Day 2 - Fessler vs. Watchtower – Thomas Jefferson Jr takes the stand in Jehovah’s Witness Child Abuse Trial

by darkspilver 102 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  John Redwood

  Thanks guys - I appreciate the comments. I have extensive information, which I will post on JW Survey, and I am sure that it will be transferred here as well as Reddit.

  As for Stephanie, I have spoken to her quite a bit - she is a nice woman who truly was a victim here. No child should ever be denied the protection of the civil authorities who have decades of professional training, and who could have prevented the extreme trauma resulting from her abuse not being reported immediately.

  Jehovah's Witnesses have a right to believe whatever they want as a religion, but when their members suffer due to the policies of this faith, we as a society have to draw the line and say no - we will not let this happen any longer.

  JR
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  Richard Oliver

  John Redwood:

  Is JWSurvey going to post the full unabridged transcripts from this case?
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  Fisherman

  I have a question that requires an opinion:

  If Plaintiffs knew beforehand without a verdict from the Court that wt would be found legally liable by the Court, why did Plaintiffs agree to settle?
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  OrphanCrow

  If Plaintiffs knew beforehand without a verdict from the Court that wt would be found legally liable by the Court, why did Plaintiffs agree to settle?

  She "settled" because she got what she what she wanted. That is what civil court cases are all about - getting what you asked for.

  If you went to court and asked for some sort of compensation and then the one who you have asked for that from gives it to you...why wouldn't you take it?
  
  
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  OUTLAW

  If Plaintiffs knew beforehand without a verdict from the Court that wt would be found legally liable by the Court, why did Plaintiffs agree to settle?.....Fisherman

  She "settled" because she got what she what she wanted.....OrphanCrow

  
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  steve2

  "If Plaintiffs knew beforehand without a verdict from the Court that wt would be found legally liable by the Court, why did Plaintiffs agree to settle?"

  This old and persistently ill-judged question has surfaced again and again across threads on this and similar topics. If it is not one male asking it, it is another.

  Only a male could go on and on with this question because women and empathic men "get" what it is like to take matters to Court. It reveals appalling ignorance of what it is like for victims of sexual abuse to front up in court and face retraumatization from the Defense. Often the plaintiff's own lawyers will advise settling out of Court when it is evident the plaintiff has been adversely impacted by the trial - even when she has a good chance of winning and the Defense makes an out-of-court offer.

  The question also betrays a poor grasp of the "point" of civil cases which is not to establish "guilt" but liability.
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  Fisherman

  She "settled" because she got what she what she wanted.

  Maybe or maybe not. It is only your opinion.

  The compensation she said she wanted was stated in the Complaint she filed with the Court.
  
  
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  OUTLAW

  Maybe or maybe not. It is only your opinion.....Fisherman

  Fisherman calls Customer Service..
  

  
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  John Redwood

  Fisherman - RE:

  If Plaintiffs knew beforehand without a verdict from the Court that wt would be found legally liable by the Court, why did Plaintiffs agree to settle?

  This is a complex issue since the settlement amount is not available to the public. What you have to understand is that in the end, the final decision is made by the victim, who is the Plaintiff, Stephanie Fessler. Whatever decision she makes to settle or not settle is her decision only. She feels that justice has been served, and so do I. The organization was held accountable for their mishandling of her case, and she wanted to send a message.

  When all of us are held accountable for our actions, both personally and in religion or business, the world is a better place. In Stephanie's case, she would have, in my opinion, won a much larger amount, possibly in the tens of millions. However, Watchtower would have appealed, and this case would be tied up in the courts for a minimum of 2-3 years. There would have been hundreds and hundreds of files and documents generated over this period, and even with the judgment upheld, there Watchtower would find a way to delay the process as long as possible. I think she made the right decision. Not only was a final settlement reached, but we have four days of testimony from Watchtower, and thousands of pages of documents leading up to and including this trial, which we can review and discuss for years to come.

  JR
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  Iown Mylife

  Outlaw, is there a picture of a dog chewing a bone that's just about disappeared - i know you've got some of a dead horse being beaten, maybe that's a better illustration.