[1]McRaney lawsuit to continue after summary judgment denied
ABERDEEN, Miss. (BP) – The ongoing legal battle between Will McRaney and the North American Mission Board will continue after a judge denied NAMB’s request for summary judgment in the case.
[2]The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2017 by McRaney, the former executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCMD), alleges NAMB had intentionally defamed him and wrongfully influenced his 2015 termination by the BCMD after a dispute over collaborative missions efforts in the region. NAMB has consistently denied McRaney’s claims.
In denying the request for summary judgment, Glen H. Davidson of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi ruled that the motion filed by NAMB was premature and discovery was needed prior to considering summary judgment.
NAMB had stated in its filing for summary judgment that the case should be dismissed due to the fact that McRaney “entered into a ‘Separation Agreement and Release’ that precluded him from bringing employment-related claims against BCMD and its ‘supporting organizations’ like NAMB.” It also argued for dismissal on statute of limitations grounds.
McRaney, in his response to NAMB’s motion, claimed that NAMB was not, in fact, a supporting organization and was not specifically stated as one in the severance agreement. With the ruling, the lawsuit will continue to the discovery phase in the district court.
[3]Krol court appearance postponed
By Illinois Baptist Staff
MACON COUNTY, Ill. (BP) – A pre-trial hearing was postponed until Feb. 25 for a former Illinois pastor charged with grooming a minor. The attorney representing Joseph M. Krol asked a Macon County judge for a continuance in a brief court appearance Jan. 7. The judge agreed.
Krol is charged with four counts relating to texting activity with a minor. He pled not guilty to all four counts at his Dec. 1 arraignment.
Krol was pastor of Rochester First Baptist Church at the time of his arrest in October, although the case does not involve anyone at that church. Rochester FBC dismissed Krol after his arrest. He was employed there three months. Krol was previously pastor of Galilee Baptist Church in Decatur.
Krol’s wife is an employee of the Illinois Baptist State Association.
IBSA worked with both churches in their response to the arrest and ministry to those affected. IBSA continues to equip churches in screening staff and volunteers with appropriate background checks by law enforcement, in training [4] church workers to help prevent sexual abuse of vulnerable persons, and in ministry to victims and their families.
The Southern Baptist Convention made sex abuse prevention and ministry to victims one of its top goals at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting, at the request of messengers who attended that meeting.