Newsome Law and Spangenberg Shibley and Liber LLC have filed a civil lawsuit against the United Methodist Church in Ohio. The firms are working on behalf of two plaintiffs who allege they were sexually abused as minors by a church employee who never should have been hired in the first place.
Pursuing Justice for Survivors of Inexcusable and Preventable Crimes
As alleged in the Complaint, the plaintiffs were sexually abused as minors by John Slate, who served as Director of Music at St. Andrew United Methodist Church and Parkview United Methodist Church, both in Ohio. Slate was hired by the church despite his known cult ties, and he remained the church’s employee even after reports of his abusive behavior started to surface.
As stated in the Complaint, The United Methodist Church of Ohio is alleged to have put the plaintiffs and countless other children in harm’s way by refusing to address the reports about Slate’s behavior. We are filing suit because, like our clients, we believe that the best way to protect the community is by increasing awareness and working to hold the liable parties accountable.
Encouraging Others to Speak Out
As part of our ongoing efforts to secure justice for our clients and all sexual abuse survivors, we urge anyone with information about the incidents currently under investigation or about similar incidents within the church to reach out to us right away.
We recognize how difficult it is for many survivors to speak out. Newsome Law is prepared to answer all questions, including those concerning confidentiality, for anyone who comes forward.
Committed to Protecting Our Clients’ Rights
For Newsome Law, success does not just mean getting the largest settlement for our clients. It means holding negligent entities responsible for putting others in danger, no matter how large or powerful that entity is.
If you have any information about the alleged abuse at the United Methodist Church in Ohio or would like to discuss taking legal action, call us today. We want to hear your story.