Court Rules Former Pastor Is 'Not Guilty'

Wednesday, March 7th 2007, 6:20 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Oklahoma City judge found former Baptist church leader Lonnie Latham not guilty Wednesday of the misdemeanor charge of offering to engage in an act of lewdness.

His attorney, Mack Martin, said Latham is ecstatic.

Special Judge Roma McElwee's ruling did not address the larger question of whether Oklahoma's lewdness law is constitutional.

Latham was an outspoken opponent of homosexuality before he was arrested on January 3, 2006, outside the Habana Inn in Oklahoma City on an allegation that he had propositioned an undercover police officer.

Latham's attorney had argued that sexual acts between two consenting adults are legal, and talking about such acts is no crime.

After his arrest, Latham resigned as pastor of the South Tulsa Baptist Church 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.

For more background on this story, click on the links below to read additional stories about Lonnie Latham.

1/4/2006 - Tulsa Pastor Arrested In Oklahoma City

1/9/2006 - A Tulsa Pastor Arrested Last Week, Writes A Letter To His Church

1/11/2006 - Former Tulsa Pastor Charged With Lewdness In Oklahoma City

2/22/2007 - Former Pastor Insists He Did Nothing Illegal