Pope immune from sex lawsuit?

by Smiles 5 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  Smiles

  
  
  I wonder how the WT will try to use this legal decision to protect themselves and the WT pedophiles.
  

  
  
  U.S. government says pope immune from lawsuit

  Associated Press
  
  Sept. 20, 2005 07:05 AM

  ROME - The U.S. government has told a Texas court that Pope Benedict XVI should be given immunity from a lawsuit accusing him of conspiring to cover up the sexual molestation of three boys by a seminarian, court documents show.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  In fact, a 1994 lawsuit against Pope John Paul II, also filed in Texas, was dismissed after the U.S. government filed a similar motion. The Vatican Embassy in Washington had asked the U.S. government to issue the immunity suggestion and do everything it could to get the case dismissed. As a result, Keisler's motion was not unexpected.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  thom

  The WT might try but I don't see any similarity at all between them and the Vatican. The U.S. has treated the Vatican as a nation for years so the laws of that relationship apply.
  I think the gov't would treat the WTBTS more like they did the Branch Davidians than they do the Vatican.
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  rebel8

  Are there any attorneys out there who know if the above article describes standard practice when suing someone overseas?
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  Gretchen956

  Here is one BIG important difference. The pope is considered a head of state. The vatican is considered to be a sovereign nation. The governing body has no such claim to importance. They are fair game.

  Sherry
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  jstalin

  Gretchen has it right. Trying to sue the Pope is the same as trying to sue Tony Blair from the US. A current head of state can't be prosecuted in a US court. It's called Sovereign Immunity.

  However, if you're a head of state, the US has no problem invading your country!
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  Smiles

  The WT lawyers will say "You can't sue us, we're friends with the United Nations!"