Pastor gets 15 years in child sex abuse case

At this rate our prisons will no longer need to hire chaplains. The Apostle Gerald Griffith is looking at 15 years of hard time.

A convicted pastor's tearful plea for leniency, impassioned testimony about his character and a courtroom jammed with supporters failed to sway a Howard County Circuit Court judge, who sentenced the religious leader Thursday to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing a teenage boy who said he once viewed the man as a father figure.

As Gerald Fitroy Griffith, 41, was led away in handcuffs, some supporters from Redemption Christian Fellowship Church in Woodlawn who had been quietly crying and sniffling broke into wails and sobs and one thrashing man was restrained by companions. The screaming and crying continued as the pastor's supporters, who had filled two buses and could not all fit into the courtroom, filed out of the courthouse and onto the parking lot.

This case is a classic. When the victim came forward, his church cast him out. Church member lined up to defend their pastor, the victim was cast a a liar. No man of god could repeatedly rape a young man. It was unthinkable.

Now that he has been convicted and sentenced, perhaps his title of "the apostle" can be retired. Or perhaps he will wear it proudly when he appears in court next month to face charges for allegedly molesting five other young boys. I bet the courtroom will be filled with his supporters then too.

Griffith actually had the nerve to beg for home incarceration so he could go on helping people. What the hell?

I've written about Griffith before. His church members have sent me nasty hate mail. I am comforted that he will shortly begin a term as junior bitch in prison. People like Griffith need to be kept away from our children.

Note to Pastor Gerald Griffith: The very first thing you should buy from the commissary is KY. You are going to need it. But then, you already know that right?

Technorati tags: Gerald Griffith, child abuse, sexual assault, rape, pedophilia, clergy sexual abuse