Posts by AndersonsInfo

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

AndersonsInfo

https://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/oct/31/jehovahs-witness-sex-abuse-judgment-lopez/&hl=en&geo=US

Jehovah's Witnesses ordered to pay $13.5m to victim of sexual abuse

The Guardian - ‎5 hours ago‎ The International Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Melbourne on 18 October 2014. The US-based church faces a bill for $13.5m after a judgment in a California child abuse case. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAPIMAGE. Reuters in San Diego, California.

Jehovah's Witnesses to pay $13.5M in sex abuse ruling

Toronto Sun - ‎9 hours ago‎ Jehovah's Witnesses pray during an assembly at Azteca stadium in Mexico City December 15, 2013. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido. Change text size for the story; Print this story. Report an error. Related Stories. Papal commission on sex abuse to push for ...

Jehovah's Witnesses to pay $13.5 mln in California sex abuse ruling

Reuters - ‎12 hours ago‎ SAN DIEGO Calif. (Reuters) - A Californian judge has ordered the Jehovah's Witnesses to pay $13.5 million to a man who was sexually abused in the 1980s by a church leader, attorney for the victim said on Friday. Church elders had assigned a man to work ...

$13.5M award in Jehovah's Witnesses molest case

Daily Mail - ‎19 hours ago‎ SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Jehovah's Witnesses were ordered to pay $13.5 million to a Southern California man who said he was molested as a child by a church member. A San Diego judge ruled Wednesday that the church's governing body covered up years ...

Jehovah's Witnesses Church to pay $13.5M for alleged child abuse

fox5sandiego.com - ‎1 hour ago‎ SAN DIEGO — Jose Lopez was awarded a $13.5 million judgment Wednesday from the head of the Jehovah's Witnesses Church for alleged sexual abuse by Gonzalo Campos of the Linda Vista Spanish Congregation and Playa Pacifica in Pacific Beach.

Jehovah's Witnesses pay $13.5 million to sexual abuse victim

Crux: Covering all things Catholic - ‎2 hours ago‎ The Jehovah's Witnesses have been ordered to pay $13.5 million to a Southern California man who said he was molested as a child by a church member. U-T San Diego says a San Diego judge ruled Wednesday that the church's governing body covered up ...

Jehovah's Witnesses must pay $13.5M to teacher's sex victim

UPI.com - ‎2 hours ago‎ SAN DIEGO, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The organization that oversees the Jehovah's Witness church has been ordered to pay $13.5 million to a San Diego man who claims he was sexually abused by a bible teacher as a child. Now 36, Jose Lopez filed a lawsuit against ...

Jehovah's Witnesses to pay US$13.5 million in California sex abuse ruling

The Malaysian Insider - ‎7 hours ago‎ A Californian judge has ordered the Jehovah's Witnesses to pay US$13.5 million (RM44.4 million) to a man who was sexually abused in the 1980s by a church leader, attorney for the victim said. – AFP pic, November 1, 2014.A Californian judge has ordered ...

$13.5M awarded to child sex-abuse victim in Jehovah's Witnesses case

San Diego 6 - ‎15 hours ago‎ A San Diego Superior Court judge entered a $13.5 million judgment Friday in a sexual abuse case against the Jehovah's Witnesses. Jose Lopez was awarded the money nearly 30 years after he says he was sexually molested by his Jehovah Witness ...

Jehovah's Witnesses Ordered To Pay $13.5 Million In Molestation Case

CBS Local - ‎18 hours ago‎ Letitia Pepper says her rights were violated when she was arrested after repeatedly clapping at a Riverside City Council meeting. (Getty Images). Related Tags: court, Jehova's Witnesses, judge, Molestation. Don't Miss This. Credit: Michele Anderson/ ...

$13.5M for Jehovah's Witness sex victim

U-T San Diego - ‎21 hours ago‎ San Diego judge finds church covered up abuse, put kids in danger. Similar lawsuits filed across country. By Kristina Davis1:02 p.m.Oct. 31, 2014Updated12:20 p.m.Nov. 1, 2014. ⎙. Print. 💬. Comments -. Lawyer Irwin Zalkin (left) and Jose Lopez speak to the ...

