Lawsuit against Rock Church Ministries Drug and Alcohol Recovery Program Expands with Seven Additional Plaintiffs

Bus Byway
July 11, 2014

http://www.motoemag.com/2014/07/11/lawsuit-against-rock-church-ministries-drug-and-alcohol-recovery-program-expands-with-seven-additional-plaintiffs/

In May, The Zalkin Law Firm filed a civil lawsuit in the San Diego Superior Court, Central Division, (Case No: 37-2014-00014773-CU-PO-CTL) on behalf of five female participants and one employee of the Rock Church Recovery Ministry drug and alcohol recovery program. On June 12, seven additional participants in the Rock Recovery Program joined that lawsuit and allege additional claims, including a claim of sexual abuse of one plaintiff who was a minor at the time.

In the complaint filed last month, the plaintiffs alleged that the defendants, David Powers, Tina Powers, Fred Murray, ABC Sober Living, L.L.C., Recovery Housing, L.L.C., and the San Diego Rock Church, Inc. offered drug and alcohol rehabilitation services through the Rock Recovery Ministry, a Christian twelve-step based ministry. These plaintiffs allege that they were subjected to unlawful sexual battery, harassment, fraud, and negligent care as detailed in the complaint.

The plaintiffs allege in the complaint that the defendants, David Powers, Tina Powers, Fred Murray, ABC Sober Living, L.L.C. Recovery Housing, L.L.C.; Rock Church Ministries, Inc. and the San Diego Rock Church, Inc. operated the “Rock Recovery Ministry,” a Christian twelve-step ministry that offers faith-based live-in and outreach drug and alcohol recovery programs through Defendants ABC and Recovery Housing. As participants of that program, the plaintiffs were alledgedly subjected to unlawful sexual battery, harassment, fraud and negligent care as detailed in the complaint.

According to the civil complaint, plaintiffs were all participants in the recovery program at different periods between 2010 to late 2013. The plaintiffs each allege that during their stay at the Soledad House or at the home of program director David Powers, they were subjected to on-going sexual battery by David Powers and by defendant Fred Murray. Plaintiff Andria Donovan was an employee of the program from 2009 to 2013 during which she alleges that David Powers created a sexually hostile work environment.

“As a religious organization, the Rock Church is responsible for its ministries and the safety of all its participants,” said Irwin Zalkin, of The Zalkin Law Firm, the attorney for the six women plaintiffs. “This lawsuit alleges that these young women under the care of the Rock Church Ministries were subjected to ongoing sexual harassment that has had a damaging impact on their lives.”

The thirteen Plaintiffs allege in the updated court complaint filed on June 12 that Defendant David Powers selectively lured young, attractive, vulnerable women into the recovery program and then proceeded to groom, seduce, sexually harass, assault, and intimidate them at the recovery home, in his own home, and at Rock Church events. These women were promised a safe and supportive environment in which they could be treated for their additive behaviors and turn their lives around. The lawsuit details numerous sexual abuse and battery incidents and how the women's’ complaints were ignored by defendants Tina Powers and Fred Murray.

As a result of the abuse, the complaint alleges that each plaintiff suffered considerable pain and emotional distress that prevented them from the normal enjoyment of life and require medical and psychological treatment. The complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages and costs.

About The Zalkin Law Firm

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The Zalkin Law Firm has aggressively represented hundreds of survivors of child sexual abuse, including former Boy Scouts, priest abuse victims and Jehovah's Witnesses victims. The firm has negotiated over $200 million in settlements in Catholic clergy sex abuse cases.