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Baptist figure acquitted of gay sex charge
published Thursday, March 8, 2007
A former Baptist minister in Oklahoma who had spoken out against homosexuality was acquitted Wednesday of propositioning an undercover male police officer.
A judge found Lonnie Latham not guilty of the misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness. If convicted, he would have faced up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
Latham, 61, was arrested Jan. 3, 2006, outside the Habana Inn in Oklahoma City. Police had accused Latham of asking the undercover officer for oral sex, which Latham denied.
Latham's attorney, Mack Martin, argued during the trial that it is not illegal for consenting adults to engage in private homosexual acts, so a request to participate in such an act is not illegal.
District Attorney David Prater said the state has a legitimate interest in regulating such requests.
"In no way are we wanting to get involved in people's personal lives and sex lives outside of commercial prostitution," Prater said.
Latham has spoken out against same-sex marriage and in support of a directive urging the Southern Baptist Convention's 42,000 churches to try to convince gays and lesbians they can become heterosexual "if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle.' "
Latham resigned as pastor of the South Tulsa Baptist Church after his arrest and stepped down from the board of directors of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and from the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Martin said Latham was ecstatic that the judge found him not guilty and said he holds no bitterness about the case. (AP)
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published Thursday, March 8, 2007
A former Baptist minister in Oklahoma who had spoken out against homosexuality was acquitted Wednesday of propositioning an undercover male police officer.
A judge found Lonnie Latham not guilty of the misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness. If convicted, he would have faced up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
Latham, 61, was arrested Jan. 3, 2006, outside the Habana Inn in Oklahoma City. Police had accused Latham of asking the undercover officer for oral sex, which Latham denied.
Latham's attorney, Mack Martin, argued during the trial that it is not illegal for consenting adults to engage in private homosexual acts, so a request to participate in such an act is not illegal.
District Attorney David Prater said the state has a legitimate interest in regulating such requests.
"In no way are we wanting to get involved in people's personal lives and sex lives outside of commercial prostitution," Prater said.
Latham has spoken out against same-sex marriage and in support of a directive urging the Southern Baptist Convention's 42,000 churches to try to convince gays and lesbians they can become heterosexual "if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle.' "
Latham resigned as pastor of the South Tulsa Baptist Church after his arrest and stepped down from the board of directors of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and from the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Martin said Latham was ecstatic that the judge found him not guilty and said he holds no bitterness about the case. (AP)
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