$13.5 million judgment against Jehovah's Witnesses in child abuse case

10News - ‎Oct 31, 2014‎ Copyright 2014 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Show Caption Hide Caption. Previous Next. SAN DIEGO - A $13.5 million judgment was handed down in San Diego Superior ...

Lawsuit Awards Man $13.5 Million In Jehovah's Witness Sex Abuse Case

The Christian Times - ‎Oct 31, 2014‎ The moon is seen behind the Orthodox church Christ the Saviour in Pristina, Serbia, April 13, 2007. The U.S. government cannot trade a parcel of land to private hands to allow a Christian cross to remain in the middle of a vast federal preserve, a U.S. appeals ...

Instead Of The Bible, This Jehovah's Witness Taught Children Abuse -- And ...

The Inquisitr - ‎Oct 31, 2014‎ It seems no sect is sacred in the stream of child sex abuse cases that have come to light more and more often over the last decade — whether those accused teach the Bible or the Koran. But at least one case is ending in justice for the abused child — a former ...

Jehovah's Witnesses Ordered to Pay $13.5M to Bible Teacher's Alleged Victim

NBC 7 San Diego - ‎Oct 30, 2014‎ The National Organization for Jehovah's Witnesses was ordered to pay $13.5 million to a San Diego man who says he was abused as a child by his Bible teacher. NBC 7's Rory Devine reports on Oct. 30, 2014. (Published Thursday, Oct 30, 2014). Friday, Oct ...

'House of Cards'

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

AndersonsInfo

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/135m-award-jehovahs-witnesses-molest-case-26616332

$13.5M Award in Jehovah's Witnesses Molest Case

SAN DIEGO — Oct 31, 2014, 10:44 PM ET

The Jehovah's Witnesses were ordered to pay $13.5 million to a Southern California man who said he was molested as a child by a church member.

A San Diego judge ruled Wednesday that the church's governing body covered up years of sexual abuse by a member who later became an elder.

Superior Judge Joan Lewis said actions of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York were "reprehensible and reckless," U-T San Diego reported Friday ( http://bit.ly/1uf519R ).

Jose Lopez, who was awarded the money, sued the group, alleging that he was molested in 1986 at age 7 by a member of the Spanish congregation in the Linda Vista area of San Diego.

Lopez said the elders suggested Gonzalo Campos as his Bible teacher even though they knew he had molested at least one other boy, the suit contended. Lopez also said that after he told his mother about the molestation, church leaders told his mother not to report it to law enforcement.

Six other men and one woman who also claimed that Campos molested them have settled their lawsuits out of court.

In a statement Friday, the Watchtower denied there was a cover-up, disputed that Campos held any responsibility within the congregation at the time of the alleged molestation and said it planned to appeal the ruling.

"Jehovah's Witnesses abhor child abuse and strive to protect children from such acts. The trial judge's decision is a drastic action for any judge to take given the circumstances of this case," said Mario Moreno, associate general counsel for Watchtower.

Trial evidence showed that [elders] looked into molestation allegations against Campos, found that he was repentant, and did not expel him. He became an elder in 1993, was kicked out of the church after another alleged victim surfaced in 1995 but was reinstated in 2000, U-T San Diego said, citing court records.

Campos later confessed in a court deposition to abusing at least eight children between 1982 and 1995 but fled the country several years ago after a report was made to San Diego police and is believed to be living in Mexico, the paper said.

At a news conference on Friday, Lopez said he wants Campos "behind bars where he belongs."

His lawsuit is one of many involving sexual abuse claims against the church, which has about 8 million members nationwide.

Two years ago, an Alameda County jury awarded $21 million to a woman who claimed the church allowed an adult member of a Fremont church to molest her when she was 9 years old in the mid-1990s. The award was later reduced to $8 million.

Six adults sued Thursday in Texas, alleging they were molested in the 1990s and that the church's governing leaders failed to report the abuse to authorities.

About 20 other lawsuits are pending in various states.

4

News Release from SNAP's David Clohessy about $13.5 million penalty

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovahs witness hq must pay abuse victim $13.5 million penalty; snap responds.

for immediate release: friday, oct. 31. .

statement by david clohessy of st. louis, director of snap, the survivors network of those abused by priests (314 566 9790, [email protected]).

