Judge OKs urine test in pastor's DUI case (Cornerstone Church, Maumee, OH)

[Ian David]

Judge Gary Byers denied a motion yesterday in Maumee Municipal Court to suppress evidence in the drunken driving case against the Rev. Michael Pitts.

Judge Byers ruled that a stop of Mr. Pitts' vehicle Dec. 6 by a trooper with the Toledo post of the Ohio Highway Patrol leading to his arrest was not an illegal seizure of his vehicle.

http://toimg.sv.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TO&Date=20070417&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=704170396&Ref=AR&MaxW=240


In February, Mr. Pitts' attorney, Stephen Hartman, asked the court to dismiss evidence gathered as part of the trooper's stop as well as the urine test used to determine the level of alcohol in Mr. Pitts' system.

Judge Byers ruled last month that the results from the urine test would be admissible.

<snip>

Mr. Pitts, 42, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Maumee, was randomly stopped Dec. 6 on U.S. 20A by a trooper who was pulling over motorists for routine vehicle inspection checks. During the stop, the trooper suspected Mr. Pitts was impaired and put him through a field sobriety test.

More:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/NEWS02/704170396

[MADem]

1. This asshole has a history of this shit--and WAY more, as well

reported.

8. Ohio megachurch pastor again faces DUI charge
Michael Pitts, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Maumee, Ohio, pleaded no contest to driving under the influence in 2000. In the late '90s he faced more serious accusations , but most charges were dropped after witness testimony problems. Pitts pled guilty to criminal trespassing and served 14 days of house arrest. Cornerstone has 3,000 members and runs two local Christian radio stations. Pitts "serves as overseer, or bishop, of the Cornerstone Network of Harvester Churches, an organization with 12 other churches across the United States and 13 in Mexico," The Toledo Bladereported last year.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/decemberweb-only/149-51.0.html

...Pastor Michael Pitts was charged with several counts of exposing himself to strangers. I should make it clear that he was never convicted of any of these charges. (I want to make sure that his lawyers, wherever they may be, see I am making this clear.) But there was a significant amount of evidence that many people found quite convincing.

In 1995, he was stopped by police after allegedly being spotted masturbating in front of two young boys hitting golf balls at a local baseball diamond. Officials did not press charges after Pastor Pitts agreed to seek counseling with a psychologist who sees sex offenders, they said. (The Pitts camp claims the officials are lying.)

In 1997, he faced eight counts of public indecency and seven counts of criminal trespass, linked to a series of incidents in which a man matching Pastor Pitts' description was reported exposing himself to people in places like a local park and a Wal-Mart parking lot. His car was spotted near where several of the incidents occurred.

Pastor Pitts hired some very fine attorneys and, in the end, all charges except for two criminal trespass misdemeanors were suddenly dropped. His final punishment: 14 days of house arrest with an ankle bracelet and a $500 fine. As part of the unusual plea agreement, both prosecution and defense agreed that neither side would be allowed to discuss the reasons for the sudden deal. ...Pastor Pitts is from that particular branch of Christianity that believes that being a holy man and making enormous profits from one's church are not mutually contradictory. At least as of a few years ago, he was living in a half-million-dollar home on 30 acres, wearing designer duds, and driving a Cadillac. He blamed his problems on "media monsters." .....



http://www.crabwalk.com/misc/pitts.php

[Ian David]

2. Wow. He's one busy dude. n/t

[Holly_Hobby]

3. And the members of the church continue to support him

and pay for his defense not unlike the support received by the priest who stabbed the nun to death. Some people will believe anything they're told.

Who was it that said, "There's a sucker born every minute" or something like that?

[MADem]

4. PT Barnum, and he was right!! nt