What I Saw & Heard in the Oral Argument Hearing on January 14, 2015

by ABibleStudent 68 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • antes8080
    antes8080

    @abiblestudent macabe is a jw he is the last minutes of the new JW broadcast tightpants morris talks about san diego public witnessing and they come out.

    Thanks for the notes. I think the verdict would stand with less money been payed out, Also think Zalkin is much better Lawyer then Simmis is by far..

  • respectful_observer
    respectful_observer

    Thanks for the first-hand report.

    The good thing about appellate judges is that they typically are very good about educating themselves on the facts of the case.  The short oral arguments are often just the "icing on the cake", so if a particular attorney isn't that strong, hopefully it doesn't affect the judges' final decision too much.

    From my surface-level understanding of the Conti case and its record-setting judgement, it appears to break new ground.  By that simple fact, the chances of it being overturned are that much higher.  Setting legal precedent is always an uphill battle.

    Whether the original judgement is upheld or overturned, this seems to be the highest profile case against the WTS to date.  Because Conti wasn't willing to settle out of court, all the nitty gritty of the Organization's judicial process is out in the open and on the record...with NBC cameras rolling no less.

  • Gayle
    Gayle

    Why did ABC & NBC want to record this?   Seemed uneventful from a media aspect and costly to do & not that interesting for the general public yet at this point.   Of course, the final decision may be news worthy, hopefully.

    Don't Courts do their own recordings sometimes, not with 'media?'

  • Dagney
    Dagney
    Thank you so much for your attendance and report ABibleStudent.  
  • Ruby456
    Ruby456

    whatever happens I think the publicity generated will keep people talking.  Candace's story is very compelling even if watchtower's appeal is successful.

  • truthseekeriam
    truthseekeriam

    I know you can find the oral arguments on the internet for the Supreme Court but I'm guessing they don't have them for the lower courts?

     Looks like you can find another break down on what went on from another attendee  on JWsurvey.

  • sir82
    sir82

    The write-up on the other site cited above appears to present the WT's arguments & presentation in a more negative light than the summary written up here.

    I suspect the other writer may be more biased against the WT.

    That said, even in the worst case scenario, in which the appeal is upheld, a useful purpose is served (IMO): it will point out weaknesses in the Conti case arguments, which other attorneys in other cases can avoid. It's not like this is the last case that will ever go to court.

    Even if this one is overturned, it is inevitable that eventually some verdict against them will stick.

  • ABibleStudent
    ABibleStudent

    @ Gayle,  Trey Bundy, an investigative reporter from NBC, was in the courtroom, so I believe they were recording information encase they need it for an up coming show in the 1st Qtr of 2015.  I would guess that the show will be aired after the decision of the 1st Appellate Court is announced.

    @ truthseekeriam, Scott Terry's report of the hearing can be read at http://jehovahswitnessreport.com/news/candace-conti-appeal-by-wbts-report-by-scott-terry .

    Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

    Robert

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    Gayle - "Why did ABC & NBC want to record this? Seemed uneventful from a media aspect and costly to do & not that interesting for the general public yet at this point."

    Perhaps there's an increasing awareness in the journalistic community of the steadily growing sea change in the public's attitude towards the institutionalized sexual victimization of young people...

  • problemaddict 2
    problemaddict 2

    Couple things. 


    McCabe is a local JW elder in San Diego, and obviously a practicing lawyer.  There is however a newer tendency for the branch to seek outside help in legal matters.  If we would listen to the latest JW broadcast with Anthony Morris, you would think its because they don't want to put people in harms way.

    Well.....its also because years of telling people not to go to college has caught up with them.

    Jon Williams is a local, and has been all over southern california.  He is well known in San Diego.  He is most certainly not a JW. 

    Isn't the contrast in appearance and demeanor between the two telling to those of us who have been inside?

    Jon Williams will probably cause some damage.  Most other cases in CA have also been farmed out to an outside firm, but not the Beaudrou-Williams firm.  A larger more national firm. 

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