SECRETS OF PEDOPHILIA

in an

AMERICAN RELIGION

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis

Copyright © 2007 by Barbara J. Anderson

All rights reserved. Except for court records in the public domain and brief quotations from miscellaneous quoted sources, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (printed, written, photocopying, visual, electronic, audio or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

he goal of this project was to shine a bright light on the secret policies and procedures ut

T ilized by Jehovah’s Witness leaders to manage victims’ accusations of sexual abuse by Witness molesters.

“Child abuse is abhorrent to us” is a commendable statement and one Jehovah’s Witnesses repeat often. Knowing there were documents that would prove their secret actions spoke louder than their public words, I committed to unveil what has been too long hidden in a religious community which proclaims their child abuse policy “is without equal in the religious community.” But to do so was dependant upon obtaining thousands of pages of court documents.

However, without help, this task would not have been accomplished in just a few months. I want to thank all the marvelous folks who offered their assistance in so many ways.

Ordering court records from twelve lawsuits was not exactly a pleasant experience. If it wasn’t for my good friend, Richard Rawe, it is doubtful I would have accomplished all I was able to do. He must have spent up to fifty or more hours on the phone maneuvering through the bureaucratic maze to order court documents. Richard was absolutely invaluable in this regard. I can’t thank him enough for his assistance.

Without the love and support of my husband, Joe, such a huge project would have been difficult. He was almost a bachelor during the months I worked from sunup to sundown to read and analyze all the documents and then write the commentary. My sister-in-law, Lynda, helped out with many household tasks, that is, after her fractured wrist healed, and she has my gratitude.

Not to embarrass anyone for all the good works they did to assist me, but I want to mention a few names of some pretty wonderful people. They made this CD possible with their support, financial assistance and technical expertise. Much gratitude and affection goes to dear people like Bruce and Dorian Baker, Joy Grant, the Galvez family, Alan Feuerbacher, Kerry Louderback-Wood, Jim Penton, Randy Watters and a number of others who don’t want their names mentioned for fear of reprisal by Jehovah’s Witnesses for aiding someone like me whose only motive is to make life safer for Witness children.

The extraordinary cover for this work was designed by a wonderful and most generous guy, Dave Malone of Malone Illustrations. He did not hesitate for a moment when asked if he would use his skills to produce a cover. He quickly rounded up a friend whose little girl posed for her photographer mother to provide a photo for Dave to work with. I want to thank all of you for your help with this undertaking.

Also, Chris, who kept my computer system running, has my gratitude. And, never will I forget the support from some pretty wonderful Canadian gals and guys who were there for me whenever I needed their input.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis The commentary provided in this CD is meant to make it easier for readers to make sense of some of the thousands of pages of court records provided. My work is just a glimpse into the internal workings of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the matter of child sexual abuse. I certainly have not expressed all the information that can be gleaned out of the records. Now it is up to you, the reader, to pick up the gauntlet and explore what has been provided. While you are doing that I’ll be putting the finishing touches on a hard copy of Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis, containing even more commentary than this publication includes.

Special gratitude goes to my son who will always remain the apple of my eye. You have made me proud, Lance, by becoming a first-rate father and husband. The experience of being your mother was so unique and joyous. It remains the compelling force steering me to pursue the protection of children.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Contents

INTRODUCTION

6

Finally Disillusioned

“Silentlambs” and NBC Dateline

Disfellowshipped for Appearing on Dateline

A New Commitment

PREFACE

9

1 What Exactly Were These Lawsuits About?

11

2 The Facts

14

3 Background Of Pertinent Events

18

Watchtower Loses Penitent Privilege Fight

4

Court

Records:

Five

Other

Lawsuits

27

5 Where Did Jehovah’s Witnesses Go Wrong?

30

The Three-Year Rule

District Representative Donald Amy’s Letter

6

Settlement

Indicates

Responsibility

36

Two Molesters In Same Congregation

7 Defendants Did Not Report Child Abuse

62

No Child Abuse Reporting Policy

8 Watchtower Legal Department Represents Service Department 72

9 Chief Watchtower Spokesman J. R. Brown’s Deposition 74

10

Watch

Tower’s

Secret

Payment

80

Overview-KHAA Ins. Program From Reinmueller Deposition Watch Tower’s Out-Of-Court Secret Settlements

11 The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back

89

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Policy on Dealing With Child Abuse

5

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis INTRODUCTION

hen I was an inexperienced, discontented fourteen-year old, I made a choice that for the W next forty-four years of my life would narrow my opportunities to make choices—I joined one of the most aggressive, controversial religious groups, Jehovah’s Witnesses, which became the center of my life. I put aside my heart’s desire, the study of archeology, because of the religion’s ban on higher education for their members. Hence, evangelistic activities took priority over education. I heeded their rules as to choice of friends, only Jehovah’s Witnesses, and choice of a marriage mate, only one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses from 1954 until 1998. When I married Joe Anderson in 1959, he was, of course, a Witness. In 1961, our son, Lance, was born. He was carefully trained to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As a family, we were very familiar with opposition to our religion because of our persistence in making our beliefs known to people whether they wanted to hear us or not. Although we were disliked by some people because of our preaching, my husband and I helped convert about 80 people.

In 1982, during a time of expansion of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ world headquarters in Brooklyn, NY, as longtime faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses we were invited to live and work there as volunteer staff members. The place is called “Bethel” and we became “Bethelites.” At that time, the workers at the Bethel complex numbered a few thousand. The purpose for being there was to support the publishing of hundreds of millions of pieces of Witness literature such as the Watchtower and Awake! journals. For one year my job assignment was in the Shipping Department. Then I was transferred to the Engineering Department for six years where I did secretarial and research work. After that, for nearly four years, my assignment was the Writing Department where I was the major researcher for the Witnesses’ last published history book, Jehovah’s Witnesses Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, (1993).

While working in the Writing Department at the Witnesses’ world headquarters, I learned in the early 1990s there were members of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including some elders, who engaged in child sexual abuse; that Jehovah’s Witnesses officials knew of many of these incidents of child sexual abuse but had in place organizational policies that effectively prevented the reporting of most of these incidents to appropriate authorities and also to Witness congregational members. These policies were directly contrary to the public position taken by Jehovah’s Witnesses that child sexual abuse is neither tolerated nor concealed.

Leaving the Witnesses’ World Headquarters in January of 1993, we returned to Tennessee where I continued researching for Awake! senior writers; also, exploring the abuse issue and writing some Awake! articles until December 1996.

When I first became aware of child sexual abuse in the Watchtower organization, I had no idea the Bible teaching requiring two-witnesses to prove sin was also applied to molestation. It was only after 1997 when I discovered how the requirement of two witnesses to molestation protected pedophiles that I understood how this policy was such a danger to children. If abuse victims can not back up their charge of molestation through another witness, and the accused denies the allegation, the accusation goes nowhere. Then the confidentiality rule goes into 6

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis effect. Victims are told not to speak of the accusation or else be disfellowshipped themselves.

This was the way molesters were kept hidden and children were open game.

Finally Disillusioned

I belonged to an organization whose members appear to be no different from society at large.

Yet, underneath the surface they really are very different in their approach to life because

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a self-proclaimed theocracy meaning they believe God is guiding their organization. And it is the leaders of the Witness theocracy who make the rules for the flock about all aspects of life including rules to protect the members from threatening influences.

Regardless of good intentions, Witness leaders have become like Pharisees in that they provide instructions for just about every human condition. Their directives are supposedly written with the intention of protecting the congregation, yet in too many cases, the polices end up protecting the bad guys and their secrets.

In 1998, I officially left the organization, although I had been fading for about a year. I tried to put my anxiety about the child abuse situation aside and went to the local community college where I received a scholarship. This gift gave me the strength to go on without my Jehovah’s Witnesses’ friends from all over the world who I knew for a certainty would shun me when they realized I was no longer one of them. Going to college was how I discovered there was life outside of the Watchtower. At the time my husband and I were married thirty-nine years. We never kept secrets from one another. Therefore, my husband accepted my exit from our religion because he was aware that in good conscience, I was having a very difficult time associating myself with the Witness organization knowing what I did about the Watchtower Society’s child sexual abuse policies which I considered evil. As a woman, I had to remain silent about this evil or be disfellowshipped. My anger and frustration knowing I was helpless to protect children from molestation was a burden I could no longer bear. In any case, I did not say anything negative to anyone about the Witness organization so I was not perceived as a threat by them.

“Silentlambs” and NBC Dateline

Towards the end of 2000, I met a Witness elder, Bill Bowen, who decided to resign his position and go public about the child sexual abuse issue. This took place on January 1, 2001.

When Bill resigned as an elder over the child abuse issue, the media coverage in Bill’s home state of Kentucky was tremendous. In addition, Bill and I came up with an idea for an Internet website which Bill created that we named silentlambs.org. Here Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were victims of child sexual molestation by Witness perpetrators, could post their stories. Within weeks there were 1,000 stories. After five years, there are nearly 7,000.

Initially, I did not publicly reveal myself. Within weeks, Bill and I were on a plane bound for New York City and NBC’s Dateline show . After the producers did extensive research, which established our claims were true, our interviews were scheduled.

Disfellowshipped for Appearing on Dateline

After calling NBC time and again to find out when the program would air, Watchtower leaders were told the program would be shown on May 28, 2002. Immediately, Watchtower officials notified local elders to schedule judicial hearings for all of us who appeared as whistleblowers on Dateline. In early May, I proved to the elders I was not guilty of the false 7

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis charges brought against me. Within days the local elders scheduled another judicial hearing with new, concocted charges. I declined to attend the meeting because it seemed futile—if I disproved those charges, it was obvious they would just come up with different charges. In any event, I was subsequently disfellowshipped on May 19, 2002 for causing divisions within the brotherhood.

Disfellowshipped members are construed as being unrepentant sinners and not to be believed, so it was a cunning move for the Watchtower. It was obvious to me I was disfellowshipped shortly before Dateline was broadcast so Witness viewers would not believe what I said about there being a pedophile problem within their group.

Joe subsequently was disfellowshipped in July 2002, also for causing divisions. By defending me and expressing his personal views about the child sexual abuse situation, Joe was no longer a company man. Like Bill Bowen and me, Joe became critical of the process elders were instructed to go through when child abuse was reported to them. He believed back then and still does that Witness elders should not investigate accusations of child sexual abuse. It is a crime that should be reported by elders to the police no matter which state they live in, even if not mandated by law in that state for clergy to do so.

A New Commitment

When I look back over my life from the time I was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses at the age of 14, it simply amazes me where that first step led to. My only desire then was to help people understand the mysteries of life as taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now I’m no longer under the illusion that the mysteries of life can be explained, or that Jehovah’s Witnesses are a benevolent religion.

Although I have been labeled by Witnesses as “a Judas” for publicizing the child sexual abuse problems within the Witness organization, I am still committed to exposing the secrets hidden within this religious organization.

During the past five years since the filing by attorneys of the first child sexual abuse lawsuit in 2003, I have been active in aiding all to understand polices and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the matter of child sexual abuse. Of course, I was disappointed that not one filed child sexual abuse lawsuit since 2003 made it to open court but were settled by the leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses in out-of-court settlements in February 2007. However, that was not the end of this story because the thousands of pages of court records I recently obtained reveal the Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion, Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are now in crisis.

8

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis PREFACE

pproximately 5,000 pages of court documents have been amassed from twelve court record de

A positories in four states. These court documents are the result of twelve lawsuits that Defendants’ Jehovah’s Witnesses, et al. were involved with since 1999.

Primarily of interest at this point are the nine lawsuits settled in early 2007 between Jehovah’s Witness victims of molestation and Defendants’ Jehovah’s Witnesses, et al. However, also located were case records from two other lawsuits that were settled out-of-court by Watchtower, one in 2000 and the other in 2006. In our search for court records, another lawsuit was found. This one was dismissed without prejudice in 2004. The case documents are included for informational purposes.

Over all, the facts are common to all of the nine lawsuits involving sixteen victims which were settled in 2007. These cases were filed from 2003 through 2006 by the law firm, Love & Norris, located in Fort Worth, Texas. The primary defendants were the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; one Oregon congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses; one Texas congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses; six Northern California congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and one Southern California congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. There were eight abusers, all Jehovah’s Witnesses who were co-defendants. The Jehovah’s Witness Defendants, unlike the Catholic Church, secretly settled these nine lawsuits. The majority of the nine were settled at the end of January and then dismissed in mid-February.

In October 2006, I was given the impression that cases involving sixteen victims would soon be settled. In early February, I, as well as Bill Bowen (www.silentlambs.org), learned that these cases had been settled out-of-court. We were provided with no additional information other than learning that Plaintiffs and Defendants were not in favor of any publicity. Inasmuch as Bill did not want to wait any longer to announce the settlement, he held a press conference on May 10, 2007 and the Associated Press carried the story on May 11, 2007. Jehovah’s Witnesses confirmed the settlement. However, Bill had few facts to report, although he did provide proof each case was settled by posting on his website, www.silentlambs.org, a copy of a dismissal notice for each of the nine cases. This proved all cases were dismissed with prejudice which meant that both sides agreed no more legal action could be taken again on these cases. Such an agreement usually indicates a financial settlement paid by Defendants, in this case, Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In the ensuing months since the settlement, I am now able to provide many important details about the nine lawsuits, along with many extraordinarily interesting documents—secret material that Defendants’ Watchtower and Jehovah’s Witnesses expected would remain buried in court records for perpetuity.

I have also discovered that instead of nine cases settled, there probably were more. In the documents obtained there was a Notice of a Case Management Conference scheduled for March 15, 2007. The name of the case is Dennis S. vs. Watchtower Bible And Tract Society of New York, Inc., et al. It was filed in Sonoma County Superior Court, No. 234168. On the document it states this case was part of the Charissa W. and Nicole D. coordinated cases. During the month 9

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis of July 2007, the Sonoma County Superior Court Records Department confirmed that Dennis S.

was settled out-of-court in March 2007, dismissed with prejudice by the judge. When I first heard about the out-of-court settlements, I wrote down that there were fourteen cases involved.

Later, I came to believe that I mistakenly wrote down that figure when documents from the Napa County Courthouse listed only seven California cases settled and dismissed in February 2007, and, also, at the same time, one case was settled in Texas and another in Oregon which added up to nine. Upon questioning by an Associated Press reporter, nine cases were acknowledged by one of the Watchtower Society’s attorneys, Mario Marino. If there were more, Mr. Marino found it prudent not to reveal the information. However, now we know there were ten, and additional research into this matter is required to see if there were indeed fourteen cases settled but that will have to wait for another time.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 1

What Exactly Were These Lawsuits About?

t is the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses who establish policies and dictate practices fo

I r Jehovah’s Witnesses. That Body operates through various corporate entities, primarily Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., and Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc. The Plaintiffs charged in their Complaints that Jehovah’s Witnesses assumed a duty to protect children in their organization but failed to exercise reasonable care and common sense policies in fulfilling that duty. For example, Defendants failed to enact a policy forbidding unsupervised one-on-one contact between elders or ministerial servants and children. They permitted children to go out in door-to-door ministry alone with male members and encouraged parents in the congregations to allow their children attend un-chaperoned Bible study with adult males (elders/ms) and allowed these men to “counsel”

children without any supervision.

The Watchtower undertook the responsibility to instruct Jehovah’s Witness elders what to do when they received allegations of child sexual abuse. They promulgated policies directing elders to call Watchtower’s “Legal Department” for direction about whether to report allegations of sexual abuse to law enforcement. However, these policies were designed to obstruct cooperation with secular investigators. For example, elders were sometimes instructed to make anonymous calls from telephone booths so that law enforcement authorities would be unable to contact them for more information.

The Defendants’ Watchtower required Jehovah’s Witness elders to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse. Elders were required to apply the “two witness rule” which under Jehovah’s Witnesses internal policy and doctrine relegates allegations of child molestation to a notation written in a confidential file if the perpetrator does not confess to the crime but pleads innocence.

Elders were required to gather evidence, question witnesses, and render judgments about what internal punishment, if any, would be imposed upon a child abuser. They were forbidden from revealing the results of their investigations to law enforcement authorities. In fact, there was no policy in place to report child abuse. Victims and their families were told not to inform secular authorities or other members. Secrecy was emphasized above all other concerns. The victims and their families were discouraged from receiving appropriate medical and psychological care.

When elders called the Legal Department with allegations of child abuse, they were asked questions that were indicative of the intended investigative process. Shockingly, one inappropriate question asked was if any of the elders believed the child victim of molestation was “somewhat at fault” for their own sexual victimization.

When allegations were concealed from secular authorities, the perpetrators often received no punishment except for that internally administered by Witness elders. Sometimes the offenders were disfellowshipped or expelled from the organization, but other times their punishment was secret reprimand or they had restrictions or lost privileges. Sadly, congregation members would not know a dangerous child abuser was in their midst. Watchtower would usually reinstate a 11

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis disfellowshipped molester or remove his restrictions after a shockingly short period of time. In addition, evidence indicates that reappointment of a molester to elder or ministerial servant after a few years was not all that unusual. Who would reappoint a child molester to a position of power? We know the name of one such person because his name appears in a court document.

