ATLANTA (LALATE) – The Bishop Eddie Long Scandal (photos below) prompted no public defense but showed wife support during multiple sermons at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Sunday. Bishop Eddie Long’s New Birth handled a tightly orchestrated news coverage of her sermons Sunday. Reportedly, the media was instructed not to question church members on New Birth property, told to watch the sermon from a separate section of the church, and not allowed to ask questions following a press conference that was devoid of any substantive response to four lawsuits.
By Sunday midday, news was left with one sermon from New Birth to report on, video, and images of the delivery. This was Long’s first public address since the Bishop Eddie Long scandal erupted.
It was also the first time Long’s wife Vanessa was seen by his side. Both wore white. Vanessa’s face was pictured lacking expression as she stood behind Long. Vanessa Long did not speak. The Bishop said of his wife, and four children, “thank you on behalf on my wife, my family, for all of your support, your prayers. We are certainly humbled by such a loving congregation. I realize that many have been waiting on me to say something. I have to do. My first responsibility is to my family. My next responsibility is not to address the world before I address my family, New Birth.”
Long started roughly one week ago with allegations of two young males claiming conduct began when they were ages 17 to 18, after Long befriended them as young as 15. The legal age of consent in Georgia is 16. Alleged conduct is said to have occurred outside U.S. territory as well.
Bishop Eddie Long Pictures Released by Plaintiff’s Attorney
Bishop Eddie Long Photo 1
Bishop Eddie Long Photo 2
Long didn’t mention his accusers by name. But he spoke of his own pain. The Atlanta Journal Constitution counts Long using the word “painful” twenty times during his sermon. When the sermon was over, BJ Bernstein, counsel for the four plaintiffs, refused to comment.
Long’s sermon ended a week in which his representatives have taken to morning news shows to attack Long’s accusers while refusing to respond to tough allegations. Long deployed Art Franklin, the spokesperson for Bishop Long, to CNN News last week. When asked if Long helped the then two plaintiffs, Maurice Robinson and Anthony Flagg, Franklin did not deny that he had. “[Bishop Eddie Long is] someone who helped them like numerous individuals and families in tough situations.”
When asked if Bishop Eddie Long took the teens in trips around the globe, Franklin did not deny, saying “A number of people travel with Bishop and he knows them.” But when asked if Bishop Eddie Long shared a bed with then 17 and 18 year old boys, Franklin refused to comment.
Bishop Eddie Long Plaintiffs Set 1
Eddie Long Plaintiffs Photos 1
Eddie Long Plaintiffs Photos 2
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In fact, Franklin claims he didn’t know of the allegation from receiving the complaints of the two cases. He claims he learned of the allegation from the news. “That is one of the allegations that we learned through the media that’s being made by the attorneys and something that the defense team will have to respond to.” By Friday, Long had learned of the allegation two more times, as Robinson and Flagg were joined by new plainitffs Jamal Parris and Spencer LeGrande.
Bishop Eddie Long Plaintiffs Set 2
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“Spiritual Sons” is what Eddie Long called Robinson, Flagg, Parris, and LeGrande. The question is how many more boys were in the Spiritual Sons. Plaintiff’s attorney BJ Bernstein and her clients’ complaints are clear; they assert the “Sons” were openly held out to the roughly 30,000 member congregation. But Bernstein and the complaints assert few new of the alleged conduct behind closed doors.
Yet one factor news has yet to get draw out is how many Spiritual Sons BJ Bernstein asserts existed. Long made no mention of the Sons during his sermon. Bernstein has asserted that she had received calls from numerous alleged victims and that the case could grow. By week end, the case was at four plaintiffs. Monday, local news awaits if Bernstein will have yet a fifth plaintiff revealed.
Long during his sermon said he would not defend the case inn public. Long has yet to substantively respond to the allegations. His attorney Craig Gillen has issued news statements calling the matter “unfortunate”. Long told his congregation Sunday about the scandal that, simply, life sometimes is unfair.
“As long as man has to deal in life, you will find that life will be unfair, the rain’s on the just and the unjust. And we are all subject to face distasteful and painful situations.” Bishop Eddie Long said he is suffering pain dealing with his current scandal no different than victims of Katrina. But how will Bishop Eddie Long handle his “painful situation”? Long says he will “maintain [his] righteous focus”.
