
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 10, 1995                   TAG: 9507100131
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BATON ROUGE, LA.                                LENGTH: Short

BAPTIST LEADER CONVICTED OF FRAUD

The former president of the National Baptist Convention USA resorted to fraud in an attempt to keep his allies in power, a judge has found.

The Rev. T.J. Jemison of Baton Rouge and his allies submitted false and forged affidavits and gave the court an inaccurate copy of the Washington-based convention's constitution, among other things, the judge said.

She ordered them to pay a $150,000 fine and the court costs of their opponents - the officers elected last year to lead the nation's largest black Baptist denomination.

Jemison, president of the 8.2 million-member denomination from 1982 to 1994, denied any fraud or collusion, called himself an innocent bystander and promised an appeal.

- Associated Press

by CNB