Vo
ce to Stop Baptist Predators
Shining light on Baptist clergy sex abuse
A Baptist Minister's Evasive Answers
INTERROGATORY NO. 3: Did you have any form of sexual contact with Christa Brown?
ANSWER: Defendant objects to this Interrogatory for the reason it is a request for admission rather than an interrogatory. Defendant also objects to the definition of sexual contact.
It's a very simple question. Wouldn't you expect that he could just answer "yes" or "no"? Does anyone really want ministers who engage in this sort of evasion?
Next, when instructed to "admit or deny" the following, Gilmore made these responses:
REQUEST FOR ADMISSION NO. 3: Defendant Tommy Gilmore had sexual contact with Christa Brown at some time during the period of time that he was employed at First Baptist Church of Farmers Branch.
RESPONSE: Defendant objects to definition of sexual contact.
REQUEST FOR ADMISSION NO 4: Defendant Tommy Gilmore agrees that for an adult minister of a church to have sexual contact with a minor adolescent member of the church is harmful to the minor adolescent.
RESPONSE: Defendant objects to definition of sexual contact.
What possible definition of "sexual contact" would ever make it O.K. for an adult minister to have sexual contact with a minor adolescent church girl?
Does anyone want a minister who does not immediately agree that it is harmful for an adult minister to have sexual contact with a minor adolescent member of the church?
These sorts of evasive tactics serve to greatly increase the cost of trying to get at the truth. They also allow the accused minister to avoid the moment when he must choose between committing perjury and admitting what he did.
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