Motion to Remove District Attorney Delays Word of Faith Retrial
By Marge | Published 2025-12-30T17:16:58.662+00:00
News
Rutherfordton -- December 30, 2025: A decade-old criminal case involving the Spindale-based Word of Faith Fellowship has taken a new legal turn. Matthew Fenner, who alleges he was kidnapped and beaten by church members in 2013, has filed a petition to disqualify District Attorney Ted Bell from the case, accusing the prosecutor of political bias.
Allegations of Conflict of InterestIn a sworn statement filed in December 2025, Fenner alleged that DA Ted Bell has intentionally hindered the prosecution to avoid upsetting the church’s influential voting bloc ahead of the 2026 election.Fenner’s specific allegations include:Scheduling Conflicts: Fenner claims Bell scheduled a retrial for church leader Brooke Covington during a week when Fenner had critical medical residency interviews and refused to grant a delay.Lack of Investigation: The peti