After allegations of child sex abuse broke over the weekend against Gateway Church Pastor Robert Morris, experts say it’s unlikely charges could be brought...
Possible criminal charges and civil litigation may face tall odds under current state laws, experts say. One state lawmaker wants to change that.surfaced from the 1980s, may be limited by how much time has passed and the laws on the books at the time, experts say., who is now in her 50s, when she was between the ages of 12 and 16. An internal Gateway memo issued to church staff states he left the ministry in 1987 for a two-year “restoration” and returned in 1989.
In 1982, when the alleged abuse began, the law gave three years after the incident for cases to be brought for sexual abuse of a child. This limit was raised to five years in 1983 and 10 years in 1991. In 2000, it was raised to 10 years from the date the child victim turned 18. In 2007, lawmakers passed House Bill 8, which enacted the current “no limitations” language for such criminal charges.
“ was convicted of twelve counts of sexual offenses against his daughter that occurred in 1982 and 1983. But prosecution under the 2007 indictment charging appellant was absolutely barred by the statute of limitations in 1993,” Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Cathy Cochran wrote in an opinion. “These charges could not be resurrected by a 1997 statute extending the statute of limitations for sexual offenses.
In addition to a general requirement for anyone to report child sex abuse, the state’s current mandatory reporting law requires professionals who work with children to report abuse within 48 hours of learning of it. This requirement applies to professions that usually have confidential relationships, including lawyers, doctors and clergy.
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