FRUITLAND, Tenn. — A gay Gibson County couple said they were assaulted when they tried to attend church services at the Grace Fellowship Church in Fruitland last Wednesday.
WBBJ-TVJerry Pittman, Jr. (left), and Dustin Lee
“I went over to take the keys out of the ignition and all the sudden I hear someone say ‘sick’em,’” said Gibson County resident, Jerry Pittman Jr.
Pittman said the attacked was prompted by the pastor of the church, Jerry Pittman, his father.
“My uncle and two other deacons came over to the car per my dad’s request. My uncle smash me in the door as the other deacon knocked my boyfriend back so he couldn’t help me, punching him in his face and his chest. The other deacon came and hit me through my car window in my back,” said Pittman. He said bystanders did not offer assistance. He said the deacon yelled derogatory homosexual slurs, even after officers arrived. He said the officers never intervened to stop the deacons from yelling the slurs.
“If I was on the scene I would not have allowed that. The deputy should not have allowed it if he did,” said Gibson County Sheriff Chuck Arnold.
Pittman said neither he nor Lee were allowed to press charges while at the church.
“I haven’t talk to him but that would be out of character for my deputy to say unless they were causing a problem themselves,” said Sheriff Arnold.
Friday, the couple filed assault charges against Deacons Billy Sims and Eugene McCoy. Pittman pressed additional charges against his father and Deacon Patrick Flatt. Pastor Pittman’s attorney contacted ABC 7 Eyewitness News by phone and said she had no comment and demanded we not contact the pastor.
All parties are due in court October 4 for a preliminary hearing in the filing of Domestic Assault charges against Pittman’s father and uncle.
Reprinted by permission.
Update: Tennessee Equality Project responds
In a statement Monday afternoon to LGBTQ Nation, the Tennessee Equality Project’s Madison County Committee and it’s statewide leaders said they “stand firmly behind Jerry Pittman, Jr. and Dustin Lee as the facts of their case continue to emerge.”
The facts of the case, as reported to us thus far, can only lead to one conclusion: that the assaults suffered by both Mr. Pittman, Jr. and Mr. Lee were motivated by nothing more than hate, homophobia, ignorance, and intolerance.
Particularly disturbing is the fact that this couple had previously been welcomed, on numerous occasions, to attend worship services at this particular church. Even more disturbing is the fact that Mr. Pittman, Jr’s own family members (who also happen to be leaders of this particular congregation) instigated, initiated, and carried out these assaults.
The Tennessee Equality Project and it’s local committees across the state, stand ready to both assist and advocate for persons who find themselves the victim of and type of discrimination.
- Drew W. Baker, Madison County Chair, Tennessee Equality Project
Filed under: Tennessee
Where is the love?
let it be know tax exempt is no longer good due to the fact people hate
Anywhere but that church, apparently.
nothing like Love Thy Child…… hypocrits
hoe sad that so called representives of Jesus Christ would even think about doing something like this!!!
wow his own dad this wrld is jus sad an hateful
I hate the way the organized church treats the lgbt community.
another example of fine upstanding christians.
NOT
His FATHER?!? Holy shit.
Yet another case of when bad Christians happen to good people. The father himself was too yellow to handle his dirty business himself. the bastard needs to be defrocked….hate is not a proper value.
Dude like WTF kinda people would this kind of crap….Attacking people at church…..They desirve to go to hell
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO
OMGOSH this is the bottom line.
For real?? Really!!
Shameful. :(
This is especially sad because it was one of the young men’s family that started this. There are two MCC churches in Tennessee where this couple would be welcomed with open arms.
Glad to hear!!! Go them!
Churches are breeding grounds for hate.If you want to read a book of fiction,there are many better than the bible.
Can’t win for losing
. . . and we CHOOSE to live this life -
This is disgusting and completely unethical. Those poor boys. It’s time for people to stand up and say this isn’t right and punish those that commit hate crimes.
I can already tell the attackers will get off scot-free.
Thanks for all the support it has been a downward spiral with all this and all the support y’all have given us is what is getting us thru thanks so much……p.s I think I need to change my name having the name of a man with so much ignorance and hatred is something I’d rather not be associated with…..love y’all thanks
dats a damn shame, n i bet u they all claim to be “christians” but God’s word teaches us to love not hate who r they to judge, they should know better than ne body that, thats no1elses job otha than the “Big Man” upstairs.
I live in WNC(next door to them). Yes,the father will say “spare the rod & spoil the child(reguardless of their age),we are going to beat the devil(gay) out of them,etc..”. It is sicking what is said &/or done in the name of religion. I have a neighbor who will go to the local gay bar,but does not have the backbone to tell his church he is gay. He will out everyone else! A. Closet psuedo-christian!
Wow….thats really awful..
I will pray for all yall who have rejected christ because of bigots like i used to be
Jerry and Dustin … come to the United Church of Christ!
I don’t know why they *cough* anyone *cough* would want to attend church, but that’s their business, why do people act so violently to things their tiny brains can’t comprehend even though they’re so simple.
no were in the Bible does is condone such acts of violence, and especially against your own child… “Christians” like this will have a lot of explaining to do when they have to answer to the God the the so love…
keep your head up guys. we are thinking of you. They will have to pay with more than their pocket books some day. I know that does not take away the physical pain but it only adds to theirs.
Really??? I mean….REALLY?? Dear God!
Dear Jesus, Please protect us from your followers….(well some of them, anyway…)
WHAT THE HELL?!?!?
THIS IS LEGITIMATELY HORRIFYING!!!
I mean, this is just downright sick. If this were just a bunch of assholes who attacked them, I could be all like, “Wow. That’s really sad. I hope those assholes get tried for their assault.” But no, it was the guy’s FATHER AND FAMILY MEMBERS who set out to beat him up, and witnesses and cops didn’t do shit. This just… oh my God, I can’t even think of a proper word to describe how disgusting and horrific this is. Okay, the pastor’s son is gay.
I could understand if the father simply didn’t want him around and asked not to come to the church. It’s still discriminatory and horrible, but he has a reputation to uphold and if I were the son, I could understand my father not wanting to lose all that. But THIS dad was willing to loose EVERYTHING he had in order to beat up his own child. I cannot even fathom what that must be like to be his son. This whole affair is disgusting. Is there, like, a gay Jesse Jackson that can swoop in and clean up this mess? Or better yet, a whole BUNCH of people? Because this is a biiiiig story that deserves alot of attention.
i get a kick out of these people in the US. i know this happens to different degrees everywhere but the number of American soldiers that gave their life up for human rights and freedom is astounding and still this happens in their country and by a pastor that preaches love from an all inclusive god. shame on you you disrespect the lives of those soldiers and you are the reason why people are turning their back on churches that have self serving useless preachers. If their is a heaven and hell you have a room reserved. no thermostat required.
Just when you think the bigots of this world cannot possibly sink any lower! I am at a total loss for any words that will aptly describe just how thoroughly disgusted I am right now. This sort of cowardly underhanded bullshit flies so defiantly in the face of EVERYTHING a church is supposed to stand for!
How does a FATHER orchestrate a heinous, unprovoked attack like this upon his own son, his own flesh and blood?!? How does something like this happen?!?!?
This is just……disturbing.