Posts by truthseekeriam

It was quite the scandal!! Simental had just been convicted for molesting little girls the year before Jarka was convicted of murdering his wife same prosecutor same courthouse. In both cases the elders tried to get out of testifying.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/social/current/172513/1/Minister-may-have-to-testify-in-murder-trial

44

Kelly Jarka Case

by Kenneson in

jw
friends

did anybody see 20/20 investigation discovery earlier this evening?

it was all about kelly jarka who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife.

took place in murietta, california.

truthseekeriam

Oh he did it!!

Witness testimony in the trial of a Murrieta man accused of murdering his wife ended Wednesday with the victim's mother returning to the stand at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley.

Tina Canchola responded to questions from Deputy District Attorney Burke Strunsky by saying her daughter, Isabelle Jarka, had approached her in early 2008 with a request she would later repeat twice before her death on April 28 of that year.

Her daughter asked whether she and the Jarkas' two children could stay with Canchola, across the street from the family home they shared with her husband, Kelle Jarka, who is the children's father.

"She said, 'Mother, if I need to, can I go live with you with my two kids, because my life is not good anymore with Kelle?'" Canchola said.

The mother, however, was asked by Kelle Jarka's defense attorney, Erin Kirkpatrick, whether she had revealed those conversations when previously interviewed by investigators.

"They didn't ask me," the woman said.

On Aug. 19, after Canchola had been called as the prosecution's first witness, she said under questioning by Kirkpatrick that she had told a detective immediately after the murder that the couple were having problems, as all couples do.

In Kelle Jarka's defense, his attorneys have sought to undermine the prosecution's case that the foundation of the defendant's life was crumbling as his relationship with his wife became increasingly strained and, as the family's only breadwinner, he was burdened with mounting debts.

The district attorney had Jarka arrested May 22 and charged him with killing his wife, with the goal of collecting life insurance money. Prosecutors allege he staged the murder scene at the family's home to look like a burglary.

Isabelle Jarka, 40, was found dead upstairs. An autopsy concluded she suffered 11 blows to the head, one of which crushed the back of her skull. Kelle Jarka had called 911 that morning and said he had returned from an errand to find the home ransacked and his wife unconscious.

A detective and computer expert testified earlier for the prosecution that documents found in a desk and a computer hard drive showed inquiries about life insurance and policies taken out on Isabelle Jarka worth more than $1 million. Also, the hard drive of the laptop computer found under a seat in Kelle Jarka's Lexus sport utility vehicle contained dozens of searches on methods for causing death, the expert testified.

The defense has challenged the ability of the prosecution to verify that the husband obtained the policies without his wife's knowledge and that he was the source of the Internet searches. The attorneys also have attacked details cited as evidence of a faked burglary.

Jarka's attorneys called several witnesses to rebut the prosecution's depiction of the marriage as troubled, concluding Wednesday with the defendant's older sister, Aquilla Shafer, who visited the Jarkas at length on two separate occasions before the slaying.

Shafer said she had never known her brother to be violent or argumentative. As lifelong Jehovah's Witnesses, she said, they were taught to be calm when confronted with anger. That testimony could also be seen as shedding some light on a videotape shown to jurors of a detective's interview immediately after the slaying. Detectives testified he seemed unusually calm.

"His demeanor is controlled and peaceful," Shafer said of her brother. "We were raised with the idea that you would always give a mild answer."

She testified she had seen no signs of a troubled marriage during her stays, prompted in part by her experience as a doula, someone trained to provide support for mothers during pregnancy and after childbirth. Isabella gave birth prematurely in October 2007 to a son.

Isabelle suffered some depression, but nothing abnormal under the circumstances, Shafer said.

Also, Kirkpatrick brought up the issue of a Harajuku handbag with Isabelle Jarka's blood on it that detectives said Kelle Jarka gave them in the days after the incident, saying he found it in a pile of clothes in the master bedroom where the attack on Isabelle Jarka started. Murrieta detective Andrew Dorcas testified there was no way he and other investigators could have missed the purse during their probe on April 28, 2008.

Shafer, however, testified she and her husband had found the purse among clothes in the room as they were helping her brother sort out belongings in the days after the slaying.

Strunsky brought Dorcas back to the stand Wednesday to reiterate that the purse had not turned up anywhere in the room despite a thorough search.

The trial resumes Friday with closing statements scheduled and the jury expected to begin deliberations.

