Monday, Nov. 02, 2009

Lawyer: Joyce Meyer's son traveled with Coleman, his Florida girlfriend

WATERLOO -- Televangelist Joyce Meyer's son traveled with accused killer Chris Coleman and Coleman's Florida girlfriend, Chicago area attorney Enrico Mirabelli said today after a civil court hearing that seeks to add the Joyce Meyer Ministries as a lawsuit defendant.

Coleman is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and faces the death penalty concerning the strangulations of his wife, Sheri Coleman, 32, and his two sons, Gavin, 9 and Garett, 11. They were found in separate bedrooms of their Columbia home on May 5.

Mirabelli made the statement that the accused murderer and his girlfriend, Tara Lintz of St. Petersburg, Fla., traveled with the famous minister's son in connection as part of Mirabelli's effort to convince a judge to add Joyce Meyer Ministries as a co-defendant in a civil lawsuit stemming from the deaths.

Mike King, attorney for Joyce Meyer Ministries, denied the allegations. King would not state whether he will oppose efforts to have Joyce Meyers or any of the ministry's employees deposed. King filed objections to convert the ministry to a defendant in the suit on Friday. King also did not waive the necessity of calling witnesses.

"I expect them to fight every step of the way," Mirabelli said "That's what corporate America does."

The hearing was delayed to allow Mirabelli a chance to depose Joyce Meyer, her son, Dan, who is the CEO of Joyce Meyer Ministries, the ministries' Webmaster and Chris Coleman's coworker Mike Cole.

Mike Cole was the first person to intercept threatening e-mails sent last year stating that an anonymous person would kill Coleman and his family unless Mayer stopped preaching. Police investigators, according to court documents, have linked Chris Coleman as the author of those e-mails.

Dan Meyer and Chris Coleman were long-time friends, Mirabelli said.

Mirabelli may also call any one of the four to testify at the probable cause hearing in the civil case that was rescheduled for Dec. 18.

"There is no responsibility on the part of Joyce Meyer Ministries," King said, adding the ministry has cooperated fully with law enforcement.

Police have contended that Coleman murdered his family so he could marry Lintz. The Florida woman, who was a childhood friend of Sheri Coleman, has stated that she will not comment.

Attorneys Jack Carey and Mirabelli, who represent the family of the murder victims, asked a judge last month to convert Joyce Meyer Ministries from a "respondent in discovery" to a defendant. Today's hearing was in support of that motion.

Carey and Mirabelli alleged the ministry knew that Chris Coleman was having an affair with a Florida woman and should have warned Coleman's family that he was the author of threatening e-mails.

Sheri Coleman's mother, Angela DeCicco, and her brother, Mario Weiss, filed the wrongful death suit weeks after the murder and named Joyce Meyer Ministries as a "respondent in discovery" in order to obtain information related to the suit.

Chris Coleman remains in Monroe County Jail without bond. He could face the death penalty if he's convicted of the criminal charges.