Are Murderers Protected by Jehovah’s Witness Policies?

In the article below two smiling accused murders walk free as a Jehovah’s Witnesses refuses to provide evidence of their crime.  This appears to be a pattern with regard to how JWs deal with crime, note the following letter sent to two elders that inquired about a confession of several murders in 1992.

As the reader can see the fact that the person involved committed the murders before becoming baptized resulted in a directive to not report to authorities.  In the story cited below as the accused murders were not baptized members of the congregation it would provide a basis for a member to remain neutral and not get involved in “worldly” affairs of the court.  Is there a basis for this policy? The elders book “Pay Attention to Yourselves and All the Flock”, makes the following comment for un baptized ones that commit murder or other crimes against non JW victims.

“As suggested by the Apostle Paul’s comments regarding Onesimus, a person who was guilty of illegal activities before coming to a knowledge of the truth is not required to settle these things with the authorities prior to baptism.  W78 9/15 pp.30-31”

To clarify what the directive in the elders book means note the quote from the Watchtower article cited as a reference,

“However, in some instances the guilty individual does not know all the places or persons from whom he has stolen. Or the crime may be something that he has no way of reversing. He might have caused someone’s death. Conscience-stricken though he be, he cannot bring that life back—only Jehovah can. (John 5:28, 29) But even though he cannot reverse the past, he should throw himself on God’s mercy and seek forgiveness based on Jesus’ sacrifice. The Bible pointedly tells us that this is what thieves and extortioners did in the first century; they were ‘washed clean, sanctified and declared righteous in the name of Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.’—1 Cor. 6:9, 10; 1 Pet. 4:1-4.”

“It must be acknowledged that if someone with a criminal past who accepts Christianity does not get the matter legally straightened out before baptism, his past might later become public knowledge; he might even be apprehended and imprisoned. That development, besides giving him a bad public reputation, might seem to reflect unfavorably on the Christian congregation. But Jesus was criticized for eating with and accepting sinners and tax collectors to be his disciples. His response to that was that he came to save sinners; he came to heal the sick, not the healthy.—Matt. 9:10-13.”

So as the reader can see Jehovah’s Witnesses have a policy to welcome murders and cover their crimes as long as they were committed before they get baptized as a member in good standing.  As the article above states, JWs feel it is following Christ example to protect murders from prosecution allowing them to eat with and accept as approved members, privately confessed criminals that request baptism.  This offers a possible reason that the Jehovah’s Witness in the article refused to testify against the accused murderers below.  If they were studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses or were a possible converts, it would be against the directives of the organization to bear witness against them.  When they get baptized law breakers are given a fresh start with all crimes against humanity washed clean by baptism and protected by the policies of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  This little known fact allows for the organization to hide murders, child molesters, illegal aliens, thieves, rapists, and about any other criminal activity.  Elders are routinely advised to cover up and protect such crimes by using “ecclesial privilege” as a basis to protect the freedom of criminals. The public and Jehovah’s Witnesses need to be aware of this policy as well as the importance of reporting any past or present criminal activity that you as an individual may be aware of regarding members of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  Otherwise you could give an accused murderer a reason to smile as you can see in the picture below.

Silentlambs has noted the reports of several victims that reported their molester was protected as a member in good standing due to the fact they were baptized after they committed their molestation.  A young person that molests several children as a member of the congregation as well as a paroled child molester, with “baptism”, can have a clean slate and even qualify as an elder.  This provides yet another reason that the organization has been called a “pedophile paradise” by different ones as it shows yet another organizational loophole for child molesters to use in obtaining access to children.    

Second witness forgets, murder accused freed

by Hayden Mills haymills@trinidadexpress.com 

Thursday, June 21st 2007

discharged: Don Crichlow, left, and Junior Joseph leave the Port of Spain Magistrates' Court yesterday.

TWO murder accused who were never fingerprinted by the police were freed yesterday, after a second witness failed to "remember" what happened during the incident.

Junior Joseph and Don Crichlow, both of Laventille Extension Road, Never Dirty, Morvant, were discharged of the May 5 murder of Jerome Batson.

Cpl Andrew Lawrence of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations at Arouca charged the men for that murder.

Jerome Batson, 22, a labourer of Coconut Drive, Morvant, was at his construction site at the Corner of Monroe Road and Second Street Extension in San Juan when he was shot several times.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Carla Brown-Antoine appeared for the State while attorney Richard Clarke-Wills defended the two men.

Cody Perry, of Cosmos Street, Chaconia Avenue, Morvant, testified before Chief Magistrate at the Port of Spain Eighth Magistrate's Court yesterday.

He repeatedly said he could not really remember what happened, even though he had given the police two statements.

At one point, McNicolls interrupted and said, "You said you were a Jehovah's Witness."

To this Perry said yes and McNicolls added, "Well you better not let down your religion."

Perry eventually told the court he no longer wanted to proceed with the matter.

"Everything just turned upside down since this matter," he told Brown-Antoine.

When asked to explain he said he had not worked since and his brother, Ferrance Perry, was locked up and he could not help him. Ferrance Perry, 23, who also lived at Cosmos Street, and Jason Batson, who is the 24-year-old brother of deceased Jerome Batson, are charged with the murder of Anthoney Barker. Barker, 22, a PH driver of Rosewood Avenue, Coconut Drive, Morvant, was found dead by his younger brother on May 7, two days after Jerome Batson was killed. He too was shot. Brown-Antoine told the court that in light of what Cody Perry had said, she could not ask him any more questions to carry the case further.

She had to do the same thing on Monday when Brevell George, a construction worker of Mon Repos Road, Morvant, said he did not remember what happened with respect to Jerome Batson. When the Barker enquiry came up Monday, another witness, Marley Johnson, who is unemployed and from Rosewood Avenue, Coconut Drive, also said he could not remember what occurred.

Brown-Antoine said then she needed to look at the completed file to see if the State could go further with that matter and it was put to Monday.

Upon leaving the court, Crichlow said justice had prevailed, Jesus Christ was Lord and that God was great, so he knew justice would have prevailed.

As for refusing to give his finger prints to the police, he smiled and said he knew nothing about that.