Thomas Weeks, husband of Juanita Bynum, to stand trial in March

A March court date has been set in the criminal case against the husband of national evangelist Juanita Bynum.

Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, who is accused of beating, stomping and choking his estranged wife in an Atlanta hotel parking lot, is scheduled to appear in Fulton County Superior Court on Feb. 25 for final plea and arraignment, said court officials. A tentative trial date in the criminal case has been set for the second week in March.

Weeks has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he attacked his wife.

On Friday, the bishop, his divorce and criminal lawyers and Bynum met behind closed doors with a Fulton County Superior Court judge for several hours, said court officials.

“The defense had indicated that [Weeks] was open to trying to dispose of this case without a trial,” Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said through a spokesperson. “The judge called the parties together to see if that was possible, but those efforts failed. Now the case is set for trial.”

Randy Kessler, Weeks’ divorce attorney who attended the meeting, refused to comment on what was discussed about the criminal case.

“No plea was entered,” Kessler said. “It was a scheduling conference to schedule the criminal process.”

Weeks has been charged with felony aggravated assault, felony terroristic threats and two counts of simple battery in connection with the alleged Aug. 21 attack against Bynum. He has repeatedly denied the spousal abuse.

The couple’s divorce is still pending in Gwinnett County Superior Court. It is scheduled for both mediation and deposition on Feb. 18.

Meanwhile, Weeks, an author and leader of a global ministry, and Bynum, a Pentecostal pastor, author and gold-selling gospel singer, are planning separate seminars on family issues next month. Weeks’ “Renaissance for Domestic Wholeness” is scheduled for Feb. 14-16 at Global Destiny Church in Duluth. Bynum has said that she would host a domestic violence awareness conference in February. No information was available on the conference late Monday.

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