That man works in Watchtower’s Service Department and it was claimed he reappointed a molester over and over again to a supervisory position since 1964.

The Watchtower instructed the elders to make written reports to their “Service Department”

about allegations and judicial committee actions. They maintained a computerized database containing such information and negligently concealed the information from other elders and followers. Jehovah’s Witness leaders undertook the responsibility to compile this information to protect congregation members. However, despite having information that would allow parents, elders, and law enforcement authorities to identify predators and actually take steps to protect children, the Watchtower concealed this information.

Watchtower’s Service Department was Watchtower’s Legal Department’s client (attorney/client privilege) so plaintiffs and the courts could not easily obtain documents to substantiate the scope and depth of sexual child abuse within the Watchtower organization.

Communiqués between Jehovah’s Witness supervisory people and the Watchtower are rarely, if ever, seen. Not only does attorney/client privilege enter into the picture, but to publish a letter without permission is not allowable by copyright laws. However, now a secret letter from one long-time United States district representative of the Watchtower organization can be read where he discusses a little-known rule which allowed molesters to stay in their positions of authority and continue molesting. (This letter, along with other confidential material, was found among public domain records in an Oregon courthouse.) The letter writer asked for a change to this little-known policy where no longer would leniency be extended to sexual child abusers.

This was back in 1994 when he was monitoring an especially egregious situation in a Witness congregation where the predator, who sexually abused many children, was not going to be removed from his position as elder, nor was there to be a judicial hearing or any discipline because of this rule. Yet, that policy was still in effect in 2000.

Watchtower has the ability to know when a “known pedophile” moves from one congregation to another, yet they chose not to monitor the movements of predators so that appropriate warning could be issued. In 1991, one known predator was appointed Ministerial Servant by the Governing Body and the other Watchtower Defendants. He abused four children, who were plaintiffs in one case, from approximately 1991 to 1999. The facts are that he was confronted a number of times over the years by those he molested, but since Jehovah’s Witness judicial committees require two witnesses to an event of molestation before taking any kind of disciplinary action, he was never disciplined. By moving from one congregation to another over the years, he was able to keep his crimes mostly hidden for 25 to 30 years. Parents told the press they had no clue that an alleged sexual predator was amongst them even though church elders had prior knowledge of complaints against this molester from another congregation.

Jehovah’s Witnesses organization has been settling out of court child sexual abuse lawsuits for many years, but always quietly, secretly, one at a time. A friend, who also was a volunteer 12

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis worker at the Witnesses’ headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, told me four years ago about a private conversation he had with attorney friends who were Jehovah’s Witnesses. These attorneys were often called upon by the Watchtower organization to meet with victims of child abuse or their parents, and were authorized to discuss monetary offers of up to $250,000 to quickly get lawsuits settled and dismissed. It was not unusual, the attorneys said, for the plaintiffs to accept compensation of only a few thousand dollars out of concern that accepting more would remove money from the Witnesses’ ministry work. Surely, if those victims knew the Witness organization paid a secret $50,000 payment in 1996 to a California congregation for

“elder misconduct” due to his molesting Witness children, they would be incensed.

However, as previously mentioned, along with the court records of the nine cases settled in February 2007, three other dismissed child abuse cases from the past were located and are included on this CD for examination.

Instead of offering victims in these nine lawsuits acceptable settlements as soon as possible, the Watchtower Defendants stubbornly fought through the courts to have these cases dismissed.

This turned out to be a legal nightmare for them because California and Oregon High Courts ruled against the Watchtower in their quest to keep requested documents from the plaintiffs by claiming clergy-penitent privilege. The courts refused to recognize their claim for clergy-penitent privilege because communications with the Judicial Committee did not fall within the scope of the penitential communication privilege. The California ruling stated that the Judicial Committee’s purpose was to investigate sins for which disfellowship was a potential penalty. In addition, the Judicial Committee was under no duty to keep the communications private. In fact, Judicial Committees were required to communicate information it obtained to the Watchtower Society Headquarters. In California, for nearly a year, Defendants refused to abide by a lower court’s decision requiring them to produce communiqués between Defendants and the predator, and between Defendants and the elders or the victims. Watchtower Defendants’ finally filed a writ petition to appeal the lower court’s ruling. Within one month after submitting their appeal, the Court of Appeal of the State of California denied the petition and sent the case back to the lower court where the court subsequently forced Defendants to produce the documents.

In the future, Jehovah’s Witnesses, et al., will have it much more difficult to hide behind their so-called First Amendment right not to disclose information to secular courts because they are a

“religion.” The defeat of Defendants’ clergy-penitent privilege claim was only one of a number of excellent rulings in favor of the plaintiffs who have been forever harmed by this religion’s lack of appropriate actions in the matter of child abuse.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 2

The Facts

hese lawsuits had nothing to do with the Watchtower’s religion. The Watchtower De

T fendants kept clouding the issue in every brief they filed by claiming that any and all points the Plaintiffs introduced were somehow trampling on their First Amendment rights. Not so, said Plaintiffs’ attorneys.

This case is about young children who were devastatingly violated by the Watchtower Defendants' appointed agents who used appointed positions of trust and authority within that organization to criminally, sexually abuse children entrusted to the perpetrators' care by the Watchtower Defendants. These cases are also about the Watchtower Defendants' intentional conduct in not only covering up the abuse, but also actively preventing the reporting of this and other instances of abuse within the organization. At the same time, the Watchtower Defendants continued to appoint these particular perpetrator-agents, to positions of trust and authority after the Watchtower Defendants knew of their propensities to use their appointed positions in the organization to sexually abuse innocent children. Finally, it is a case about this nation's and the state of California's compelling state interest in protecting its children from the crime of sexual abuse through the application of secular laws designed to hold accountable those responsible for such abuse.

Nothing in the First Amendment prohibits this Court from addressing the Watchtower Defendants' knowing appointment and protection of pedophiles who criminally assaulted Plaintiffs after the Watchtower Defendants were on notice that the perpetrators would do just that if they continually appointed to positions of authority over children. Also, the First Amendment does not bar this Court from addressing the Watchtower Defendants' liability for their intentional conduct in coercing the silence of victims and preventing the reporting of abuse, not for religious reasons, but to protect the Watchtower Defendants from liability for their own conduct in knowingly continuing to appoint pedophiles to positions of leadership with authority over children without even taking the minimal step of warning members of the congregations to which they were appointed or reporting the abuse to the proper secular authorities.1

Now that the out-of-court settlements are over and there will be no open court trials where Plaintiffs’ attorneys would air Watchtower’s dirty laundry, there is proof aplenty for all to read which substantiates the statements above. That proof will be taken from previously confidential material in the form of court documents which are now in public domain.

The Defendants waged a long-drawn-out court battle to keep Jehovah’s Witnesses’

congregational communications and documents from being seen by Plaintiffs/victims and their lawyers, and most importantly, from public scrutiny. They used whatever tactics to keep the crimes hidden, and settled out of court with victims to keep from testifying in open court about what Witness officials knew and what they failed to do to protect kids from predators.

1 Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Watchtower Defendants’ Motion to Strike in All Coordinated Cases, pgs. 2-3, filed, March 11, 2005.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Read from court documents the allegations of Plaintiffs’ Charissa W. and Nicole D. who maintained that Defendants did little or nothing to protect them from a Witness sexual predator.

Of course, these allegations against the “Roe” Defendents 2 were yet to be proven.

Abuse of Nicole D.

Beginning by at least 1972, the ROE DEFENDANTS' agent, Edward Villegas, used his position as an Elder to gain access to children under the care of the ROE

DEFENDANTS organization and to sexually abuse them.

During this time period, the ROE DEFENDANTS' agent, Edward Villegas, was also using his position of authority as an Elder to sexually abuse other children under the ROE DEFENDANTS' care.

In approximately 1978, Edward Villegas used his position as an Elder and leader in the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization to gain access to and sexually abuse Plaintiff, NICOLE D., a child under the care of the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization. Plaintiff, NICOLE D. was approximately seven (7) years old when the abuse occurred. Using his delegated authority as a leader in the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization, Edward Villegas forced Plaintiff, NICOLE D. to have oral sex with him.

When Plaintiff, NICOLE D. told her parents about the abuse, her father immediately reported it to the Elders of Defendant, ROE 9 pursuant to instructions by the ROE DEFENDANTS. In response, the ROE DEFENDANTS privately reproved their agent for his conduct, but took no other steps to hold him accountable or to otherwise notify members and the families of the children whom they had placed under the authority of their agent, Edward Villegas. Therefore, Edward Villegas was able to continue to use his position of authority.

For over two decades, the ROE DEFENDANTS knew or should have known that their appointed agent, Edward Villegas was using his position of authority in the organization to gain access to and sexually molest and physically abuse adolescents under the care of the organization. Nevertheless, the ROE DEFENDANTS continued to appoint Edward Villegas to leadership positions in their local congregations, entrusting him with the welfare of numerous adolescents in the ROE DEFENDANTS' local congregations. The ROE DEFENDANTS' agent then used his position of authority in the organization to sexually molest Plaintiff and others. The ROE DEFENDANTS failed to notify anyone that their agent, Edward Villegas was molesting or had sexually molested adolescents under the ROE DEFENDANTS' care. They further failed to take any steps to protect these young victims from his abuse. Instead, they knowingly concealed this information from Plaintiff and others. The ROE DEFENDANTS also aided, abetted and ratified the abuse.

When the ROE DEFENDANTS received reports of their agent's acts of sexual abuse against children entrusted to their care, the ROE DEFENDANTS assumed the responsibility for dealing with the problem. They told families of victims that they should leave the matter to the ROE DEFENDANTS to handle. However, the ROE

DEFENDANTS did not report the abuse to law enforcement authorities nor did they warn any other members of the organization that they had appointed a dangerous pedophile to positions of leadership with authority over children. They did not act to help Plaintiff or their families deal with the

trauma of abuse and actively prevented them from obtaining help from trained professionals and other available sources. The ROE DEFENDANTS failed to take appropriate steps to hold their agent, Edward Villegas, accountable for his conduct or to assist him in addressing his propensities.3

Abuse of Clarrisa W.

2 “Roe” was the name given to all the Defendants, some of whom were unidentifiable at that point.

3 Memorandum of Points and Authorities in support of Nicole D.’s Ex Parte Application for In Camera Review of Certificates of Merit, Certificate of Corroborative Fact, and for Issuance of Findings and Orders Thereon, pgs. 4-5, filed 7/24/03.

15

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis In approximately 1970, Plaintiff CLARISSA W. and her mother, Betty Hopkins, came under the instruction and care of the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization through their agent, Edward Villegas, and his wife, Marsha Villegas. The ROE DEFENDANTS

used the daycare center run out of the Villegas home to attract new converts. Plaintiff CHARISSA W. was approximately 1 year old at the time. Betty Hopkins became one of those new converts and entrusted her daughter, Plaintiff CHARISSA W. to the ROE

DEFENDANTS' care.

Beginning by at least 1972, the ROE DEFENDANTS' agent, Edward Villegas, used his position as an Elder to gain access to children under the care of the ROE

DEFENDANTS’ organization and to sexually abuse them.

In about 1972, the ROE DEFENDANTS' agent, Edward Villegas began sexually molesting Plaintiff, CHARISSA W. by, among other things, fondling her genitals, digitally penetrating her vagina and forcing her to have oral sex. She was approximately three (3) or four (4) years old at the time. For the next twelve (12) to thirteen (13) years, the ROE DEFENDANTS' agent, Edward Villegas continued to use his leadership position as an Elder to gain access to and sexually abuse Plaintiff, CHARISSA W., who was under the ROE DEFENDANTS' care. Plaintiff's position as a minor in the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization, as well Edward Villegas' position as a spiritual leader and authority figure in the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization allowed him to maintain control and influence over Plaintiff and others. The ROE DEFENDANTS

enabled Edward Villegas to abuse Plaintiff and others by placing him in positions of authority, and then actively concealing his sexual abuse. The ROE DEFENDANTS, each of them, used their positions in the organization to aid and abet Edward Villegas and other leaders in the sexual abuse and exploitation of minors in the organization and in furtherance of the conspiracy to conceal the sexual molestation occurring within the ROE DEFENDANTS' organization.

For over two decades, the ROE DEFENDANTS knew or should have known that their appointed agent, Edward Villegas was using his position of authority in the organization to gain access to and sexually molest and physically abuse adolescents under the care of the organization. Nevertheless, the ROE DEFENDANTS continued to appoint Edward Villegas to leadership positions in their local congregations, entrusting him with the welfare of numerous adolescents in the ROE DEFENDANTS' local congregations. The ROE DEFENDANTS' agent then used his position of authority in the organization to sexually molest Plaintiff and others. The ROE DEFENDANTS failed to notify anyone that their agent, Edward Villegas was molesting or had sexually molested adolescents under the ROE DEFENDANTS' care. They further failed to take any steps to protect these young victims from his abuse. Instead, they knowingly concealed this information from Plaintiff and others. The ROE DEFENDANTS also aided, abetted and ratified the abuse.

When the ROE DEFENDANTS received reports of their agent's acts of sexual abuse against children entrusted to their care, the ROE DEFENDANTS assumed the responsibility for dealing with the problem. They told families of victims that they should leave the matter to the ROE DEFENDANTS to handle. However, the ROE

DEFENDANTS did not report the abuse to law enforcement authorities nor did they warn any other members of the organization that they had appointed a dangerous pedophile to positions of leadership with authority over children. They did not act to help Plaintiff or their families deal with the trauma of abuse and actively prevented them from obtaining help from trained professionals and other available sources. The ROE DEFENDANTS failed to take appropriate steps to hold their agent, Edward Villegas, accountable for his conduct or to assist him in addressing his propensities.4

In this matter, Plaintiff's charging allegations are corroborated by the fact that while Defendants' agent, Edward Villegas, was sexually abusing Plaintiff, as described above, he was abusing other children in Defendants' organization, which was brought to Defendants' attention. Defendants did nothing to reprimand Edward Villegas, 4 Memorandum of Points and Authorities in support of Charissa W.’s Ex Parte Application for In Camera Review of Certificates of Merit, Certificate of Corroborative Fact, and for Issuance of Findings and Orders Thereon, pgs. 4-5, filed 7/24/03.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis thereby allowing him to continue sexually abusing Plaintiff and others, nor did Defendants warn congregation members of Villegas' conduct to protect those over whom Edward Villegas has authority. Further, Edward Villegas was criminally convicted for his numerous acts of sexual abuse in Napa County, Case Number CR17623.5

Shortly after Charissa W. and Nicole D., the first California lawsuit of eighteen to be filed by Plaintiffs’ attorneys on July 24, 2003, Defendants’ attorneys filed papers which asserted “…that plaintiffs claims are barred because they seek to impermissibly entangle the court in ecclesiastical affairs and in the interpretation of religious doctrine, practices and beliefs.” The judge wrote in his ruling, “Put plainly, this is simply not so.” Further he wrote, “Defendants cannot use the First Amendment to shield them from these allegations, and none of the cases cited by defendants say otherwise. As made clear from plaintiffs’ thorough review of the relevant case law, this court may hear plaintiffs’ claims without threading on the Constitution’s free exercise clause. Accordingly, defendants’ demurrer to plaintiffs’ tort claims on the ground that they are barred by the First Amendment is OVERRULED.”6

Once this hurdle was overcome, the battle raged on for another three years. During that time period more lawsuits were filed in California against the Watchtower Defendants. However, only seven California lawsuits survived to reach out-of-court settlements in February of 2007.

Documents reveal that earnest settlement talks were already underway by the time the seventh lawsuit was filed in October 2006 in San Diego, it being an especially damning case against the Defendants. Authorities said publicly, the predator, a congregational Ministerial Servant who was finally “outed” to the authorities and general public is now on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. By the time the San Diego case was filed, although Defendants’ attorneys had been engaged in settlement talks since that summer, intense negotiations were underway as the trial date set by the court for the first case to begin in Napa, California, on April 3, 2007, was fast approaching.

5 Ibid, p. 8

6 Order on Demurrer and Motion to Quash Service of Summons, Endorsed, December 17, 2003, dated December 2, 2003, and signed by W. Scott Snowden, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Napa.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 3

BACKGROUND OF PERTINENT EVENTS

riginally, Sacramento law firm Nolan Saul Brelsford and co-counsels, Love & Norris of Fo

O rt Worth, Texas, Kenneth Fibich and Harley Hampton of Houston, Texas on behalf of Plaintiffs filed seventeen cases in various northern California counties in 2003. The Defendants were the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., and various local Jehovah’s Witnesses Congregations in northern California. Then Plaintiffs’ counsel voluntarily dismissed five of those cases because they lacked merit with Plaintiffs’ counsel seeking coordination in May of 2004 of the twelve remaining cases. Soon, an additional six cases were voluntarily dismissed by Plaintiffs’ counsel leaving six remaining cases before the Napa County Court.7

On August 31, 2004, the judge of the Yolo County Superior Court, the Honorable Thomas E.

