A confidential settlement has reportedly been reached with prejudice in a sexual abuse lawsuit against retired Texas Judge Paul Pressler, a key figure in the Southern Baptist Convention’s conservative resurgence. In addition to Pressler, the Southern Baptist Convention, First Baptist Church of Houston and the SBC Executive Committee were named as defendants in the decision.
The suit, filed by Pressler’s former assistant Gareld Duane Rollins Jr., accused Pressler of molesting him during his teenage years, with allegations of knowledge and cover-up by Southern Baptist Convention leaders. Despite longstanding denials of wrongdoing by Pressler and SBC leaders, a special counsel announced the settlement, citing the “horrendous nature of the abuse allegations,” potential confrontation with abuse survivors during trial, the Executive Committee’s financial condition, and contributions from insurance carriers.
“The Southern Baptist Convention and the SBC Executive Committee, Defendants in Rollins v Pressler, entered into a confidential settlement agreement with the Plaintiff. The Southern Baptist Convention and its Executive Committee were each fully prepared to proceed to trial,” the special counsel said in its statement.
“However, several factors ultimately made settlement the more prudent choice,” the statement noted. “Chief among those factors was the horrendous nature of the abuse allegations, the likelihood that counsel for the SBC and Executive Committee would have to confront and cross-examine abuse survivors, the Executive Committee’s current financial condition, and the willingness of multiple insurance carriers to contribute to the terms of the settlement.”
No details of the settlement, which was first reported by the Texas Tribune, were made public.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This is an edited version of a story reported by Bob Smietana and published by Religion News Service.
See full story by Religion News Service here. Baptist Press also posted a report on the settlement here.
——
UPDATE 01-11-24
An update released by Baptist Standard on Jan. 11 reported the legal firm that pursued a sexual abuse lawsuit against Paul Pressler said it discovered “smoking gun documents” that would have proved their client’s case.
Baker Botts, the firm that represented Duane Rollins, also said it lined up witnesses and alleged victims who would have testified against Pressler, the Baptist Standard reported.
