Jacksonville, Florida -- News of former Trinity Baptist Pastor Dr. Bob Gray's death spread throughout the church community Sunday morning.
Gray died just days before his trial was scheduled to begin.
He had been at Shands Jacksonville since mid-October for an undisclosed medical condition.
More than twenty women and a man claim Dr. Gray abused them as children.
Outside Trinity Baptist Church Sunday morning, several people told First Coast News they had mixed emotions over Gray's passing. One man, who knew Gray very well, was shocked when the allegations surfaced. While his thoughts and prayers are with Gray's family, he said that there are two sides to every story and he is curious about the upcoming civil trial against the church.
Gray's criminal trial was scheduled to begin later this week, but after his hospitalization the judge delayed the trial pending a status hearing in mid-December.
The family of Dr. Gray says he passed away around noon Saturday. In a statement, the family said, "The family is confident, as he was confident, that he is in heaven now by God's grace." The family prays that everyone involved can find peace.
Miami attorney Adam Horowitz is handling the civil lawsuits against Trinity Baptist. Horowitz says there are six civil cases and he anticipates more.
The lawsuits claim Trinity knew Dr. Gray was a child molester and did nothing to protect the children.
Horowitz says he took a 27-page deposition from Dr. Gray just weeks before the pastor became ill.
Horowitz says Gray took the Fifth Amendment 150 times.
"We feel the 5th is typically used by criminal defendants to conceal their own wrongdoing," said Horowitz. "If they have nothing to hide they don't need to assert the 5th Amendment privilege."
The deposition was to be read at trial.
The attorneys for Bob Gray and Trinity have denied any wrongdoing.
