Preacher sues '20/20' over segment

LOS ANGELES, July 25 (UPI) -- A California preacher sued ABC's "20/20," claiming the show defamed him by portraying him as using church money to fund a lavish lifestyle.

In the suit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Rev. Frederick K.C. Price said a "20/20" segment on televangelists "devastated, embarrassed and greatly humiliated" him, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. The suit named Walt Disney Co., ABC's parent company, and "20/20" co-anchor John Stossel.

"20/20" ran a portion of a sermon Price delivered 10 years ago. In it, Price said, "I live in a 25-room mansion, I have my own $6 million yacht, I have my own private jet and I have my own helicopter and I have seven luxury automobiles." In the full sermon, a church spokesman said, Price was quoting a hypothetical person with great material wealth but little spiritual capital.

The suit called the clip an "outrageous" instance of out-of-context editing"

The show "never approached Dr. Price or the church to check their facts," the suit said.

ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said he couldn't comment on the suit. He said ABC ran two on-air retractions and posted a retraction on its Web site.