Dallas County Judge Will Consider Dismissals
Robert Morris, former senior pastor of Gateway Church, said former Gateway elders knew the details of Cindy Clemishire’s allegations, including her age at the time. In November 2024, when elder board chair Tra Willbanks told congregants that four elders were being removed, he said those leaders either knew that Clemishire was just 12 when the abuse began or knew enough details to warrant further inquiry.
But Thomas Miller, Jeremy Carrasco, and Gayland Lawshe—the three former elders who have requested to be removed from the defamation suit—claim they didn’t defame Clemishire or engage in a coverup.
Dallas County Judge Emily Tobolowsky has scheduled upcoming hearings so attorneys can argue about potential dismissals and so Clemishire’s legal team can move forward with discovery.
RELATED: Gateway Church Congregants Take Up Morris’ Offer To Get ‘Money Back’ on Tithes
In other litigation, Morris sued Gateway over retirement and severance compensation that he says the church owes him. Former church members also sued the church and former pastor for allegedly mishandling their tithes and offerings.
