{"id":78970,"date":"2025-12-23T11:12:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T11:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/78970\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T11:12:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T11:12:17","slug":"misconduct-lawsuit-against-new-york-church-dismissed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/78970\/","title":{"rendered":"Misconduct lawsuit against New York church dismissed"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michael Gryboski<\/a>, Editor Monday, December 22, 2025\"Twitter\"<\/a>\"SaintSaint Thomas Episcopal Church of New York, New York. | YouTube\/Saint Thomas Church 5th Avenue<\/p>\n

A complainant has dropped a lawsuit filed against a New York City church over allegations of abuse and failure to properly respond to the accusations after a third-party investigation could not substantiate the claims.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The complaint had been filed against Saint Thomas Episcopal Church of New York (also known as Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue), the Episcopal Diocese of New York, a current staff member and a former employee.<\/p>\n

At issue were a 31-year-old male’s allegations that individuals affiliated with the church sexually assaulted him and that Episcopal leaders failed to respond to the alleged abuse appropriately.<\/p>\n

In a statement<\/a> posted to Anglican Ink last Friday, St. Thomas leadership announced that \u201cthe complainant has officially withdrawn his case,\u201d with \u201cno out of court settlement\u201d or other payments \u201cmade to the complainant or any third party.\u201d<\/p>\n

Signed by St. Thomas Rector, the Rev. Canon Carl Turner, as well as wardens Lloyd Stanford and Gregory Zaffiro, the statement stated that the decision followed a \u201cthorough third-party investigation of the allegations\u201d that \u201cfound no evidence to substantiate the allegations of misconduct, and questioned the veracity of those allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe plaintiff\u2019s decision to withdraw his allegations and voluntarily discontinue this lawsuit \u2018with prejudice\u2019 means that these allegations cannot be brought again,\u201d they stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis finally draws to a close the matter, and offers great relief to our Saint Thomas Church community \u2014 most especially to those who were unjustly accused and personally suffered under the cloud of the baseless and unsubstantiated attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n

St. Thomas leadership stressed that \u201csafety of all those in our communities is of paramount importance\u201d and that they are \u201cgrateful to be able to put this matter behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe take any allegations of sexual misconduct very seriously and have taken steps to ensure that we have the highest regard for the safeguarding of our community,\u201d the church added.<\/p>\n

Anglican Watch, an unofficial anti-abuse watchdog group focused on The Episcopal Church, took issue with the statement, claiming<\/a> that the announcement was \u201cmisleading and dishonest.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the watchdog group, two of the alleged abusers \u201cdid not deny that they sexually assaulted the plaintiff,\u201d and while the parties did not pay the plaintiff, \u201cthe Episcopal Church\u2019s captive insurance carrier, the Church Pension Group (CPG), settled the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat speaks volumes, because CPG is not one to part with money willy-nilly,\u201d reports Anglican Watch, which claimed that the parish \u201chas failed for years to run even basic background checks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also want to remind members of STC: You have a right to the truth about what\u2019s going on in your church. You also have the right to demand an end to the childish, misleading, and un-Christian impression management games going on in the parish.\u201d<\/p>\n

In September, a 31-year-old individual filed a complaint<\/a> against individuals affiliated with St. Thomas, accusing them of having sexually assaulted him on multiple occasions.<\/p>\n

The suit alleged that the Rev. Mark Schultz and his same-sex spouse, Erich Erving, each assaulted the plaintiff at a gathering held at an apartment in Manhattan owned by the church.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the complaint accused a registered nurse named William Davis, who was a member and employee of the congregation, of inappropriately touching him while at the church.<\/p>\n

In response to the litigation, which also named Bishop Matthew Heyd of the Diocese of New York as a defendant, Schultz was put on administrative leave.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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