ATLANTA – Two men have filed a lawsuit against Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta for alleged “sexual coercion.
Bishop Eddie Long Scandal – Two men have alleged that they were sexually coerced by one of the most prominent Baptist pastors in the Atlanta area, Eddie Long. The suits were filed on Tuesday in DeKalb County, Georgia, and state that they were coerced by Long into performing a number of sexual acts. The suit said that Long made a habit out of selecting small groups of young male church members and using his authority over them to intimidate them into engaging in a sexual relationship.
Lawyers for the two men painted a picture of widespread corruption and sexual misconduct. They said Bishop Long had provided the men with free hotel stays in more than a dozen cities around the country (checking them into rooms under the alias “Dick Tracy”) and had given them gifts, including a Mustang. They said he had introduced them to celebrities like the producer Tyler Perry and the actor Chris Tucker.
A lawyer for the men, Brenda Joy Bernstein, said officials at the church had known that the sexual acts were occurring but covered up for Bishop Long. “They would do everything to protect the most powerful church in the Southeast,” she said.
