Jimmy Swaggart, accused in a $90 million lawsuit of ruining a rival evangelist, declared, "I never trashed Marvin Gorman."
Swaggart took the stand Tuesday for the first time in the monthlong trial, in which Gorman contends Swaggart spread false rumors about extramarital affairs to bring down Gorman's budding New Orleans-based TV ministry.It was Gorman who later produced the photographs of Swaggart and a prostitute that rocked Swaggart's empire.
Swaggart on Tuesday admitted he relied on rumor as the basis for a letter to ministers accusing Gorman of having affairs dating back 25 to 30 years.
Gorman's attorney, Hunter Lundy, accused Swaggart of being a hypocrite who spread gossip about Gorman and then played the role of judge.
Gorman resigned as pastor of the First Assembly of God Church in 1986 after admitting to one adulterous affair.