ST. LOUIS - Richard White and Sherman Hawthorne filed a complaint on Aug. 17 in the Circuit Court for the City of St. Louis against Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church and several individuals over alleged misappropriation of church funds.
Ernest Garrett Jr., Charles Haley, David L. White, Alphonso Ivy, Lehman A. Turner, Jr., David Long, Lamar E. Brew, George Robinson and Peter Lewis, acting as The Board of Deacons, have also been named as defendants.
According to the complaint, Defendants are required by their bylaws to report on the activities and financial condition of the church and through its Secretary-Treasurer, is further obligated to “Receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the Church from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such monies in the name of the Church in such Electronically Filed - City of St. Louis banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall be selected in accordance with the provision of” and “keep the minutes of the members and of the Board of Deacons meetings."
The bylaws also state that the Defendants must notify church members of any meetings and recommend a pastor to the church that the church members must then elect, the suit says.
The complaint alleges that the Defendants elected Defendant Garrett as pastor without following the bylaws, failed and refused to call or conduct meetings of the church membership or report on the financial well-being of the church, did not keep written financial records/receipts and business records/minutes, did not disclose the duties and responsibilities of church agents/officers, made certain financial expenditures and business decisions for personal gain or based on improper personal/emotional relationships and employed intimidation, retaliation or similar threatening behavior to silence members of the church who express concern regarding the above-mentioned behavior of Defendants.
White and Hawthorne seek for the Court make and enter judgment in their favor and against Defendants for just and proper compensation including actual damages, treble damages, punitive damages, attorney's fees and cost of suit. White and Hawthorne are represented by Brian D. Klar.
The defendants have removed the case to federal court.