AndersonsInfo

Jehovah’s Witness HQ must pay abuse victim $13.5 million penalty; SNAP responds For immediate release:

Friday, Oct. 31 Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected] )

The national headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses must pay $13.5 million to a victim in a clergy sex abuse and cover up lawsuit. We hope this wake-up call will prod church officials to take kids’ safety more seriously. http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135M-Awarded-to-Bible-Teacher-Gonzalo-Campos-Alleged-Abuse-Victim-Jose-Lopez-281031832.html

For decades, Jehovah’s Witness officials have acted as or more secretively and callously in child sex cases as Catholic bishops. And like Catholic bishops, Jehovah’s Witness officials make promises, policies and procedures about abuse but little or no progress in preventing abuse. They continue to focus on protecting themselves and their reputations instead of protecting innocent kids and vulnerable adults. And the denomination’s bureaucrats will change only as more victims summon the strength to step forward and take legal action – both criminal and civil – against both molesters and their “enablers.”

We applaud the judge who made this ruling. Even more, we applaud Jose Lopez, one of eight children who say Gonzalo Campos sexually abused them. Lopez is a hero. It takes real bravery for any child sex abuse victim to speak up. It takes more courage to seek justice, file suit, and disclose one’s name. By doing this, and by persevering, Lopez has exposed Jehovah’s Witnesses who commit and conceal heinous crimes against kids. He is to be commended for his courage and his compassion. Should anyone consider $13.5 million to be excessive in a child sex case, we ask one simple question: “How much would someone have to pay you in order to sexually assault your child?”

No amount of money can restore a stolen childhood and the shattered trust and psyche and faith that results when an alleged “man of God” sexually violates a child. Because Campos has fled to Mexico, we beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes – or crimes by any Jehovah’s Witness – to break their silence, get help, expose wrongdoers, protect kids and start healing. Campos was part of the Linda Vista Spanish Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Playa Pacifica Spanish Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Pacific Beach, California Lopez is represented by San Diego attorney Irwin Zalkin.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org) Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected] ), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected] ), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected] )

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

AndersonsInfo

Here's the link to the Jose Lopez Court Documents on my website:

http://watchtowerdocuments.org/zalkin-lopez-trial-court-documents/

Here's the link to the news release article:

http://watchtowerdocuments.org/zalkin-press-release-13-5m-default-judgment-against-watchtower/

Barbara

105

Consider the "outcome" when elders apply the two-witness "rule"

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovahs witnesses two-witness rule is applied by elders when a witness member accuses another member of a sin, even if that sin is a criminal act.

if there arent two witnesses to the accusation, it goes nowhere, including not being reported to the authorities.

and in the case of an allegation of child abuse, the accused is free to molest again.. watchtower attorney, jim mccabe, recently stated this about jehovahs witnesses two-witness rule which he described as a bible-based belief :.

AndersonsInfo

LoveUniHateExams: "Yes" in answer to your first question. "I don't know" in answer to your second question.

Barbara

4

The Christian Post: Lawsuit Awards Man $13.5 Million In Jehovah's Witness Sex Abuse Case

by AndersonsInfo in

the christian post.

http://www.christiantimes.com/article/lawsuit.awards.man.13.5.million.in.jehovahs.witness.sex.abuse.case/49231.htm.

lawsuit awards man $13.5 million in jehovah's witness sex abuse casesarah adams 31 october, 2014. .

AndersonsInfo

The Christian Post

http://www.christiantimes.com/article/lawsuit.awards.man.13.5.million.in.jehovahs.witness.sex.abuse.case/49231.htm

Lawsuit Awards Man $13.5 Million In Jehovah's Witness Sex Abuse Case

Sarah Adams 31 October, 2014

A recent lawsuit settlement in San Diego, California awarded a man $13.5 million after he claimed he was severely abused by the teacher of a Bible study when he was a youth.

35-year-old Jose Lopez alleged in the lawsuit that Gonzalo Campos, a teacher and leader at Linda Vista Spanish Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and Playa Pacifica Spanish Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, sexually abused him and other children in the 1980's and 1990's.

According to NBC San Diego, most of the money awarded to Lopez through the court ruling comes from the entities that oversee the Jehovah Witness denomination. The judge said in his ruling that these were the responsible parties in Lopez's abuse because of how they failed to handle the incident.

