Ministry Leader Accused of Raping Woman

CrimsonTide4 · #1 03-08-2006, 07:23 PM

Ministry Leader Accused of Raping Woman
Fort Washington Church Suspends Member Over Charges in Fairfax City

By Tom Jackman and Hamil R. Harris
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, March 8, 2006; Page B03

A ministry leader at one of Prince George's County's largest churches has been charged in Fairfax City with raping and beating a woman in a hotel parking lot in January, and this week he was suspended from his church duties.

The Rev. Eugene A. Marriott Jr., 41, of Clinton was the "minister of men" at the 10,000-member Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, one of the largest AME churches in the country. Marriott was arrested Jan. 14 and spent four days in the Fairfax County jail before a $20,000 bond was set. The church placed him on administrative leave with pay.

But after learning details of the attack on the woman from a reporter, the church on Monday suspended all of Marriott's rights and privileges within the church. It would not discuss whether he was still being paid.

Marriott said he could not comment, on the advice of his attorney, Bobby Stafford of Alexandria. Stafford said, "I never discuss a pending legal case."

According to Fairfax County court records, Marriott and the woman, 34, left the Taj Bar and Grill at the Best Western Hotel on Chain Bridge Road shortly before midnight Jan. 14 and walked to Marriott's Saab sedan. The woman told police that once inside the car, Marriott became angry, began to hit her, forced her to perform oral sex, dragged her out of the car and raped her on the car.

Marriott then threw the woman to the ground, beat her and raped her again, according to search warrant affidavits by Fairfax City Detective Edward Vaughn.

The woman said Marriott then tried to force oral sex again when police officers arrived and arrested Marriott, about 12:20 a.m. The woman suffered numerous cuts, scrapes, bruises and "marks that appear to have been caused by a belt," Vaughn observed, and "was stunned by the attack and emotionally distraught."

Read the rest HERE.

#2 03-08-2006, 07:48 PM

darling1 · #3 03-08-2006, 09:10 PM

i saw the reports earlier today on my local news. they claim that this is not the first time for this guy. i feel horrible for the church collectively and specifically those he was ministering to.

Quote:

Originally posted by MsSweetness

preciousjeni · #4 03-09-2006, 12:03 AM

Ministry attracts assault from the Enemy. We've GOT to stay prayed up and pray like crazy for our leaders.

ZetaStorm · #5 03-09-2006, 01:30 AM

This man has a serious problem that really needs to be addressed. In order to get help you have to want to be helped. I could be wrong but it sounds like to me he is a predator. There are many predators lurking in churches. These people prey on what they consider to be weak people. They prey on the broken spirited or people who are really seeking help. And that is just wrong and evil.

This may sound harsh but his church is talking about praying for him and they should but the mean time and in between time he should be held fully accountable for his actions. If that includes jail time then he should have to serve every single day.

Quote:

Vaughn wrote that he interviewed Marriott, who told him that the assault was "a form of role-playing" and that, as part of his alternative lifestyle, he had posted photos of himself and others engaged in various sex acts on the Internet. Police then seized Marriott's laptop computer.

How can he lead anyone when he is clearly in need of direction himself? This story really bothers me because it's happening way too often.

Also there's another VA minister who has been arrested for soliciting sexual favors from his female members in return for 'counseling.' If I can find a link to that story I'll post it.

Lady of Pearl · #6 03-09-2006, 07:55 PM

Unfortunately a sign of our times, this man needs psychological and spiritual help!

BlueReign · #7 03-10-2006, 01:41 AM

This is a very well-known and prominent church in my area. I think that this man had this problem WELL BEFORE he became a minister and should have dealt with it... My opinion is the problem is that large churches are run like businesses. He had a salary and what not.

It is harder to admit that you have a problem, need the help and prayers, etc. when people are looking up to you and putting money in your hand.

ZetaStorm · #8 03-10-2006, 03:36 AM

OK I found the link for the case for the other minister....

Local TV minister accused of sex abuse

nikki1920 · #9 03-10-2006, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BlueReign
This is a very well-known and prominent church in my area. I think that this man had this problem WELL BEFORE he became a minister and should have dealt with it... My opinion is the problem is that large churches are run like businesses. He had a salary and what not.

It is harder to admit that you have a problem, need the help and prayers, etc. when people are looking up to you and putting money in your hand.

My thoughts exactly. Hence, my issues with "mega"churches.

CrimsonTide4 · #10 03-10-2006, 10:37 AM

This same thing could have happened in a small church. It does happen at small churches.

Every person who is in a ministerial position is not doing right by God. Unfortunate that this happened to this woman.

What will be the challenge is to see this man separate from the church. A lot of folks will leave that church because of this man's actions.

preciousjeni · #11 03-10-2006, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BlueReign
This is a very well-known and prominent church in my area. I think that this man had this problem WELL BEFORE he became a minister and should have dealt with it... My opinion is the problem is that large churches are run like businesses. He had a salary and what not.

Wait now...most pastors do have salaries. Are you saying that this pastor had an especially high salary?

CrimsonTide4 · #12 03-10-2006, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by preciousjeni
Wait now...most pastors do have salaries. Are you saying that this pastor had an especially high salary?

The accused Eugene Marriott is not THE PASTOR but a ministerial leader, co-minister, etc.

preciousjeni · #13 03-10-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
The accused Eugene Marriott is not THE PASTOR but a ministerial leader, co-minister, etc.

Still ministers, not-the-head pastors, etc. are salaried in many small and large churches. I'm confused as to the relevance?

ETA: I tend to use pastor/minister interchangeably. If I'm referring to the primary pastor, I'll say Head or Senior Pastor. There are also Youth Pastors, Worship Pastors, etc.

CrimsonTide4 · #14 03-10-2006, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by preciousjeni
Still ministers, not-the-head pastors, etc. are salaried in many small and large churches. I'm confused as to the relevance?

I don't know the relevance. I was just clarifying that Rev. Marriott is not the pastor. And yes, I know that ministers in some churches are paid, but a lot of those that I know of have a full time job elsewhere.

BlueReign · #15 03-10-2006, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by preciousjeni
Wait now...most pastors do have salaries. Are you saying that this pastor had an especially high salary?

I KNOW that most pastors have salaries. What I am saying is that he was not a full time minister. I don't think that these people should be paid for what they do. They should minister to people because of their calling and a burning heart's desire to do it.

I belong to another well-known mega church in the area and I LOVE the fact that my pastor is very well paid and I love to hear him talk about his home/car/hobbies, etc. because that man preaches about 5 sermons a Sunday and no matter what service I attend his annointing and delivery is always the same. Being a pastor is his full-time job.

What I have a problem with is these heads of small ministries receiving payment when they have well-paying full time jobs anyway. If he had not been a minister, he would have just been another man who raped a woman. But because he is a church leader (and a church of this magnitude) this makes it a big news story.