The church prosecutor handling Title IV complaints against Bishop Samuel Johnson Howard has told a hearing panel that the bishop is not cooperating with discovery procedures. The hearing panel has echoed his concern.
David Paulsen of Episcopal News Service reported the bishop’s silence August 19, and the hearing panel met on August 20 to hear from Craig Merritt, the attorney in charge of the case. The hearing centered on discovery in the case of “allegations of a financial nature.”
“It has been six months since we have heard anything from him,” said Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, chairwoman of the hearing panel.
“We are working diligently to not let this turn into some sort of ad hominem attack on the bishop personally,” Merritt told the hearing panel.
Another case involves accusations that Howard discriminated against gay and lesbian clergy, in part by requiring them to be celibate if they wished to be licensed in the Diocese of Florida.
Merritt has asked the hearing panel to compel Howard’s cooperation or to authorize trying him in absentia. “Brooke-Davidson said the panel plans to issue a ruling on Merritt’s motion by Aug. 25,” Paulsen reported.
Howard is the second bishop to face trial because of how he responded to Resolution B012-2018, which requires bishops to permit same-sex weddings in their dioceses. The first bishop to face such a trial, William Love, was found guilty, resigned from his office, and became a bishop in the Anglican Church in North America.
Howard, who was elected Bishop Coadjutor of Florida in 2003, became bishop in January 2004. He retired in 2023. The two sets of charges were brought against him in 2023.
