Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Woman settles lawsuit against Jacksonville pastor, church


A woman who claimed Jacksonville pastor Darrell Gilyard sexually assaulted and impregnated her has settled her lawsuit against him and Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church.But her paternity case against Gilyard, which he is challenging, continues. He has never been charged with assaulting the woman. An unrelated felony case that accuses
Gilyard, 47, of three lewd and lascivious acts with a teenager is scheduled for trial next month.Court documents show the civil lawsuit was settled in mediation last week. Terms are confidential.Kesha Emerson initially accused Gilyard of using a 2004 counseling session after her husband died to convince her she needed to have sex with him to hasten her healing.
Her lawsuit accused Shiloh of negligence in hiring, supervising and retaining Gilyard as pastor.Emerson amended the complaint last month to say that when she rejected Gilyard’s advances he pushed her to the floor and sexually assaulted her. When she later discovered she was pregnant, she said Gilyard persuaded her that only by continuing to have sex with him would she receive support, the amended lawsuit says.Emerson’s attorney, Barry Bobek, said at the time he hadn’t fully interviewed his client before filing the first lawsuit. He declined comment Wednesday; lawyers for the church and Gilyard didn’t return phone calls.Emerson’s paternity suit seeks child support, medical and life insurance from Gilyard for a 3-year-old girl. Gilyard filed a response denying a sexual relationship with Emerson.Gilyard was arrested last year after the mother of a teenage parishioner told police she found obscene text messages from him on her daughter’s cell phone. His criminal trial is scheduled May 26. Gilyard, a Palatka native, rose to prominence in his 20s, pastoring one of the nation’s 10 fastest-growing churches. He left that church, Victory Baptist in Texas, amid accusations of sexual impropriety and came to Shiloh in 1993.The West Beaver Street church quietly settled a 1996 sexual misconduct claim involving Gilyard for $300,000.

http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-04-29/story/woman_settles_lawsuit_against_jacksonville_pastor_church

23 comments:

Tiffany Thigpen Croft said...

Just to let you all know, there is a common theme of women from even long ago in Texas - stating that when they told Gilyard "no" he pushed them on the floor and raped them.
Women that don't know each other and stories that were never made public - this is a common story, which shows what he is capable of.

New BBC Open Forum said...

I hope part of the "settlement" is that Gilyard has to be listed on the national sex offender registry now... but somehow I doubt it since he was never charged with the assault.

Seems to me they should have tried the paternity case before settling. Then if Gilyard was determined to be the father, a rape charge might have a better chance of sticking.

Anonymous said...

Seems that the biggest problem here is that when you wave money in front of these women they are willing to drop their suits. Money is good but it kind of defeats the purpose of brining the slime ball into court. Too bad one of the husbands of one of these women doesn't just rise up and shoot the jerk.

Anonymous said...

The Paternity will be disclosed SLAP middle of the criminal trial! It's being delayed on purpose! Maury Povich or I even can get an expedited paternity test in less than ten days. DNA paternity is obviously the State Attorney's ace in the hole to nail Gilyard's coffin shut at trial while he's feigning innocence. There's 2 new homes for sale in Queens Harbour soon: Jimmy Smith and Darrell Gilyard. May God Bless their victims, wives and family. It's a shame.

Anonymous said...

I can't decide who gets the award for the "stupidest human on earth". The nominations are:

Those who go to Gilyard for counseling.

The church that calls him as pastor.

Anyone who believes his pathetic lies.

Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley, Jerry Vines, and Paige Patterson for anointing him before they checked to see if his zipper was shut.

Tiffany Thigpen Croft said...

anon @ 11:27
I hope that you are meaning "those that go to him for counseling" now that they know...because many did not know of his past and all he was capable of before now. And crazy enough, some still do not know of this news - which is why the need for public attention and awareness.

People need to know. Even if he were to get out of this with a light sentence, hecould slink off to a small town and find an innocent little church to hire him (no background check)and just continue to prey...we cannot let that happen.

Anonymous said...

Amen! Darryl Gilyard needs to do his time. I hear local pastors saying they pray he does not do time. That sickens me because God knew where Gilyard would be at this very moment and He will use him in time. Gilyard will have to repent at some point. The prayer is to have mercy, not to set him free. Let God's will be done with him which includes what he has coming through the legal system. Whatever that may be.

Anonymous said...

The absolute hypocrisy of pastors praying that he doesn't do time. I guess it takes all kinds of gall to operate in today's world. I wonder how many of those pastors would let their daughters or wife to go him for counseling.

Gilyard should be put in a maximum security prison and left to fend for himself. Then he will have a new definition of sex abuse...

Anonymous said...

Is Gilyard married?

Anonymous said...

yes he is married

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tiffany Thigpen Croft said...

Sorry for the comments being down for a while on Friday. Technical difficulties on Google end.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know where Gilyard is preaching today?

Anonymous said...

No but try asking around in Palatka.

Anonymous said...

Try here:
Calvary Missionary Baptist Church
322 N. 10th Street
386-328-4420

Anonymous said...

Just a little food for thought for all the anti-Mac Brunson and pro-Tom Rich forces out there.

I sent Mac Brunson a personal email last week and had a personal response from him on Sunday night. He was very gracious but very forthright in his answer about this whole situation.

Seems like Tom Rich could have at least gotten the same since I am not even a member of that church.

BUT--the big difference is that I signed my name on my email.

Doesn't that make you wonder if Tom isn't blowing an empty horn?

Anonymous said...

Since Tom Rich is now seeking to make money off his lawsuit I feel that we should all be entitled to some of the wealth.

If you would like a copy of mine and Mac Brunson's emails you can send me a check for $50 and I will be glad to send it to you.

All proceeds will be given to Tiffany to help her put Gilyard in jail.

Anonymous said...

So, now you're selling your email conversation for $50??? How will Tiffany use those proceeds towards putting Gilyard away This case has nothing to do with her? The prosecutors are paid by the state. Am I missing something here?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I am indeed selling my emails since people like Tom Rich seek to profit off of his anonymous blog. I guess I shouldn't give the proceeds to Tiffany since Gilyard's case doesn't involve her. I will give it to the poor.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 10:30,

You're like... anonymous... so where do people send the money? And how would they know the email really came from Mac? I really don't think you're going to get any takers. I don't believe you either.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:30.... can you say ...troll?

Anonymous said...

I'm not quite buying Ms.Emerson's story about the events that happened. If she was truly ASSAULTED , you mean to tell me she did not report a CRIME so she could get child support? BULL!

Ms. Emerson is on security camera visiting Gilyard at church for at least a year, and she wants people to believe she was assaulted. Also there may have been a 2nd pregnancy. Ms. Emerson needs to take her settlement and disappear. She is not totally truthfull.

Anonymous said...

"I sent Mac Brunson a personal email last week and had a personal response from him on Sunday night. He was very gracious but very forthright in his answer about this whole situation. "

You tried this tactic on WD's blog and it backfired.

Post the e-mail and link us to it. In it's entirety..time stamps, etc.

Then try and convince us it was not an automated response or his assistant. Or the fact this has been discussed on the blog and Mac does not read the blog. right.

But then, he might respond to e-mails that are favorable to him.

You are pedantic. Any monetary winnings will go to the lawyers in this case. Tom will end up losing money on the whole issue. But then, it never was about money wht him. But it IS about money for Mac and all his freebies. Just pay up, never question and he might just keep answering your e-mails.