The case is attracting some national attention, as a reporter with ABC's "20/20" program asked Judge Timothy Freer on Wednesday to allow Friday's proceedings to be videotaped.

Call staff writer Michael J. Williams at 951-676-4315, ext. 2635.

42

How did you leave?

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

once you realized the organization is simply a religious corporation, how did you leave?.

did you fade?.

were you forced out?.

truthseekeriam

Once you realized the organization is simply a religious corporation, how did you leave? Stopped going.

Did you fade? Yes, started just missing Wed then quickly all meetings.

Were you forced out? Not forced out, but being that our child was a victim of molestation and we were a constant reminder of how bad things happen within...they were in no hurry to try and "save" us.

How did you adjust to life on the outside? It was really hard at first, but eventually we knew we had to get busy with living. We put our kids in sports and other activities and reached out to our neighbors. Happy to say we are very happy with the choices we made and our children are thrilled to be living normal teenage lives.

Do you still have social or family connections within the organization? At first, No. Our families were really trying to get us to go back, if meant stepping back from associating with us, so be it. Once they realized it wasn't working and coming to terms with what they already knew in their hearts (we had good reason to leave) they came back around. It's still not the same as it was when we were active JW's, but it will do.

What did you do to supplant the lost friends, routine, and sense of purpose? This is still a work in progress but we are trying, as time passes, it gets easier. We don't have tons of friends but the ones we have are great. I have learned the real purpose of the greatest commandments given...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” These are things we can all do without a religion :)

120

Do YOU Believe That JWs Have A Huge Problem With Pedophiles?

by minimus in

i don't think there are more pedophiles in the religion than there are in others.. i understand that one is too many.

but i think some believe that it's an epidemic within the organization.

i believe their 2 witness rule can help pedophiles secretly abuse kids.. but i don't think that this particular crime dominates those in the religion.. .

truthseekeriam

Being that my 9 year old child was molested by an ex-elder who molested other young girls...YES!!

6

Coach Joe Paterno just got fired!

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/09/justice/pennsylvania-coach-abuse-charges/index.html?hpt=hp_t1.

truthseekeriam

Alarming that this generation of college students would stand behind a man that clearly didn't do what he should have

Very disheartening!! I expect this from the old timers that look after their own....but the next generation?? Why am I so hurt by this?

11

"It's up to You"- the one choice the Society never gives you

by JimmyPage in

jw
friends

my jw wife babysits from time to time, usually non-jws.

apparently my daughter was indoctrinated to the evils of halloween recently because one of the "worldly" kids mentioned it and she told him it was bad.

(although when i'm with her alone, she totally loves the holiday).. this non-dub kid said, "no it's not bad.

truthseekeriam

Love it!! I have 2 teens and they both have a different opinion on the whole Halloween thing. Therefore they will both do as the wish..so awesome!! They are making their own choices, knowing they can! Its great Freedom of choice is wonderful.

16

my jaw fell to the floor! (About my daughter)

by Aussie Oz in

jw
friends

it is my daughters access visit with me this weekend.

she called me the other night to make a change.

she asked if i didn't already have plans for her, could she go to a birthday party over the weekend.

truthseekeriam

This is great!! I know for my teens this was the open door to walk out of the WTS thinking :)) I'm very happy for you.

14

What is your truth?

by iamwhoiam in

what is your truth since you left the wt?.

im still in physically, but mentally left many years ago.

i'm just in for my family as is the usual story.

truthseekeriam

My truth is I don't mind being ignored or shunned for being who I am, It beats being "loved" for being someone I'm not.

I mean come on....how real is that "love" anyways?

48

Well, it's official, I am a rabid, mentally diseased Apostate!

by serenitynow! in

jw
friends

so an apostabuddy wanted to stage a silent protest at the assembly hall where she was baptized.

we went today.

the plan was to wear these apostate t-shirts that had stuff printed on them about thinking for yourself, and a bunch of websites.

truthseekeriam

Very brave

I find it sick that they would call the police and harass you for simply wearing a shirt .

Our experience was much different, you should have seen the look of shock when we told the elders we would call the police to the assembly hall if our child's molester came within the 100 yards of our restraining order . I remember them saying.."you would have the police come in the assembly?" with disgust in their faces.

I guess they welcome child molesters with open arms but God forbid you wear a shirt warning others. Sick!