The Gateway Church founder is charged with five counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child in Oklahoma.
OSAGE COUNTY, Okla. — Gateway Church founder Robert Morris waived a preliminary hearing Thursday in the criminal case against him in Oklahoma, court records show.
Morris, 63, is next set to appear in court for a District Court Arraignment Oct. 2, according to court records. At a District Court Arraignment, Morris will have the opportunity to plead, ask for additional time, ask for a motion hearing, or set the case for trial.
Morris made an initial appearance in court in Osage County in May following his indictment in March on five counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child. He has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges, court records show.
He resigned from his role as lead pastor of the Southlake megachurch last summer after allegations that he sexually abused Cindy Clemishire at her Oklahoma home in Hominy in the ‘80s, starting when she was 12, came to light. He turned himself in to authorities in Oklahoma on March 17. He posted bond shortly thereafter.
Morris’ indictment came after Clemishire accused Morris of sexually abusing her starting on Christmas Day in 1982, when she was 12, and continually over the next four years.
Morris admitted to being “involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady,” after Clemishire’s allegations were made public, but did not refer to her age.
Morris founded Gateway Church with his wife Debbie in 2000, and the church has multiple campuses in North Texas.
Following Morris’ resignation last summer, several other staff members, including Robert’s son, James, left the church. James Morris has since founded a new church. Gateway Church has also announced it’s laying off staff amid a drop in giving after the scandal.
After an internal investigation by the church led to the firing of multiple Gateway elders, Gateway added four new elders. The church has since hired a new senior pastor.
Morris has also sued Gateway Church, arguing the church owes him more than $1 million in deferred compensation and additional retirement benefits estimated at $600,000 to $800,000 and that several church elders knew about Morris’ alleged sexual encounters with an underage girl.
Clemishire has also filed a defamation lawsuit against Morris, his wife, and church leadership, alleging they knowingly spread false statements to cover up the alleged abuse and protect the church’s public image.