Warriner, heard the Plaintiffs’ Petition for Coordination. One of the arguments for coordination was to make abuse of the discovery process negligible in behalf of the Defendants. On September 3, 2004, Judge Warriner granted Plaintiffs’ motion and designated Napa County as the site for the coordination proceedings. From then on, these six cases were filed under the name of oldest of the six lawsuits filed, Charissa W. and Nicole D., vs. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., et al., Case No. 26-22191. The six were also designated as Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding (JCCP) No. 4374. Two of these cases were designated as Tract I. The four other cases were designated as Non-Tract I.

The six cases involved ten different Plaintiffs accusing five different alleged abusers/co-Defendants with six different Northern California congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses involved.

On May 8, 2006, informal settlement discussions with the Defendants were unsuccessful in regards to one of the Tehama County, CA cases, No. 52594, Tim W., and also the Yolo County, CA case, No. CV 03-1439, Daniel West, Shane Pence and Amber Pence. Within that same month, Plaintiffs suggested that the case which was most appropriate for assignment of the first trial date should be West/Pence of Yolo County. It was requested that case be set for trial in late 2006 or early 2007. The three Plaintiffs had their depositions completed by defense counsel and a key witness deposition had also been completed. Arrangements were made to have a few remaining depositions completed in the summer of 2006. The perpetrator, Timothy Silva, could not be located and was thought to be dead. At that time it was also requested that the trial assignment for Tim W. of Tehama County be set for April 2007 and another Tehama County Case, No. 52598, Julianne Wimberley Gutierrez and Joshua Wimberley, be considered for a trial date in June 2007. Also in May of that year, the Plaintiffs’ agreed to have the trials set separately.8

7 Church Defendants’ Response In Opposition To Plaintiffs’ Petition To Coordinate An “Add On” Case, filed 11/21/06

8 Motion To Set A Trial Date, filed May 24, 2006, Napa Superior Court, Case No. 26-22191

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Watchtower Loses Penitent Privilege Fight

The road to get to the point of setting trial dates was not an easy one to travel on. As Defendants usually do, many motions were filed by them to prove they were not guilty of Plaintiffs’ allegations. Early on, Defendants sought recognition of their right to clergy-penitent privilege to keep from producing certain requested documents. However, Defendants were ordered on September 29, 2005 to deliver the documents to the Plaintiffs because the court ruled that communications with Witness Judicial Committees did not fall within the scope of clergy-penitent privilege.

Case No.: 26-22191

JCCP No. 4374

RULING ON SUBMITTED MOTION TO COMPEL PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

Plaintiffs' Motion To Compel Production Of Documents came on for hearing on August 31, 2005. The court, having read and considered the papers and heard oral argument, took the matter under submission and now rules as follows: Plaintiffs’ motion to compel production of documents is GRANTED in part and continued in part to allow for the production of an attorney-client privilege log.

Although defendants raised a number of objections when responding to plaintiffs'

request for production of documents, they address only two of those objections in opposing plaintiffs' motion to compel: the penitential communication privilege and the attorney-client privilege, which the court will discuss in more detail below. As to the other objections not discussed by defendants, the court finds the objections are not well taken. The requested discovery requests are not overbroad, are relevant, and are not barred by Serbian East Orthodox Diocese v Milivojevich (1976) 426 U.S. 696.

1. Penitential Privilege

Evidence Code section 1032 provides:

As used in this article, "penitential communication" means a communication made in confidence, in the presence of no third person so far as the penitent is aware, to a member of the clergy who, in the course of the discipline or practice of the clergy member's church, denomination, or organization, is authorized or accustomed to hear those communications and, under the discipline or tenets of his or her church, denomination, or organization, has a duty to keep those communications secret.

Defendants object to the production of a number of documents requested by plaintiffs on the ground that they are protected by the penitential communication privilege contained in Evidence Code section 1032. This court finds that the privilege does not apply to communications between the alleged abusers and the Judicial Committee. The evidence presented by both sides establishes that communications with the Judicial Committee do not fall within the scope of the privilege. First, it is clear that the Judicial Committee's purpose is to investigate sins for which disfellowship is a potential penalty. This is established not only by the deposition excerpts provided by plaintiffs, but by the Watchtower publication provided by defendants in connection with the objections to plaintiffs' evidence. ("Judicial action is necessary only if a gross sin has been committed that could lead to disfellowshipping" p. 18.) Second, the privilege

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis does not apply because the Judicial Committee was under no duty to keep the communications private. In fact, the evidence establishes that the Judicial Committee was required to communicate information it obtained regarding potential cases of child molestation to the Watchtower Society Headquarters.

Because the penitential communication privilege does not apply, within 20 days defendants shall produce all documents for which it previously asserted this privilege.

2. Attorney-client privilege: Defendants have not produced a privilege log for those few documents they apparently claim are protected by the attorney client privilege. Neither the plaintiffs nor the court can adequately address the objection without a privilege log. Defendants shall serve a privilege log on plaintiffs within 10

days. Plaintiffs may thereafter file and a supplemental brief addressing the log within 10 days. The court will then issue a written ruling on the matter. Dated: 09/29/2005, Raymond A. Guadagni, Judge9

Against their will, Defendants produced two Privilege Logs as ordered, one for Defendant North Congregation and one for Defendant Watchtower.10

Defendant North Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Red Bluff, CA., Inc.

(''North Congregation"), provides the following privilege log:

Request no. 3: Minister - Communicant or Clergy - Penitent Privilege and Evidence Code §§1030. et seq.

1. January 21, 1981, letter from elders in Upper Lake Congregation to North Congregation elders

2. November 23, 1988, S-53b form from Service Department elders to all congregation elders in Red Bluff, CA

3. December 1, 1994, S-77 Form prepared by North Congregation Judicial Committee elders to Service Department elders

4. December 1, 1994, S-79b Form prepared by North Congregation Judicial Committee elders to Service Department elders

5. Letter dated December 1, 199[4], from North Congregation Judicial Committee elders to Service Department elders

6. December 3, 1994, letter from North Congregation elders to Service Department elders (This letter found in Oregon’s Grafmeyer case files) 7. October 2, 1998, letter from North Congregation elders to East

Congregation, Cottonwood, California elders (Found In Grafmeyer case) 8. October 16,1988, letter from circuit overseer to Service Department elders 9. December 31, 2002, letter from James Henderson to North Congregation elders

Request no. 3. Attorney – Client Privilege

1. July 11, 1995, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders

2. Undated, handwritten notes containing legal direction provided by Watchtower NY

Legal Department to North Congregation elders

3. November 20, 1995, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders

4. June 6, 1996, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders 11

9 Ruling On Submitted Motion To Compel Production Of Documents, filed 9/29/05.

10 Both were filed as Exhibit A and B, October 19, 2005, attached to Declaration of Mario F. Moreno.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Defendant Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

("Watchtower NY") provides the following privilege log: Request no. 27(d): Minister - communicant or clergy - penitent privilege and Evidence Code 66 1030. et seq.

1. October 16, 1988, letter from circuit overseer to Service Department elders 2. November 23, 1988, S-53b form from Service Department elders to all Congregation elders in Red Bluff, CA

3. December 3, 1994, letter from North Congregation elders to Service Department elders

Request no. 27(I): Minister - communicant or clergy - penitent privilege end Evidence Code 66 1030. et seq,

1. December 1, 1994, S-77 Form from North Congregation Judicial Committee elders to Service Department elders

2. December 1, 1994, S-79b Form from North Congregation Judicial Committee elders to Service Department elders

3. Letter dated December 1, 199[4], from North Congregation Judicial Committee elders to Service Department elders

4. Letter dated December 26, 1994, from district overseer to Service Department elders (Letter found in Oregon’s Grafmeyer case records) Attorney - client privilege:

1. July 11, 1995, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders

2. November 3, 1995, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to East Congregation, Ukiah, California, elders

3. Undated, handwritten notes containing legal direction provided by Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders 4. November 20,1995, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders

5. June 6, 1996, letter from Watchtower NY Legal Department to North Congregation elders12

For one year the Defendants objected to the Court’s order. Finally, the Defendants appealed the order to the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District.

Rudy and Bill: To follow up on my email sent this morning, I write to advise that Watch Tower Pennsylvania has decided not to seek a wit on the adverse personal jurisdiction ruling, but will reserve the issue for appeal through an affirmative defense in its answer. Watchtower New York and the North Congregation have decided to pursue a writ to seek appellate review in the two Track I cases on the court's ruling on the clergy - penitent or minister - communicant privilege issue. Therefore, I will appear at ex parte in Napa on Wednesday, 10/19/2005 at 1:30

pm with respect to a motion to stay execution of the court's order on the documents ordered produced that are subject to that privilege. The department in the Napa court has not been assigned but will be either Dept. B or Dept. C. When I check in one half hour ahead of time with the clerk's office, whichever department will be handling the matter. Thanks. - Bob Schnack13

11 Defendant North Congregation’s Privilege Log, dated 9/24/05, Exhibit A.

12 Defendant Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of NY, Inc. Privilege Log, dated 9/24/05, Exhibit B.

13 Fax message from Robert J. Schnack to Rudy Nolen/William Brelsford, dated 10/15/02.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis The following is the reason for the Defendants’ Petition for Writ of Mandate to the Court of Appeal of the State of California dated, June 28, 2006. It is taken from the Petition for Writ of Mandate. Also, what follows “the issue” is “CHRONOLOGY OF PERTIMENT EVENTS,”

copied from the Petition for Writ of Mandate. This should help the reader follow the sequence of events from the Defendants’ point of view:

The issue presented in this writ petition is whether the trial court erred in granting the motion to compel. In granting the motion, the trial court abused its discretion because disclosure of the requested documents is prohibited by (1) the penitent-clergy privilege, (2) the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and (3) the free exercise clause in both the federal and the California constitution.14

CHRONOLOGY OF PERTINENT EVENTS

These Track I Cases arise from the alleged sexual abuse by co-defendant James Henderson in Tim W: that occurred more than 10 years ago and co-defendant Alvin Heard in Wimberley that occurred more than 24 years ago.

On July 24, 2003, Plaintiffs filed separate civil complaints against the Church Defendants asserting claims arising from allegations that the Church Defendants failed to report and/or disclose their knowledge of child abuse allegedly committed by James Henderson and Alvin Heard.

On January 13,2005, Plaintiffs propounded document requests to the Church Defendants seeking, inter alia, documents and information related to confidential spiritual communications that penitents Henderson and Heard had separately with clergy within a Jehovah's Witness congregation.

On April 5, 2005, the Church Defendants objected to certain of Plaintiffs' document requests on the grounds that the responsive documents are protected from disclosure by the penitent clergy privilege and the attorney-client privilege.

On July 29, 2005, Plaintiffs filed a motion to compel responses to their requests for production of documents, arguing that the documents sought are not protected by either the penitent-clergy or attorney-client privileges.

On August 19, 2005, the Church Defendants filed their opposition to the motion to compel, asserting the requested documents were protected from disclosure based on privilege and constitutional grounds.

The documents at issue in the underlying motion to compel relate to spiritual communications between penitent James Henderson and ordained elders of the Jehovah's Witnesses, and spiritual communications between penitent Alvin Heard and ordained elders of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

On September 29, 2005, the trial court granted, in part, Plaintiffs' motion to compel and ordered the Church Defendants to produce all documents for which they previously asserted the penitent-clergy privilege. The trial court also ordered the Church Defendants to produce a privilege log with respect to all documents for which they asserted the attorney-client privilege, reserving Plaintiffs' right to challenge the log. On October 24, 2005, the trial court granted the Church Defendant's motion to stay execution of order to produce documents until such time that a writ can be filed and ruled upon by the Court of Appeal.

On November 22, 2005, the trial court entered its stipulated order extending the time for the filing of the instant writ to April 28, 2006.

14 Court of Appeal of the State of California, First Appellate District, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York and North Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Red Bluff, California, Petitioner, vs. Superior Court of the State of California, County of Napa, Respondent Tim W. et al. Petition For Writ Of Mandate; Verification of Robert J. Schnack and Memorandum of Points and Authorities, pgs. 2-4, dated 6/28/06.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis On May 1, 2006, the trial court entered a further stipulated order extending the time for the filing of the instant writ up to and including June 30, 2006.

BASIS FOR RELIEF

The issue presented in this writ petition is whether the trial court erred in granting the motion to compel. In granting the motion, the trial court abused its discretion because disclosure of the requested documents is prohibited by (1) the penitent-clergy privilege, (2) the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and (3) the free exercise clause in both the federal and the California constitution.

ABSENCE OF OTHER REMEDIES

Interlocutory review is the only adequate remedy for the trial court's order compelling the Church Defendants to produce potentially privileged documents since

"once privileged matter has been disclosed there is no way to undo the harm which consists in the very disclosure." (Korea Data Systems Co. v. Superior Court (1997) 51

Cal.App.4th 1513, 1516.)

PRAYER

Petitioners/Church Defendants pray that this Court:

1. Issue an alternative writ directing respondent superior court set aside and vacate its order of September 29, 2005, granting Plaintiffs' motion to compel, or show cause why it should not be ordered to do so, and upon return of the alternative writ, issue a peremptory writ of mandate and/or probation or such other extraordinary relief as is warranted, directing respondent superior court to set aside and vacate its order of September 29, 2005, granting Plaintiffs' motion to compel, and to enter a new and different order denying the motion;

2. Award Petitioners/Church Defendants their costs pursuant to Rule 56.4 of the California Rules of Court; and 3. Grant such other relief as may be just and proper. 15

Defendants’ Petition for a Writ of Mandate was DENIED on July 6, 2006 and on October 16, 2006 the lower court once again took up the subject:

Case No.: 26-22191

JCCP No. 4374

RULING ON SUBMITTED DISCOVERY MOTIONS

Plaintiffs' Motions To Compel Discovery came on for hearing on October 13, 2006.

The court, having read and considered the papers in support of and in opposition to the motion and having heard oral argument, took the motions under submission and now rules as follows:

Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel Depositions and/or for Protective Order re: the Woodland Elders (Motion #1)

The Watchtower defendants have informed the plaintiffs that, at the depositions of four Church Elders, they will invoke the clergy-penitent privilege and object to "any inquiries concerning judicial investigations and judicial committees." Plaintiffs seek an order compelling the deponents to attend their depositions and to respond to such inquiries.

This court has previously ruled in the Track I cases that the penitential communication privilege does not apply to communications between the alleged abusers and the Judicial Committee. (See Court's ruling of September 29, 2005.) Although that ruling is not res judicata in non-track I cases, defendants provide no convincing reason why the court should rule differently in this case. For the reasons expressed in the earlier ruling, the court concludes that the witnesses may not assert 15 Ibid

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis the penitential communication privilege. To the extent the motion also encompasses the production of documents, defendants shall produce responsive documents, regardless of when they are dated. As plaintiffs note, it is possible that documents dated after the alleged abuse will contain relevant information. For these reasons, plaintiffs' motion #1 is GRANTED.

Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel PMK Deposition and Documents - General (Motion #2)

Plaintiffs have noticed the deposition of the Church defendants' Person(s) Most Knowledgeable (PMK) on a number of specified topics. Defendants have objected to six areas of inquiry, again invoking the clergy-penitent privilege. For the reasons discussed above and in the court's earlier ruling, the court finds that the clergy-penitent privilege does not apply to these areas of inquiry. Defendants also object to the scope of the document requests, claiming that documents that post-date the alleged abuse are not relevant or likely to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.

As above, the court finds that the documents are discoverable. For these reasons, plaintiffs' motion #2 is GRANTED.

Plaintiffs' Motion to Compel PMK Deposition and Documents - Legal

[Motion #3)

Plaintiffs previously issued a PMK deposition notice concerning "any and all policies that the Jehovah's Witnesses organization had for handling accusations and proof of child sexual abuse from 1970 to the present." During that PMK deposition of Mr.

Breaux, he identified functions that were handled by the Legal Department rather than by the Service Department, where he worked. As to these, he lacked the information necessary to provide responses.

Plaintiffs subsequently noticed a PMK deposition to inquire into (1) the organization, staffing and operation of the Legal Department; (2) the Legal Department's role in responding to and investigating child sexual abuse allegations within the organization; (3) the development and use of "Child Abuse Telememos"

which were forms developed to obtain and record information concerning reports of abuse (blank forms were produced in discovery); (4) records kept by or under the direction of the Legal Department concerning allegations of abuse; and (5) answers given to "survey questions" contained on one of the Telememos.

