Church Finds Former RF Youth Director Guilty of Sexual Assault Ron Campbell Faces Expulsion from Presbyterian Ministry, by Bill Dwyer, Wednesday Journal, November 14, 2008

Church Finds Former RF Youth Director Guilty of Sexual Assault
Ron Campbell Faces Expulsion from Presbyterian Ministry

By Bill Dwyer
Wednesday Journal
November 14, 2008

http://wednesdayjournalonline.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=12950

A former associate pastor and youth director of the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest has been found guilty by a church tribunal of three counts related to the alleged years-long sexual abuse of a girl under his ministry.

Ronald Campbell, 52, was convicted by the unanimous decision of the six member Permanent Judicial Commission of the Presbytery of Chicago on Oct. 22 following a three-day trial. Julie Lemley Hokanson, now 37, had attempted to bring criminal charges against Campbell, but the Illinois statute of limitations had expired on his alleged offenses.

In a written statement Thursday, the Rev. Robert Reynolds, executive presbyter, said Campbell's actions had "betrayed a sacred position of trust and responsibility, that of pastor to youthful parishioner. These acts were reprehensible, and we hope and pray that the conclusion of this trial moves the victim further along a path of healing."

Campbell's lawyer, James Betke, did not immediately return a call Thursday afternoon seeking comment on the verdict. Sometime in the past week, Campbell resigned from his position as director of graduate admissions at Trinity University in Deerfield.

At the time the alleged sexual abuses started in 1985, Campbell, who is married with children, was director of the youth program at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest, 7551 Quick Ave. Julie Lemley, now Hokanson, said she was 14 when the alleged sexual assaults started. They continued, she said, until she was a freshman at Wheaton College in 1991.

Hokanson came forward with the accusations in March 2006. In July, the Chicago Presbytery gave Hokanson $150,000 to avoid a civil suit, following an insurance company investigation.

The Chicago Presbytery Judicial Commission, which oversees churches in Lake, Cook and DuPage Counties, found that Campbell "neglect(ed) the gentle ministrations of friends who offered wise and helpful advice." The commission ruled that Campbell be excluded from his ordained duties for a period of four years, and restored to full participation contingent on his making a full admission of guilt and submitting to several conditions.

Those conditions require Campbell to make "a full repentance," including a public admission of his guilt to Hokanson and to the presbytery, and the undergoing of therapy "at your own cost." Failure to comply with the church's edicts by Dec. 8 will result in Campbell's permanent removal from ordained office.

One of the members of that commission, Robert Downs, is a former chairman of the board of directors of Wednesday Journal, Inc. He is now chairman emeritus of Wednesday Journal, Inc.

Campbell's attorney, James Betke, is also a former Wednesday Journal, Inc. stockholder and board member.

The "vast majority," perhaps all of the incidents, the commission found, occurred in Campbell's home, although other occurrences may have taken place in Campbell's office, car and public parks.

The commission found that Campbell used "force, threat, coercion, intimidation or misuse of office or position" against Lemley, as well as threats or coercions against a fellow pastor, a church member and his own wife.

Finally, it found Campbell lied repeatedly throughout 2006 and 2007 to church authorities about the allegations when questioned.

David Lemley, Hokanson's brother, who sat through Campbell's trial testimony, said Campbell at first denied the allegations categorically.

"But a lot of the testimony and a lot of the letters brought to the court proved otherwise," David Lemley said.

Church elders stated in their signed statement that Campbell, "conceal(ed), misrepresent(ed) and den(ied) the true nature of (his) relationship with Julie Lemley" to church investigators.

Campbell might have avoided official charges against him if he hadn't taken one particular action. Key to finding grounds for trying Campbell, and undercutting his other denials, was the fact that he'd had a tattoo placed on his buttocks with Julie Lemley's initials, surrounded by a heart.

"At some time during the four years he raped and abused my sister, he tattooed his buttocks with my sister's initials inside a red heart," David Lemley said. "This bold and arrogant action proved to be his ultimate downfall."

Hokanson said Campbell showed the tattoo to her. "There'd only be one reason I'd know that tattoo was there," she said.

Hokanson said hearing the church court find Campbell guilty on all charges was extremely emotional and cathartic.

"The vindication was such a relief, and it was so welcome after such a long time," she said.

After being told of the charges against Ron Campbell, First Presbyterian's current Pastor Rich Davis issued a letter to the church's congregants addressing the abuse issue. Among other things, he said the church has taken several steps intended to safeguard church members, particularly the young. They include:

• Child protection training for all our volunteers and staff that work with both children and youth.

• Having each volunteer and staff member agree to a personal background check.

• Having windows placed in every office that previously had a solid door.

• Ongoing accountability and awareness training for the staff and volunteers.

Davis stressed the steps were "not in response to recent media attention," but have been implemented "as we learn to be more intentional about matters of awareness and protection both as a culture and as a church."

Hokanson said she has no interest in speaking with Campbell, and is not waiting to receive any letter of apology from him.

"You know, my healing came independent of his admitting he did wrong, let alone apologizing. So, thankfully, I'm able to move on without that," she said.

She said her main concern is that those who suffered similar treatment at the hands of trusted adults find the courage to step forward and bear witness against it.

"I think shame is so huge in instances of sexual abuse," she said. "I wanted my name used so people would know I am not ashamed of being abused by an adult. The shame is not to be mine. It's to be the abuser's."

Asked what was next, Hokanson said, "I guess I go back home and raise my kids. It was important for my kids to realize it's important to speak truth, even if it doesn't feel good."