Although he has pleaded “not guilty” to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child stemming from the alleged abuse of the now 55-year-old Cindy Clemishire in the 1980s, Gateway Church’s embattled founder Robert Morris admits in new court filings that he knew she was underage when the abuse began.
In court documents filed by Morris’ attorneys in Tarrant County District Court Friday, he alleges that Gateway’s elders were made aware more than a decade ago of his “highly inappropriate relationship” with Clemishire, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The filing includes a statement that Morris, who resigned last June, was supposed to read to Gateway members from the pulpit in 2011 after he received an email from an anonymous account. The email was also sent to all Gateway elders and media outlets, including The Dallas Morning News.
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“In my early 20’s I was traveling and speaking in churches and I was staying in a home of one of the members of the church where I was speaking. Their daughter came and got in bed with me and there was kissing and petting. I have been told that it was about 2 weeks before her 13th birthday,” Morris admits in the statement, which he ultimately did not share with the congregation.
“Although I knew she was underage, I was shocked to hear this because she appeared much older. My behavior was completely inexcusable and I am 100% at fault.”
Counsel for Gateway Church at the time allegedly advised against making the statement public due to “invasion of privacy laws” that would “publicly embarrass” Clemishire.
“People might second guess Gateway leadership’s conscious decision to not publicly disclose Morris’ relationship with the victim, but it was a deliberative process that included verifying Morris’ story, consulting with lawyers who advised against disclosure in order to protect the victim’s rights, and fully taking into account the victim’s family’s request that it not be disclosed,” Morris’ attorney, Bill Mateja, told The Dallas Morning News.
“While Morris is certainly deserving of the victim’s punches, Morris is tired of being the punching bag of Gateway’s current leadership as it tries to play its game of blame-shifting,” Mateja added.
Morris was indicted in March on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child by a multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma in connection to his actions against Clemishire, who reported that Morris began sexually abusing her on Dec. 25, 1982, when she was 12, and continued with the abuse for four-and-a-half years after that.
Last November, Gateway Church removed multiple elders after a four-month investigation found that all but three church elders had some knowledge about Morris’ encounter with Clemishire and “failed to inquire further.” Some allegedly knew before allegations became public that Clemishire was a child when the abuse occurred.
“We now know that there were elders and employees at Gateway who knew before June 14, 2024, that Cindy was 12 at the time of the abuse,” Gateway Elder Tra Willbanks said during a November service. “Both groups are fundamentally wrong and simply cannot and will not be tolerated at Gateway Church.”
Morris’ lawyers allege in their lawsuit that Gateway Church orally promised Morris $800,000 per year in retirement pay until he turned 70. After that, he would be paid $600,000 annually until his death. In the event that he dies before his wife, Debbie, those payments would be made to her until she dies.
Morris’ attorneys have asked the court to dismiss David Middlebrook, one of Gateway’s attorneys, from the lawsuit because he allegedly previously advised Morris in matters relating to Clemishire.
A spokesperson for Middlebrook told the publication that the filing by Morris “is full of factual inaccuracies.”
“At no time has David’s firm or David himself represented Robert Morris personally in association with his criminal actions against Cindy Clemishire,” the spokesperson said.
Lawyers for Gateway Church said in a filing that Morris is also claiming that he is owed just over $1 million in accrued retirement benefits. Morris’ attorneys allege that Gateway Church was required to pay Morris within 60 days of his termination if the termination was without fraud or cause.
Morris has alleged that he was forced out of his position as senior pastor at Gateway Church after the child sex abuse allegations were made public. He said Gateway Church elders told him if he did not resign, he would be fired.
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