Bishop Bennison Seeks Dismissal of Presentment

Prior to the start of the Rt. Rev. Charles E. Bennison’s appeal before the Court of Review of the Trial of a Bishop, new evidence has come to light. The evidence, revealed on April 27, purportedly reveals that the teenage victim conspired with Bishop Bennison’s brother, John, in order to conceal their sexual relationship from Bishop Bennison, who was serving as rector at the California parish where his brother was the youth minister in the early 1970s.

 

John Bennison previously admitted initiating a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Eventually he resigned from the ordained ministry of The Episcopal Church. Bishop Bennison maintains he was not aware of the relationship until many years later and did nothing wrong in trying to prevent a scandal once he became aware of the relationship.

 

Last June, the Court for the Trial of Bishop found Bishop Bennison guilty and recommended that he be deposed for conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy. He is currently on suspension while his appeal is under consideration.

 

More than 200 letters from the victim to John Bennison were recently given to Bishop Bennison, according to attorney James Parabue. Mr. Parabue said that in her testimony before the church court, the victim testified she was convinced that Bishop Bennison knew of the relationship as early as 1973. However, Mr. Parabue said the letters reveal that she and John Bennison “continually plotted and schemed to hide the relationship long after that out of concern that Charles would discover the facts.”

 

Mr. Parabue said he is petitioning the appeal court to dismiss the presentment based on the new evidence.