I am going to be at a trial in Ritzville, Washington. The town is about an hour southwest from Spokane, Wa. I will be there on August 14th, which will be on a Tuesday. Why? Read the story of Erica below. In the first trial only three sat on her side of the court room, while the other side was filled with jw's supporting the pedophile. It is alleged the man admitted he was guilty. This time I wish to fill Erica's side of the courtroom. It is my understanding wt has taken a personal interest in this case and is working with the child molesters defense attorney to get him off. If you want to make a statement about this issue, support a silentlamb, and make wt know this is just the beginning. I welcome you to come to Ritzville. I will be glad to meet you and I am sure the real hero of all this, Erica will also. You may email me for further information.
silentlambs
I would like to briefly summarize my experience as a victim of molestation as a child. The difference from other molested victims is that it happened to me as one of Jehovah's Witnesses(JW). Most of the rapes/molestations occurred by a Jehovah's Witness elder who incidentally also happened to be my father's good and trusted friend. The sexual assaults started at age four and continued until I was eleven. The perpetrator is presently a JW in "good standing" which means he is accepted by JW's and he can preach from door-to-door without hindrance.
Not so long ago, I attempted to resolve this situation in accordance to JW policy, which meant approaching JW elders who would exercise justice and fairness as outlined in the Bible. Instead, these group of men did everything they could in order to cover-up and dismiss the serious crimes against me. It became apparent to me that these Watchtower representatives were only interested in protecting the organization and cared little about my individual circumstance. This came to a head when one elder told me, "never repeat what happened to you (the numerous molestations), or you will be disfellowshipped(excommunicated)."
I am now relieved that I did not maintain silence and went to law enforcement officials so that these sex crimes would be made known and would cease. I finally at the age of 19 related these sex crimes a peace officer who also happened to be one of JWs. I had come to "my wits end," in that another JW elder had molested me from age twelve to sixteen. This is what prompted me to divulge to proper authorities what was occurring to me in the present and what had happened to me in my childhood. Little did I realize how calculated the organization would be in encapsulating and deflecting the responsibility in this matter. In one judicial meeting, I was appalled because my parents were verbally attacked and later ostracized for not going along with the "code of silence" adhered to among JWs.
Meanwhile, the child molester, for months continued to evangelize, preach from the platform at the Kingdom Hall, and enjoy "special privileges" as an ordained JW minister. Finally, in 1998 he was forced to appear before a jury in a superior court to answer for his crimes. That jury unanimously convicted him on two counts of child rape and two counts of child molestation. This trial could have been avoided if he had truthfully confessed to his crimes against me and accepted the plea bargain offered to him by the state. However, the pedophile hired a private attorney and lost; he was convicted and later sentenced to eleven and a half years to State Prison. Interestingly, by the time he was sentenced he was reinstated as a JW member in good standing so that he could escort his daughter at her wedding in a Kingdom Hall of JW (a privilege reserved for approved JW's). At the trial, the pedophile’s side of the courtroom was filled with JW's who were in support of him. On my side, only three sat. During this time period, two other JW victims came forward, but it would be ineffectual as far as the trial was concerned because of the statutes of limitations pertaining to them. At the sentencing three elders stood up to plead for mercy in his behalf along with nine other fellow witnesses. The judge just shook his head in disgust. When the judge sentenced him to eleven and a half years, a pioneer sister yelled slut and whore at me across the courtroom. I have to wonder what part of the “spiritual paradise” I was experiencing at this point.
Sadly this is not the end of it, recently, the pedophile was prematurely released from state prison due to a technicality; a technicality favors a new trial. This is not because there was insufficient evidence, but that jury selection was tampered with. (My case is not the only one up for retrial, but many others in that time frame.) This means I now have to go back through my entire testimony all over again. To go through this ordeal again is extremely traumatic for me. But if this prevents him from continuing his pattern of sexual abuse, it is all worth it. If any of this that I have related seems embellished, please access court transcripts that will verify my account in xxxx County Superior Court in xxxxxxx. My hope is that another JW involved in a similar situation will find my experience helpful and a stepping stone to do whatever is in their power for true justice.