BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — There are new developments in a lawsuit that was filed in New York State Supreme Court Tuesday accusing Buffalo Common Council President Rev. Darius Pridgen of sexual assault under the Adult Survivors Act.
The woman, a parishioner at Buffalo's True Bethel Baptist Church where Pridgen serves as senior pastor, is named in the lawsuit, but is not being named by 7 News. In the lawsuit, she claimed that in 2020 Pridgen "engaged in unpermitted sexual conduct" while she was a parishioner and volunteer. True Bethel Baptist Church is also named in the lawsuit, sued for negligence and recklessness.
MORE: True Bethel Baptist Church Bishop Darius Pridgen accused of being a 'sexual predator' in lawsuit
On Friday, The Buffalo News was the first to report that the accuser now says she knows nothing about the lawsuit.
7 News spoke with Pastor Kenneth Simmons of Cold Spring Bible Chapel Friday afternoon who said the accuser is a member of his parish. Simmons also said the accuser told him that she has no idea how this lawsuit was filed.
"And she said, 'I didn't do nothing like that, I don't have a lawsuit, I don't even go to True Bethel,' I said well I know because you're my member and so she was very, very upset. After that, I called Bishop Pridgen and she got on the phone with Bishop Pridgen and she said, 'Pastor Pridgen, I didn't do that, I don't know what they're talking about.'"
7 News also spoke with Pridgen on Friday, he denied the allegations and said that this never occurred.
Pridgen has served on the Buffalo Common Council for 12 years representing the Ellicott District. He announced in January that he will not run for re-election.