"Damages that reflect the reprehensible conduct of the Watchtower in how they covered this up for years and allowed multiple children to be injured," Lopez's attorney Irwin Zalkin told NBC 7, referencing the umbrella group Watchtower Bible that oversees the Jehovah's Witnesses. "They protected and harbored a criminal."

Another bombshell lawsuit was filed against the Jehovah's Witness in Plano, Texas recently, where lawyers filed a civil lawsuit against Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc. for sexual abuse that occurred in Plano, Greenville and Dallas.

"[WBTS is] the top of the chain of command; they oversee and are involved in the decision-making ... daily function – everything has to be approved," Steven Schulte, a lawyer with the Turley Law Firm in Plano, Texas, said of the lawsuit. "They are intimately involved […] have absolute authority over the congregation and had every reason to know [of the abuse]."

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

AndersonsInfo

Of course it's not over until it's over, BOTR. Why the negative message? This is a huge win. Terminating sanctions are rarely used and the Plaintiff won. We should rejoice. We're not fools; we know the Plaintiff is in for a long wait because of WT's plans to appeal. We rejoiced with Candace Conti too. It was a milestone win and so is the Jose Lopez judgment. For a Plaintiff, an appeal seems like forever but they have patience. Let us be happy for now without rain clouds hanging over our heads. All of us who have worked so hard over many years to get the message out to the world about what the Watchtower has been covering up for decades love this moment. Give us that, will you, BOTR? Money isn't everything you know!

"hildebrando," I guess you didn't notice my post that I will have all the Jose Lopez court documents on my website by tomorrow as I have the other Zalkin (Campos) case documents. And also the Conti court documents are there too. Plus, all the court documents from the 2007 WT out-of-court settlement with 16 victims for $12.5 million are on the website too. All you have to do is copy them, or download them, or just read them on the website. It's free and my pleasure to offer them to all who want them.

Barbara

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

AndersonsInfo

More Information- Press Release

NEWS

October 31, 2014

Contacts: Irwin Zalkin

858-259-3011 office

858-945-2144 mobile

[email protected]

Victim of Childhood Sexual Abuse Awarded $13.5 Million Default Judgment Against the Jehovah’s Witnesses National Organization the Watchtower

Childhood Victim Suffered Sexual Abuse from his Bible Study Teacher and Ordained Minister of the Jehovah’s Witnesses

San Diego, CA, October 31, 2014 – San Diego Superior Court Judge Joan M. Lewis has entered a judgment against the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. (Watchtower) for $13.5 million in punitive and compensatory damages in a civil lawsuit filed by the Zalkin Law Firm on behalf of a victim of sexual abuse who was a child member of the Linda Vista Spanish Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1986.

The case involved child sexual abuse by a serial child sexual predator within two local San Diego congregations of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The Zalkin Law Firm filed this civil lawsuit in February of 2013 (Case No: 37-2012-00099849-CU-PO-CTL). The plaintiff, Jose Lopez, was a minor child whose family was active in the congregation at the time of the alleged abuse. In her ruling at the end of trial on Thursday, Judge Lewis found the conduct of the governing corporate leader, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. and its governing body's efforts to cover up the abuse and protect the perpetrator “reprehensible and reckless”.

“Mr. Lopez has suffered for years as a result of this horrendous abuse and we are pleased that he will finally receive justice and compensation as a result of Judge Lewis’ strong ruling against the Watchtower,” said Irwin Zalkin, attorney representing Mr. Lopez. “The Watchtower has ignored sexual abuse complaints from its members for years, choosing to protect sexual predators and not children. This ruling may hopefully awake the Jehovah’s Witnesses leadership to the standards of morality and care for children that our society demands.”

In a highly unusual case, Judge Lewis had entered a default judgment against the corporate head of the Jehovah's Witnesses after it refused to obey court orders to produce documents that would show the depth and breadth of the problem of sexual abuse of children within congregations of the Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the United States. In addition, Watchtower refused a court order to produce the longest serving member of its governing body for a deposition.

Both the Fourth District Court of Appeals, and the California Supreme Court rebuffed Watchtower's efforts to reverse Judge Lewis' orders on these matters. Despite the decision of the Appeals Court and the California Supreme Court, Watchtower refused to produce the documents or the witness.