Defendants have objected that these areas of inquiry are protected by the attorney-client and/or work product privileges. As to the first two categories, plaintiffs contend that they concern only policies and implementation, and do not invade any privileges. As to categories 3 and 5, they assert only that the requested information is related to the blank documents they already received in discovery, and that the information goes to the heart of their case. Finally, as to category 4, they claim again, that no privileges would be invaded, because they seek general information about the types of records kept by the legal department.

The court agrees that items 1, 2 and 4, which seek general structural, policy and organizational information concerning the Legal Department, implicate neither the attorney/client nor the work product privileges. Items 3 and 5, on the other hand, seek protected information. As set forth in the declaration of the Church's associate general counsel, the Telememo forms are completed by attorneys or legal assistants based upon information provided them by congregation elders, and are used to assist in giving legal advice to the elders, as clients of the Legal Department. Similarly, any compilation of information, as from the "survey questions" constitutes attorney work product and is not discoverable.

For these reasons, the court will GRANT the motion as to items 1, 2 and 4 and will DENY the motion as to items 3 and 5.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Dated: 10/16/06, Raymond A. Guadagni, Judge

Subsequent information is inserted to help the reader understand from the Plaintiffs’ point of view, a summation of the events taking place towards the end of 2006 after the court ordered that discovery was to continue. At this time, Plaintiffs’ attorneys were filing a request that the seventh lawsuit, a San Diego case, be included in the Napa coordinated cases.

The Tract I cases were set for trial. The first was set to commence on April 3, 2007. Discovery was progressing in those cases although there was considerable discovery which needed to be conducted.

The Non-Tract I cases were in the initial stages of discovery. The depositions of the Plaintiffs in one case were taken. The depositions of the Plaintiffs in the three other cases were not scheduled. The deposition of one witness had been taken in those cases. Initial sets of discovery were exchanged between the parties. The depositions of the Elders (the individuals who oversee the local Jehovah’s Witnesses Organization) were not taken in any of the Non-Tract I cases. Due to the discovery which had been conducted in the Non-Tract I cases, the discovery in the instant action was expected to proceed quickly.

Based on information, research and belief, the actions involved the following questions of fact and law: Various perpetrators, all of whom were Jehovah’s Witnesses who held leadership positions and who exercised authority over members of the congregation, each engaged in nefarious acts under different circumstances. Crucial to every case, the molestations by these individuals became known to other church leaders at the local Kingdom Halls and eventually the information was disseminated further into the church’s organizational structure. Common to each case was a decision by church officials to keep these crimes from law enforcement officials.

Common to each case was a decision to manage internally the criminal behavior of their fellow member by counseling the person within the church’s structure. Common to each case was a concomitant decision not to tell other members of the congregation that one of their leaders was a sexual predator who had committed heinous and criminal acts on children of their fellow church members. Common to each case, the perpetrator/church leader continued to molest members’ children after the perpetrator’s criminal acts were known. Each lawsuit asserts identical legal theories consisting of common law negligence; negligent appointment, retention, and supervision; gross negligence — willful misconduct; breach of fiduciary duty. Some of the cases assert fraud — intentional misrepresentation; fraud — concealment; conspiracy; and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These questions predominate and are significant in each action. The pleadings have been tested on numerous occasions and the coordination judge has ruled on the various theories of liability and causes of action.

The actions are complex: Each plaintiff is claiming emotional and psychological injuries caused by the trauma of the molestations. The injuries and damages, although complex and personal as to each individual, are no more involved than other tort actions claiming personal injuries. The complexity of these cases is related more to the number of injured individuals, their inter-family relationships in the context of their Jehovah’s Witnesses belief and the control and influence the organization exercised over its members. This cult milieu demanded obedience to the church leadership, and a corresponding fear of ostracization if the leaders’ directives were not followed. These facts allowed the events of these lawsuits to persist for years resulting in further injuries to a number of innocent children. Because the allegations involve a religious entity, unique issues of a constitutional nature are extant which are unlike those usually found in most tort claims.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis The trial of these common issues before one judge at one site will (1) advance the efficient use of judicial resources (2) prevent duplicative and inconsistent rulings, orders and judgments, and (3) increase the likelihood of settlement: Consuming the time of a number of judges and their staffs with telephone calls, lengthy and complex briefs, time consuming law and motion hearings could all be avoided by a single judge presiding over the case. His or her familiarity with the case would certainly expedite these procedures and the amount or time devoted to each matter. Naturally; multiple jury trials would clearly consume an enormous amount of time and expense, particularly when the same legal theories will be pled in each case. It is likely, given the unique constitutional issues and the anticipated objections to discovery, the potential of several judges reaching different opinions is inevitable. Most importantly, since these cases will be the subject of motions for summary judgment and/or adjudication, a single briefing and hearing would best serve the interests of justice.

The possibility that judges would issue different rulings on in limine motions and evidentiary objections during a trial is unmistakable. Whether collateral estoppel applies from one case to another is likely to be another contested matter. Appeals from these rulings, given. the enormity of the claims, creates further consumption of judicial resources that can be avoided if a single trial were ordered.

Napa County is the best county for coordination of these actions. This County is located close proximity of the law offices & Plaintiffs’ and Defendants counsel.

Although the Plaintiffs and the Elders of the local congregation in the instant action are in Southern California, many of the same depositions of the New York and Pennsylvania Defendants would not be located in Southern California. Therefore, coordination of the new action with the included actions will serve to protect the convenience of the parties and counsel. Defendants’ attorneys have been informed of this motion and request and have informed Plaintiffs’ counsel that they will be opposing coordination this new action.16

When in late 2006 the judge permitted the San Diego case to be part of the Napa County California coordinated cases, there were seven cases, fourteen plaintiffs, six perpetrators and seven congregations involved.

16 Declaration of Rudy Nolen In Support Of Motion For A Request That The Coordination Trial Judge Determine Whether To Submit A Case As An Add On Case To Previously Coordinated Actions, pgs. 1-4, filed 10/30/06.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis

4

Court Records: Five Other Lawsuits

Grafmyer vs. Watchtower et al.

Jared Grafmyer’s lawsuit was filed June 6, 2006 in Oregon and settled out-of-court with Watchtower Defendants in February 2007.

Within the Grafmyer records are to be found many extraordinary exhibits such as James Walter Whitney’s discovery deposition which was part of the California, Jocelyn A. vs.

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., et al., lawsuit. Plaintiffs’ attorneys entered Jocelyn A. into the Grafmeyer case as an exhibit to provide personal testimony that judicial hearings by Witness elders are definitely not spiritual in nature. The parts of the Whitney deposition which were provided are absolutely fascinating to read. It was difficult to keep track of the number of Witness molesters and victims which Mr. Whitney encountered when he lived in Northern California.

Without doubt, the exhibits attached to Plaintiff’s attorney’s motions are the most important documents in all of the approximately 5,000 pages that are seen on this CD. These previously confidential communiqués are between agents (elders and District Overseer) of Defendants’

Watchtower in Red Bluff, California and Defendant Watchtower of New York .

Amy B. vs. Watchtower et al.

Amy B’s lawsuit was filed June 3, 2003 in Texas and settled out-of-court with Watchtower Defendants in February 2007.

Molester, Larry Kelley, had been a former elder. Plaintiff’s attorney points out Kelley had been disciplined by the Dumas, Texas congregation in 1985. However, the Watchtower Defendants concealed the crime from law enforcement authorities “pursuant to a policy that all such matters would be handled within the Watchtower organization.”

Found among the court records for Amy B is Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment.

Attached was “summary judgment evidence” such as three affidavits including molester, Larry Kelley’s affidavit. There are excerpts from the Deposition of Amy B, where she explains how two elders took her and her parents “into the back room at the Kingdom Hall and told us that it would better not to gossip about those things and that we let it die and that it’s done with and that it’s over and we need to just go on about our business.” Also included are Amy B’s medical records which detail the effects from her child sexual abuse between the ages of 8 and 13 years.

According to Larry Kelley’s deposition, he was a TV personality in the Amarillo area. His TV show was for little kids. At one point, Kelley was a ministerial servant in the Southwest Congregation and an elder in the Dumas Congregation.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis On March 29, 2004, Judge Pirtle of Potter County, Texas, granted the Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment for only Defendants Watchtower Bible And Tract Society of New York, Inc. and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. However, Judge Pirtle overruled Defendants’ objection to turn over documents because of “clergy-penitent” privilege. He ordered, for the most part, in favor of the Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Defendants Dumas Congregation and Amarillo-Southwest Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to produce documents Plaintiffs requested.

On November 24, 2004, Plaintiff’s attorney provides supplemental information asking the court to review evidence to establish that all elders and other appointed officials are agents of the Governing Body and that Defendants Watchtower New York and Watch Tower Pennsylvania’s Motions for Summary Judgment should be denied. Part of the evidence provided included acting head of Watchtower’s Treasury Department, Alex Reinmueller’s, testimony, and a 1986

Affidavit of Don Adams, President of the Watch Tower of Pennsylvania, Inc.

Although Defendants’ Watchtower of New York and Watchtower of Pennsylvania were officially no longer a part of Amy B’s lawsuit, the Governing Body decided to settle out-of-court with the Plaintiff. In that Watch Tower of Pennsylvania “operated a Risk Management business that included investigating and discretionarily paying claims to protect the congregations,” and on the strength of plaintiff’s evidence against two Texas congregations, Watch Tower apparently concluded it was best to also settle Amy B’s case in February 2007.

Richard Churchfield and Lezly Churchfield, husband and wife; And

Lezly Churchfield as Guardian Ad Litem for their minor child , Tina L.

Churchfield vs. Daniel Steven Fitzwater and; Lynne Fitzwater;

Yerington Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, an unknown entity;

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., a New York corporation; and DOES I through X, inclusive.

This lawsuit was filed December 5, 1997 in Nevada and secretly settled out-of-court with Defendants January 26, 2000.

Numerous depositions, not provided, were taken. Plaintiffs allege that Defendants concealed and covered up Defendant Fitzwater’s misconduct toward minor children and this was a direct and proximate cause of the injuries of the Plaintiffs.

Morley vs. North Albany Oregon Congregation of Jehovah’s Witness,

Inc., North Bothell Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses,

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., et al.

This lawsuit was filed February 20, 2003 in Oregon and secretly settled out-of-court with Defendants in May 2006 and dismissed, July 19, 2006.

Plaintiff alleges that for three decades Defendants Watchtower knew that ministerial servant, Don Serjeant, now deceased, was sexually molesting young children. This case was due to go to trial first in August 2006 but was rescheduled for October 2006. On November 4, 2004, Judge John A. McCormick rendered his complex Opinion agreeing with many of both Plaintiff’s and Defendants claims.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Included in the Morley case records as an exhibit are parts of a deposition of Edward L.

Burke from the Churchfield v. Fitzwater Nevada lawsuit. Also, the Deposition of Leanna Morley Stone. She relates that she did whatever her abuser asked of her because he was a ministerial servant. The deposition makes for pretty grim reading, especially when she said the reason she ran away from home at fourteen was so she would be put in foster care where she thought she would be safe, where Mr. Serjeant would not have access to her.

Kaleena S. and Dee Dee Harvey as Next Friend of Amanda M., a

minor vs. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.,

Jehovah’s Witnesses – East Congregation, Jehovah’s Witnesses –

Whitehouse Congregation Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of

Pennsylvania, Inc., Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses,

and James Harvey

This Lawsuit was filed April 25, 2003 in Texas and a joint motion was filed to Dismiss without prejudice July 21, 2004, which means that Plaintiff can re-file in the future. The Kaleena S. court records are included for informational purposes only.

The deposition of Curtis Hall is quite informative as he tells what he knew about the molestation of the Plaintiffs by their stepfather, James Harvey, who pled guilty in 2002 to the sexual abuse of Kaleena S and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The evidence at his criminal trial revealed a number of victims over a twenty-year period

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 5

Where Did Jehovah’s Witnesses Go Wrong?

was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for most of my life, yet had no idea there were certain or

I ganizational policies in my religion that made possible the sheltering of molesters. It is understandable that a woman in a primarily patriarchal organization would not be aware of internal procedures. Nonetheless, it is extraordinary that most men who are in the chain of command within this group are also not aware of one Witness organizational policy quietly adopted in 1972 which was the avenue used by immoral Witness elders and ministerial servants, who knew how to work the system, to stay in positions of power to further their debauched aims.

The Three-Year Rule

One would assume that the likelihood of a Witness, who is an authority figure in the congregation, to remain in power after he molested a child would be remote. However, this situation became possible because of a course of action taken by Witness leaders who set certain guidelines in place that could allow for such a shocking state of affairs.

In the spring of 1972 the Watchtower Society published the book, Organization FOR

KINGDOM-PREACHING AND DISCIPLE-MAKING. On page 170, ¶ 2, it states: If the person was serving as an elder or a ministerial servant when he committed a serious wrong even though it was some years ago, he bears a degree of reprehensibility, for he continued to serve in that position though knowing that he had, for the time at least, disqualified himself, not being then “free from accusation.” (1

Tim. 3:2, 10; Titus 1:6, 7) He should have informed the judicial committee that he did not adhere to the requirements and should have stepped down from his position. In view of his failure to do this at that time, he would now be removed from that position.

Approximately six months later, Jehovah’s Witnesses read in the October 1972 Kingdom Ministry ( KM)17 Question Box on p. 8: What is meant by “some years ago” on page 170, paragraph two, in the

“Organization” book?

This indicates more than a year or two. It may be noted that it did not say “many years ago.” So it is not an exact number of years, but more like two or three years. It was not intended to have a brother go back into the distant past to bring up wrongs of which he repented years ago and that have evidently been forgiven by Jehovah and are not being practiced now. In many cases the wrongs occurred prior to the time when the “Watchtower” drew attention to what the Scriptures say on such misconduct.

17 The Kingdom Ministry, produced by the Watchtower Society, is an instructional monthly published publication designed to be studied by Jehovah’s Witnesses weekly during one hour sessions at their Kingdom Halls throughout the world. It features articles that educate Jehovah’s Witnesses in the latest methods used when participating in their public ministry. It also informs members of many of the latest organizational procedures and policies to do with their ministry.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis If a brother has been serving faithfully for some years and has seen evidence of Jehovah’s blessings upon him, why should he now step down from office? If he has a right viewpoint now on conduct and will give good counsel he should be able to continue to serve. If the local body of elders see that he has the respect of the congregation and has shown the proper qualifications over the last two or three years, he may remain in his position of service.

Must wrongdoing be brought to public attention after many years? The book (page 168) under “Public Reproof” quotes 1 Timothy 5:20 and mentions reproof of those who confess to committing more than one offense. But it really has to do with recent events. The “Interlinear” refers to those “sinning,” something going on at the time. So if repentance occurred some years ago, three years ago or more, and sinning ceased, and he is respected by the congregation, it is not necessary now to publicly reprove one who committed more than one offense “some years ago.”

The clarification of what the Organization book meant when it said “some years ago” is clearly spelled out in the KM. It means, “the last two or three years.” As one knowledgeable insider told me, “The comments in the KM simply exemplify the customary concern of the organization for being very specific and leaving as little as possible to the judgment of individuals, whether elders or others.”

However, there is a more important issue that comes in for questioning other than determining how long “some years ago” meant. And that is regarding the change in position found in these two Watchtower publications published within a few months apart. The Organization book points out the necessity of removing a man from his position of authority in a Witness congregation if he committed a serious wrong a few years before and hid it; however, the KM allows a man in that circumstance to remain in his position if he meets certain criteria.

It is doubtful we’ll ever find out the reason for this published adjustment of policy in 1972, but that dramatic change had serious consequences. If allowed to stand, the original instructions would have prevented much heartache in the future for many children. As will be seen, no matter what the reason for the divergence, the new approach would prove disastrous.

Principal guides and directors of the Witness organization deny that the point of the KM was to excuse serious sin done many years ago, but was intended to address minor indiscretions of elders like smoking, or an occasional bout of drunkenness or extreme loss of temper. That doesn’t wash because in the Organization book, the discussion centered upon a man committing

“a serious wrong,” not a minor indiscretion.

In November of 1991, two-day Kingdom Ministry Schools (KMS) for all Jehovah’s Witness elders and ministerial servants were held at designated areas across the United States. At one of the sessions, Circuit Overseers (COs), assigned to particular areas where schools were held, reiterated the 1972 KM policy. Basically, these men stated that those who held positions of authority in congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses who admitted or were found to have committed a serious sin, did not have to be removed from their leadership position i f the event took place two or three years prior and if the circumstances were such that the sinning elder was held in high esteem and gave evidence of God’s blessing during those years. In addition, a decision whether he should step down could be made without forming a judicial committee.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Some elders claim they were instructed to write in the margin of their elder’s handbook18,

“except in the case of porneia, ” which is having illicit sex relations outside of marriage (fornication), but generally speaking, few men remember such instruction. Upon looking in one elder’s personal handbook at the page where elders were supposedly directed to write “except in the case of porneia, the penciled-in note in the margin read, “Oct. 72 KM” and there is no mention of the above mentioned statement.

