i don't think the judge knew what kind of pressure the child would have been under to conform, he had a short time to decide on what was in front of him, most people think of jws as just the happy people who come a-knocking, they dont see the shunning and broken families.
judging by some of the posts from non jws on various comment places who actually knew him, they got a crash course of the worst kind, watching a little boy die because
"there are more people who want me to support my faith". For those who had the opportunity to follow Dennis' web page before his aunt cancelled it, JW's from around the world were encouraging just this.
http://www.goskagit.com/index.php/news/article/tragic_end_to_a_troubled_life/
Outside of school, Dennis embraced the faith of his aunt, a Jehovah’s Witness. Dennis walked door-to-door on Saturdays, spending as much as 60 hours a month sharing his beliefs, said John Tate, an elder at the Mount Vernon Jehovah’s Witness congregation.
In sixth grade, Meyer said, Dennis gave a presentation to his classmates about his religious beliefs regarding blood transfusions.
the townsfolk and a lot of other people are going to remember this little boy a long time!!