Following his release from jail on March 31, former pastor Robert Morris issued a statement via his attorney apologizing to Cindy Clemishire, whom Morris sexually abused in the 1980s when she was 12 years old. An attorney for Clemishire responded that Clemishire will continue to pursue justice and accountability for Morris and for those who covered for him.
Cindy Clemishire Vows To Continue Pursuing Accountability After Robert Morris’ Release
The legal proceedings involving Robert Morris and Cindy Clemishire have drawn national attention.
Cindy Clemishire, who is in her 50s, published allegations in June 2024 that Robert Morris, 64, had sexually abused her in the 1980s starting when she was 12 years old and Morris was in his 20s. Morris was the founding pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.
Prior to Clemishire’s allegations, Morris had publicly spoken of being guilty of “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” but never mentioned that the young lady in question had been a minor. He subsequently resigned as pastor of Gateway.
RELATED: Robert Morris Released From Oklahoma Jail, To Serve Remaining 9.5-Year Probation Sentence in Texas
The revelations triggered a major upheaval at Gateway Church, including leadership changes and an independent investigation that found that former elders and staff at the church knew that Clemishire was a minor prior to 2024. The investigation also found that there were other people who had enough information to warrant further inquiry. Morris has claimed that elders knew about Clemishire’s age much earlier than 2024.
In October 2025, Robert Morris pleaded guilty in an Oklahoma court to five felony counts of child sex abuse. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, although all but six months of the prison term were suspended. He is required to register as a lifetime sex offender and pay Clemishire $270,000 in restitution.
Morris and Gateway Church are engaged in a legal dispute over retirement benefits Morris believes he is entitled to. At the same time, Clemishire is seeking over $1 million in a defamation lawsuit against Morris, Morris’ wife, and other Gateway leaders.
Morris was released from jail shortly after midnight on March 31 and will reportedly serve out the remainder of his sentence in Texas. That same day, Morris released a lengthy statement, which was shared with ChurchLeaders via Morris’ attorney, Mr. William B. Mateja.
The former pastor began by thanking those who had supported him before addressing Cindy Clemishire. “I want to speak directly to Cindy Clemishire and her family,” he said. “What I did to Cindy decades ago was wrong. There is no other word for it, and there is no excuse for it. I am deeply sorry.”
Robert Morris issued an apology after his release from jail for his abuse of Cindy Clemishire, who vowed to continue pursuing accountability.Click to Post
