EURweb |
JUANITA BYNUM VISITS TV'S 'DIVORCE COURT': Televangelist to discuss her drama on episodes airing today and tomorrow.
*In a special two-part episode of "Divorce Court," televangelist Juanita Bynum will confirm that she is completely through with her marriage to minister Thomas W. Weeks III, who is currently on probation for beating her in a hotel parking lot.
In episodes scheduled to air Thursday and Friday, Bynum says she and Weeks are not planning to reconcile, and in fact, she is "done" with the entire relationship.
"I can't speak for him, but I no longer want the marriage," she told Judge Lynn Toler.
Weeks' divorce attorney, Randy Kessler, said on Tuesday that the divorce is moving forward and a mediation date is scheduled for May 13.
"Reconciliation is not in the works and not even being discussed now," Kessler said, adding that the show appearance could affect the mediation.
Bynum also told Toler that she had thoughts of suicide in the wake of her assault.
"Suicide crossed my mind ... You know, I felt hopeless," Bynum told Judge Lynn Toler. "I didn't because the name Bynum represents a legacy of people that have gone before me and had I done that I would have given too much power to an individual to not just wipe me out but to wipe out the integrity of the legacy I was born in."
Asked to advise other women in situations similar to hers, Bynum said, "I have to make a decision ... to take the love that I had for him with me." She said she would always love Weeks, but made a decision to "love me more."
Weeks pleaded guilty in March to assaulting Bynum on Aug. 21 in a hotel parking lot outside of Atlanta; police said Bynum told investigators he choked her, pushed her down and kicked and stomped her. Weeks was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to perform community service and undergo counseling.
Bynum – a former hairdresser and flight attendant–turned–Pentecostal evangelist, author and gospel singer – said she first started seeing marital red flags well before the assault.
"I was just trying to make it work because I don't like losing relationships," Bynum said. "All of this just kept getting swept under the rug ... So you begin to adapt to a very wrong and very unhealthy marriage."
Share and Bookmark |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