California law permits the court to strike the answer of a defendant that refuses to abide by a court order and to enter a default judgment against them. After giving Watchtower every opportunity to comply with her order, Judge Lewis issued the terminating sanction and entered a default judgment against Watchtower. She then ordered the Zalkin Law Firm lawyers for the victim to prove their case by putting on evidence to support the allegations of the victim’s complaint.

After hearing six days of testimony and presentation of written evidence, Judge Lewis was satisfied that the Plaintiff had more that adequately proved his case. Accordingly, she issued a judgment in favor of the Plaintiff in the amount of $13,500,000.00 that includes an award of $10,500,000 in punitive damages intended to punish Watchtower for its reprehensible conduct.

The case itself involved a known serial child molester by the name of Gonzalo Campos. At the time he sexually abused the plaintiff, Jose Lopez, in 1986, who was only 7 years old, he was an ordained minister of the Jehovah's Witnesses and had already abused four other children. Evidence in the case showed that Elders of the Linda Vista Congregation of the Jehovah's Witnesses were aware as early as 1982 that Campos was a child molester but chose to take no action against him. Further evidence showed that Church leaders did not report him to law enforcement, they did not warn other parents of the congregation, they never checked to see if he might be abusing other children of the congregation, they allowed him to give bible study to young children and ultimately recommended him to Jose's mother as someone Jose should study bible with.

According to the evidence presented in the case, after Campos spent months grooming Jose and sexually molesting him, Jose reported the molestation to his mother. She and her mentor, a senior female member of the congregation, reported the sexual abuse to a congregation elder appointed by Watchtower. That elder and another elder confirmed that the sexual abuse occurred. Both Jose's mother and her mentor were told by church leaders not to say anything that it would get handled. Nothing was done, and ultimately, Jose and his mother disassociated themselves from the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Case evidence presented in the trial further showed that despite the reports and confession by Campos of abusing a child in 1982 and Jose in 1986, he was allowed to remain in the congregation and over the next twelve years was actually elevated up the organizational ladder ultimately becoming an elder himself in 1993. During this time frame he has confessed to sexually abusing at least eight children.

Documents and testimony in the case showed that elders and the Watchtower took no action for almost a year after receiving a written complaint in April of 1994 from a mother of one of the victims whose son was molested by Campos in approximately 1984. During this time as an elder, he continued to abuse young Jehovah's Witness children. Even after he was expelled as a known and confessed child molester, he was reinstated within a few years without any warning to parents of children within the congregation.

After hearing testimony from numerous witnesses and seeing dozens of documents, Judge Lewis stated that the testimony of many of the elders and experts of the Jehovah's Witnesses was not credible and appeared to cover up the truth.

“Rather than reaching out to victims, the leadership of the Jehovah's Witnesses consistently treats victims as adversaries. They circle their wagons and attack the victim”, said Zalkin, who has filed cases in five other states on behalf of other Jehovah’s Witnesses childhood sexual abuse victims. “This court ruling is a clear condemnation of the disgraceful conduct of this organization, conduct that is totally contrary to what one would expect from a religious institution that promotes itself as living in the Truth.”

About The Zalkin Law Firm

With offices in San Diego and New York, The Zalkin Law Firm (www.zalkin.com) is one of the premier sexual abuse and personal injury law firms in the country. The firm's lawyers have represented hundreds of survivors of childhood sexual abuse and achieved groundbreaking results in numerous high-profile clergy abuse cases across the United States.

The Zalkin Law Firm has aggressively represented hundreds of survivors of child sexual abuse, including former Boy Scouts. The firm has negotiated over $200 million in settlements in Catholic clergy sex abuse cases. The firm currently has more than 20 active lawsuits against the Jehovah’s Witnesses in five states, representing victims of childhood sexual abuse.

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

AndersonsInfo

All the court records pertaining to this case hopefully will be on my website by the end of the day. www.watchtowerdocuments.org.

On the website, I endeavor to explain what this case is all about which is "Terminating Sanctions." Here is what I will post and all the following information was taken by me from the court documents that will be on WD's website.

In 2013, the Zalkin Law Firm filed a lawsuit (civil action) in a San Diego court in behalf of a victim of child abuse (Jose Lopez). The Plaintiff was one of eight victims molested by Gonzalo Campos, one time Jehovah’s Witness Elder. The Defendants in the case were originally the Linda Vista Spanish Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses; Campos, the perpetrator, and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of NY, Inc.

