Siblings Sue Jehovah's Witnesses Over Alleged Child Sex Abuse - CT.
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-jehovah-witness-lawsuit-20141001-story.html
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-jehovah-witness-lawsuit-20141001-story.html
jehovahs witness: faith under fire - new exhibit at florida holocaust museum through january 11th, 2015. .
the museum is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides.. - see more at: http://www.tampabaynewswire.com/2014/10/01/florida-holocaust-museum-announces-new-exhibit-jehovahs-witness-faith-under-fire-28225#sthash.p9w05wdq.dpuf.
http://www.flholocaustmuseum.org/event/jehovahs-witnesses-faith-under-fire/.
The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of innocent men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust.
“Jehovah’s Witness: Faith Under Fire” - New Exhibit at Florida Holocaust Museum through January 11th, 2015
The Museum is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides.
http://www.flholocaustmuseum.org/event/jehovahs-witnesses-faith-under-fire/
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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'Much like the sexual abuse cases against the Catholic Church, the Lewises’ cases could hinge on what records, if any, were kept by the church. Zalkin said he believes there are documents that will prove the church was aware of the alleged abuse.
He said Watchtower issued a “body of elders letter” in 1997 to all congregations in the United States “telling them they are to provide to the Watchtower all of the information that they have in their confidential files of anyone who has ever been accused of child molestation.”
Zalkin said, “There’s documentation. I guarantee you there’s documentation.”
However, Watchtower has yet to provide such information in all the previous lawsuits against it.
“We have made a document production request for those records in every case that we have with the Jehovah’s Witnesses,” Zalkin said. “They refuse to produce that documentation.”
In one case in California the trial court dismissed the group’s defense and entered a default judgment against it for refusing to abide by the court’s order to produce the information, according to Zalkin.
That ruling was contested before the California Supreme Court and upheld, he said.
In cases that were already filed, the church has indicated it will not produce any documents, he said.
“They have issued a writing to our law firm saying, ‘Under no circumstances will we ever produce these records,’” Zalkin said.
“So, we’re going to see what that’s going to mean for them in these lawsuits, because I don’t think courts are going to let them get away with that.”
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20141001/NEWS03/710019905
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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Irwin Zalkin, a San Diego based lawyer specializing in sexual abuse cases, said it’s fairly common for police not to pursue charges in sex abuse cases involving young children.
“They’re tough cases for [law enforcement],” he said. “They have a high standard, a high burden of proof. They’re very different than the civil cases.”
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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"In our experience with these folks, they are very uncooperative ...
When asked if it is trickier to work a case about an incident that is 20 years old, Zalkin said there are always difficulties when it comes to sexual abuse cases.
"But we're pretty comfortable with this case, that we have everything we need," he said. "It was reported to law enforcement at the time. We have some witnesses who can corroborate and I think we're going to be just fine."
http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_26637859/2-sisters-sue-jehovah-s-witness-bf
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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The congregation and the Watchtower Bible and Track Society of New York did not return messages seeking comment.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/2-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-congregation-say-abused/ar-BB6FOIl
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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A spokesperson for the Jehovah's Witnesses did not respond to a request for comment. NECN affiliate WPTZ reached True by phone in Maine. He told the station he had nothing to say.
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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"Defendants Bellows Falls Congregation and Watchtower, by their actions and choices not to take action, ratified, authorized and approved of Defendant True's sexual molestation of children," the complaint said.
http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/2-women-sue-jehovah-s-witnesses-congregation-1.9447691
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vermont-sisters-sue-jehovahs-witnesses-child-sex-abuse.
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The lawsuits also claim True molested at least three other children prior to the abuse of the Lewis sisters, but the elders in the Bellows Falls congregation "chose not to warn ... congregation members of the danger defendant True posed to children."
Marina Lewis also said a family therapist notified the Vermont State Police about the abuse, and a worker for the state Social and Rehabilitation Services — since renamed the Department for Children and Families — looked into the allegations against True.
"The allegations were substantiated by SRS at one time, and then there was a reversal of that decision shortly after," she said.
Ken Schatz, the newly installed DCF commissioner, could not be reached for comment Tuesday about the past handling of the abuse claims. Miranda Lewis said she and his sister decided to file their lawsuits now against True and the Jehovah's Witnesses organization both to help themselves heal and to make sure similar conduct won't happen to others. "I think it's important that this stops," Miranda Lewis said. "This is one way of helping achieve that goal."
41 assembly votes are needed.
please contact all assembly members today!
ask them to vote yes on sb 131. call, write, fax, share this flier, talk to your colleagues, hold a press conference, write to newspapers.
CA Gov Brown signs criminal extension and vetoes civil.
http://sol-reform.com/News/ca-gov-brown-signs-criminal-extension-and-vetoes-civil/