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Dr. Boyce Watkins; Bishop Eddie Long’s Case is Settled, but the Issue Is Not Settled At All…

May 26, 2011 by  
Filed under News, Opinion, Weekly Columns

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(ThyBlackMan.com) “Matters have been resolved,” according to an attorney familiar with the legal situation involving Bishop Eddie Long.  The suit involved four young men who sued Long and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, alleging that Long coerced them into having sex with him.  The alleged incidents took place while Long was the head of an academy designed to mentor young boys.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that Barbara Marschalk, a representative for New Birth, expects that  ” the lawsuits will be dismissed, with prejudice, by close of business tomorrow.”

B.J. Bernstein, who represents the four men who sued Long and New Birth  also confirmed the lawsuits had been settled.

No one is speaking about what happened behind closed doors and the terms have not been disclosed.  The attorney for the plaintiffs, BJ Bernstein, said that none of her clients…Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris, Anthony Flagg and Spencer LeGrande …would ever be available for an interview on what happened in the case.

When the suit first emerged, Bishop Long promised a prolonged and arduous battle with his accusers. ”This thing I’m gonna fight,” he told his congregation just a few months ago.   But the fight that Long promised turned into a quiet little settlement.  There has been no call for a public trial on behalf of Long, deepening the suspicion that this “man of God” who once openly attacked the gay community, may indeed be guilty of some of the heinous actions of which he has been accused.

I don’t know what happened between Bishop Eddie Long and those boys, and to be honest, I will probably never meet Eddie Long in person.  Being equally honest, I can’t say that I would ever want to meet Bishop Long, because there appears to be quite a bit of evidence and testimony to suggest that he has long been in the business of causing irreparable damage to young people who’ve been placed in his care.  If there is anything worse than a man who abuses children, it would be an abuser who pretends to be a man of God.  So, not only does my heart weep for all the boys who’ve been sexually abused by Catholic priests who were expected to love them, I also feel pain for the young men who may have been sexually manipulated by Bishop Eddie Long.

Let’s be clear: Settling a case does not imply guilt.  But Bishop Long’s promise to his congregation that the truth would eventually be exposed is contradicted heavily by the fact that he has shared almost nothing.  If the members of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church are so naive as to simply allow Bishop Long to quietly return to the pulpit, they do so at the risk of knowing that Satan’s power has truly taken reign over their place of worship.  New Birth’s congregation deserves to know the truth and Bishop Eddie Long should be willing to provide it.

Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition.  For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.


Comments

7 Responses to “Dr. Boyce Watkins; Bishop Eddie Long’s Case is Settled, but the Issue Is Not Settled At All…”
  1. SADTIMESINAMERICA says:

    Mr. Eddie Long had no business being that close with no female figure let alone any male figures as a man of God and if he was that anointed he should have seen the mess from afar. God tells his friends everything, this is why King David sought God daily. That behaviour was questionable and for that reason he had no business sitting on the pulpit after weeks of the mess. He is very lucky to be alive to take the backlash cause God could have killed im in his mess. Its time for him to seek God and yes I will continue to pray for him.. Smtimes God has to humble us and he is no different. Personally he has no shame and shame on the his ministerial team and way to Bernice King, she probably saw the mess from last year and knew it was time to go.. Who knows she probably the one that encouraged them to come out…. food for thought

  2. Chris says:

    His followers deserve what they get.

  3. Rick says:

    He is obviously guilty of molesting young boys. Why are none of his church members questioning why Eddie Long preaches against gay ADULT men who want to have committed relationships with other gay ADULT men when he is running around having same sex relationship with CHILDREN? I guess New Birth Church believes that it is OK for a homophobic male minister to molest young boys, but it is not OK for two openly gay adults to have a committed relationship.

  4. Rick says:

    He is obviously guilty of molesting young boys. Why are none of his church members questioning why Eddie Long preaches against gay ADULT men who want to have committed relationships with other gay ADULT men when he is running around having same sex relationship ships with CHILDREN? I guess New Birth Church believes that it is OK for a homophobic male minister to molest young boys, but it is not OK for two openly gay adults to have a committed relationship.

  5. Nicholas says:

    The 5th Amendment to the US Constitution give Bishop Eddie Long the right to a fair trail. If there is on trail he is inocent until proven guilty. The four young men have desided to drop their law suits, end of story. What happens next is up to the New Birth Congration and the Full Gospel Baptish Church Fellowship. If they are truly Christians they will in good faith deal with this by the word of God. Amen!

  6. brandonandrewdad says:

    innocent until proven guilty, yes, by man’s law. however, if anyone should be held to a higher standard, it should be a man or woman of God, the spiritual leader of a church. any out of court settlement, with a condition of non-disclosure, leaves too many unanswered questions. it seems pretty clear that people (the accusers) got paid as a result of this settlement.

    why would an innocent, high profile individual, presumably with the resources, and the declared intention to defend himself, his reputation, and by extension his ministry, have to settle out of court (i.e. pay off his accusers, and pay for their silence).

    now, it is up to the brother bishop to do the right thing, and offer a full disclosure of what occurred. even if it means stepping down from his post. personally, i hope the members of his church, and the community at large, insist on answers and accountability, regardless of the court settlements.

  7. Friend says:

    This case was a assignation attempt on his character I know Jamal Paris he can’t talk but I can here is the low down the broke into his office of may 2010 stole , copied the contents of his iPad , iPhone Jamal told me that they were piss with the Bishop because he let them go from his inner circle so they got together with a member of the church who was close to bishop and use their time with Bishop and toss him under the bus with gay boy lover to get revenge I haven’t talk to Jamal in 3 months because of the mediation but he text me today and said we are going to Vegas pack your bags….I told him that’s a bet….Sorry Bishop The Eddie next time pick your friends carefully …

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