One elder went so far as to say that at the KMS he attended in Oregon, the CO said even the serious sin of adultery would not be cause for an elder’s removal if he had progressed spiritually during the three previous years. Apparently, there was confusion over the issue. If the porneia detail added at the 1991 KMS was indeed part of the instructions given, the issue should have been settled—if a man commits a serious sin like fornication, he was to be removed—but most elders didn’t understand it that way.

Now let’s push ahead to 1995. When COs met with congregation elders during the time they were assigned to visit each congregation in their circuit, they read from a Watchtower prepared outline updating the information presented at the 1991 KMS about the 1972 KM three-year policy teaching. I have it on good authority elders were told that if porneia was the serious sin involved, elders should look at the whole picture before deciding to form a judicial committee hearing. That is, if an elder confessed porneia from many years ago, but since that time had progressed spiritually, then forming a judicial committee was not a foregone necessity, but rather the “whole picture” should guide whether a judicial committee was necessary. So if a man committed porneia some years ago his removal was not automatic but depended upon the circumstances surrounding the sinning.

Bill Bowen, the Kentucky elder who resigned as an elder in 2001 and went public accusing the Watchtower Society of covering up child sexual abuse (www.silentlambs.org), described a situation in the congregation where he attended, of how the use of this three-year policy was instrumental in guiding the elders to allow an elder/molester remain in his position. Going through the congregation files, Bowen subsequently discovered that the presiding elder was not removed from his position when he was accused of abuse and admitted he had molested a young girl many years before. In 2000, when Bowen confronted the elders who knew of the sexual abuse, and asked why the molester wasn’t removed, they pointed to the 1972 KM and explained that for many years after the event, although he hid his sin, the man lived a seemingly spotless life and it appeared that God’s blessing was upon him.

Finally, in 2005, during sessions of yet another round of Kingdom Ministry Schools for elders and ministerial servants, the subject was touched upon once again. This time KMS

students were told that men who had committed a minor sin such as watching porn only once a few years before and did not repeat the sin could remain in their position. If serious sins in the area of porneia were hidden, no consideration was given and a judicial committee was necessary.

Why did the Witnesses finally adjust their policy to one that made it impossible for a man to remain in an authority position if the sin was porneia? Most likely it was because in mid-2003, 18 Pay Attention To Yourselves And To All The Flock, 1991, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis attorneys began to file lawsuits in California where the application of the three-year rule was too often used as guidance in cases where an elder or ministerial servant was guilty of child sexual abuse, yet remained in his position or was reappointed if he had moved to another congregation.

In Red Bluff, California, one presiding elder/molester would have remained an elder in 1994

because of the application of the three-year policy had not another victim come forward to accuse him.

District Representative Donald Amy’s Letter

Copies of previously confidential documents contained herewith provide insight as to the confusion about the policy. Note the following letter written to the Watchtower Society in 1994

by Watchtower district representative (DO), Donald Amy. DOs are the highest ranking field man in the organization. Amy relates details of the Red Bluff molestation case and of his concern about the application of the guidelines found in the 1972 KM. In the letter, it is important to note when the Red Bluff judicial committee spoke to a Service Department representative at headquarters (most likely Merton Campbell who was in charge of providing advice to elders in California), the committee was informed that “a clarification was made on pg. 97, par. 7. …we should have added to our book the statement: ‘except in cases of porneia’” Amy then goes on to discuss the policy of not convening a judicial committee when an elder commits a sin as outlined in the 1972 KM and whether this should still continue to be applied when the sin is child molestation. This letter proves that the application of this 1972 KM guideline was applied by elders to those who molested children.

Furthermore, consider another letter which has become available. It was written to the Watchtower Society’s Service Department from the Red Bluff North Congregation elders about elder/molester, James Henderson. This letter adds additional details about the use of the three-year rule by the predator, Henderson, as his means to escape a judicial committee hearing and from being removed from his position as an elder.

Without these documents, it would have been impossible to prove the three-year rule was one of the primary ways molesters among Jehovah’s Witnesses leaders, who committed frightful sins against children, remained in power after they confessed or were discovered, only to go on to molest more helpless victims who kept silent because they were in fear of these men who they were told represented God’s appointed servants, the Witnesses’Governing Body.

For those who are interested, the date stamped on the right hand corner of the following letter lacks the year. It should read “SSC August 12, 2003.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 34

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 35

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 6

Settlement Indicates Responsibility

n July 2003, Tim W., one of the victims of pedophile James Henderson, sued the Watchtower So

I ciety for damages. In February 2007, Tim W. was one of sixteen victims who agreed to settle his lawsuit with the Watchtower Society, the exact amount being secret. Nonetheless, the total out-of-court settlement for all sixteen victims is conservatively estimated at around thirteen million dollars. In this way, although the Watchtower did not admit liability in these lawsuits, they accepted responsibility for the role they played in allowing molesters to remain in supervisory positions, or reappoint these men to positions of authority within the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which absolutely led to many more children of Jehovah’s Witnesses being molested.

Of all of the lawsuits filed, Tim W. of Tehama County, California, is the one where a large amount of information is available to the public of the way in which the Defendants, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, et al., failed to protect the children in their religion from harm. Tim W’s Second Amended Complaint avers that

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. had actual knowledge that James Henderson was a sexual predator since at least 1964. Yet, for the better part of three decades, they appointed and re-appointed him to the positions of elder and ministerial servant.

In fact, as the Second Amended Complaint points out, in 1988, James Henderson was appointed to be Red Bluff City Overseer “at about the same time, an elder or ministerial servant from the Red Bluff South Congregation received and ignored a report that Henderson had molested a young boy at Henderson’s place of employment” where he was Regional Manager for the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

The introduction of a copy of the Second Amended Complaint of Tim W., Case No. SCV

52594, Tehama County, California, here is vital. Keep in mind that Tim W’s case was set for trial on April 3, 2007, and trial in the Wimberley Gutierrez et al. was set for May 15, 2007. Each trial was scheduled to last ten days. April 3rd was about two months away when attorneys for Tim W.

were asking for permission to file their Second Amended Complaint. And what a damaging document it was for Defendants.

Of course, a plaintiff’s complaint represents only one side of the story. It would take a jury to decide if the particulars as presented were found to be true based upon obtainable evidence. It is my opinion that the Defendants knew the outcome for them would be disastrous after the jurors heard and saw the evidence introduced by Plaintiffs’ attorneys such as those asserted in Tim W’s Second Amended Complaint (reproduced below). Accordingly, fearing the strength of Tim W’s

accusations, along with all the other victims’ accusations in this coordinated action, within days of Tim W’s proposed complaint being filed and the next hearing scheduled for January 31, 2007, Attorney Robert J. Schnack, representing Defendants’ Watchtower, et al. (of course, with 36

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Governing Body approval), signed a Notice Of Settlement for the seven coordinated actions which was filed on January 31, 2007. Plaintiffs’ attorney, Gregory S. Love, signed a request for dismissal on January 31, 2007, filed on February 13, 2007. The expected settlement date was on or about February 1, 2007 and the entire action was dismissed on February 13, 2007 with prejudice, meaning both sides agreed that legal action pertaining to these issues would never be taken to civil court again.

[PROPOSED] SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT

Rudy Nolen, SBN 59808

Stephen W. Owens, SBN 84859

NOLEN & ASSOCIATES

1501 28'h Street

Sacramento, CA 95816

Telephone: (916) 733-0600

Facsimile: (916) 733-0601

Attorneys for Plaintiff

TIM W.

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF TEHAMA

CASE NO: SCV 52594 Judicial Council Coordination

Coordinated with Case No.: 26-22191 Proceeding No. 4374

TIM W.,

Plaintiff,

VS.

WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT

SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC., NORTH

CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S

WITNESSES, RED BLUFF, CA, INC.

JAMES HENDERSON AND DOES 1 through 20, inclusive,

Defendants.

Jury Trial Demanded

1. Common Law Negligence

2. Negligent Appointment. Retention, and Supervision 3. Breach of Fiduciary Duty

[PROPOSED] SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES:

COMES NOW TIM W., Plaintiff in the above entitled cause, and files this, his Second Amended Complaint, and alleges as follows:

I. PARTIES

1. Plaintiff TIM W., born October 26, 1977 is, and at all times mentioned herein, was a resident of Tehama County, California.

2. Defendant WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has been served with process and has filed an answer.

3.Defendant NORTH CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, RED BLUFF, CA, INC., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California, has been served with process and has filed an answer.

37

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 4. The Defendant entities, collectively referred to herein as the "WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS,"

operate as a single business enterprise.

II.

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

5. Plaintiff has been damaged in an amount exceeding the minimum jurisdictional requirements of this Court.

6. Venue is proper in Tehama County, California because most of the acts or omissions that give rise to Plaintiff's claims occurred in Tehama County, California.

III.

FACTS COMMON TO ALL CAUSES OF ACTION

7. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS comprise a hierarchical organization made up of different corporations and other entities. The "Governing Body" establishes policies and dictates practices for Jehovah's Witnesses and operates through various corporate entities, primarily the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York.

8. Local congregations are led by elders and ministerial servants whom are appointed by the Governing Body acting through the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. and are required to obey and follow the rules handed down by those entities.

9. At all times material hereto, the North Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Red Bluff, CA, Inc.

as well as the elders of that congregation, were acting as agents and managing agents of the Governing Body and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., and their wrongful conduct occurred during the course and scope of that agency relationship.

10. Through their rules and policies, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS assumed a duty to protect children in their organization, including Plaintiff; unfortunately, they negligently failed to exercise reasonable care in fulfilling that duty.

11. Despite the fact that the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS knew or should have known of the potential for children in the organization to be sexually exploited by appointed leaders, they negligently failed to enact common sense policies to prevent sexual abuse within the organization.

For example, they negligently failed to promulgate a policy forbidding unsupervised one-on-one contact between elders or ministerial servants and children.

12. Rather than taking reasonable steps to prevent children from being vulnerable to assault and abuse, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS actually encouraged parents in the congregation to view elders and ministerial servants as persons with whom they could entrust their children's safety.

They permitted children to go out in service, alone, with male congregation members; they encouraged children to attend un-chaperoned Bible study and book study with adult males and they allowed elders to "counsel" children away from the Kingdom Hall and without any supervision.

13. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS undertook the responsibility to instruct their elders as to what to do when they received allegations of child sexual abuse. They promulgated policies and rules directing the elders to call the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS' "Legal Department" for direction about whether to report allegations of sexual abuse to police and law enforcement. However, such policies were designed to prevent cooperation with, if not frustrate, secular investigations. For example, elders were sometimes instructed to make anonymous calls from telephone booths so that law enforcement authorities would be unable to contact them for more information.

14. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS promulgated policies and rules requiring local congregations, through their elders, to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse, and prescribing the manner in which such investigation would be conducted. For example, the elders were required to apply the "two witness rule," which required allegations of child sexual abuse to be disregarded unless the perpetrator confessed or there were two eye witnesses to the crime.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 15. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS enacted procedural and evidentiary rules governing the formation and operation of “Judicial committees,'' comprised of elders, which gathered and considered evidence, questioned witnesses and rendered judgments about what punishment, if any, would be imposed on a child abuser. The elders were forbidden from revealing the results of their investigations to law enforcement authorities.

16. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS assumed the duty to punish organization members who were guilty of child sexual abuse. Since the allegations were usually concealed from secular authorities, the perpetrators often received no punishment except for that meted out by the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS. Sometimes the offenders were "disfellowshipped," or expelled from the organization. But other times their punishment was secret; they were "reproved" or placed on

"restrictions" so that other congregation members would not know that a dangerous child abuser was in their midst. In either case, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS would usually reinstate a disfellowshipped member or remove his restrictions after a shockingly short period of time. In the interim, the child molester often continued to attend meetings at the Kingdom Hall and members of the congregation were not warned.

17. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS' policies, which ostensibly were promulgated to protect children in the organization, emphasized secrecy above all other concerns. Victims of child sexual abuse, and their families, were routinely told not to inform secular authorities. Victims were often discouraged, if not prevented, from obtaining appropriate medical and psychological care or from confiding in their siblings or close friends. Instead, they were instructed to rely on elders for counsel.

18. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS instructed the local congregations and elders to make written reports to the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS' "Service Department" about allegations of child sexual abuse leveled against elders, ministerial servants and pioneers, as well as written reports of judicial committee actions concerning child sexual abuse allegations made against any Jehovah's Witness. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS have for years maintained files and, more recently, a computerized database containing such information. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS

undertook the responsibility to compile this information to protect congregation members and they therefore assumed a duty to utilize this information with reasonable care. However, despite having confidential information that would allow parents, law enforcement authorities and even elders to identify sexual predators and actually take steps to protect children, the WATCHTOWER

DEFENDANTS negligently concealed this information from the persons who needed it most urgently and they negligently failed to implement any policies to actually prevent child sexual abuse.

19. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS have, at all material times, had the ability to know when a

"known pedophile," a term they sometimes use, moves from one congregation to another.

However, they have negligently failed to utilize the information they have compiled to monitor the movement of sexual predators through their organization so that appropriate warnings could be issued.

20. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS promulgated rules and policies that require the former congregation to write a "letter of introduction" when a member moved to another congregation.

However, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS negligently failed to take any steps to ensure that such a letter was actually sent or that the letter contained accurate information and adequate warnings.

If a sexual predator moved from a congregation where he was known to be a pedophile, but then moved a second time, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS' rules did not even require the first congregation's letter to be passed along to the third congregation.

21. These are but a few examples of the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS assuming a duty to protect children in the organization but failing to exercise reasonable care in fulfilling that duty.

22. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., had actual knowledge that James Henderson was a sexual predator since at least 1964. Yet, for the better part of three decades, they appointed and re-appointed him to the positions of elder and ministerial servant. They also 39

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis permitted him to move from congregation to congregation, committing acts of sexual perversion and abuse, acts which were reported, again and again, to various Jehovah's Witnesses entities.

23. On July 13, 1964, the Clearlake Highlands Congregation wrote the Service Department of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., describing an incident in which Henderson had sodomized another congregation member who had passed out from intoxication. The letter quoted Henderson, who had occupied appointed positions in the congregation since 1962, as telling the victim that he had "done it only once before."

24. The letter, which actually sought counsel about whether to disfellowship Henderson's victim for having an extramarital, heterosexual affair, was received by Merton Victor Campbell, the service department "desk man" in charge of California. As a desk man, Campbell was responsible for providing advice to congregations, including, occasionally, direction as to whether a member should be disfellowshipped. He also had been delegated the authority to appoint elders and ministerial servants. He was a managing agent of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

25. Campbell recognized that Henderson was a danger to others in the congregation.

Nevertheless, eight years later, Campbell, acting as an agent and managing agent of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. and the Governing Body, appointed Henderson to the positions of congregation servant, then elder and field overseer in the Ukiah, California Congregation.

26. Since at least the mid-1960s, congregations have sent letters of introduction, as described above, when a member moves to a new congregation, and those letter were supposed to describe any accusations of serious offenses, such as child sexual abuse. Thus, according to the policies of the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS, the Ukiah Congregation would have been advised about Henderson's past.

27. From Ukiah, Henderson moved to Yuba City where he was again appointed elder. He was removed from that position in about 1974 after he confessed to a judicial committee that he had

"done some perverted things with two young men." Even his wife was not told the reason he was reproved. The Jehovah's Witnesses' practice was, and remains, that members can be disciplined secretly and even their spouses are not told the reason. However, according to the policies of the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS, the service department would have received a report.

28. Henderson moved on to another congregation and, if the Watchtower Defendants' policies were followed, a letter of introduction followed him. At some point during the 1970s, Henderson was again reproved and removed from his position of elder or ministerial servant by a congregation in the Marysville, California area for sexual abuse. Another report would have been made to headquarters.

29. On January 21, 1981, The Upper Lake Congregation wrote a letter of introduction for Henderson to the Red Bluff Congregation stating, among other things, that Upper Lake had considered appointing him to be a ministerial servant. It mentioned nothing about his criminal past.

30. On November 23,1988, Henderson, by then an elder in Red Bluff North, was appointed to be Red Bluff City Overseer. At about the same time, an elder or ministerial servant from the Red Bluff South Congregation received and ignored a report that Henderson had molested a young boy at Henderson' place of employment.

31. On October 20, 1992, a young man called an elder at the Red Bluff congregation and told him that he had been molested by Henderson. He also told the elder that Henderson had signed a confession admitting to abusing him and others. He offered to meet with the elder and give him a copy of the confession. The elder rejected the offer and told him not to contact him again.

32. After another Henderson victim went to the police in 1994, Henderson confessed to elder Bodie Lyon that he had committed child sexual abuse. Once again, the WATCHTOWER

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis DEFENDANTS attempted to deal with Henderson with a slap on the wrist reproval - until information about other victims, including Plaintiff, was brought to their attention and, more importantly, the attention of the Red Bluff police. Finally, Henderson was disfellowshipped.

33. Thus, at least five times, between 1963 and 1993, when Henderson's abuse of Tim Ward began, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS received reports that Henderson had committed a sexual crime.

