TENNESSEE
Watch Keep
Former Memphis Grizzlies announcer Rick Trotter was arrested on August 9, accused of filming “upskirt” videos while women were kneeling at worship services at Downtown Church earlier this year. Stotter reportedly recorded women and minors at another church, Fellowship Memphis, in 2010, where he was on staff as a worship leader from 2005-2010. After the camera was discovered at Fellowship, Stotter was fired, but church officials did not report this incident to law enforcement, according to Memphis Police Department’s Lt. Karen Rudolph. Two of Trotter’s alleged victims that he recorded are minors. Everyone in Tennessee is a mandated reporter under state law.
Fellowship Church lead pastor John Bryson and Downtown Church lead pastor Richard Rieves issued a joint statement after Trotter’s arrest. The full statement is here.
To ensure our congregations are fully informed, Fellowship Memphis (Fellowship) and Downtown Church (Downtown) have come together to provide a joint narrative with the facts as we understand them regarding Rick Trotter and his employment with our institutions.
Let us first say we are here for the victims. Trotter’s actions are contrary to our values, and we are deeply sorry for the suffering of the victims.
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