Judge dismisses claims in high-profile suit against former SBC leader alleging victim intimidation

Nashville Tennessean

Federal lawsuit against Paige Patterson, a prominent former leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, alleges negligence and defamation.
Judge dismisses negligence claims against Patterson and Southwestern.

A federal judge in Texas dismissed claims in a lawsuit against a prominent former Southern Baptist Convention leader and an SBC seminary, a major blow in a high-profile abuse-related lawsuit.

U.S. District Court Judge Sean Jordan ruled the unnamed plaintiff, called Jane Roe, did not meet the standard of proof that Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and its former president, Paige Patterson, acted negligently for failing to prevent sexual abuse on campus, according to a recently filed memorandum.

This year's annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention could prove to be a pivotal moment in Southern Baptist life given the recent ousting of Paige Patterson from a Texas seminary over his treatment of women.

Roe’s claim of defamation against Patterson and Southwestern remain part of the suit. But Jordan’s ruling complicates some of the suit’s boldest claims that have become associated with Patterson, adding to other allegations that he covered up abuse and intimidated victims.

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A trial for Roe's defamation claim is scheduled to begin next week.

Roe, a former Southwestern student, sued Patterson and the seminary after another former seminary student, called John Doe, allegedly sexually assaulted Roe several times.

Roe largely based her negligence claims on Southwestern’s decision to admit Doe despite its knowledge of Doe’s past criminal conduct.

“The Court holds that Roe’s injuries at the hands of Doe were not foreseeable to SWBTS, even considering altogether the totality of Doe’s past criminal conduct,” Jordan said in a memorandum filed Saturday.

Roe’s lawsuit has gained attention because of Patterson, who was the architect of the late 20^th-century Conservative Resurgence movement in the Nashville-based SBC. Patterson served as SBC president, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Southwestern’s president.

Patterson came under fire in 2018, leading Southwestern to fire him, after reports emerged that he mishandled Roe’s case at Southwestern in 2015 and another case at Southeastern in 2003.

When Roe reported Doe’s alleged assault to Southwestern leaders, Patterson said in an email to other seminary staff he wanted to meet with Roe one-on-one to “break her down.” Roe pointed to that email in her lawsuit as an example of a broader culture at Southwestern under Patterson’s leadership.

Roe saw the “break her down” email as “powerful evidence supporting her negligence claims," Jordan said.

Still, the judge said the email wasn’t enough to produce material fact of a widespread culture.

Patterson has faced criticism for other incidents, such as his response to abuse allegations against a protégé, Darrel Gilyard, and for ignoring recommendations for abuse reform. Patterson is also a defendant in a separate abuse lawsuit against Paul Pressler, who led the Conservative Resurgence with Patterson.

Jordan dismissed Roe's claims with prejudice, meaning she cannot file the negligence claims again.

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on Twitter @liamsadams.