THE LATEST: GAY CONGREGANT TESTIFIES AT MINISTER’S TRIAL

NORTH CAROLINA
Associated Press

RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on the trial of a North Carolina minister who is accused of assaulting and kidnapping a gay church member (all times local):

1:30 p.m.

A North Carolina man has testified that he thought he was “going to die” when members of his evangelical church beat and choked him to expel his “homosexual demons.”

Matthew Fenner testified Thursday at the start of the assault trial of Brooke Covington, a 58-year-old minister at Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, North Carolina.

Fenner said Covington was the ring leader in a January 2013 beating involving numerous congregants. He said Covington pointed out his sexual orientation, saying, “God said there is something wrong in your life.”

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.