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Lawsuit Section
Lima
News - 06/27/00
Lawsuit
filed against The Way
By
BRIAN JOSEPH, The Lima News
NEW
KNOXVILLE - Another former member of The Way International has
filed a lawsuit against the group, claiming she, too, was
sexually exploited by the organization's former president, the
Rev. Loy C. Martindale.
Ms. Parker, who filed the complaint Friday, claims The Way
leadership required her "to submit to sexual assault as a
condition of her continued employment" with the group.
She
also claims that members of The Way leadership made false
promises to her in order for Martindale to continue to
sexually exploit her. She claims The Way leadership made her
believe it was her duty to serve Martindale's physical needs.
Mrs. Allen, also a former member of The Way, filed a similar
complaint against the organization in early April. In her
complaint, Allen claimed she was sexually victimized by
Martindale. Martindale later said that he and Allen had had a
consensual affair.
Martindale
resigned as president of The Way about a month after Allen's
complaint was filed. The Way spokesman Rico Magnelli has said
that Martindale's resignation was "progressive" and
part of the healing process. However, Magnelli declined to
discuss whether the Allen's complaint prompted Martindale's
resignation.
Parker
is seeking damages in excess of $25,000 as well as punitive
damages and other relief in Shelby County Common Pleas Court.
Parker's lawsuit contains claims of breach of contract, breach
of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment, civil conspiracy
and racketeer influence and corrupt organization.
According
to the lawsuit, Parker is claiming The Way is an
"enterprise" as defined by Ohio law and thus is
subject to penalties of engaging in patterns of "corrupt
activity."
In
addition to Martindale, Rosalie F. Rivenbark, John R.
Reynolds, Donald E. Wierwille and Howard R. Allen are named as
defendants in the lawsuit.
Rivenbark
took over as president of The Way after Martindale resigned.
Wierwille is the son of The Way's founder, Victor Paul
Wierwille, and was a longtime trustee of the group. Allen is
the group's secretary-treasurer. Reynolds is one of the
group's legal representatives.
In
Parker's lawsuit, she claims during the almost 20 years she
was employed with The Way, she was promised certain
"financial and material benefits" if she followed
the directives of group's leadership and religious teachings.
In
the lawsuit, Parker claims that, during her employment with
The Way, members of the group's leadership asked her to do
many things in order gain those benefits, including renounce
her family and friends, discontinue her pursuit of a secular
education, take obscene photographs of Martindale and pose for
similar photographs.
Parker
also claims her marriage failed as a result of doing these and
other things.
However,
Parker claims she did not receive the benefits she was
promised.
Parker
claims the leaders of The Way had no intention of keeping
their promises to her. Rather, she's claiming she was being
used to "serve the physical needs of Martindale,
notwithstanding her marriage vows and the teachings of The
Way."
Parker
did not disclose her address in the lawsuit "for fear of
physical harm or threats" from people associated with The
Way.
Magnelli
had no comment Monday about the complaint because the
organization had not yet received notification of it. Louis
Colombo, an attorney for The Way, declined comment for the
same reason.
Parker
is being represented by the same attorneys as Mrs. Allen:
Lawrence Levy of Sherman Oaks, Calif., and James E. Burns of
Cleveland. Levy said Parker's case appears similar to Allen's.
Reporter
Brian Joseph can be reached by phone at 993-2060 or e-mail at
bjoseph(at)limanews.com.
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