In a significant legal ruling, Rev. Ralph West II has been ordered to pay $2.45 million to a woman who accused him of transmitting herpes to her.
The woman’s attorney, Shaun Murphy, argued her case by presenting medical records that strongly suggested she contracted genital herpes from Rev. West during an encounter in March 2018.
“She’s Got It for the Rest of Her Life”
Murphy emphasized the life-altering consequences of such a diagnosis, stating, “You can’t fix it; she’s got it for the rest of her life.”
He also said the woman had a strong sense of vindication following the jury’s ruling in her favor.
The Two Met on Facebook
The attorney shared details of the case, explaining that she had engaged in unprotected sex with Rev. West after establishing a connection on Facebook.
Following this encounter, the woman experienced an outbreak just days later, leading her to get tested.
Her medical records corroborated her claims, as her test results indicated that she had contracted the virus from Rev. West, with no other possible sources identified.
What Her Attorney Was Looking For
“The things that we look at for cases like these are essentially four things. Is the defendant infected, and how can we prove it? Did he know he was infected? Do we have evidence of that?” Her attorney explained.
The Evidence Stacked Against the Reverend
“She got an outbreak two or three days later and then went and got tested. From there, through the medical records, we were able to identify that he was the source of it, in part, because she hadn’t been with anybody else. She had a prior negative test,” Murphy stated.
The Shocking Details Disclosed in an Email
Murphy shared an email exchange between the woman and Rev. West, which he presented as evidence that the clergyman had not denied her allegations.
In the exchange, the woman directly questioned Rev. West about the source of her infection.
He allegedly attributed it to the mother of his son.
After Much Deliberation He Was Found Guilty
Following a three-day trial and six and a half hours of deliberation, Rev. Ralph D. West II was unanimously held liable by the jury.
Despite these allegations and the legal ruling, Rev. West has not provided any official comments on the matter.
He’s Still Featured on the Website
As for Rev. West’s involvement in the church, he is prominently featured on the Church Without Wall’s website.
The quotation accompanies his image: “The primary function — and I believe that it still holds supreme in the church — is the proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
She Hopes to Raise Awareness
Apart from the financial aspect, Murphy mentioned his client’s desire that this case raises awareness about the importance of holding individuals accountable when they knowingly put their partners at risk of contracting STDs.
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The post Houston Pastor Hit With $2.45M Verdict for Allegedly Transmitting Herpes to Woman first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
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