34. Beginning in 1993, thirty years after the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS first had actual, incontrovertible knowledge that James Henderson was a dangerous sexual predator, they negligently allowed him unsupervised access to Plaintiff, Tim W. Predictably, he exploited the confidence and respectability that his status as elder and city overseer conferred and began to prey upon Tim W. The abuse continued until 1994.

35. By repeatedly appointing Henderson to serve as an elder and permitting him to remain in that position, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS put him in a position of trust and confidence vis-a-vis his congregation. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS knew that congregation members would view him as being worthy of their trust and that they would feel comfortable entrusting him with their children's safety. Likewise, the children in the congregation were taught that they could trust elders and ministerial servants such as Henderson.

36. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS intentionally concealed a material fact from Plaintiff Tim W.

and his mother. They withheld the knowledge that Henderson had been, for at least three decades, a sexual predator whose conduct they tolerated and covered up and thus aided and abetted. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS concealed this information because they valued secrecy above the rights and safety of children in the congregation. They thus concealed this material fact with the intention of depriving Tim W. and others of their legal right to be safe.

IV.

FIRST CAUSEOF ACTION

COMMON-LAW NEGLIGENCE

37. Plaintiff incorporates and re-alleges paragraphs 1 through 36 of this Amended Complaint as if fully set forth herein.

38. Plaintiff alleges that at all times herein mentioned, WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS assumed a duty to protect Plaintiff from sexual predators within the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS'

organization.

39. However, they negligently failed to implement any policies to prevent unsupervised, un-chaperoned contact between elders or ministerial servants and children within their congregations; to the contrary, they actually encouraged such contact.

40. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS knew or should have known that Plaintiff was at risk of foreseeable harm by their agent, James Henderson, but failed to act to protect him from such harm. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS breached their duty to Plaintiff, thereby causing him great harm.

41. Despite the fact that the Watchtower Defendants knew or should have known of Henderson's history of pedophilia, they negligently failed to warn Plaintiff or his family of Henderson's history of sexually abusing children and actually conceded those facts.

42. Despite the fact that the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS knew, or should have known, of Henderson's history of pedophilia, they negligently permitted him to be alone with children in the congregations including Plaintiff.

43. As a result of Defendants' negligence, Plaintiff has suffered, and will continue to suffer psychological trauma, emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis V.

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

NEGLIGENT APPOINTMENT, RETENTION AND SUPERVISION

44. Plaintiff incorporates and re-alleges paragraphs 1 through 43 of this Amended Complaint as if fully set forth herein.

45. Despite the fact that the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS knew, or should have known, of Henderson's history of pedophilia, they negligently appointed him to the office of Elder and City Overseer when they knew or should have known that he would be allowed unsupervised access to minor children in the course and scope of his duties.

46. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS negligently failed to monitor and/or supervise Henderson despite their actual or constructive knowledge that he posed a potential and foreseeable danger to children.

47. As a result of Defendants' negligence, Plaintiff has suffered, and will continue to suffer psychological trauma, emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.

VI.

THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION

BREACH OF FIDUCIARY DUTY

48. Plaintiff incorporates and re-alleges paragraphs 1 through 47 of this Amended Complaint as if fully set forth herein.

49. Plaintiff alleges, at all times mentioned herein, that by assuming the responsibility to protect and care for Plaintiff, who was young and vulnerable, the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS created a fiduciary relationship with Plaintiff. The WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS occupied positions of trust and confidence with Plaintiff and such relationship imposed on them a duty to act to protect Plaintiff's best interests.

50. Plaintiff further alleges that because of this special relationship, Plaintiff placed his trust and confidence in the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS to protect him from harm and to warn Plaintiff of the potential harm. The conduct described above constituted a breach of the fiduciary duty owed to Plaintiff by WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS.

51. As a result of Defendants' misconduct as described hereinabove, Plaintiff has suffered, and will continue to suffer psychological trauma, emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.

VII.

PRAYER

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff demands judgment against the WATCHTOWER DEFENDANTS individually, jointly and severally as follows:

For general damages according to proof;

For past and future medical expenses according to proof; For past and future loss of earnings according to proof; For prejudgment interest;

For costs of suit incurred herein; and

For such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper NOLEN & ASSOCIATES

Rudy Nolen, Esq., Attorneys for Plaintiffs.

What follows are more copies of correspondence to the Watchtower Society’s Service Department regarding pedophile, James Henderson. Plaintiffs received the material in California 42

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis as part of discovery. These documents were entered into Oregon’s Grafmeyer vs . Watchtower, et al. case by the Napa attorneys as exhibits, although the material originated in Red Bluff, California. Grafmeyer was also settled by Jehovah’s Witnesses leaders in February 2007. The documents are not part of the public domain records found in the Napa County Courthouse although they are now public records in Oregon,

Notice the question about half way down on the first document which is an S77 Form elders fill in and send to the Society after a Witness has been disfellowshipped: “What evidence established the wrongdoing, such as confession, two or more witnesses?” This is an example of the use of the infamous “two-witness” (to wrong doing) policy of the Watchtower Society. In the Henderson judicial hearing there were at least two witnesses to accuse Henderson. Hence, he was disfellowshipped. The question hangs in the air though, “What if there was not another witness to come forth to corroborate the accusation of the boy who went to the police, would a child predator such as Henderson not be disfellowshipped?”

Two Molesters in Same Congregation

If this information doesn’t convince the reader of the responsibility of the Defendants in this matter of failing to protect children by appointing known molesters to positions of authority, read on. Here is selected information from court documents in the Wimberley Gutierrez et al. case which was set for trial beginning on May 15, 2007. The predator, Alvin Heard, molested three children in a Red Bluff Congregation. Note disfellowshipping correspondence and his deposition. Predators Alvin Heard and James Henderson were in the same congregation at one point! Alvin Heard is confined at the Two Rivers Correctional Institute in Umatilla, Oregon.

Alvin Heard sexually abused several children over a 30+ year period of time.

Between 1976 and 1981, Heard molested Plaintiffs Wimberley and Gutierrez. Heard was subject to a judicial committee and was reproved. Heard then went on to sexually molest other children in the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, and was again subject to a judicial committee and reproved. Heard moved to yet other Jehovah's Witnesses congregations in South Dakota and Oregon where he molested additional children, and was presumably subject to a judicial committee and disfellowshipped before being criminally convicted in Klamath Falls, Oregon. (See excerpts of Alvin Heard's deposition attached hereto as Exhibit 5). Excerpts from Heard's testimony clearly describe Heard's molestation of many children while affiliated with several different congregations. Heard's testimony also indicates that he had several interactions with Elders subsequent to 1981: judicial committee for sexual molestation in Oroville, CA for molesting children in Paradise; interaction with Elders in Oregon and South Dakota who knew about his sexual molestations from the past and dealt with new allegations and the impacts of the changes in Watchtower Society policies in 1997 which led to communications among Elders regarding Heard's past abuse. 19

19 Motion To Compel PMK Deposition and Document Request Re General Discovery Matters, p. 5, filed 9/15/06.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 7

Defendants Did Not Report Child Abuse

lthough evidence supports the claim that Watchtower Defendants routinely failed to report ac

A cusations of sexual abuse to law enforcement, in California as of January 1, 1997, clergy members were added to the list of “mandatory reporters” pursuant to California Penal Code §

11165.7(a)(32).

As found in the documents on pg. 9 of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Watchtower Defendants’

Motion to Strike in All Coordinated Cases, and on pgs. 8-9 in Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Watchtower Defendants’ Demurrers in All Coordinated Cases, Defendants excused their conduct of not reporting childhood sexual abuse in California by their own appointed agents on the claim that they were not required by law to do so before 1997. This defense is in regards to five of the six cases. (The seventh lawsuit in the coordinated action was filed October 2006 and not involved in the Napa coordinated action in March 2005 when the following brief was filed by plaintiffs.) Plaintiffs’ attorneys put to rest Defendants’ arguments thusly: The only case where it is alleged that Watchtower Defendants were required to report consistent with Penal Code § 11164, et. seq., is Daniel West, et. al., on behalf of Shane Pence. The remaining cases allege Watchtower Defendants' failure to report incidents of childhood sexual abuse to law enforcement as a basis of their negligent conduct. This organization could have actively proceeded to protect the children entrusted to their care, but chose not to act in the best interests of the children.

Instead, they chose to protect pedophiles. Plaintiffs contend the Organization's failures to protect victims of sexual abuse by, including but not limited to, failing to notify law enforcement is negligent conduct.

Plaintiffs contend that a reasonably prudent organization, like the Watchtower Defendants, should have notified Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs' families, and law enforcement that pedophiles were sexually abusing children within their Organization.20

This cause of action has been asserted on behalf of Shane Pence, only, in the Daniel West, et a/., matter. As alleged in that complaint, Shane was abused by the perpetrator after January 1, 1997. As of January 1, 1997, Clergy members were added to the list of "mandatory reporters" pursuant to Penal Code § 11165.7(a)(32). Shane alleged that from approximately 1992 through 1997, he was sexually abused by Timothy Silva. (See West Amended Complaint at ¶¶ 26 and 57.) Shane also alleged that the Watchtower Defendants had actual and/or constructive knowledge as early as 1987 that Silva, who they appointed to a position of authority, was using his position of authority to sexual abuse children entrusted to their care. (See West Amended Complaint at ¶¶ 22 and 57.) The California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, enumerated in California Penal Code §11164, et. seq., became effective January I, 1997, which mandated that members of the clergy report suspicions of abuse to law enforcement. Shane alleged that the Watchtower Defendants failed to report to law enforcement the abusive and illegal acts of their agent, Silva, both prior to and after Shane was abused. (See West Amended Complaint at ¶ 58.) Shane was abused after Penal Code § 11164, et. seq., was enacted and Defendants failed to report this abuse to law enforcement, despite their mandatory 20 Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Watchtower Defendants’ Motion to Strike in All Coordinated Cases, p. 9, filed 3/15/05.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis obligation to do so. They failed to uphold their legal duty, which allowed Silva to continue abusing Shane.21

Yes, Defendants claimed they did not report child abuse before 1997 because they were not required by law to do so. However, after the law was passed they still did not report child abuse if they could get away with it. For all practical purposes, the rationale behind Defendants and the rest of this religious group to not report child abuse has always been “to not bring reproach upon God’s name and his organization,” and not expressly to protect pedophiles, although it appears there were exceptions. But what does the expression, “…not bring reproach,” mean in real terms?

To gain adherents, the Witnesses maintain their group is a brotherhood where “true”

Christian love exists; where members are superior in morals and values than adherents are in other religions. Members insist Witness beliefs make for better husbands, better wives and better children. Without a doubt, negative publicity would spoil that carefully crafted image and hamper conversion to the religion. Insular religions such as Jehovah’s Witnesses are communities closed to “worldly gaze,” who do not want others to know they are not as they portray themselves to outsiders. They are like dysfunctional families who keep family secrets out of a misguided sense of loyalty, not wanting neighbors to know what really goes on behind closed doors.

Another reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses were not encouraged to report child sexual abuse, which is difficult for non-Witnesses to comprehend, is because Witnesses viewed sexual child abuse as a “sin” not a crime; Men who molested were sinners—not criminals—and there were rules in place how to deal with sinners, although attitudes have changed on this subject due to recent negative publicity. Speaking of Witness rules, read what one prominent Watchtower official, Richard Abrahamson, now deceased, who taught at one of the 1994 Kingdom Ministry Schools, told elders on November 26th: “The principle of two witnesses must stand when dealing with any accusation of wrongdoing. On the other hand if there is a clear case of child abuse that has substance it would be handled as any other charge of judicial wrongdoing in the congregation. ” Clearly, this leaves out reporting child abuse to the authorities.

Even after exposure of hidden child abuse within the Witness organization, elders, who are

“clergy” for the group, are still not instructed to report child sexual abuse in states where it is not mandated for clergy do so, and even now do not encourage members to report child abuse to the authorities. However, since at least the 1970s, Witness elders were mandated to report child abuse accusations to Watchtower leaders who promulgated very specific policies, the most important of them was that elders had to call Watchtower’s “Legal Department” for direction when there were allegations of child sexual abuse. Elders were required to gather evidence, question witnesses and render judgments about what punishment, if any, would be imposed on a child abuser. They were forbidden from revealing the results of their investigations to law enforcement authorities, but would report the results of their investigation to the Watchtower Legal Department.

21 Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Watchtower Defendants’ Demurrers in All Coordinated Cases, pgs. 8-9, filed 3/15/05

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis However, these policies were designed to prevent cooperation with secular investigators.

For instance, when an elder called the Legal Department he would be asked what state he lived in. If that state required clergy to report child abuse to law enforcement, a recommendation was made that the elder make an anonymous call from a telephone booth with another elder looking on. They were instructed to “Keep a written record of who made the call, to whom it was made, the date and time of the call, and other pertinent factors. This record should then be signed by the two elders and placed in congregation files as proof that a report of child abuse was made in compliance with the law.” No doubt this was done so that law enforcement authorities would be unable to contact them for more information. And since state reporting laws do not specify the way or how clergy should report, it appears the requirements in the Telememo form are done this way for only one reason—to protect Watchtower leaders—not to protect children from a dangerous sexual predator.

In 2001, when NBC Dateline was preparing its news program about child sexual abuse within the Witness organization, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses was arrested for child sexual abuse in Fayetteville, Tennessee. One of the Witness children he had molested was the daughter of a friend of ours. The event had happened about nine years previously. I phoned our friend who told me she reported the molestation to the elders when it first happened. ”Leave it in our hands,” she was told, which she did. Nine years later, when the Fayetteville, Tennessee, Witness molester was arrested, she inquired if the elders had reported her daughter’s molestation to the police, she was told that one of the elders was assigned to call the authorities from a phone booth and the other elders assumed he had done just that. My friend thought it curious that she was never contacted by the police, but over the years, assumed that the elders were handling things correctly until another girl who was molested by the same man mustered up enough courage to go to the police.

I remember thinking how odd it was that a call was made to the police from a phone booth.

Kingdom Halls had telephones. Elders had telephones at home, so why call from a phone booth?

But I thought no more about it until recently when I found within court documents from California a form entitled, “Child Abuse Telememo,” published by the Watchtower Society. This form is completed by a member of the Legal Department when an elder calls Watchtower to report child abuse. Amazingly, that phone booth directive is found in the Telememo as a suggestion to elders if they lived in a clergy-mandated reporting state.

Among many survey questions found written on the Telememo form is one very inappropriate question: “How many elders felt that the victim was somewhat at fault or willingly participated in the acts?” This one and the other survey questions clearly show the depth of investigative action elders were expected to be involved with.

Through the discovery process, Plaintiffs’ attorneys were able to procure from Defendants Watchtower four of the blank forms that were used until 1994. What Plaintiffs’ attorneys really wanted were completed Child Abuse Telememo forms involving one of the victims of child abuse they were representing. Defendants refused to provide such as explained by Watchtower Attorney, Mario F. Moreno:

3. There are four blank forms (dated 1989; 1992, 1993, and 1993, respectively) contained in Exhibit 3 to plaintiffs' discovery motion no. 3 concerning the Watchtower 64

Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Legal Department. Watchtower NY earlier produced each of those forms in discovery, and each was stamped "CONFIDENTIAL" prior to being produced. The Watchtower Legal Department and its attorneys used one of these forms when taking calls from congregation elders who sought legal advice from the Legal Department on child abuse matters from about July 1989 until about 1995. Each of these forms, when used, was completed by attorneys and legal assistants working under the attorneys'

legal supervision within the Legal Department after attorneys and their legal assistants obtained information through confidential and privileged communications with congregation elders as clients of the Legal Department. The completed forms are used by attorneys in the Legal Department to assist in providing legal advice to the elders as clients of the Legal Department and document the legal advice given to the congregation elders. Thus, any such completed forms retained in the Legal Department contain confidential and privileged information obtained through confidential and privileged communications between a Legal Department attorney and a client of the Legal Department. As such, disclosure in this litigation or otherwise of any such completed forms or of the information contained in any such completed forms would necessarily result in the disclosure of confidential and privileged communications between a Legal Department attorney and a client of the Legal Department. In addition, disclosure of any summary that might have been prepared by the Legal Department of any of the confidential and privileged information contained in the completed forms would likewise result in the disclosure of confidential and privileged communications between a Legal Department attorney and a client of the Legal Department or potentially of attorney work product information.22

On October 16, 2006, Judge Raymond Guadagni ruled in favor of the Defendants saying,

“…any compilation of information, as from the ‘survey questions’ constitutes attorney work product and is not discoverable.” This meant that completed forms were protected under the attorney-client privilege.

