Press Release

isitenough15
May 20, 2015

https://isitenough15.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/2-press-release2.pdf

[resignation letter]

LAW OFFICES OF

AL W. JOHNSON

112 SOUTH HANLEY

SUITE 200

CLAYTON, MISSOURI 63105

AL W. JOHNSON E-MAIL: AJOHNSON@AWJ-LAW.COM

LICEN SED IN MISSOURI AND ILLINO IS PHONE: (314) 726-6489 WEBSITE: WWW.AWJ-LAW.COM

FACSIMILE: (314) 726-2821

May 20, 2015

It is only under very unusual circumstances that we release a press statement on behalf of one of our clients. However, the remarkable events of the past several months surrounding Doug Lay and his interactions with his former church, First Christian Church of Florissant (“FCCF”), and its pastor, Steve Wingfield, present such a situation. The continuing pattern of misinformation and deception that has characterized the tragic situation with the former FCCF youth leader, Brandon Milburn, requires us to respond directly and firmly. This pattern of misinformation has included a frivolous lawsuit filed on April 16, 2015 by Steve Wingfield and FCCF against Mr. Lay and three other individuals, Kari and Titus Benton and Dawn Varvil, filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court and styled Steve Wingfield and the First Christian Church of Florissant v. Douglas Lay, Titus Benton, Kari Benton, Dawn Varvil and Jane Doe (aka “Annie Shankin” and “Reform FCCF”), Cause Number 15SL-CC0132.

The most recent series of misrepresentations has surrounded the so-called “dismissal” of the lawsuit. Mr. Wingfield, his attorney, and his elders at FCCF are telling their congregation and others that they dismissed this lawsuit as a good-faith gesture because they have offered an “independent Christian mediation process” to resolve their differences with Mr. Lay and the 2 other defendants. These representations are untrue on multiple counts. In actuality, the lawsuit was dismissed 48 hours before a court hearing was scheduled on Mr. Lay’s motion to dismiss the case in St. Louis County Circuit Court. We believe there was a 90% likelihood that the motion would be granted as the petition that was filed in this case did not contain a single valid claim against any of the defendants. The plaintiffs’ so-called “dismissal” of the lawsuit, which is attached, is really not a finalized dismissal. Rather, Mr. Wingfield and his attorney have dismissed the case without prejudice, which means they can refile it again anytime within the statute of limitations. This maneuver allowed them to avoid the near certainty that the trial judge would dismiss their case with prejudice, which would have eliminated their ability to ever refile this case again.