The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, which meant it could be brought back up within a two-year period. Professor Lay’s attorney petitioned for dismissal with prejudice. How did it ever get to this? What was happening to the church I had loved and served for over a decade?
From the book:
“The fray continued through April and May. Prof. Lay’s attorney issued a five-page press release on May 20, describing the petitions and misinformation, along with establishing that Lay reserved the right to consider his own legal options for the future. The statement included a demand for a clear and final dismissal of the lawsuit, with prejudice. It ended with a damning statement against Steve Wingfield and FCCF:
Doug Lay and his attorney, Al W. Johnson, believe that there are many sincere and decent people at the First Christian Church of Florissant. Unfortunately, Pastor Steve Wingfield and the current leadership of the Church have failed in their leadership duties to their members as well as to the victims of Mr. Milburn’s horrific crimes.” (Taylor, Joy S., A View from the Pews — The Inside Story of a Broken Church, 2022, Lily of the Valley Publishing, Santa Claus IN, p. 107.)
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A View from the Pews is available from Amazon in print and ebook formats, as well as through the Kindle Unlimited program.