22 Declaration of Mario F. Moreno In Support of Church Defendants’ Opposition To Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel PMK Deposition and Document request regarding the Legal Department, p. 2, filed September 29, 2006.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis No Child Abuse Reporting Policy

Plaintiffs’ attorneys requested of Defendants to provide the “Person most knowledgeable (PMK) regarding any and all policies that the Jehovah’s Witness organization had for handling accusations and proof of child sexual abuse from 1970 to the present.” Watchtower Defendants complied by supplying Gary N. Breaux, a Watchtower Service Department representative. He was deposed on November 15, 2005 by Plaintiffs attorneys. Pertaining to reporting child abuse, this is the way the deposition reads:

Q. But you’ve also told us that the elders are not trained in the type of investigative techniques that law enforcement employs. True?

A. That’s right.

Q. So my question is – is not directed at anybody other than the – than the expectation of what the elders should do. My question is simply this: Why don’t the elders, as soon as they receive an allegation of child sexual abuse pick up the phone and call the police and ask the police to come in and investigate?

A. You’re speaking of prior to ’94?

Q. Yes, sir.

A. Well, it would depend—many states didn’t require it. And the position of the body of elders is to – care for that individual within the confines of the congregation.

But at times it did require individuals to call the authorities.

Q. Okay.

A. And certainly the family and those – those that are knowledgeable of it to inform the authorities for extra protection.

Q. But prior to 1994, it was not the policies – I don’t know what the policy is after

’94 and I’m not suggesting what it is after ’94. But at least up through 1994, it was not the policy of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to have the elders pick up the phone and call the police and have them come over and investigate allegations of child sexual abuse across the board, was it?

A. Well, no, it was not a policy, but it doesn’t mean that the congregation didn’t do something to protect. Certainly they didn’t encourage people not to call the authorities.23

23 Exhibit 2, Excerpts Of Deposition Of Gary N. Breaux, pgs. 97-8, 11/15/05, Motion #3, Memorandum Of Points And Authorities In Support Of Motion To Compel PMK Deposition And Document Request Regarding The Legal Department, filed 9/15/06.

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Watchtower Legal Department Represents

Service Department

little known fact about Watchtower’s Legal Department is their attorney-client relationship w

A ith the “…various corporations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the United States Branch Committee, other departments at the United States branch offices in New York, congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States, including congregations in California, and the elders of those congregations.” This situation then makes it next to impossible to see communications between the Legal Department and any of the above. This is how Mario Moreno described the situation to the judge:

The Watchtower Legal Department is and functions as in-house legal counsel for Watchtower NY, similarly to in-house legal departments for private companies and corporations. The Watchtower Legal Department has a number of attorneys who serve as associate general counsel or associate legal counsel in the Legal Department. The Watchtower Legal Department's clients include various corporations of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, the United States Branch Committee; other departments at the United States branch offices in New York, congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States, including congregations in California, and the elders of those congregations. The Watchtower Legal Department thus has an attorney-client relationship with the United States Service Department and congregations and their elders. The Watchtower Legal Department considers its lawyers' communications from, to, and with the United States Service Department and congregations and their elders to be confidential and privileged under the attorney-client privilege and any other applicable privileges. As a congregation elder and as associate general counsel for the Watchtower Legal Department, it is my understanding and belief that United States Service Department and congregation elders who have communicated with the Watchtower Legal Department attorneys for legal advice consider those communications to be privileged and confidential: and the attorneys in the Legal Department in fact frequently remind the elders that their communications with the Legal Department are privileged and confidential under the attorney-client privilege.24

It is for the above reasons why Plaintiffs’ attorneys were unable to have the court order Defendant Watchtower of New York provide them with completed Child Abuse Telememo forms.

I’m reminded of something I heard around late 1991 when I was part of the Watchtower’s Writing Department staff. One very exasperated senior Watchtower writer, in this matter of the child abuse revelations which were back then coming to a head, told me that copies of all correspondence regarding child and domestic abuse that came into the Service Department were to go to the Legal Department. He said the Service Department had messed up things ‘so royally’

in the past that the Governing Body decreed that the Legal Department had to be informed of every abuse case. Back then I certainly thought that was a good idea, but now since I know that elders and the Service Department are all clients of Watchtower’s Legal Department, it is 24 Declaration of Mario F. Moreno In Support of Church Defendants’ Opposition To Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel PMK Deposition and Document request regarding the Legal Department, p. 2, filed September 29, 2006.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis apparent that this arrangement protects the Society by making it very difficult for members who sue the Watchtower Society to be able to compel them to supply documentation of what actually transpired between elders, the Service Department. I find this arrangement very telling because in the matter of sexual child abuse there must have been something to hide just as Defendants’

Watchtower, et al. secret out-of-court settlements with sixteen victims indicate. How extraordinary it is to me that Watchtower leaders protect everybody in their hierarchy except any

“harmed” members whose past donations made it possible for the leadership to survive in their ivory tower.

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Chief Watchtower Spokesman J. R. Brown’s

Deposition

n September 15, 2005, Defendants’ attorney, Robert J. Schnack, received Plaintiffs’ Notice of

O Deposition for the deposition of J.R. Brown who was the Director of the Office of Public Information for Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Subsequently, Defendants sought a protective order from the court ordering that J.R. Brown not be required to sit for deposition.

Along with two other briefs, on September 30, 2005, Defendants’ attorney filed a document named, DECLARATION OF J.R. BROWN… where J. R. declared as follows: I am the Director of the Office of Public Information for Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. I am legally competent in all respects and make the following statements from personal knowledge, or on information and belief where so stated.

On information and belief, in or about April or May 2002, the Office of Public Information was made aware of a facsimile inquiry from Betsan Powys of the British Broadcasting Corporation ("BBC") regarding a television segment the BBC planned to air that would address Jehovah's Witnesses and how they handle child abuse matters.

The letter did not inquire about the coordinated California lawsuits. A responsive letter, which did not contain information regarding the coordinated California lawsuits, was prepared to Betsan Powys of BBC Panorama sometime prior to May 9, 2002. As the Director of the Office of Public Information, I was asked to sign the letter, which I did.

However, I have no unique or superior personal knowledge regarding the subject matter of how Jehovah's Witnesses generally handle child abuse matters addressed in the letter that I signed, nor did I perform any personal research in regard to Betsan Powys and the BBC's inquiry. My only function was to sign the letter, as the Director of the Office of Public Information.

I am now aware that there are coordinated lawsuits pending in California and that plaintiffs have issued notice requesting my deposition. I have no personal knowledge regarding the coordinated California lawsuits or of the facts alleged in the complaint. I was not involved in the handling, supervision, or management of the coordinated California lawsuits, of which I have no personal knowledge.

If called to testify in deposition, I would not be able to testify regarding any unique or superior personal knowledge related to the contents of the May 9, 2002 letter describing how Jehovah’s Witnesses generally handle child abuse matters. Neither would I be able to testify regarding the coordinated California lawsuits, of which I have no personal knowledge.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of New York and California that the foregoing is true and correct, except where it states upon information and belief, where I am informed and believe the information is true and correct.25

25 Declaration of J.R. Brown In Support Of Motion For Protective Order Regarding The Deposition Notice For J.R.

Brown, filed 9/30/05.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis To get the sense of what J. R. Brown is referring to, a copy of his letter to Betsan Powys of BBC’s program, Panorama, is reproduced on the following pages.26

For the record, J. R. Brown’s job assignment at Jehovah’s Witnesses world headquarters when I was in the Writing Department from 1989 through 1992 is open to discussion in light of his statement, “I have no unique or superior personal knowledge regarding the subject matter of how Jehovah's Witnesses generally handle child abuse matters addressed in the letter that I signed. ”.

After publishing the October 8, 1991 Awake! journal which contained excellent articles related to child sexual abuse, the Watchtower Society received thousands of letters in response.

Many of these letters were provided to Harry Peloyan, the Editor of the Awake! , by personnel working in a department named Writing Correspondence which at that time came under the direction of the Writing Department with Governing Body member, Lloyd Barry, as “overseer.”

Writing Correspondence was located at the other end of the Writing Department’s floor from where my office was located. It was in Writing Correspondence where many of the child abuse letters were read, dealt with accordingly, and then scanned into computers for archiving purposes. The man who managed that area back then was J. Richard Brown, who has been the Watchtower Society’s official spokesman for quite some time now. He was Director of the Office of Public Information in September of 2005 when he submitted his Declaration. J. R., as everyone calls him, directed, to the best of my knowledge, the activities of about eight men and three or four women in Writing Correspondence.

As far as I know, men in Writing Correspondence were there to review and answer communiqués addressed to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society that were restricted to material found somewhere in Watchtower literature meant for public distribution. Furthermore, some of J. R.’s men staffed the phones. They were there to answer questions that were related to material found in Watchtower literature, whether it was theological or otherwise.

The Writing Correspondence team, including J. R. Brown, was aware of the huge response to the child abuse articles in the Awake! . Two of the staff, men who had been at headquarters for fifteen years or more, were told to discontinue their in-depth phone discussions related to repressed memories, Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), now called Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and ritual/Satanic abuse. They were removed from their jobs because of not adhering to strict regulations regarding their involvement with these issues. Both men were extremely sympathetic to the plight of child sexual abuse victims. To my knowledge they used personal time to study all sides of the problem which put them in a good position to help 26 Declaration of Robert J. Schnack In Support Of Church Defendants’ Motion For Protective Order Regarding The Deposition “Subpoena of J. R. Brown, Received, September 30, 2005, Exhibit 1.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis victims with advice, something totally frowned upon by most of the Governing Body.

I should add here that I was not privy to the details of what actually transpired to cause the final order transferring Michael St. Jean and Ricki Hutson to menial jobs at headquarters.

Certainly, J. R. Brown was privy to all the details. However, I do know it had to do with not obeying Lloyd Barry, who had ordered them to cease and desist from their therapy-like help to those suffering the effects of child sexual abuse. I was told Lloyd Barry was pressured by other members of the Governing Body to act accordingly.

Most of the letters I read from abuse victims were provided to me by Harry Peloyan. In the beginning I didn’t know where he obtained the correspondence, but later on when Harry fully trusted me, and after he had enlightened people in Writing Correspondence that I was working with him, he sent me over to that area to pick up some especially sensitive or particularly horrific letters. One time, Harry directed me to go to J. R. Brown’s office. When J.R. saw me coming, he got up from his desk chair and came out of his office to personally hand me some letters. Two women in his staff were sitting at their desks just a few feet from where we were standing. They stopped work and chimed into our brief exchange about the amazing amount of letters generated by the Awake! abuse articles and about the extraordinary information found within the letters.

One time I remember receiving a folder containing a twenty-three page, single-spaced typewritten letter from one of J. R’s crew. The author of that dreadful letter described her sister’s abuse and her own abuse starting when they were toddlers. She became a baptized Witness after marriage although both of her alcoholic Satanic Cult member parents were disfellowshipped Witnesses. Surviving a childhood of some of the most vile treatment I’ve ever read about, marriage brought stability and happiness until circumstances caused terrifying emotional upheaval resulting in horrifying memories and multiplicity or “splitting” of personalities. After a diagnosis of MPD, she said the elders expressed support and compassion and were of great comfort to her. She added special thanks for the help she received from the Witness she spoke to on the phone at headquarters in Writing Correspondence. He offered her scriptural counsel, whereupon, she said, she learned to trust in God completely for help. Another time when she called, this same person walked her through what she believed was demon harassment by one of her alters. It was an extraordinary letter meant to show appreciation for the help she had received, yet little did she know that the help given was frowned upon by this man’s superiors.

Surely, J. R. Brown was not ignorant of the developments as they unfolded “…regarding the subject matter of how Jehovah’s Witnesses generally handle child abuse matters,” especially since he is and has been the Watchtower Society’s spokesperson for many years and the handling of child sexual abuse has been an issue within headquarters since 1991 when he was director of Writing Correspondence.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 10

Watch Tower’s Secret Payment

atch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has operated an insurance program W named Kingdom Hall Assistance Arrangement (KHAA) throughout the United States since 1989.27 Plaintiffs’ attorneys sought information about KHAA doing business in California.

Through discovery, Defendant Watch Tower of Pennsylvania was ordered to provide Plaintiffs’

attorneys KHAA ledger sheets for claims and payments. Recorded therein can be found a claim of interest. In the column titled, Brief Description, Elder misconduct is listed. In the column titled, Incident, the date lodged is 01/01/1989. In the Insured column, the name of the insured is Red Bluff Congregation, CA. The amount was for $50,000.

Note Plaintiffs’ remarks below:

b. KHAA and Risk Management

Watch Tower Pennsylvania has been engaged in the insurance and risk management business in California for over 25 years. Watch Tower Pennsylvania relating to the Jehovah's Witnesses organization's business through its insurance programs (including K W) during the relevant time periods, Watch Tower Pennsylvania collected millions of dollars from California for the purchase of insurance policies.

Additionally, Watch Tower Pennsylvania operated a Risk Management business that included investigating and discretionarily paying claims in California. Those claims include a significant payment by Watch Tower Pennsylvania for "Elder Misconduct" by one of the Track I defendant Elders.

Through the narrowly drawn discovery requests listed below, Plaintiffs have attempted to discover the details of this significant California contact. Plaintiffs seek information regarding Watch Tower Pennsylvania's risk management business, the processing of claims made to Watch Tower Pennsylvania from California and the process for investigating and paying claims in California. 28

The Track I Cases involved co-defendant James Henderson in Tim W, and co-defendant Alvin Heard in Wimberle Gutierrez, et al. v. Watchtower, et al. As can be seen from the Check Ledger sheet found below, the issuing date of the $50,000 payment was February 14, 1996.

27 Deposition of Alexander Reinmueller, pg. 121, August 25, 2004, Exhibit B, attached to Declaration of Robert Schnack In Support Of Watch Tower Of Pennsylvania’s Response In Opposition To Motion To Compel Discovery, filed 3/14/05.

28 Plaintiffs' Reply Brief in support of Motion to Compel, pg. 7, dated 3/30/05.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Using these ledger sheets, Plaintiffs’ attorney questioned acting director of the Treasury Department, Alex Reinmueller,29 about a $50,000 payment made to the Red Bluff Congregation for “Elder misconduct”:

Page 362

A. REINMUELLER

2 Q. 265?

3 A. Your question again?

4 Q. Do you see that on that page,

5 there is a whole list of types of claims?

6 A. Yes.

7 Q. In fact, this document is full

8 of different types of claims that the

9 Kingdom Hall Assistance Arrangement has

10 paid in California, correct?

I1 A. That's correct.

12 Q. Do you see in the middle of the

13 page an item "elder misconduct"?

14 A. Yes.

15 Q. Do you have any idea what kind

16 of elder misconduct that was?

17 A. No, I don't.

18 Q. Do you see that this says the

19 Red Bluff Congregation California?

20 A. Yes, I see that.

21 Q. Do you have any understanding as

22 to whether or not the Red Bluff

23 Congregation contributed funds to the

24 Kingdom Hall Assistance Arrangement?

25 A. I cannot say specifically…

Page 363

11 …from Watch Tower Pennsylvania's insurance

12 desk back to the congregation?

13 A. The congregation likely would

14 have contacted the risk management desk

15 with particulars of the situation, and the

16 risk management desk would have

17 communicated back to determine what

18 assistance would be needed.

19 Q. How many people are available to

20 answer that phone at the insurance desk?

29 In August of 2004, Alex Reinmueller was, according to his words, “…the acting overseer of the treasurer’s office which operates through Watchtower of New York but provides financial services to Watch Tower of Pennsylvania and has done so for the years in question.” In answer to the question, “For how long have you been the acting overseer of the treasurer’s office?” Mr Reinmuller replied, “For six months.” Further, in answer to the question,

“Prior to that six months, in what way were you affiliated with Watch Tower Pennsylvania?” Mr. Reinmuller replied, “I was the accounting overseer for the accounting office in Watchtower of New York for about nine years, and provided all of the accounting services to Watch Tower of Pennsylvania.” Information found in Deposition of Alexander Reinmueller, pgs. 15, 17-18, August 25, 2004, Exhibit B, attached to Declaration of Robert Schnack In Support Of Watch Tower Of Pennsylvania’s Response In Opposition To Motion To Compel Discovery, filed 3/14/05.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 21 A. There are, um, five that would

22 answer the phones.

23 Q. Has always been a handful,

24 like five, or less?

25 A. Probably less. Five is probably…

Page 364

1 A. REINMUELLER

2 the most we've had.

3 Q. Is there a high turnover at the

4 desk, or has it been pretty much the same

5 people?

6 A. There has been a considerable

7 turnover through the years.

8 Q. Would there be records to

9 determine who could have processed this

10 particular elder misconduct claim at the

11 legal -- at the insurance desk?

12 A. I'm not certain.

13 Q. If I wanted to know more about

14 that particular elder misconduct, what

15 records exist?

16 A. Likely would be the computer

17 database records what we're looking at

18 here, which would be the payment. There'd

19 likely be a file of the correspondence

2O with the congregation. From 1989, I'm not

21 certain whether that file still exists, if

22 the file is complete. I couldn't say that

23 specific file still exists, but likely in

24 a typical case, there would be a file with

25 the correspondence…

Page 365

1 A. REINMUELLER

2 Q. And where would that file be

3 kept?

