Last April I related the account of a JW arrested for molestation. He is SIL's dad. His trial was scheduled for August 2001, but it was continued over until the end of January ... nearly 9 months after the initial arrest. It starts the last week of January and is expected to continue through the first week of February. I have talked with the DA recently, and he is already aware of the NBC Dateline issue. Dateline also called me about this a few times ... they are following this story in the background. But, for now, this trial is strictly in the criminal phase with the Perp as the sole defendant. We may talk more about how the Society might be viewed in future cases.
This is a case where the JW Elders knew what was going on, but the authorities were already involved, so they need not have reported in this case ... except where there may have been a history on this case. This is the second molester I know of in that specific congregation.
In the first case, the Elders knew what was going on for ten years, but never went to the authorities. In that case many children were molested. It was the older case where I reported the Perp to the authorities as one of my last acts before being DA'd.
I am not sure what will come of the latest case beyond the criminal phase, but it is yet another example of how WTS policy is run amuck ... for the molester was allowed to remain in the religion ... and yet again, the congregation has no clue as to what is going on. At least not the majority. Anyway, I will keep you all updated as the action starts.