Church Leader Faces Serious Charges

The founder of a prominent church in Oklahoma is in hot water. Robert Morris, 63, is facing some serious allegations. A grand jury has charged him with five counts of lewd or indecent acts involving a minor. This news comes after Cindy Clemishire, 55, publicly accused Morris of sexually abusing her starting when she was just 12 years old, and he was 21. The alleged abuse lasted for about four years. This is a big deal because Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each count if found guilty. The Oklahoma Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, shared some interesting details about the case. He mentioned that the statute of limitations, which usually limits how long prosecutors have to file charges, doesn't apply here. Why? Because Morris was never a resident of Oklahoma. This legal loophole allows prosecutors to pursue the case even though the alleged crimes happened decades ago. Drummond explained that Oklahoma's unique history as a former "no man's land" led to this legal quirk. People from neighboring states would commit crimes in Oklahoma and then return home, so the state paused time limits on prosecuting crimes committed by non-residents. Morris has not publicly responded to the allegations. Efforts to reach him have been unsuccessful. However, Drummond mentioned that prosecutors have been in touch with Morris' legal team. They are working on an agreement for Morris to turn himself in. Drummond believes it's likely that Morris will be arraigned by Monday. This means Morris could be formally charged and enter a plea soon.

The case has some complicated legal aspects. Drummond briefly represented Clemishire in 2007. At that time, he was looking into the statute of limitations for a civil case, not the criminal aspects. It wasn't until Clemishire came forward last June that criminal prosecutors in Drummond's office took a closer look. They interviewed Clemishire and decided to pursue the case. This led to the indictment against Morris. The allegations against Morris are serious. They involve inappropriate behavior that started when Clemishire was just a child. In 2007, Clemishire sought damages from Morris to cover the cost of years of therapy. Drummond mentioned that during negotiations, Morris' then-attorney J. Shelby Sharpe corroborated some of Clemishire's account. Sharpe wrote that Morris began inappropriate behavior with Clemishire in 1982. However, Sharpe also claimed that Clemishire initiated the behavior. This adds a layer of complexity to the case. The legal battle is far from over. Drummond anticipates that Morris and his legal team will challenge the statute that allows for the prosecution of non-residents. This could set a precedent for future cases involving similar legal issues.

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