Along with her father, Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit in Dallas County Court against Gateway Church founder Robert Morris, Morris’ wife Deborah Morris, and numerous current and former Gateway leaders.
Clemishire, who alleges that Robert Morris sexually abused her as a child in the 1980s, claims that Morris, church elders, and others spread “knowingly false” statements to mislead the public and to benefit financially.
In the lawsuit, Clemishire and her father, Jerry Lee Clemishire, state that the defendants “acted with actual malice” and “reckless disregard for the truth” by coordinating a campaign to minimize what she experienced. Claims include libel, slander, civil conspiracy, and unjust enrichment. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and damages of more than $1 million.
Morris, 63, was indicted in Oklahoma in March on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. He was released from jail after posting $50,000 bond.
The counts stem from allegations that Morris, a traveling evangelist, sexually abused Cindy Clemishire from 1982 to 1987, beginning when she was 12 and he was 22. The statute of limitations doesn’t apply to Morris, according to legal experts, because he didn’t reside in Oklahoma at the time.
Cindy Clemishire Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Robert Morris, Gateway Leaders
The civil lawsuit alleges that Morris, his wife (Gateway’s former women’s ministry leader), eight Gateway elders, and Lawrence Swicegood (Gateway’s former media director) mischaracterized Cindy Clemishire as a “young lady” at the time of the alleged abuse and mischaracterized Morris’ behavior as a consensual “relationship.”
In addition, plaintiffs say Gateway leaders gave false statements to church members and the media about when they learned Clemishire was just 12 at the time. According to the lawsuit, emails and documents show that church officials knew Clemishire’s age as far back as 2005.
RELATED: Gateway Church Learned of Robert Morris’ Crime in 2005, Says Abuse Survivor Cindy Clemishire
Not only did the defendants know about Morris’ “moral failures and rape” of Cindy Clemishire, the suit alleges, but they also profited financially, to the tune of millions of dollars, by concealing the abuse. In the process, the lawsuit claims, defendants harmed “the Plaintiffs’ reputation and [exposed] them to public hatred, contempt or ridicule, and financial injury, as well as impeaching their honesty, integrity, virtue and reputation.”
An attorney for Cindy Clemishire indicated that her legal team is moving forward with this lawsuit “while criminal charges continue to progress,” because “Morris and those who conspired with him deserve to be held civilly accountable for their actions as well.”
Robert Morris Faces 100 Years in Prison
Morris, who has pleaded not guilty, could face up to 100 years in prison if convicted on all five felony charges. His next court appearance is scheduled for September.