In this case, Watchtower had repeatedly violated or ignored court orders, or opposed several discovery motions, or produced documents with unreasonable redactions, rebuffed informal attempts to obtain discovery, and rehashed the same arguments over and over, even after they had been rejected by the Court.

Watchtower conceded that it was ordered to produce documents requested by Plaintiff, and that it did not do so. It sought to excuse its non-compliance by arguing that production was not required because Watchtower sought appellate review. Watchtower cites no case for this remarkable proposition, and of course, there is none. Imagine the legal gridlock that would be caused if no party had to comply with a discovery order until it had exhausted its appellate rights. The courts of appeal would be inundated with discovery writs, and the trial courts could not move cases.

At some point, the Court was justified in putting an end to WATCHTOWER'S WILLFUL FAILURES TO COMPLY and did so. Plaintiff asked for a motion for terminating sanctions which is punishment for grossly improper litigation behavior that ends the offending party's participation in the case, usually consisting of a default or dismissal.

Because terminating sanctions are a very harsh remedy they are only requested when the defendant or plaintiff shows persistent failure to comply with a court order to respond to discovery.

In this case, when Defendant, Watchtower, failed to respond or to submit to authorized methods of discovery, and disobeyed a court order to provide discovery, and “failing to confer” it was a misuse of the discovery process.

California Code of Civil Procedure § 2030.290(c) states, in relevant part, “If a party to whom interrogatories are directed fails to serve a timely response, the following rules apply: (c) …If a party then fails to obey an order compelling answers, the court may make those orders that are just, including the imposition of an issue sanction, an evidence sanction, or a terminating sanction.

Terminating sanctions are appropriate when a chronic pattern of delay or evasiveness by the defaulting party is egregious enough to warrant denial of a trial on the merits. In this case the Court ruled that terminating sanctions were appropriate when the defendants “persistent failure to comply with the court’s discovery orders resulted in a discovery stay...”

The Plaintiff asked that Governing Body, Gerrit Losch, be produced for deposition and all documents regarding child sexual abuse going back to 1977 also be produced.

On February 6, 2014, Watchtower asked the Court for a stay of both components of the January 2, 2014 order. When Watchtower and Losch separately filed Petitions for Writ of Mandate, both asked for an immediate stay. When Losch Petitioned the Supreme Court, he requested an emergency stay. None of these stays were granted, but Watchtower acted as though they were. As of March 31, 2014 through April 3, 2014, the standing order was that the materials and testimony must be provided. Watchtower refused. The Court was justified in putting an end to Watchtower's attempts to delay this case and deprive Plaintiff of important evidence.

In short, Watchtower made no legitimate effort to gather the responsive documents. Watchtower had not offered to provide Plaintiff with a partial production while the rest are gathered.

Documents relating to childhood sexual abuse:

Complaints of molestation known to 'Watchtower prior to 1986 are relevant to establishing the parameters of the duty of care owed by Watchtower. See Doe v. U.S. Swimming, Inc. (plaintiff arguing "logically, the higher incidence of prior wrongful conduct . . . the more care that should be devoted to the problem" by the defendant.) Such evidence is necessary to combat the expert Watchtower paid to opine that it had little knowledge about sexual abuse prior to 1986, and in light of that low amount of knowledge, offered superlative educational programs. The information is also necessary to defeat 'Watchtower's putative statute of limitations defense. A defendant's "knowledge must then be evaluated by the standard of either a reasonable person of ordinary intelligence, or of a person who has 'superior,' or specialized knowledge that would pertain to his evaluation of the facts he has acquired."

Complaints of sexual abuse known to Watchtower before and after 1986 are vital to establishing whether either Defendant is liable for punitive damages by acting with malice or ratifying the abuse (failure to discharge agent despite knowledge of unfitness may make principle liable in punitive damages through ratification.) Such evidence is also necessary to establish the amount of a punitive damage award. See Johnson v. Ford Motor Co. (2005) 35 CaI.4th II9I, I2OI (degree of reprehensibility of defendant's conduct is an important factor in considering the measure of punitive damages);

Complaints of childhood sexual abuse known to Watchtower after 1986 are relevant to Plaintiff s ratification claim. Such complaints help explain the development and deficiencies of the corporate policies that were utilized to ratify the abuse of Plaintiff. Post 1986 complaints give context to Watchtower's actions after that date regarding Campos, and are also relevant in assessing the quality of Defendants' knowing acceptance of Campos' actions. Documents showing Watchtower's tendency of protecting child molesters after 1986 tends to prove it did so with Campos.

