According to online reports, a third man has come forward to file a sexual abuse lawsuit against Bishop Eddie Long, the pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
The plaintiff, identified as Jamal Paris, is represented by Attorney B.J. Bernstein, the same attorney representing the first two men who came forward accusing the Atlanta-area megachurch pastor of coercing them into a sexual relationship.
The latest lawsuit filed on behalf of Paris contains similar complaints against the bishop, said Bernstein. In the suit, Paris details how Long allegedly gave him his personal cell phone number two weeks after they first met. Paris also alleged that Long encouraged him to call him daddy. According to the suit, Paris’ father had not been a positive figure in his life.
In the suit, Paris said he later became Long’s personal assistant, and that Long would ask him to remain in his private office after church, where Long allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with Paris.
On Tuesday two other young men, Anthony Flagg, 21, and Maurice Robinson, 20, of DeKalb County (pictured left), filed lawsuits against Long and his ministry, alleging sexual coercion.
“Long shared a bedroom and engaged in intimate sexual contact with plaintiff Flagg including kissing, massaging, masturbating of plaintiff Flagg by defendant Long and oral sexual contact,” the suit says.
Long took Robinson to Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2008 for his 19th birthday and engaged in oral sex with him, Robinson’s suit alleges.
On June 23rd, police arrested Robinson and another man, Anthony Boyd, 19, and charged them with burglarizing New Birth Church on June 13.
“Maurice (Robinson) immediately told what he did when he was confronted about it. He returned the black diamonds, the gold, the things that he had in the bishop’s office,” Bernstein said.
A statement released by Craig Gillen, attorney for Long, said, “Bishop Eddie Long adamantly denies the allegations. It is unfortunate that the two young men have chosen to take this course of action. We are reviewing the complaints and will respond accordingly.”