4 A. In our office.

5 Q. That is a file that you would

6 have access to if you were asked to access

7 it?

8 A. Yes.

9 Q. Are you familiar with any claim

10 ever being paid out of the Kingdom Hall

11 Assistance Arrangement in California for

12 child sexual abuse?

13 A. I am not personally aware.

14 Q. Do you know whether or not child

15 sexual abuse is a claim that the Kingdom

16 Hall Assistance Arrangement is available

17 to cover?

18 A. Yes. I believe if there was a

19 claim, that Kingdom Hall Assistance

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 20 Arrangement would be available to cover.

21 Q. And that would be true in

22 California, correct?

23 A. Yes.

24 Q. Do you have any idea whether

25 this particular elder misconduct was child

Page 366

1 A. REINMUELLER

2 sexual abuse?

3 A. I do not.

4 Q. Before this amount of $50,000

5 was paid, what information or processing

6 went into deciding that that would be the

7 appropriate amount?

8 MR. SCHNACK: He's already

9 testified he's not aware of it. Are

10 you asking him in general terms what

I1 might happen?

12 Q. I'm just asking what that

13 process might look like.

14 A. This particular case?

15 Q. In a case such as this?

16 MR. SCHNACK: He's asking in

17 general terms.

18 A. In general terms, there would be

19 communication with the congregation.

20 There would be communication with legal

21 counsel. Depending on the circumstances,

22 there may also be communication with a

23 higher-up. Immediate oversight, before

24 making a final decision.

25 Q. When injury in California, and

Page 367

1 A. REINMUELLER

2 there is a number of them listed on this

3 document, involves someone who was not a

4 Jehovah's Witness, would there customarily

5 be a settlement agreement or release

6 document created?

7 A. Customarily, if there is a

8 settlement agreement, there would be a

9 release document executed.

10 Q. And who would prepare that

11 document?

12 A. The legal counsel appointed to

13 work on that particular file.

14 Q. Would there potentially be a

15 legal counsel in the legal department or a

16 legal counsel appointed in California?

17 A. That's correct.

18 Q. And would a copy of that

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 19 settlement agreement, if one were created,

10 be kept in the file in your office?

21 A. Yes. I believe that would be

22 the case.

23 Q. And it would be fair for me to

14 assume that if your file contained a

15 settlement agreement, it would also

Page 368

1 A. REINMUELLER

2 contain the rest of the correspondence

3 that was involved in that claim being

4 processed?

5 A. Yes, as I've already indicated.

6 Q. So with respect to this

7 particular elder misconduct claim that was

8 paid, if, in fact, Red Bluff Congregation

9 was not a participant in the Kingdom Hall

10 Assistance Arrangement, then the monies

11 being paid to resolve this particular

12 claim would have been contributions from

13 other congregations, correct?

14 A. That's correct.

15 Q. Administered by Watch Tower

16 Pennsylvania, correct?

17 A. Yes.30

Overview-KHAA Ins. Program From Reinmueller Deposition Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout the United States voluntarily contribute to the KHAA program. The suggested contribution is $4.50 annually per member. The total number of members in each congregation is multiplied by $4.50 and divided by 12. This is the amount paid in monthly payments. The KHAA fund is used to purchase commercial excess insurance to protect the congregations and Watch Tower Pennsylvania

When the KHAA program came into existence in 1989, Watch Tower Pennsylvania continued to purchase commercial insurance, but there was a high self-insured retention amount.

If the amount of the claim was above the self-insured retention, then the insurance company was liable. Interestingly, “claims against elders and ministerial servants performing assigned work on behalf of the congregation” were included as covered by KHAA. This would explain why Reinmueller said KHAA would cover child sexual abuse claims.

One claim found on a Watch Tower Pennsylvania ledger sheet was for $142,256 paid out of the KHAA fund which indicates that the self-insurance retention was obviously high. Inasmuch as Reinmueller said Watch Tower people investigate claims for large amounts, this would enable them to make secret settlements for claims based on criminal “elder misconduct” without anyone calling in the authorities.

30 Reinmueller Deposition, pgs. 334-36, 341, 345-6, 353-55, 362-368, 374.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Red Bluff Congregation, California, was the place the claim for $50,000 for “elder misconduct” originated from in 1989. Although the record did not say the claim was for child sexual abuse, Plaintiffs’ attorney indicated as much when he said “elder misconduct” was committed by one of the Track I Defendant elders. Without additional information, it is impossible to discover why he was not turned over to the authorities.

The payment of the claim was made sometime early in 1996, a little over a year after District Overseer, Don Amy, wrote a letter to the Watchtower Society in December 1994 about elder/molester, James Henderson. Which man, James Henderson or Alvin Heard was guilty of

“elder misconduct”? Henderson moved to Red Bluff in 1981 where he lived until his arrest in 1994. He molested a number of boys during those years, but was not removed as an elder until 1994. It would seem if KHAA received a claim of $50,000 in 1989, Henderson would have been removed as an elder if the Defendants thought he was responsible for a claim of this size.

Alvin Heard molested Guitierrez From 1977 through 1981, and her brother, Wimberly, from 1980-1982. This was in the Red Bluff area where he also molested three Herman children and was accused by parents of other children. In his deposition, Alvin Heard stated that beginning in 1985, he lived in Oroville, then Chico, California. He moved to Paradise, California in 1988 and lived there until 1991 when he moved to Susanville, California. Heard moved to Rapid City, S.

Dakota in 1992 where elders knew he was a molester. In 1998, he molested two boys in S.

Dakota. By 2004, Heard was in jail in Klamath Falls, Oregon.31

Heard’s predatory behavior was known for over two decades by the Defendants. In the Wimberley Gutierrez, et al. v. Watchtower, et al. case that was settled by Watchtower in February 2007, the original complaint states that molester Heard used his position of authority to repeatedly sexually abuse these Plaintiffs. The charge of “elder misconduct” could have been referring to sexual abuse committed by Alvin Heard when he was an elder and lived in the Red Bluff area from the late 70s until he moved to Oroville around 1985. Perhaps one of Heard’s Red Bluff victims came forward to the Red Bluff elders when he/she was older to accuse him of sexual abuse, although he no longer lived in the area and had not been an elder or ministerial servant for many years. Thus, KHAA was sent a claim for $50,000 by the Red Bluff congregation to quietly compensate the alleged victim. Perhaps one day, someone will come forward to clear up the mystery.

Watch Tower’s Out-Of-Court Secret Settlements

Inasmuch as Reinmueller’s deposition sheds light on what kind of claims KHAA insurance covers, it is assumed that the recent child sexual abuse settlements paid in early 2007 were covered by Watch Tower Pennsylvania self-insured program and if the amount was above the retention amount, a commercial insurance company would pay the rest of the estimated total of thirteen million dollars in settlements.32

31 Alvin Blanchard Heard Deposition, pgs. 25-32, 41-48, 2/17/06, taken at Two Rivers Correctional Institution, Umatilla, Oregon. Deposition attached as Exhibit 5 to Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of Motion to Compel PMK Deposition and Document Request Regarding General Discovery Matters, dated 9/15/06.

32 Note from Barbara Anderson

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis It is worth noting Defendants’ legal battle early on was to have Watch Tower Pennsylvania removed as a Defendant from the earliest filed lawsuits, but their strategies failed when California courts ruled Watch Tower did have personal jurisdiction in that state because of doing business there. And what business was that? Why, operating in California an insurance and risk management business, Kingdom Hall Assistance Arrangement (KHAA), for over twenty-five years.

Suppose California courts had dismissed Watch Tower Pennsylvania as a Defendant, but not the other Jehovah’s Witness Defendants, it is assumed that Watch Tower Pennsylvania would still have had to pay lawsuit settlement amounts since they provide the insurance coverage on all congregations in the United States. Either way, each Jehovah’s Witness, approximately one million people across the nation, provided a voluntary donation of $4.50 annually to the Watch Tower Pennsylvania KHAA insurance program that ended up paying compensation for the incompetence of their religious leaders who, without a doubt, were responsible for organizational policies and regulations which protected child predators. If my calculations are correct, it took nearly four years of KHAA donations from one million Witnesses to pay settlement amounts.

For each person that does not amount to very much, but that money could have been spent to further their ministry work, not to compensate victims of crime.

Through an oversight by court personnel, I received thirteen pages of court-sealed settlement information. By request of the Superior Court in Napa County to not publish the sealed pages, I included them in the CD but blocked out the text leaving exposed only the name of the documents.

This request is documented in a letter dated June 27, 2007 from Stephen A. Bouch, Court Executive Officer of the Superior Court of California, County of Napa. A copy of Mr. Bouch’s letter is found in the CD and follows the thirteen sealed but blocked out pages. This letter should not be confused as being part of the Charissa et al.

coordinated lawsuits case file. Mr. Bouch’s letter was issued post-lawsuit settlement/dismissal as a result of the court releasing documents Mr.Bouch stated should have been sealed.

These thirteen pages contain details of settlement offered by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc. and accepted by one plaintiff involved in one of the lawsuits coordinated under the Charissa et al. case. The Watchtower settled with this plaintiff for slightly over three quarters of a million dollars. Settlement documents were signed and dated February 2, 2007 and February 3, 2007.

They were filed with the court on February 5, 2007. There were sixteen plaintiffs involved in the nine cases settled during February 2007. Due to information I can not disclose, I believe that the Watchtower paid each victim approximately the same amount and that is why I have stated that the total out-of-court settlement figure was nearly thirteen million dollars.

Disclaimer: There was approximately a ten (10) day span between the Napa Court sending these documents and later requesting their deletion. During this period several copies were distributed to several individuals and organizations. This author has no control over how these documents might be used.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis 11

The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back

In the beginning of my commentary, I did not discuss what the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” was for me which caused my complete disillusionment with a religion that totally engulfed my life. But it had to do with responsibility.

For nearly five years, from autumn of 1991 until the end of 1996, I lost lots of sleep over the thought that leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses bore responsibility for many kids being molested.

How so? Because they allowed men, who were known to them to have a record of accusations of molestation, and, in some cases, actual confessed molesters, to remain in authority positions within Witness congregations. And all of this unknown to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Finally, in 1997, the mouthpiece magazine of the Witness organization, the Watchtower, contained an article, Let Us Abhor What Is Wicked, in which the following statement is found: For the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation. Moreover, he cannot be a pioneer [missionary type work] or serve in any other special, full-time service.33

For me it was a relief to finally see the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses finally taking this step to make life safer for Witness children. At that time I read a newspaper interview with a judge who discussed her own child sexual abuse by her parents, prominent people in the Miami, Florida area. She spoke of experiencing memories of her abuse as an adult when something triggered her to remember what she had pushed out of her mind for many years. I cut out the article and sent it to the Awake! editor, Harry Peloyan. Along with the article, I attached a note where I wrote of my appreciation for his efforts to get the Witness organization to this point where molesters could no longer qualify for a responsible position in the congregation.

Within a few weeks, I received a letter from Harry that changed the direction of my life. He acknowledged that the January 1 Watchtower on the view of child molesters by the Witnesses was like a breath of fresh air, but the change came “after more than 5 years of blood, sweat, and tears.”

Harry could not understand how some people at headquarters could “…have been so ignorant (or worse),” and why some fought against publishing anything on the subject. He commended Watchtower’s Legal Department’s “help to set the record straight.” If Watchtower “had continued on their blind course,” he said there would have been “more megabuck lawsuits”

[italics mine], and if any elder protected molesters, “the Society would not protect them.”

However, Harry’s concluding thought was so extraordinary that it literally caused me to have to sit down to calm myself when he wondered who would answer for Witness children’s lives ruined by “baptized Witness molesters” because of the past five years of inaction by those who 33 Watchtower, January 1, 1997, p. 29.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis had the power to change things. Harry added that his conscience was clear because of his efforts to bring about change.

It was then that I realized, without a shadow of a doubt, that the men I personally knew and respected, those who were in positions of authority over the lives of six million people, were responsible for more kids being raped, sodomized and brutalized because of their inaction during the previous five years. Because of the work I had done in the Writing Department to inform the Governing Body of the sexual child abuse problems within the Witness organization, there was no excuse for this inaction. To my way of thinking, their ethics and morals were so compromised that I could no longer in good conscience remain in association with the group. It didn’t take long for me to realize the next point—God was not with these people—so I called it quits.

I know I did the right thing when later I read the confidential letter the Witnesses’ Service Department sent to all bodies of elders dated, March 14, 2007, dealing with the question “Who Is A ‘Known Child Molester”? There it stated, “An individual ‘ known’ to be a former [italics mine]

child molester has reference to the perception of that one in the community and in the Christian congregation.” If the congregation knew a man had been a molester, the letter went on to say, he would not be respected or might even stumble some. The communiqué did not say, but it’s obvious—if no one knew a man had molested and he had a fine reputation in the community, he could qualify for privileges in the congregation. And that’s exactly what happened. Also, men, who led seemingly “godly” lives, remained in their “privileged” position if the community and the congregation did not know they had molested or were accused of molestation in the past.

The letter further pointed out, “Others may have been guilty of child molestation before they were baptized. The bodies of elders should not query individuals.” Not only did the Witness organization not do background checks on men who became authority figures, they would not

“query” them to see if they had been guilty of molestation before baptism.

The position the Watchtower Society took in regards to a “known” child molester fit well with their other policy—the three-year rule: No need to remove a man as elder or ministerial servant if he led a “godly life” for at least three years after he had sinned in a sexual way and hid that sin.

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Policy on Dealing With Child Abuse In July of 2002 the Watchtower Society issued a video news release through its department known as Jehovah’s Witnesses Office of Public Information. This release was in response to adverse media coverage. It contains interviews with four individuals making statements about the Watchtower Society’s policy on child abuse. Three of these individuals hold powerful positions within the organization. J. R. Brown is identified as Organizational Spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Philip Brumley is identified as General Counsel for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

But, curiously, David Sinclair is only identified as Congregation Elder. Contrary to Brown and Brumley’s introduction as Watchtower officials, this news release omits any mention that David 90

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis Sinclair holds the most powerful position among the three. David Sinclair is a Director of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. He is a Zone Overseer the Watchtower Society sends throughout the world to inspect and supervise its overseas operations. He also holds a position the religion calls “Given One” which position is second only to sitting Governing Body members.34

Considering all the preceding information, the Watchtower Society’s general counsel, Philip Brumley makes an interesting statement in this press release. He states,

“There are instances when a situation that should have been reported is not. Or where care should have been extended and it was not. But to say that the policy is not followed perfectly is a far cry from saying that there exists a policy to affirmatively minimize, or hide, this problem. The policy that Jehovah's Witnesses have on how to handle cases of child molestation is without equal in the religious community.”

Brumley’s statement suggests to the public, and to Jehovah’s Witnesses, that the Watchtower Society has no policy to affirmatively minimize, or hide, the problem of pedophilia among Jehovah’s Witnesses. In this case several questions arise.

Why does the very press release on Watchtower policy suggesting it does not hide information regarding child molestation present the most powerful Watchtower official in the news release aside from his official position? Why make it appear David Sinclair is Joe Congregation Elder when in fact he holds a position one step away from the Governing Body?

Why keep Sinclair’s position secret?

During legal proceedings why did the Watchtower Society work so hard to block access to blank Telememo forms it uses to handle reports of pedophiles? Why keep these forms secret?

When local laws required its elders to report allegations of child abuse, why has the Watchtower Society never disclosed to rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses that it directed these elders to make the reports anonymously from public telephone booths? Why keep this information secret?

When the Watchtower Society petitioned the courts to settle lawsuits stemming from sexual molestation of children, why was the court petitioned to seal the record? Why keep this a secret?

Since the Watchtower Society has a capable Office of Public Information, and since its attorney Philip Brumley states the Society’s policy on handling cases of child molestation “is without equal in the religious community,” then why has the Office of Public Information offered no news release expressing settlement of lawsuits along with apologies to victims for their victimization by authorities appointed by the Watchtower Society? Why keep this a secret?

Why has the Watchtower Society never adopted a doctrinal position to always encourage victims of child molestation to report the crime? For that matter, why has the Watchtower Society never adopted a doctrinal position whereby its congregation elders are always to report 34 Watchtower, April 15, 1992, pgs. 12-17, 31.

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Secrets of Pedophilia in an American Religion—Jehovah’s Witnesses in Crisis allegations of child molestation to local authorities so neighbors would have at least some opportunity for protection from child predators? Why keep this information secret?

These questions and the documentation made available present compelling information leading to a conclusion the Watchtower Society does indeed have a culture that seeks to hide and/or minimize the victimization of children among Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Why do members of the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses (called Bethel) continue to tolerate this conduct by officials of the Watchtower Society?

It is time for Jehovah’s Witnesses to demand the resignations of the men who have been responsible for rules that endangered children and who have been instrumental in putting Jehovah’s Witnesses in crisis.

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