ATLANTA -- Add an adult granddaughter to the list of women who say the leader of a suburban Atlanta megachurch sexually abused them or coerced them to have sex.
Penielle "Penie" White confirmed to The Associated Press today that Archbishop Earl Paulk, co-founder of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church, touched her inappropriately when she was about eight years old. She said she made the allegations in a sworn deposition a few months ago as part of a lawsuit against the 80-year-old Paulk, who is accused by a former church member of coercing her into a sexual relationship.
Paulk has been hit by multiple lawsuits, but does not face criminal charges.
White said she was present when her grandfather fondled Jessica Battle, another young member of the church, who sued Paulk in 2001 for molestation and rape. That case was settled out of court two years later.
Matt Wilkins, one of Paulk's attorneys, denied White's allegations.
Wilkins said the interviews given by White and her mother -- Paulk's daughter Beth Bonner -- surprised the preacher. Wilkins said Paulk spent Thanksgiving at Beth Bonner's house, and Penie was there. He said, "They had a loving family Thanksgiving."
Bonner, however, said the family had a meal together on the Saturday following Thanksgiving so that they could be with Paulk's wife, Norma, who refuses to go anywhere without her husband.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14874641/detail.html?rss=atl&psp=news&gg=true
Penielle "Penie" White confirmed to The Associated Press today that Archbishop Earl Paulk, co-founder of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church, touched her inappropriately when she was about eight years old. She said she made the allegations in a sworn deposition a few months ago as part of a lawsuit against the 80-year-old Paulk, who is accused by a former church member of coercing her into a sexual relationship.
Paulk has been hit by multiple lawsuits, but does not face criminal charges.
White said she was present when her grandfather fondled Jessica Battle, another young member of the church, who sued Paulk in 2001 for molestation and rape. That case was settled out of court two years later.
Matt Wilkins, one of Paulk's attorneys, denied White's allegations.
Wilkins said the interviews given by White and her mother -- Paulk's daughter Beth Bonner -- surprised the preacher. Wilkins said Paulk spent Thanksgiving at Beth Bonner's house, and Penie was there. He said, "They had a loving family Thanksgiving."
Bonner, however, said the family had a meal together on the Saturday following Thanksgiving so that they could be with Paulk's wife, Norma, who refuses to go anywhere without her husband.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14874641/detail.html?rss=atl&psp=news&gg=true
