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“Eddie Long Is Defended By His Spokesperson”

The ReadyWriter

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church continues to defend its embattled Pastor, Bishop Eddie Long, who stands accused of using his excessive influence over young men in his ministry by coercing them into providing him with sexual favors in return for cash and lavish gifts.

The plaintiffs, Anthony Flagg, 21, and Maurice Robinson, 20, of DeKalb County, filed lawsuits against Long and his ministry on Tuesday.

Art Franklin, the head of public relations for New Birth Missionary Baptist Church called into the V-103 Frank and Wanda Morning show this morning to categorically deny the allegations against Long.

Franklin said the church found out about the allegations through the media. “We have not actually been served any copies of the lawsuits,” he told Frank Ski, who is a staunch supporter of Long and a longtime member of New Birth Missionary Baptist church.

Rumor has it that Franklin himself was caught up in a similar sex scandal when his wife divorced him, citing extramarital affairs — with other men.

Meanwhile, industry insiders are whispering that the allegations contained in the lawsuits are just the tip of the iceberg. “This is about to be Tiger Woods part 2,” said one source who is close to the New Birth camp.

The source said Long was often seen in the company of young boys who he wined and dined in fancy restaurants.

“These boys are older now and they are no longer getting money from the church,” said the source, indicating that more lawsuits will soon follow.

In the meantime, New Birth Ministries took down its website last night, most likely to scrub the website of pictures or other damaging info that might hurt their case.

Source

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“The Bishop’s Alias Was Dick Tracy”

The ReadyWriter

That’s the name Bishop Eddie Long used when he was traveling and checking into lavish hotels with his young male church members. The men flew on Long’s personal jet and shared a bed with him at hotels.

However, the bulk of the relations occurred on the megachurch’s property, including inside Long’s “guest house” on Snapfinger Road in south DeKalb, GA.

The plaintiffs, Anthony Flagg, 21, and Maurice Robinson, 20, began having inappropriate relations with Eddie Long at the age of 16, which is the legal age of consent in Georgia, said their attorney B.J. Bernstein.

The suits allege that Long chose the plaintiffs to be his “Spiritual Sons,” a program that allegedly includes other young men from the church.

“Spiritual Sons are taken on public and private jets to U.S. and international destinations, housed in luxury hotels and given access to numerous celebrities including entertainment stars and politicians,” the suit alleges.

Flagg moved into a home owned by another New Birth pastor when he was a high school junior, according to the suit, where Long would sometimes share a bed with him. Flagg was eventually put on the church’s payroll, his suit alleges, with Long personally delivering his pay checks.

Flagg’s suit says that Long presided over a spiritual “covenant” ceremony between the two of them.

“It was essentially a marriage ceremony, with candles, exchange of jewelry, and biblical quotes,” Bernstein said Tuesday. “The bishop [told] him I will always have your back and you will always have mine.”

This is really sick!!

The suits allege that various staff members working for Long, his church and the Longfellows Academy — which the suit describes as an offshoot ministry of New Birth — “knew of Defendant Long’s sexually inappropriate conduct and did nothing to warn or protect [the plaintiffs].”

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“Bishop Eddie Long Is Being Sued”

The ReadyWriter

By two men for sexual coercion. This is a mess!!

According to CNN.com, two Georgia men have filed a sexual coercion lawsuits against Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor of the mega New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA.

The suits, filed Tuesday in DeKalb County, Georgia, allege that Long used his position as a spiritual authority and bishop to coerce young male members and employees of his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church into sex.

“Defendant Long has a pattern and practice of singling out a select group of young male church members and using his authority as Bishop over them to ultimately bring them to a point of engaging in a sexual relationship,” the suits allege.

Long took the other plaintiff, Maurice Murray Robinson, 20, to Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2008 for his 19th birthday and engaged in oral sex with him, Robinson’s suit alleges.

“Following the New Zealand Trip, Defendant Long regularly engaged in sexual touching, and other sexual acts with Plaintiff Robinson,” Robinson’s suit alleges.

The pastor took one plaintiff, Anthony Flagg, 21, on overnight trips to a half-dozen American cities in recent years, Flagg’s suit alleges.

“Long shared a bedroom and engaged in intimate sexual contact with plaintiff Flagg including kissing, massaging, masturbating of plaintiff Flagg by defendant Long and oral sexual contact,” the suit says.

 Art Franklin, a spokesman for the church, said Tuesday that “we categorically deny the allegations.”

“It is very unfortunate that someone has taken this course of action. Our law firm will be able to respond once attorneys have had an opportunity to review the lawsuit.”

According to CNN, both plaintiffs said the pastor, his church and church employees gave them cash and lavish gifts that ranged from cars to college tuition.

The suits also said that Long framed the sexual relationships as religious in nature.

“Defendant Long would use Holy Scripture to discuss and justify the intimate relationship between himself and Plaintiff Robinson,” Robinson’s suit alleges.

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“Aretha Franklin’s Son Severely Beaten”

The ReadyWriter

Aretha Franklin’s son was severely beaten at a gas station in Detroit, the singing legend’s spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Eddie Franklin was attacked Monday night and was undergoing surgery at a hospital, Gwendolyn Quinn said in a statement. She said three people may have been involved in the attack, but did not address a possible motive.

Quinn told The Associated Press she didn’t have any additional information beyond the written statement.

Detroit police spokeswoman Eren Stephens said a female acquaintance was with Franklin just before the beating took place. The woman walked into the gas station, and when she returned, the assault had taken place, Stephens said.

Police said the woman then drove Franklin to the hospital, dropped him off and headed to a police station to file a report.

Stephens said investigators want to talk to Franklin about the circumstances of the attack once he’s able to speak to them.

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“Newark School Yard Shooter Pleads Guilty”

The ReadyWriter

Melvin Jovel admitted that he was the shooter of all four victims in a Newark school yard on August 4, 2007.

Just a few days before his trial was set to begin, Jovel pleaded guilty to nearly all the charges against him. And I’m so glad, because this saves us all the pain and agony of reliving that horrible incident over and over and again. I pray the rest of his buddies in murder, will follow suit and do the exact same thing.

Jovel participated in the attack that killed 20-year-old Iofemi Hightower, 18-year-old Terrance Aeriel and 20-year-old Dashon Harvey. Aeriel’s sister, now 22-year-old Natasha, was shot in the face and is the lone survivor.

There are four remaining defendants who will stand trial. The first suspect to stand trial was Rodolfo Godinez, who was found guilty and is serving 245 years in prison.

When sentenced, Mr. Jovell will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Below, Jovel makes an “obsene gesture” as he is being led into the courtroom today.