
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 14, 1993                   TAG: 9307140307
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

TELEVANGELIST MUST HAND OVER RECORDS

A Supreme Court justice has refused to shield televangelist Robert Tilton and his church from having to hand over financial records to a woman who sued because her prayers seemingly went unanswered.

Justice Antonin Scalia turned down an emergency request in which Tilton's lawyers said the forced surrender of the documents would violate religious rights.

"The membership rolls and contribution information of every mosque, synagogue and parish in Texas are equally at risk of public scrutiny anytime a prayer seemingly goes unanswered," Tilton's lawyers had argued.

Texas courts rejected that argument and ordered Tilton and his Word of Faith World Outreach Center Church to hand over 28 documents, including church members' names and the amounts of their contributions.

Norma Smith of Dallas sued Tilton and the church in 1992, alleging fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other wrongdoing.

The lawsuit, seeking over $50 million in damages, said Smith and her late husband, Tommie, were promised "cures" in exchange for contributions to the church. - Associated Press

by CNB