Bishop Eddie Long has officially asked for the return of settlement money paid to three of his accusers, Jamal Parris, Spencer LeGrande and latecomer, Centino Kemp, as a result of their sexual coercion lawsuit. Long reportedly had his attorneys, Eckl & Farnham, send a letter to each plaintiff requesting the return of nearly $1 million for breaching the confidentiality terms of their agreement.
Parris and LeGrande both recently sat down with Atlanta’s Fox 5 for an interview, discussing further details of their questionable relationships with Long. The pair also revealed plans to write a tell-all book about their experiences. Both assert the damage done to them due to Long’s alleged conduct extends beyond what money can resolve and expressed little concern about the possibility of having to repay it.
“Money doesn’t buy happiness so you don’t really care if you lose it,” LeGrande told the interviewer.
Kemp has been interviewed by various media outlets and has written and performed a song alluding to his ties to the megachurch pastor.
Terms of the settlement were kept confidential, but the amount paid out to the Bishop’s accusers to compensate them for damages and keep them quiet is estimated to be at $1.5 million, based on the letter and the fact that the young men were paid equitably. However, 
the money reportedly didn’t come out of Long’s personal finances; the church, New Birth Missionary Baptist, and its members picked up the tab through its insurance. Since the accusations had to do with Long’s position as head of the church, the situation reportedly fell within the guidelines of what the policy would cover.
The letter sent to Kemp, LeGrande and Parris outlines the plaintiffs’ “demand for arbitration” though no legal documents have been filed.
Should Long seek return of the money and draw more attention to the closed case? Was it right for the church to pay for his alleged mistakes? Leave your comments.
