Pastor Urges Leniency For Young Arsonist

A pastor whose church was set afire during a night of race rioting practiced the forgiveness he preaches, urging a judge to keep the young arsonist out of prison.

“Here was a 17-year-old who was caught up in the moment,” the Rev. Joseph Teague said in court Wednesday.

Prosecutors want to sentence Emory Everett Carter next month as an adult on an arson charge and send him to prison for up to 3-1/2 years.

Teague, of the Trinity United Methodist Church, asked that Carter make restitution by working at the church and attending mental health counseling and drug rehabilitation.

Carter, who is black, sometimes attended Bible study sessions at the small church, which has members of both races. The church was about to celebrate its 70th anniversary when a white police officer shot and killed a young black man during a traffic stop Oct. 24, setting off a night of rioting.

The church was set on fire that night, sustaining minor damage. Carter admitted he tried to burn it, telling police he was angry about the shooting. He apologized to Teague and asked for forgiveness.