Second trial called in Word of Faith abuse case

A motion for a trial for a second defendant in the Matthew Fenner case has been filed, according to the Rutherford County Clerk of Court office.

The motion filed by Assistant District Attorney Garland Byers states that the hearing will take place sometime in September.  

Five ministers within the Word of Faith Fellowship Church were charged after Matthew Fenner told police that he was held for hours against his will, beating him for being gay inside the church in 2013.

The trial against the first defendant, Brooke Covington, ended in a mistrial, due to alleged jury tampering. The second defendant that will have a trial will be Adam Bartley.

That trial is also set to begin in September.

Pre-trial motions are set to be heard the week of July 17th.

Those motions include for Matthew Fenner to produce audio recordings that have been featured in an Associated Press series into the Word of Faith Fellowship Church.