UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT TACOMA

CHERYL LINDSEY SEELHOFF, a married woman, Plaintiff, Tacoma, Washington vs. PAT and SUE WELCH, husband and wife, Defendants.

Docket No. C97-5383FDB Tacoma, Washington September 2, 1998 Trial Volume 3

TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE HONORABLE FRANKLIN D. BURGESS UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE, and a Jury.

APPEARANCES: For the Plaintiff:	BARBARA J. DUFFY GWENDOLYN PAYTON KLEIN Lane Powell Spears Lubersky 1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 4100 Seattle, Washington 98101-2338
For the Defendants:	RUDY R. LACHENMEIER LORI DeDOBBELAERE Lachenmeier, Enloe & Rall 9600 S.W. Capitol Highway Portland, Oregon 97219
Court Reporter:	Teri Hendrix Union Station Courthouse, Room 3100 1717 Pacific Avenue Tacoma, Washington 98402 (253) 593-6545

Proceedings recorded by mechanical stenography, transcript produced by Reporter on computer.

Excerpt from transcripts Volume 3 September 2, 1998 Pages 446-683


How to use these documents.

A complete copy of the transcript are availble on an independent web site.
http://members.aol.com/Hsingcase/index.html
(Link provide by permission)

Documents can be ordered by writing to:

US District Court
Western District of Washington
P.O. Box 1935
Tacoma, Washington 98401

474

1  Let me back up. To your knowledge, did Sue Welch have any
2  conversations at all with your wife?
3  A.  Not to my knowledge.
4  Q.  So sometime around 12:37, you spoke with Sue Welch at The
5  Teaching Home?
6  A.  That's correct.
7  Q.  Feel free to rely upon Exhibit 112 or just your own memory.
8  Tell me about the conversation with Sue Welch that occurred at
9  12:37 on July 1, 1994.
10  A.  To the best of my recollection, Sue had left a message on
11  the answering machine requesting a call, of which I called her
12  back. The times indicated will always be Eastern Standard Time.
13  I spoke with Sue and she informed me where I indicated, advised
14  details, she informed me of the details pertaining to this
15  lawsuit. Cheryl having filed for divorce, Claude not being
16  home, and Cheryl having been involved in an adulterous
17  relationship with another gentleman.
18  She then to the best of my recollection played for me what
19  had been recorded on her answering machine or a device, a letter
20  that was read which pertained to church discipline from Pastor
21  Joe Williams, who was the pastor of the church where Cheryl was
22  a member. She provided me the phone number of Pastor Joe
23  Williams and advised me that Gregg Harris was aware of these
24  matters.
25  Q.  Okay. Anything else that you recall about the first

475

1  conversation with Sue Welch on July 1, 1994?
2  A.  Not that I can recall at this time.
3  Q.  Okay. This recording of the letter, do you recall, was the
4  voice -- well, did Sue Welch tell you whose voice it was on the
5  recording?
6  A.  I do not recall if she did.
7  Q.  Do you recall if the voice was male or female?
8  A.  I do not recall.
9  Q.  And did you come to the understanding that somebody had
10  called Sue Welch and left the text or left a recording of the
11  letter on the voice message machine or her answering machine?
12  A.   To the best of my recollection I believe that was my
13  understanding.
14  Q.  And in this conversation, did you ask Sue Welch for Pastor
15  Joe Williams, phone number?
16  A.  I don't recall if I asked for it or she provided it to me.
17  Q.  You remember somehow you obtained that telephone number?
18  A.  Yes, I do.
19  Q.  Did Sue Welch indicate to you how it was that she became
20  aware of this information?
21  A.  I do not recall if she did.
22  Q.  The next entry there appears to be 3:52 on July 1, 1994, do
23  you see that?
24  A.  Yes, ma'am.
25  Q.  It says "S/W Pastor Joe and Irene William " do you see

476

1  that?
2  A.  Yes.
3  Q.  Does that refer to a conversation you had with Joe and Irene
4  Williams?
5  A.  Yes, it does.
6  Q.  Can you, using Exhibit 112 and your memory, tell me what it
7  is you recall about the conversation with Joe and Irene Williams
8  at 3:52 Eastern time on July 1, 1994?
9  A.  To the best of my recollection, they began to inform me of
10  Cheryl's relationship with another man, and they had confronted
11  her, that she had been confronted by her children, that this
12  relationship dated back to February or March of 1994.
13  They indicated that she was refusing to repent of the
14  situation, and they were sensing the need to proceed with church
15  discipline. They informed me of Roland and John being aware of
16  the information, Roland and John being the sons of Cheryl and
17  Claude Lindsey. They indicated they would fax me a copy of the
18  letter that was being put together or had been put together
19  pertaining to church discipline, and provided me Claude's number
20  in Louisiana where I might reach him to affirm the truth and/or
21  error of these matters.
22  Q.  Okay. Why is it you called Joe and Irene Williams?
23  A.  I wanted to obtain factual information as opposed to hearsay
24  information. Not that I doubted Sue Welch, but because this was
25  an allegation coming from the church, I wanted to hear from