Woman suing over rape by Mormon leader speaks at his church

SALT LAKE CITY — A woman who sued a former Mormon missionary leader claiming that he raped her in the 1980s went to his church in Arizona on Sunday and told his congregation that church leaders are covering for a “sexual predator.”

McKenna Denson was ushered away from the podium at the Mormon church in Chandler, Arizona, shortly after she began talking during a monthly segment in Mormon services when church members are invited to share their testimony, shows a video posted online.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints criticized Denson’s actions, calling it disappointing that someone would interrupt worship services for personal gain. A judge recently dismissed part of Denson’s lawsuit against the church because the statute of limitations had passed, but allowed a fraud claim to stand because the alleged coverup was discovered recently. All the claims were dismissed against Bishop, who has denied assaulting the woman.

Denson, 55, of Pueblo, Colorado, introduced herself as a visitor and said she loved the saviour before telling everyone that the now-85-year-old Joseph L. Bishop is “sexual predator” who raped her and that Mormon leaders are now covering for him.

It’s unclear if Bishop was at the church. Bishop oversaw hundreds of young people as president of the Missionary Training Center, in Provo, Utah, in the 1980s.

The Mormon church has said repeatedly it has “no tolerance for abuse.”