- LDS positions: Bishop, Stake high council,
- Criminal case: Never charged, Not convicted,
- Civil case: No civil case,
Case report
Gardner was an LDS bishop in Oklahoma in the 1950s or 1960s. After his death, he was accused of sexual abuse by a man who reported to the Mormon Alliance that the abuse had taken place in the bishop’s office in an LDS chapel, when he was about 15-16 years old. He also said that Gardner sexually abused him at his (the victim’s) home.
Gardner’s older sister was married to James Cullimore, who later became an LDS mission president, general authority and assistant to the apostles.
At least three other boys said Gardner sexually fondled them, according to a case report by the Mormon Alliance.
FLOODLIT is working on this story, thanks to your donations and support.
Case facts
- case report | facts | sources
- AKA Sam Gardner, William Howard Mercer
-
Born: 1932
Died: 1968
- LDS mission: United States - Central States 1951-1953
- During alleged crime/failure: Bishop,
- Lived in: Oklahoma,
- During alleged crime, lived in: Oklahoma,
- Victims: 4 victims, Multiple victims,
- Crime scenes: LDS bishop's office, LDS church building,
- Latest update: August 8, 1968: died in Utah
- Add information
Case information sources
- case report | facts | sources
- Samuel H. Gardner - obituary
- Case Reports of the Mormon Alliance, Vol. 1 (1995)
- UTLM #91 - November 1996
- Blame the Victim: Hushing Mormon Sexual Abuse
Case information source details
-
Samuel H. Gardner - obituary
Publisher: Spanish Fork Press
Date: 15 Aug 1968
Archive.org
Source type: News article -
view all information sources Case Reports of the Mormon Alliance, Vol. 1 (1995)
Publisher: Lavina Fielding Anderson, Janice Merrill Allred
Date: 1 Jan 1995
Archive.org
Source type: Website - view all information sources
-
view all information sources Blame the Victim: Hushing Mormon Sexual Abuse
Publisher: Marion Smith
Date: 10 Apr 1996
Archive.org
Source type: News article
Browse the Mormon Sexual Abuse Database
Browse the Mormon sexual abuse database »View the Mormon Sexual Abuse Map
International map of locations where active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perpetrated or allegedly perpetrated sexual abuse or other sex crimes, or where LDS leaders failed or allegedly failed to help abuse survivors.
Visit the FLOODLIT Map