After years of rumors it is finally confirmed. The son of prominent, anti-gay black televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes has been arrested and charged with indecent exposure. To complicate matters, authorities say Jermaine Jakes exposed himself to two male undercover vice detectives.
2009_02_12_JAKES The arrest happened when Jakes was trolling Keist Park, a popular cruising spot in Dallas. CBS 11 reports, "The affidavit says Jakes walked up to one of the detectives at the park with his pants unzipped. Jakes then began to masturbate while making eye contact with the detective. The detectives arrested Jakes on a charge of indecent exposure."
The details are available in a graphically detailed arrest warrant presented by the Dallas Police Department. The narrative includes which hand the younger Jakes used to "gratify himself"—he's a lefty—and several mentions of Jakes' "fully erect poenis." The only details missing are size and distinguishing marks.
The January 3rd arrest only comes to light today. That might have something to do with the fact Jakes missed his court date, a warrant was issued and he turned himself into police this morning.
Bishop T.D. Jakes is pastor of the 30,000 member Potter's House in Dallas. The mega-church pastor has lead national prayer services after Hurricane Katrina with former President George W. Bush. Jakes was one of several prominent mega-church pastors and evangelicals who met with then-Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in a June closed door meeting to discuss his positions on "gay rights, abortion and other issues." Jakes reportedly has had cordial meetings with Soulforce, the gay youth activists, but does not have an inclusive ministry. Jakes is opposed to same sex marriage, expanding hate crime protection to gays, calls homosexuality a "brokenness", and, says he would not hire a sexually active gay person. Presumably there will be no job offers for his own son.
Jermaine Jakes' sexuality and after dark activities have long been rumored among black gay men across the South. Unfortunately it's another case of raising a gay man to be self-hating and seeking gratification in all the wrong places. (See Ted Haggard, Larry Craig, et al.) If more of our families, especially black religious families, didn't force their sons to stay in the closet they wouldn't feel pressured to go parks and cruise for trade. The hypocrisy is delicious: Jakes' son stands by and does nothing while his father speaks against gays. T.D. Jakes knows his son is gay but continues to oppose laws that would protect his gay son. Luckily these were two undercover officers who arrested Jermaine Jakes. Not gay bashers who may beat him or possibly worse.
