PRESS
RELEASE
Friday, August, 9
Contact:
William H. Bowen: KY 270-527-5350, cell 270-559-5345 silentlambs.org
Barbara
Anderson: TN 931-455-6910
Elders
Conduct “No Tell Motel” Appeal Hearing
Fifth
Child Advocate Excommunicated, More to Follow
Jehovah’s
Witnesses continue a series of confidential hearings to silence child
advocates. Watchtower’s policy on how child abuse allegations are handled
internally, have been criticized by members around the world.
The Governing Body (leadership) authorized disfellowshipping
(excommunication) leading child advocates in the religion starting May of this
year for saying better policies are needed to protect children.
A new twist is the convening of secret motel appeal meetings with the
accused. On Tuesday of this week,
William H. Bowen, 44, of
Benton
KY
,
was summoned to an appeal hearing regarding his recent disfellowshipping.
Six elders sent a letter demanding Bowen meet them at a Holiday Inn
Express in
Benton
KY
on Sunday, August 11, at
5
P.M.
“I find it odd six men want to meet with me alone in a motel room,
says Bowen, ‘A few friends have asked to come with me in case they try
something.”
Bowen is the founder of silentlambs,(www.silentlambs.org
877-wtabuse) a support group for abuse survivors among Jehovah’s Witnesses.
He has had several threats of bodily injury from fellow members after
going public with how abuse allegations were mishandled in the organization.
Barbara Anderson 62, of Norm
andy
TN, was given a 48 hour notice two weeks ago to meet six elders at the Ramada
Inn located in
Manchester
,
TN.
When she expressed apprehension at meeting six men at a motel alone
without her husband, the committee refused to communicate or explain their
actions. “They disfellowshipped
me and authorized the announcement the following Thursday, July 25 without
giving me any chance at a fair hearing,” says
Anderson
.
Management
of the Ramada Inn of Mancheste
r
r
eported
that six elders met for about one hour and then left without paying for the
room. One week later,
Anderson
provided information to the motel on how to track down the elders for payment.
Carl and Barbara Pandelo of
Belmar
,
NJ
,
were disfellowshipped on June 10, Joe Anderson of
Norm
andy
,
TN, on July 31. Bowen makes the fifth child advocate to be excommunicated for
saying publicly children in the organization need better protection from
fellow members who are child molesters. Members in four other states are
facing hearings unless they remain silent.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have one million members in the
USA
and over fifteen million attend services around the world.
It is their goal to call at every home in
America
at least once a year.
Princeton
Congregation
of
Jehovah's Witnesses
c/o
Presiding Overseer
901
Hopkinsville Street
Princeton
KY
42445
8-6-02
William H. Bowen
P.O.
Box
311
Calvert
City
,
KY
42029
Dear
Brother Bowen,
Arrangements have made to
hear your appeal of the decision made by the judicial committee that you
should be disfellowshipped. The meeting has been
set for
Sunday August 11, 2002
at
5:00 pm
, at the following
address: Conference Room of the Holiday Inn Express,
173 Carroll Road
,
Benton
,
KY.
Your
Brother,
Daniel L. McMullen
Chairman-Appeal
Committee
270-365-2586
Fax:
270-365-5334
cc: L. Rush Hunt, Attorney at Law
July
15, 2002
Mrs.
Barbara J. Anderson
1527
Norm
andy
Rd.
Norm
andy
, TN
Dear
Sister Anderson;
On
June 5 2002
, we corresponded with you
in response to your letter of
May 30, 2002
in which you appeal the
decision made by a judicial committee from the
Manchester
congregation.
A meeting was arranged to hear the appeal. However, we were informed
that you could not be at the scheduled meeting due to the short notification
period. We are please to arrange another meeting in accordance with you
r r
equest.
Meeting has been set for
3:00 pm
Sunday, July 21, 2002
at the following address;
Ramada
Inn
, 2314
Hillsboro
Blvd„
Manchester
,
TN.
R.
E. Matthews
Chairman
appeal committee (931) 424-9303
cc; Jerre Michael Hood, esq.
Attorney