By Jeannie Blaylock
First Coast News
December 12, 2007
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/mostpopular/news-article.aspx?storyid=97669&provider=top
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Will the civil cases against Trinity fall one by one? The attorney representing the 6 women suing says, "We're not done yet."
Two judges have dismissed two of the six civil suits filed so far. The new ruling says the cases were filed years too late.
But First Coast News talked with Miami attorney Adam Horowitz, who says there's something new for the cases pending.
It involves a tape, which First Coast News obtained exclusively last month. The tape was not discovered in time for the civil cases already dismissed. (Those, by the way, will be appealed in Tallahassee.)
The tape, Horowitz says, proves current Trinity pastor Tom Messer knew at least in 1992 Bob Gray lied to the church when he told church members he did nothing sexual or immoral.
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Horowitz plans to use the tape to fight the issue of statute of limitations. He says Trinity leaders knew about Gray's alleged molestation but the women suing didn't know Trinity had that information until approximately the time of Gray's arrest. That's key, Horowitz says, to something called "fraudulent concealment." He says during the alleged concealment of information the statute of limitation is basically frozen.
In laymen's terms, the argument goes that the women can't sue over cover-up if they didn't know there was allegedly a cover -up.
Will the next judges agree with this agreement? That remains to be seen.
The next case goes to a hearing in Jacksonville on January 8th.
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Meanwhile, Ed Trent, the attorney for Trinity, says the next four cases will be based on the same arguments about statute of limitations.
Current pastor Messer commented on the civil suits to his congregation on Sunday.
He says, "During the last 20 months we have spent hundreds of man hours and ten's (sic) of thousand of dollars to investigate the actions of our church."
He also says, "Despite the rumors and the allegations, I did not cover-up this situation. Every time I talked with someone regarding this issue I have been honest and tried to be helpful."
Trinithy's attorney declined on camera interviews for Pastor Messer.
Horowitz has been in Jacksonville taking depositions from Trinity leaders, although he hasn't talked yet with Messer.
Horowitz says the leaders believed on a Biblical basis the alleged molestation should be handled internally, rather than going to police or HRS. Some leaders, Horowitz says, thought the allegations involved only kissing. Alleged victims have said all along the idea of "only kissing" shows a terrible lack of understanding as to what damage can come from any type of molestation.
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