Friday marked the 14th anniversary of the 2009 murders of Sheri Coleman and her young sons Gavin and Garett in Columbia and 12th anniversary of a jury’s 2011 conviction of Christopher Coleman at the Monroe County Courthouse for their deaths.

A wrongful death civil lawsuit against Chris Coleman and his former employer, Joyce Meyer Ministries, is finally set to go to trial this summer. 

A hearing last Wednesday set July 10 as the start date for a jury trial at the Monroe County Courthouse to determine the civil liability of the defendants on multiple wrongful death counts.

In addition to the wrongful death and accompanying survival action counts, there is also a count of “negligent retention” against Joyce Meyer Ministries in addition to Joyce Meyer and her son, Daniel Meyer, individually.

Daniel Meyer  was an immediate supervisor to Chris Coleman during his time as a security employee for Joyce Meyer Ministries, per the legal filings.

Representing himself in this case, Chris Coleman recently submitted a motion to dismiss the suit, claiming he never received “process service” notifying him of the litigation. 

He is serving three concurrent life sentences in a Wisconsin prison for the strangulation deaths of his late wife and sons. 

Regions Bank is named as plaintiff in the case as an independent administrator for surviving members of Sheri’s family, including her mother and brother. 

Damages in excess of $50,000 are being sought.

The original civil suit was dismissed in 2013, but a 2014 appellate court decision found there was a “reasonable” expectation of harm to Coleman’s family could have been foreseen and reverted the case back to the local court.  

Judge Judy Cates delivered the judgment of the court, with judges Thomas Welch and Melissa Chapman concurring in that opinion.

“Given the gravity of the threats, it was objectively reasonable to anticipate that some harm might come to (Sheri, Garett and Gavin Coleman),” the appellate court opinion states. 

“It may also be reasonable to infer that Sheri Coleman did not have an equal and independent means to investigate the threats, and that Sheri Coleman, relying on (Joyce Meyer’s Ministries’) promises to investigate the threats and to provide security, did not take steps to protect herself and her children from the threatened harm.”

The three-judge appeals court panel stated in its ruling that it is not necessary that a defendant must have foreseen the precise nature of the harm or exact manner of occurrence.

“It is sufficient if, at the time of the defendant’s action or inaction, some harm could have been reasonably foreseen,” the ruling states.

The appellate court also cited cases in Illinois courts in negligent hiring, supervision or retention of an employee who intentionally harmed someone while acting outside the scope of their employment.

Court documents allege the defendants “knew or should have known” their employee was the source of death threats made electronically to himself and his family from a work computer and the ministry had established a “duty of care” to the decedents in that regard.

Depositions from the original trial and an amended filing from 2017, the plaintiffs allege Chris Coleman used a computer and cell phone provided by Joyce Meyer Ministries to “deliver multiple threats to kill (Sheri Coleman) and her children.”

Furthermore, the filing cites evidence for the allegation of “negligent retention” against Joyce and Daniel Meyer and Joyce Meyer Ministries.

The filing states Chris Coleman’s company-provided cell phone usage was suspended and Sheri Coleman was offered counseling services in light of Joyce Meyer Ministries’ alleged knowledge of threats against the family.

Also mentioned is an “unwritten or written policy” against employees of Joyce Meyer Ministries’ employees seeking divorce, which was used as a motive for Coleman’s actions during the criminal case.

Joyce Meyers Ministries filed an appeal for summary judgement – and ultimate dismissal of charges – earlier this year. 

The appeal stated there is “no evidence” the family should have expected benefit or reliance on the  organization “to protect them.” 

As of press time, no order had been issued regarding the motion to dismiss any charges, and Joyce Meyer Ministries, Joyce Meyer, Daniel Meyer and Chris Coleman will face a civil trial in two months.