto Ceaser, courtesy of a few lawyers.

I've just found a statement, from Bishop Long. Though the news has been reporting that he won't issue a statement until Sunday, this appeared on the Atlanta Journal and Constitution website and is dated yesterday. I did not find it until a few minutes ago.

Bishop Long states:

"I have been through storms and my faith has always sustained me," Long said in a statement issued by his spokesman.

"I have devoted my life to helping others and these false allegations hurt me deeply," he said. "But my faith is strong and the truth will emerge. All is ask is for your patience as we continue to categorically deny each and every one of these ugly charges."

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This source also says that Bishop Long has not been keeping a very low profile.

Meanwhile, Long has apparently kept a low public profile. Several DeKalb County officials and members of his church who know him say they have not seen him for several days.

That doesn't mean, though, that the pastor is in hiding. "Of course not," said spokesman Art Franklin. "If they (people) feel that way, they will have a new perspective after Sunday."

Again, I will update this thread as information comes available and time allows.

All I could find today - I haven't been able to verify this from more than one source, but am working to do so.

An interesting footnote that was also released with this newest accusation is that Long provided all of the male students with a ‘sex self-check list.’ Here, the boys were supposed to present a vision of their life, a favorite scriptural verse, and three things they would prefer doing than engaging in sex. He also charged them $500 to attend the academy. Apparently, extracurricular activities came at new additional charge.

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Verified and illuminated from the A.P. Here.

Another lawsuit was filed Friday by Spencer LeGrande, a member of New Birth Charlotte. New Birth Charlotte is a satellite church run by Long in Charlotte, N.C. The lawsuit said Long told LeGrande "I will be your dad" and invited the 17-year-old to journey to Kenya with him in July 2005. LeGrande said that Long gave him a sleeping pill on that trip and that the two engaged in sexual acts.

The lawsuit claims Long convinced LeGrande that "engaging in a sexual relationship was a healthy component of his spiritual life," the complaint said.

Mega churches make way too much money that rarely goes into anything useful that supports any of the ideas that the church claims to support.

Whether or not he did it is irrelevant to me, I hope he loses the case so that these kids can have some money back that the country has donated so that the cash isn't spent on another oh-so-mandatory private jet for a freaking religious figurehead.

Eddie Long: "I'm going to fight."

On the local news today, here in Atlanta, I was not surprised to see the "exit interviews" of the parishioners leaving services at New Birth Missionary Baptist church today. The opinions, from member of Bishop Longs flock, fell on both sides of the issues. Some saying they could not believe the charges against their Pastor... Others saying that they felt like his defense of himself was weak and left them doubting his sincerity.

Nikki James, 27, of Atlanta, called Long's remarks "genuine" and said she's ready to move on.

"I don't believe any of the allegations," she said. "It's deterring us from what we want -- building a closer relationship with God. And that's what the bishop wants."

A quote from a supportive member of Bishop Longs flock.

Christina Brown and a friend, Marcia McDonald, drove to New Birth from Covington to hear Long speak in person.
"This wasn't very convincing," said Brown, 34. McDonald said she found the Bishop’s message “very vague.”

A voice from the other side of the issue.

Bishop Long, in his own words, today:

"There is a giant in front of me. And I'm going to fight and fight vigorously," he said. "And I've got five rocks and I haven't thrown one yet."

and

"I realize many have been waiting on me to say something," he said.
Long said he has never portrayed himself as a perfect man. "But I am not the man being portrayed on the television," he said. "That's not me. That's not me."
"I am going to fight, fight very vigorously."

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The speculation about Long stepping down as Pastor and spiritual leader seem to have been answered today. I'll keep this thread updated as new developments become available.

I'll let the courts figure this one out. A lot of people in positions of power (physical or emotional or spiritual) take advantage of those around them. Priests, ministers, teachers ..... But also a lot of people have been falsely accused. Falsely accused by those who don't like them, or those who want to get rich by getting a 'settlement' or selling a book.

Definately .. I'll let the courts figure this one out. I have no opinion.