Summary: A sweeps piece focusing
on the actions of a minister resulted in his suicide.
Church deals with suicide of minister who
was focus of TV report
Sunday November 05, 2006
PITTSBURGH (AP) A Presbyterian congregation held regular services Sunday for the
first time since learning of the suicide of its longtime pastor, who had been
the subject of a local television news investigation.
Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon has been ``in shock and grief'' over
the death of the Rev. Brent Dugan, said the Rev. James Mead, pastor to the
Pittsburgh Presbytery.
Dugan's body was found Friday in a motel room in Mercer County. The Mercer
County coroner's office said he died of an overdose of aspirin and alcohol, and
ruled his death a suicide.
His death came a day after KDKA-TV canceled plans to air an investigation that
focused on Dugan's personal life. Dugan had been missing since Wednesday
afternoon, and a suicide note was found Thursday morning in his home, Mead said
Saturday.
Mead said that Dugan wrote in the note about his ``profound sorrow and sadness,
and sense of solemn grief and embarrassment, about what he thought would come to
be known about his personal life.'' Mead did not elaborate.
KDKA had aired promotions for the broadcast without mentioning Dugan by name.
But the station announced Thursday that it would not air the story, citing
concerns that he might harm himself.
After learning of Dugan's death, the station issued a statement Friday
expressing condolences to the pastor's family and friends. It declined to
comment Saturday.
Mead emphasized that Dugan had provided stellar leadership during his 18 years
as pastor of the church.
``He was an outstanding pastor who loved the Lord, loved the church and served
the church with great effectiveness,'' Mead said. ``This is an occasion of
profound sorrow in this presbytery. People are brokenhearted.''
The Rev. Carol Divens Roth, an associate pastor to the presbytery, was asked to
take Dugan's place at the pulpit on Sunday, Mead said.
Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
http://www.post-gazette.com