Testimony of Gerrit Losch

Losch has been a member of the Governing Body since 1994. The Governing Body reviews and approves policy within the organization. Evidence from Losch regarding the formulation and approval of policy regarding molestation, why the policies were created or altered, and the Governing Body's knowledge of the likelihood that such policies would result in the protection of molesters in the organization is relevant to Plaintiff s ratification theory. Also, as a managing agent of Watchtower, Losch's actions may form the basis of an award of punitive damages against Defendant. Cal. Civ. Code $ 3294(b). Evidence of Losch's knowledge of the prevalence of molestation in the organization, his role in formulating policy, and his knowledge of the tendency of those policies to protect molesters at the expense of children, are necessary to determining Watchtower's liability for, and the measure of, punitive damages.

CONCLUSION - For the foregoing reasons, the Plaintiff asked the Court to award terminating and monetary sanctions.

Respectfully Submitted, Dated: April 25, 2014 - Zalkin Law Firm

105

Consider the "outcome" when elders apply the two-witness "rule"

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovahs witnesses two-witness rule is applied by elders when a witness member accuses another member of a sin, even if that sin is a criminal act.

if there arent two witnesses to the accusation, it goes nowhere, including not being reported to the authorities.

and in the case of an allegation of child abuse, the accused is free to molest again.. watchtower attorney, jim mccabe, recently stated this about jehovahs witnesses two-witness rule which he described as a bible-based belief :.

AndersonsInfo

I would like to add some further comments to my last post: When I first read the quote under discussion, I wished that I could have contacted Jim McCabe to ask him why he would have said such a despicable thing. But since I'm disfellowshipped, as a Jehovah's Witness, Jim McCabe is not permitted to talk to me, and especially not me because it was made clear by a staff member in the Service Department, said after my disfellowshipping, that since I caused thousands to leave the organization when I appeared on Dateline, I am to blame for their deaths at Armageddon, so I'm the worst of the worst.

However, back to the subject of that quote in the Christian Post. When I first read it, I spoke to an attorney, though not a Witness, about the quote, and he said he had read that quote before and thought it was attributed to McCabe so it appeared to me it was legit. Well, live and learn!

Enzo, although I was wrong on the other issue, one thing I am sure of is unless there is in writing a change of policy, the two-witness belief as used in a JW judicial setting is still in force. As far as I know, the last thing said about this matter is found in the October 1, 2012 BOE letter. I learned in the Writing Department that the last thing in print published by the Watchtower about any theological belief or organizational rule is present policy. If you can produce a more recent statement on the need to have two witnesses when a child abuse accusation is made than what was published in the Oct. 1, 2012 letter which shows the policy has changed, we would like to see it. If there are any positive changes, I for one, would rejoice.

October 1, 2012

TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS

Re: Child abuse

Dear Brothers:

---------

Page 3

"11. In addition, the elders should investigate every allegation of child sexual abuse. When elders learn of an accusation, in addition to this letter, they should carefully review the direction outlined in the Shepherding textbook, chapter 12, paragraphs 18-21. However, in evaluating the evidence for internal congregational purposes, they must bear in mind the Bible's clear direction: "No single witness should rise up against a man respecting any error or any sin...At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses the matter should stand good" (Deut.19:15). This requirement to consider testimony of two or three witnesses was confirmed by Jesus (Mat.18:16). Thus, although they investigate every allegation, the elders are not authorized by the Scriptures to take congregational action unless there is a confession or there are two credible witnesses. However, even though the elders are not authorized to take congregation action when there is only one witness, the elders should remain vigilant with regard to the conduct and activity of the accused. (See paragraph 12 of this letter.) If two persons are witnesses to separate incidents of the same kind of wrongdoing, their testimony can be deemed sufficient to take judicial action. (1 Tim. 5:19, 24, 25)" ...

Barbara