WSMV News 4
Press release: For over 30 years, Robert D. Smith has managed the career of New York Times best-selling author and speaker Andy Andrews and has provided personal branding consultation to numerous other well-known figures in the Christian community.
After unsuccessfully attempting to “make this go away” in direct conversations with his alleged victim, Smith filed a lawsuit against Cochrun in the Chancery Court of Williamson County, TN at Franklin as Case No. 46996. In the suit, Smith seeks over $750,000 from his victim. The suit was removed to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on February 21, 2018. That case is styled as Case No. 3:18-cv-00225. Recently, Jim Cochrun filed his answer in federal court challenging the lawsuit against him and also made a complaint with the Tulsa Police Department in Tulsa, OK (the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the incidents of sexual abuse committed by Robert Smith on Jim Cochrun).
Jim Cochrun made the difficult decision to share his story with the general public in the hope that any other victims will be emboldened to step forward and seek justice like he is.
“Being sued by your abuser is understandably shocking,” George Edwards said. “Jim has never sought money from his abuser. His motivation is that justice is done and that any other victims who may exist are empowered to come forward. The good news for Jim and other victims like him is that they will defend these allegations with the truth. Proving defamation is difficult. The statements must be false, which means Smith would have to prove that the sexual assault did not happen. Our client has no reason to lie.”
Brent Webster further states that “Jim’s willingness to come forward with the truth is the only way to keep perpetrators like this out of positions of influence.”
George Edwards, III, Murtaza Sutarwalla, and Brent Webster of Edwards Sutarwalla PLLC and John D. Kitch, of Counsel for Cornelius & Collins LLP, represent Jim Cochrun.
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About Edwards Sutarwalla PLLC Edwards Sutarwalla PLLC (www.eslawpartners.com) is a full-service business law firm based in Houston and Austin, Texas practicing in the areas of civil litigation, commercial transactions and corporate law. Edwards Sutarwalla PLLC also represents survivors of child sexual assault and abuse throughout the country.
The narrative portion of the Tulsa police report (embedded above) states that the victim Jim Cochrun alleges that after the sexual assault, Robert D. Smith told him, “This is going to be our little secret. You can never tell ANYONE about this.”
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Why am I not surprised? The constant stream of scandals has nothing to do with being a sinner. Instead (and I follow this stuff as closely as I can) it is from a power imbalance.