MA JW Joel C. Bias cleared of charges

Nathan Natas

http://www.gazettenet.com/story.cfm?id_no=11150102

Former Amherst man cleared of all indecent assault charges
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Saturday, November 15, 2003 -- ( NORTHAMPTON ) A Hampshire Superior Court jury Friday cleared 33-year-old man of charges of indecent assault and battery on a 14-year-old girl.
Joel C. Bias, formerly of Amherst, was found innocent after a two-day trial of two counts of assault and battery on a person 14 or older stemming from incidents that transpired in 1998 at a church in Amherst.

''He's relieved,'' said Thomas Estes, a defense attorney from the Committee for Public Counsel Services. ''This case has been pending for a year. It takes an emotional toll on a person, especially in an accusation like this.''

Bias had been charged with touching the buttocks of an Amherst teen without consent. The alleged incident occurred in 1998 while Bias and the girl were attending services at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Amherst.

Efforts to reach Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Linda Pisano for comment Friday were unsuccessful.

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http://www.gazettenet.com/story.cfm?id_no=11140057

Trial begins for man charged with indecent assault on teen

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By KIMBERLY ASHTON Staff Writer
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Friday, November 14, 2003 -- ( NORTHAMPTON ) The case of a 14-year-old Amherst girl who says she did not consent to having her buttocks touched by a 28-year-old man at church went to trial Thursday in Hampshire Superior Court.

Joel C. Bias, now 33, formerly of Athol, faces two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older.

In opening arguments, Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Linda Pisano told jurors that on two separate occasions in early 1998 the girl was attending services at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Amherst and left to use the rest room.

On her return to the main room, Bias was standing at the doorway and reached out and hugged her, letting his hands rest on her buttocks, Pisano said. The girl froze at first, then backed away and returned to her seat both times, the prosecutor said.

''She did not consent to it. She did not want it to happen,'' Pisano said.

Defense attorney Thomas Estes, from the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Northampton, took a different view in his opening remarks.

''Actions speak louder than words,'' he said.

Estes pointed out to the jury that the girl did not tell Bias to remove his hands and that she ''had no reaction at all.''

Estes also said that in this particular church, two witnesses have the job of standing next to the door and that Bias had this job ''on different occasions.''

Pisano said that the incidents were dealt with by the church and that Bias told police when questioned that he thought he had satisfied the requirements of his discipline.

The trial was continuing today.

Kimberly Ashton can be reached at [email protected].

little witch

At least this mans name is out there, and hopefully parents at that k.h. will be vigilant.

Kudos to the State of Mass for bringing these type of cases before the courts. They seem to be taking the lead in trying to close a loop-hole. That being child molesters hiding behind religion.

My admiration is also to this dear person who faught this injustice, to her we owe our gratitude.

Thanks Nathan, for the post.

gumby

and hopefully parents at that k.h. will be vigilant

If I were the parent, and it was my daughter, and I had no doubt this man did this........I would be more than vigilant. I might even stomp his sick ass.

Gumby

Nathan Natas

Let me make sure I understand this - ANYTIME someone accuses ANY JW of sexual misconduct, that person is AUTOMATICALLY guilty?

Is that it?

No JW could ever be the victim of a false accusation, because we know in our heart of hearts that ALL JWs are perverted sickos. How do we know? Because WE were one JWs... ...and, uh... we were the only non-pervert we knew. Yeah! THAT's the ticket!

Joel C. Bias is INNOCENT!

You're glad to be "warned" about an innocent man?

Kudos to the State of Massachusetts for dropping the charges and clearing the man's name.

I don't admire anyone who makes a false charge against a man and drags his name through the dirt for nothing.

You'd like to kick an innocent man's ass?

Are we capable of rational thought?

little witch

Well, Nathan.

OJ Simpson was cleared, as was Dearst.

Does that mean we trust these characters? I think not.

Without seeing the trial in its entirity, I will consider him as needing watched, if my child were in proximity.

I previously stated vigilence, not vigilantism, just for the record.

This man did admit to touching this child though, his only objection was that she did not do anything to stop him (she didnt scream comes to mind).

I would not let him be innocent on a technicality where my child was concerned.

Nathan Natas

I think you meant Robert Durst.

You're right, this whole trial by jury thing is deeply flawed and should be replaced by... well, how about lynchings?

Joel C. Bias admitted that on two occasions he hugged the girl and that his hands came to rest on her buttocks.

Since she was attending a meeting at the Kingdom Hall at the time, we might assume that she was fully clothed at the time.

The 14 year old had Joel C. Bias charged with assault and battery.

"Assault" is "a violent attack.

"Battery" is a beating.

Do you believe that during a meeting at the Kingdom Hall Joel C. Bias violently attacked and beat his 14 year old accuser?

Neither do I, and neither did the jury in this case.

I think that maybe Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Linda Pisano made a mistake in the way she handled the case. I hope that any future accusations against JWs will be of a more substantial nature, otherwise thw JWs will begin to be perceived as the innocent victims of anti-religious persecution in the future.

flower

Lots of people who are guilty of crimes go free. That doesnt make them innocent. Just because a judge or jury lets someone off doesnt change facts. Dont forget Massachusetts is also the state that let that Au Pair girl who was convicted of murdering a baby go free on time served.

He admitted to feeling the girls ass and that should be a crime..perhaps its not assault and battery but its should be a crime to feel a little girls ass in a church. For him to get off scott free is another crime. Yes the jury system is extremely flawed, especially in the state of MA. They let go free who they want and convict on less evidence than this when they feel like it. Its all politics, money, race and status.

qua

Nathan the guy admitted that he fondled her but he said his lawyer implied it was consenual. We know this because in the article it says he felt the elders had already dealt with it sufficiently.

The girl was however 14 at the time so there could be no legal consent.

Maybe he was declared not guilty (not the same as innocent) because of a statue of limitations or some other technicality.

little witch

My eleven year old daughter attends church, without me. I trust the women who pick her up and drive her there, and teach her.

If someone feels her up, then I will damn well hold them liable. They wanted her to go to church, and envited her. I expect them to keep her safe.

If they assume her well being, and take responsibility for her, damn straight, I assume she is in good hands.

In the legal sense, when one assumes responsibility for a minor, one has a duty to protect them in a normal way.

To put it in prospective, my child attends school everyday. The school system is in control of my child when I am not there. They have assumed responsibility, and have a duty to protect her.

I am with Gumby on this one. If the "system" refuses to protect my child, vengence is mine saith the mom.

In the courts, not guilty does not equate with innocent....

gumby

Nathan,

Notice what I said,

and I had no doubt this man did this........I would be more than vigilant. I might even stomp his sick ass.

I understand where you are coming from. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/61989/944405/post.ashx#944405

No, .....all dubs are not always guilty.

Gumby

MA JW Joel C. Bias cleared of charges

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