They are really not supposed to take action on someone who has not been a member for so long. They don't have "jurisdiction" over long-term non-members. This is in the elders handbook.
Now that you know this though, it doesn't help your friend much, but maybe it will help you to know they are a controlling cult that can't be trusted follow their own rules. Here are some web sites to check out if you're interested in learning another viewpoint on jws:
You can find a ton more by using google.