Freedom Baptist Church sued for defamation by former member

A drill team director is suing his former church for alleged false and defamatory statements that he inappropriately touched one of the youth.

Charles Coleman was a drill team director at Freedom Baptist Church of the Greater Chicago Area before resigning from the position and joining another church in 2008.  

The following summer, in June of 2009, while Coleman was attending the National Baptist Training Union Conference, he greeted and hugged one of the youth from his old church.  Former friends and parishoners then allegedly confronted Coleman about the incident, stating among other things "The next time you touch one of our kids, we are going to f--k you up."

According to the complaint, Coleman did not know what these comments were based on and at a meeting later that month one of the youth confirmed that the allegations against Coleman were untrue.  The youth also demonstrated the "innocent hug" Coleman gave another youth. 

Coleman is suing for, among other things, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Read the complaint after the jump.

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