NAMES IN THE NEWS : Falwell Decries Bakker Jail Term
The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who once battled to keep Jim Bakker away from PTL, says the 45-year prison sentence given to the fallen television evangelist is too harsh.
“No doubt a debt to society had to be paid, but 45 years is unreasonable,” Falwell said Sunday night before preaching at Calvary Church.
U.S. District Judge Robert Potter sentenced Bakker in October for defrauding followers who had sent him $158 million in exchange for lodging guarantees at PTL’s Heritage USA Christian retreat in nearby Ft. Mill, S.C.
Falwell took over at PTL after Bakker’s March, 1987, resignation in a sex and money scandal involving former church secretary Jessica Hahn. Falwell resigned six months later, after Bakker announced he wanted to return to the ministry.
“I think everybody here--including the court--just got caught up in the spectacular nature of what was going on,” Falwell said.
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