Nationwide — Pastor Lorenz Roseman, who is from Los Angeles, California, was arrested after surveillance footage appeared to show him pushing a female church elder down concrete steps. The case has sparked outrage as he returned to lead his congregation despite ongoing legal concerns.
On October 7, Elise McTaw, an elder at Beulah Land Missionary Baptist Church in Gardena, was pushed down a set of steps. She fractured her wrist and toes and said the fall left her deeply shaken. “I’m not the same after being hurt by somebody that you trust and love,” she told KTLA.
Roseman was arrested the same day and released two days later on a promise to appear in court. Despite the allegations, a majority of church members voted to keep him in his pastoral role. He claims some congregants targeted him after he removed certain members over alleged misconduct.
The congregation remains sharply divided. Activist Najee Ali said the pastor should step down. “That’s why the members of the church are asking him to step down,” Ali said, pointing to McTaw’s injury. Dr. Ta-Taneisha Thames added, “He does not get to put his hands on anyone. That is not okay. He has to go.”
Roseman stated that judges have dismissed other lawsuits against him as “frivolous and lacking standing” and that he is confident in future legal proceedings. The case is still ongoing.