Pastor Robert Morris' accuser Cindy Clemishire opens up about her sexual assault story
NORTH TEXAS – The woman who publicly accused Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris of sexually assaulting her when she was a child has opened up to CBS News Texas about her story.
Cindy Clemishire's story led to Morris' resignation from the Southlake-based megachurch he founded.
Clemishire said the pastor sexually assaulted her starting in 1982 when she was 12 years old. At the time, Morris was a traveling Evangelist in his early 20s and had become close with her family. She said the abuse continued until 1987.
CBS News Texas' Andrea Lucia met with Clemishire to learn more about why she's speaking out now. The full interview airs Tuesday night at 10 p.m.
Timeline of the accusation against pastor Morris
The allegations against Morris were first published on June 14 by The Wartburg Watch, a church watchdog blog. The Christian Post then picked up the story on June 15. In a statement to The Christian Post, Morris admitted to "inappropriate sexual behavior."
"When I was in my early twenties, I was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying," Morris said. "It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years."
Robert Morris, other elders resign from Gateway Church
On June 18, less than a week after the accusations came out, the Board of Elders at Gateway Church released a statement saying they accepted Morris' resignation and planned to conduct a thorough "review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events."
Clemishire said she has mixed thoughts and feelings regarding Morris' resignation and believes she is not the only victim.
"Though I am grateful that he is no longer a pastor at Gateway, I am disappointed that the Board of Elders allowed him to resign," Clemishire wrote in a statement Tuesday. "He should have been terminated."
Four members of the Gateway Church Board of Elders, including Morris' son, are taking temporary leaves of absence as an outside legal team investigates the sexual abuse of a child accusations against the pastor. Morris' account of his past is now in question.
Church elders said Morris disclosed he had an extramarital affair, not that he had allegedly abused a 12-year-old girl.
