The Rev. Bob Moorehead -- Investigation Incomplete; Newspapers Owe An Apology

I am a 26-year-old University of Washington student who attends Overlake Christian Church.

When The Seattle Times reported on the controversy about Pastor Bob Moorehead allegedly being caught masturbating at a public urinal, it raised my suspicion. And I was determined that I needed to investigate this on my own, instead of just accepting the official church explanation. So I wrote a letter to Phillip Jacowitz, he was the man arrested along with Bob Moorehead 18 months ago in Florida.

I received a call from him, and in our conversation, I found some very revealing facts about the incident. Mr. Jacowitz stated that he was outraged by the way the Seattle newspapers have handled the story. He was upset that the newspapers implied that he pointed out Bob Moorehead to be the one who committed the act - "that is totally false."

So I asked him a critical question: "Did you witness Pastor Bob doing anything perverted while you were in the bathroom?" Mr. Jacowitz said he "did not witness him (Bob Moorehead) doing anything." It struck me that none of the reporters who interviewed Mr. Jacowitz bothered to ask him that question and report his answer.

As I continued to investigate, I found some more disturbing facts about how the story was handled by the press. For example, on the police report, the witnessing officers mentioned only one person committing the act, yet two people were arrested. Also, the other person arrested had similar height, size, hair, age and build as Pastor Bob. And once again your papers didn't even bother to mention that. Nor did you mention that the witnessing officers and the arresting officers were different people.

Another thing that bothered me was your Feb. 10, article which states, ". . . a newspaper filed suit to open sealed court files. The records were unsealed Friday." This insinuates that the newspapers got the records unsealed; for some reason you didn't bother to mention that Pastor Bob gave the authorization.

After reading these newspapers, my work associates think Pastor Bob is a perverted, lying, hypocrite who is trying to cover his tracks. Even though your newspaper stated that he was officially cleared of all charges, it makes so many insinuations that readers would have to think Pastor Bob was guilty.

I think these newspapers owe Pastor Bob a front-page apology. The public should know what kind of man he truly is. And I invite everyone to hear him and attend one of the services at Overlake Christian Church in Redmond.

Robert Brownell Redmond