If and when Holt gets a trial...

by Aussie Oz 17 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  Aussie Oz

  Presuming he does get a trial...

  Would the FBI or police, prosecution or defense teams look into whether the elders may have known about his child porn? Would they look at why he stepped down as an M/S?

  I am imagining that if they do, and they do find that the Elders had knowledge of his predilictions could this be yet another bad turn of events for the WT?

  So far the local community has seemed to be giving the JWs there a rather lot of 'love', what also if they learn as a result of trial publicity, the truth that Holt was not just a random guy who ''had been to the kingdom hall'' but was in fact until recently very active as a JW and was well known to the victim?

  Could be another bad turn for the WT...

  Oz
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  ziddina

  I seem to recall other board members speculating about whether the elders in his congregation might have had clear warning that Holt was dangerously unstable...

  I sincerely hope that this case goes to trial. I'll bet that the Watchtower "Dream Team" is already whispering in Holt's ear - perhaps via an elder or overseer - that it would be best for all concerned if he would just "fall on his sword", confess, and accept punishment - rather than drag the cult - er, "religion" - through a messy court case...
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  wha happened?

  Oh if this hits trial I have a seat down in center, reserved
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  Finkelstein

  Yes this child porn thing may blow up in the JWS faces causing quite the backlash, if its revealed in court that the Congregational elders

  were made aware of this and they didn't report it to the police.

  My hunch is though it was his car stealing episode was the thing that eventual cased the stepping down.

  I'm not completely sold on this info about him being a MS in the first place, for he does seem a bit young for that position.
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  wha happened?

  I've seen sons of elders appointed as an MS at 18.elder at 24.

  I'm sorry, there is just waaaay to much of a show going on here. The open house? Seriously, when did the JW community ever care what wordly people thought of a murder of a local JW.
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  Finkelstein

  An interesting thing to note in this entire case is that there has been more bullshit from JWS themselves than the so called wordily people.

  And if it is revealed in court that the elders were aware of his child porn situation and they didn't report it to the police,

  its going to look very bad for the JWS as well.
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  Refriedtruth

  Reporters are seeking info and have this and similar threads that is all I can say they smell a cover up.

  If you have any thing to reveal post it here for them to see.
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  james_woods

  My views:

  I think he will almost certainly get a trial. I cannot imagine the prosecutor allowing this notorious case to be pleaded down unless he simply pleads guilty to the highest charge.

  I expect that there will be an insanity plea offered.

  Whether or not the child porn issue is allowed into court is up to the judge - whether or not the elders knew about it would most likely be immaterial to the murder trial itself...but could, of course, come up in a civil trial if the woman's family should attempt one. (very unlikely)

  This will all be forgotten in time without a civil trial against the society - and for that, we have no idea if a case really exists.

  It will not, in my opinion, result in another Candice Conti landmark case.
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  Finkelstein

  I expect that there will be an insanity plea offered.

  If there is it wont hold up, since in legal situations like this if the accused makes continuous dramatic attempts to cover up their actions,

  its an obvious sign of sanity, this is the usually conceptional procedure that the courts look upon given certain cases and pleas.

  It may come about that the murder charge of the event may be reduced if its can be proven that he wasn't planning on killing her but wanted

  to abduct her for the sole purpose of rape but even upon that there's little chance of that happening, if the court sees that he murdered her

  deliberately to cover up his actions.

  Since Holt committed three serious criminals offenses during one particular event, abduction, rape and murder its pretty much assumed

  that he's going to spend the majority of his life in prison, maybe even given capital punishment.
• 

  JeffT

  I'm neither a lawyer nor a cop, but I've done some research on police procedures in connection with my writing, and I'm familiar with court procedure through work.

  It is my understanding that when investigating a murder (indeed many other crimes) the police will leave no stone unturned. Holt's records at the KH will have been requested, and very likely everybody in the congregation will be interviewed. If they balk the police can get warrants and subpoenas to get the information they want. Refusal to cooperate is a bad plan. Destroying evidence is a crime.

  The case does not have to go to trial. If they find child porn that is evidence of another crime and will be pursued even if it isn't relevant to the murder and involves others besides Holt. If the elders knew about it that in and of itself may well be a crime in Oregon, I don't know.

  You can bet Watchtower legal is not happy with this situation.