Tulsa World: Judge tosses part of case against ORU

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Judge tosses part of case against ORU

By Associated Press
Published: 11/24/2008 6:38 PM
Last Modified: 11/24/2008 6:38 PM

View all the stories, documents, videos and slide shows about the ORU lawsuit.

A district judge on Monday dismissed part of a wrongful termination case accusing former Oral Roberts University officials of financial wrongdoing.

Tulsa County District Court Judge Michael Gassett dismissed the wrongful discharge claim from former ORU accountant Trent Huddleston's civil lawsuit because his attorneys couldn't prove his firing violated public policy of the state of Oklahoma, a test known as the Burk tort.

Gassett seemed ready to dismiss the case at a hearing in September, but instead decided to give Huddleston's attorneys another chance, ordering them to file an amended complaint along with a five-page brief explaining why they should be allowed to re-plead the case.

"I don't think anything has changed since we were here the last time," Gassett said before ruling late Monday.

Paul Boudreaux, an attorney for Huddleston, said he would eventually appeal the decision.

Frank Hagedorn, attorney for former ORU President Richard Roberts and his wife, Lindsay, welcomed the ruling.

"It's a very good ruling for all the defendants and should help to dispose of the case," Hagedorn said.

Along with the Robertses, two-dozen former regents and well-known televangelists are also named as defendants in the suit.

In

his lawsuit, filed last year, Huddleston claims he discovered an "unrestricted" account used to funnel "unusually large" sums of money through the university each month — which would exceed $1 billion on an annual basis — that wasn't used for any legitimate university purpose.

He also claims he was ordered to help Richard and Lindsay Roberts "cook the books" by hiding improper and illegal financial wrongdoing from authorities and the public.

Huddleston, who was hired in 2006 and spent 15 months at the school, also alleges former ORU board members participated in funneling the money for their eventual personal use, "and thus, the foxes were watching the hen house."

Richard Roberts resigned as president last year amid allegations he and his wife dropped school money on home remodels, lavish vacations and a stable of horses for their daughters.

He stepped down days after Huddleston's suit was filed. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Earlier this month, the school completed a separation agreement with Roberts, which will pay him $447,200 in salary for the remaining term of his appointment, which was to run through November 2009.

The next hearing in the Huddleston case is Jan. 27. By Associated Press

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