Lima News - 06/27/00

Lawsuit filed against The Way

NEW KNOXVILLE - Another former member of The Way International has filed a lawsuit against the group, claiming she, too, was sexually exploited by the organization's former president, the Rev. Loy C. Martindale.

Ms. Parker, who filed the complaint Friday, claims The Way leadership required her "to submit to sexual assault as a condition of her continued employment" with the group.

She also claims that members of The Way leadership made false promises to her in order for Martindale to continue to sexually exploit her. She claims The Way leadership made her believe it was her duty to serve Martindale's physical needs.

Mrs. Allen, also a former member of The Way, filed a similar complaint against the organization in early April. In her complaint, Allen claimed she was sexually victimized by Martindale. Martindale later said that he and Allen had had a consensual affair.

Martindale resigned as president of The Way about a month after Allen's complaint was filed. The Way spokesman Rico Magnelli has said that Martindale's resignation was "progressive" and part of the healing process. However, Magnelli declined to discuss whether the Allen's complaint prompted Martindale's resignation.

Parker is seeking damages in excess of $25,000 as well as punitive damages and other relief in Shelby County Common Pleas Court. Parker's lawsuit contains claims of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, unjust enrichment, civil conspiracy and racketeer influence and corrupt organization.

According to the lawsuit, Parker is claiming The Way is an "enterprise" as defined by Ohio law and thus is subject to penalties of engaging in patterns of "corrupt activity."

In addition to Martindale, Rosalie F. Rivenbark, John R. Reynolds, Donald E. Wierwille and Howard R. Allen are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Rivenbark took over as president of The Way after Martindale resigned. Wierwille is the son of The Way's founder, Victor Paul Wierwille, and was a longtime trustee of the group. Allen is the group's secretary-treasurer. Reynolds is one of the group's legal representatives.

In Parker's lawsuit, she claims during the almost 20 years she was employed with The Way, she was promised certain "financial and material benefits" if she followed the directives of group's leadership and religious teachings.

In the lawsuit, Parker claims that, during her employment with The Way, members of the group's leadership asked her to do many things in order gain those benefits, including renounce her family and friends, discontinue her pursuit of a secular education, take obscene photographs of Martindale and pose for similar photographs.

Parker also claims her marriage failed as a result of doing these and other things.

However, Parker claims she did not receive the benefits she was promised.

Parker claims the leaders of The Way had no intention of keeping their promises to her. Rather, she's claiming she was being used to "serve the physical needs of Martindale, notwithstanding her marriage vows and the teachings of The Way."

Parker did not disclose her address in the lawsuit "for fear of physical harm or threats" from people associated with The Way.

Magnelli had no comment Monday about the complaint because the organization had not yet received notification of it. Louis Colombo, an attorney for The Way, declined comment for the same reason.

Parker is being represented by the same attorneys as Mrs. Allen: Lawrence Levy of Sherman Oaks, Calif., and James E. Burns of Cleveland. Levy said Parker's case appears similar to Allen's.

Reporter Brian Joseph can be reached by phone at 993-2060 or e-mail at bjoseph(at)limanews.com.