Split verdict reached for street preachers

HARRISBURG, Penn. — Three pastors conducting street preaching during a PrideFest event last year earned mixed court verdicts April for trespass and disorderly conduct.

Jim Grove, pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Loganville, Pa. was acquitted of defiant trespass and disorderly conduct charges. However, Steven Garisto, an inner-city minister in Harrisburg, and Michael Marcavage, a preacher with the Philadelphia-based Repent America were found innocent of defiant trespass, but guilty of disorderly conduct, the group reported this week. These verdicts follow the acquittal of Jim Lymon, an evangelist from New York, during the Jan. 8 trial.

The ministers were arrested July 26 while evangelizing outside of a public park where the annual gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender PrideFest event was taking place. The daylong event featured various activities, including the sale of pornographic materials, public nudity, men dressed like women and obscene language over a public address system.

The ministers were not permitted inside the public park, so they remained on public property outside the main entrance. They were arrested while they were preaching in this public area.

The arresting officer, Stephanie Barrelet, who was filmed on video hugging other lesbian women entering the pride event, jailed Grove, Garisto, and Marcavage for several hours until the PrideFest event was over. Lymon, the first to be arrested, was cited and released.

“This certainly is a confusing decision considering the fact that there was absolutely no evidence to substantiate either of the charges,” Attorney Len Brown said following the verdict. “We will be appealing this matter to the Superior Court and are proceeding with a Federal lawsuit.”

Religion Journal
Published, May 2004

Christian Examiner™, P.O. Box 2606 El Cajon, CA 92021 • 619-668-5100 • Fax 619-668-1115
Email: info@christianexaminer.com • Web site: www.christianexaminer.com