by Dagney 14 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
Again and again, thank you for all you do and have done. As I've mentioned before, your contribution in the Dateline program was it for me and the WBTS. I listened to almost the whole program last night and your insights are much appreciated.
My question is do we know how many settlements the WBTS has made in the area of child abuse?
TIA
I don't know anyone who knows and I sure don't. I found out in 1997 that they were settling out-of-court lawsuits when Harry Peloyan, the Awake! editor, wrote me a letter and in one paragraph mentioned to me that in the past the Society settled many "megabuck lawsuits" out-of-court. It was the content of that letter that made me completely close the door to the WT once and for all.
If someone wants to know if there has been a settlement made by a plaintiff with WT in your area, go to your court house and ask to see any documents with Watch Tower or Watchtower in the name of the lawsuit. In some states it can be done using the computer, but in small towns, not so.
I would guess that's the only way the number of settlements could be compiled.
There were two lawyers at Bethel working full time on domestic violence lawsuits and child abuse lawsuits, William Bell and Carolyn Wah. They made the deals and paid out the money. The majority of victims or their parents agreed to take on average in the 1990s, $2,500. These were desperate people who needed money to pay for their child's therapy.
Even today, in a (secret, but not to me) recent out-of-court settlement, the victims settled because they were desperate for money so they could get therapy for depression, etc., and just couldn't take a chance that they would lose if their case went before a jury. That's what WT has always counted on before Candace Conti's lawsuit. They just weren't prepared that she would go all the way to jury and it's successful conclusion on June 13th and 14th. This is why WT attorneys were shocked out of their wits when they lost in such a big way.
Thank you Barbara.
My blood runs cold with this. The WBTS think they are special, they teach their devotees to think they are special, yet they are no different from other organizations they vilify in terms of problems and coverup of those problems. Maybe they are different because they are among the slow group in bringing about any changes.
Do we know what the main line of WT defense was in this trial? Were they arguing that they were not actually negligent, or were they making a larger confidentiality argument?
Thank you Barabara also for staying late on Six Screens, so much great information and your experience with you own son was a great help for me.
With the case being won by going all the way (jury trial) shows me how much a jury and judges feel about how wrong the JW are with the way they don't protect their flock (nNf).....I'm sure more to come in the near future.
The atty was very confident and from what I sensed he knows what he's doing. I sensed even if the WTS appeals, he has his back covered.
Barbara, do you have a link the the court papers on this case so we can read it for ourselves and see the WT main line of defense?
Something tells me that with candace's fighting spirt some of her winnings will be used again to take down the WTS. We really do need a victims fund to help these people fight rather than settle.
At the risk of repeating another posting... this link was posted in another thread...
Jim, I guess there are so many threads now, it is hard to know where this was posted; but thanks for the repeat, probably not apparent based on the numerous "threads".
Blondie, in Case Summary at the above link use case HG11558324. (I actually have that memorized...and I have a terrible memory.)
The "Register of Actions" has documents, I'm about half way through.
