Robert Morris, Gateway Church founder, pleads not guilty to sexual assault

OSAGE COUNTY, Okla. - North Texas' Gateway Church founder Robert Morris appeared in court for the first time Friday in a case related to accusations of sexual assault from the 1980s.

Robert Morris appears in court

What Happened:

The court appearance only lasted a few minutes, marking the first time we've seen the disgraced pastor publicly since he resigned. During the hearing, Morris' attorney entered a plea of not guilty on the former pastor's behalf.

The court hearing was also the first time both the accused and the accuser were seen under the same roof since the alleged crimes.

Cindy Clemishire says Morris, 63, repeatedly sexually abused her in Oklahoma, beginning when she was 12 in 1982.

Morris declined to comment when exiting the courtroom.

What's next:

Following his not-guilty plea, Morris is due back in court in September for his preliminary hearing.

Robert Morris accused of sexual assault

The backstory:

Morris was a founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, which began operation in 2000. He served as the church's senior pastor and, at one time, served as a spiritual advisor to President Trump.

The former pastor resigned in June 2024 after Clemishire made her accusations public. Her initials, timeline of abuse and accusation details match those given in Morris' indictments, though Clemishire is not named in the court documents.

Those indictments led Morris to surrender to Osage County officials on March 17. He was charged with five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child and released on $50,000 bond. 

The documents say Morris committed those acts while traveling in Oklahoma. Due to Morris not being an Oklahoma resident during the alleged offenses, there is no statute of limitations preventing a conviction. 

In a previous statement by Gateway Church, a quote from Morris referred to an "inappropriate relationship with a young lady." He did not name Clemishire in his previous statements.

These allegations reportedly came out 35 years ago; Morris stepped away from ministry for two years to receive counseling, the church said.

Cindy Clemishire testifies to Texas Senate

Dig deeper:

Less than 24 hours before Friday's hearing, Clemishire testified before state senators in Austin to share her story.

"My abuse started on Christmas night – December 25, 1982 – when I was just 12 years old. That was the night he made a pre-meditated decision to violate and defile my innocence and purity," she said. "This man, trusted by so many, as a preacher of God’s word, took advantage of a vulnerable child."

Clemishire says she spent years fearing Morris, who allegedly swore her to secrecy following his first reported assault.

"When Robert finished his first assault on me, the very first thing he said to me was, and I quote: ‘you can never tell anyone, because it’ll ruin everything.’"

Clemishire shared her story in support of newly-proposed legislation aimed at giving a voice to abuse survivors. Two bills were up for discussion at a Texas Senate hearing on Thursday, which would, in part, ban the use of non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, in certain cases involving victims of abuse.

"As I began the lifelong journey of dealing with the aftermath of childhood sexual abuse, my life seemed to attract more shame, while Robert’s attracted more fame," said Clemishire.

Clemishire, an advocate for the proposed legislation, says the bills are all about bringing cases like Morris' to light. According to Clemishire, Morris' legal team asked her to sign an NDA in 2007 - two decades after the abuse ended, and as Morris became more well-known. 

Clemishire says NDAs, presented as legal formalities, can also be used as tools to continue and cover up abuse. She urged lawmakers to support the proposals, saying justice may never have caught up if she had signed one.

What's next:

The NDA bills remain pending in the Senate, and no votes were taken Thursday. As the 89th Legislative Session ends June 2, it's unclear what will happen next with the proposals. 

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