Law Offices of Rheuban & Gresen: Controversial Los Angeles Clergyman Accused With Inflicting Years of Sexual Abuse and Harassment on Female Employee

Lawsuit Alleges Reverend Dr. John J. Hunter, Senior Minister of the First AME Church of Los Angeles, Forced a Female Employee Into 4 Years of Sexual Submission Then Fired Her When She Refused Further Abuse

• Press Release
• Source: Law Offices of Rheuban & Gresen
• On 7:00 pm EST, Wednesday November 4, 2009

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 4, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Encino law firm of Rheuban & Gresen filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court asking that Pastor Hunter and the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles "be held to account for years of sexual abuse and harassment suffered by Reverend Brenda Lamothe, Hunter's Executive Minister at the time of her sexual abuse," said Solomon E. Gresen, the attorney representing Reverend Brenda Lamothe.

In a 12-page complaint filed November 3, Reverend Lamothe detailed years of continuous pressure to provide her employer, Pastor Hunter, with sexual services at his whim. "The complaint exposes Pastor Hunter insistence it was 'God's will' that she provide him sex on demand. Hunter claimed that providing him with continuous sexual 'comfort' was the only way Lamothe could fulfill her job duties and her ministry. Hunter said that he is a prophet and that God had revealed to him that Lamothe was to be his 'everything'. Feeling scared and trapped, Reverend LaMothe reluctantly agreed to his incessant demands for sex," said Solomon E. Gresen.

According to the complaint, beginning about April 2005 Hunter started a campaign of sexual harassment by inappropriately hugging and kissing Lamothe while continually demanding that she obey "God's will" and give him sexual comfort. After she reluctantly relented under intense psychological pressure, Hunter routinely called her into his office and demanded sexual services then and there. These coercive liaisons were not confined to Hunter's office. At his demand, Lamothe traveled to hotels in various local cities including Burbank, Van Nuys, Glendale, and Manhattan Beach, California. Hunter even traveled to Virginia in 2007 and South Carolina in 2008 to continue his coercive sexual relationship when Lamothe was in those states on vacations.

In September 2008, Lamothe obtained full time employment in the office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, though she continued her ministry at First AME Church on a part-time basis. At that time, Ms. Lamothe found the courage to refuse Pastor Hunter's sexual advances, though he continued to demand such favors until June 2, 2009 when he fired Lamothe because she refused to have sex with him.

"Years of intense sexual pressure, abuse and harassment have extracted a heavy toll on Reverend Lamothe. She has endured extreme mental anguish and emotional distress as a result of her treatment by Hunter, and has been effectively banished from a church she has worked for since 1997. Her wrongful and illegal termination has also caused her to suffer a loss of earnings and other employment benefits and job opportunities, as well as a profound spiritual loss resulting from the termination of her ministry. As a result, Reverend Lamothe is seeking damages in compensation for the losses she has suffered as well as for the illegal retaliation she endured because she refused Hunter's incessant sexual demands. The amount of damages sought will be proved at trial," said Gresen.

"Reverend Lamothe's treatment at Hunter's hands parallels other abuses for which Hunter has confessed. These include but are not limited to Hunter's acknowledged use of church's credit cards to pay for $122,000 in personal items including lavish vacations, jewelry and expensive clothes. He has publicly apologized for misappropriating church funds and now claims to be reimbursing the church. Hunter has also admitted to owing Internal Revenue Service more than $300,000 in federal taxes, interest and penalties. While the specific claims of Reverend Lamothe are new, it should come as little surprise to anyone affiliated with the church that Pastor John has engaged in further immoral and unlawful conduct," said Solomon E. Gresen.

Englander & Associates
Eric W. Rose
(805) 624-0572 
Law offices of Rheuban & Gresen
Solomon E. Gresen
(818) 815-2727