....and like Forest Gump said "... and that's all I am going to say about that."

[Ann O'Maly]

1 hour ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Is there shame in an arrest? Not on the part of the one arrested until he/she is found guilty.

See my response to Thinking below.

2 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Is it not slander ...?

It's not slander if it's true.

2 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

She can’t possibly have missed the point of the reference to the French Revolution in which a denouncement was enough to send one to the guillotine—she is not stupid.

Tom's point was misdirected as it was based on a faulty assumption, so naturally it didn't reach home. I did detect some scattered debris from a fallen straw man, however. 

1 hour ago, Thinking said:

False that the info was true....yet to be proved

What do you mean? What did I post that was untrue?

2 hours ago, Thinking said:

True I have come in some way to the defence of someone I was a bit fond off.

I think many of us had a soft spot for him - me included.

1 hour ago, Thinking said:

False a person should not be made to feel shamed if they are innocent of such charges...how on earth did you come to such a conclusion?

I didn't claim a person should be made to feel shamed if they are innocent so I couldn't have come to the conclusion you say I did. 

I said, "The shame is in being arrested for that crime," and asked: "Guilty or innocent, do you not think it shameful to be arrested for sexual offenses?"

If you were falsely accused, arrested, and charged with a sexual crime, how would you feel? If it were me, I would feel outraged, shocked, and acutely embarrassed (or shamed). Wouldn't you feel similarly?

[Srecko Sostar]

2 hours ago, Thinking said:

True I took the bait and opened that link that started this fiasco...more fool me and a lesson learned to a degree.

Dear Thinking, in this few days you participated with 10 posts/comments about same event. And now you concluded how you are in some sort of regret for opening "that link" and involved yourself in "this fiasco". Why do you think how speaking about such issue is your or our "fiasco"? Do you feel need for repentance because you involved yourself into this? Do you need to confess your "sin" about this to your elders in congregation? And to tell them how you are in virtual "inappropriate association with weak brothers and former members" ?

The exchange of experiences and opinions that take place here can be helpful in acquiring the skill of discerning truth, falsehood, and that between this two.

[Nathaniel Compton]

I will correct a mistake, its 4 counts of child porn. Now, before 2013 each State had their own scale in age on what child porn was. Some states had it at 13 years and under, some had it at 9 years and under. After 2013 the Federal Government made it at 18 YEARS and under.

So, let’s NOT presume to know what the age level on the charge is.

I think the point here, where's the outrage when people rebuke, the Watchtower. Where’s the slander, the condemnation of him being part of the Org. Instead, there is a soft appeal. I am waiting to read someone accuses the watchtower and elders for the action of this individual.

In the USA, the presumption is, innocent until proven guilty. In other countries like Australia, Canada, UK, the presumption should be the same. But times have changes since 2013. Now, the presumption for such crimes is, guilty until proven innocent.

Since the accusation is, about possessing child porn and “distribution” of that material, then it should be noted that most of the time, it comes from internet traffic. Meaning, he was under surveillance after he was “flagged” to be doing things over the internet that were questionable.

Therefore, the State has a strong case. Most likely to avoid prison time, James will plead out to “guilty” as charged.

Once again, the only person James hurt was himself, no one else if anyone is alleging. Whoever he forward that material to, will most likely be getting a knock at their door soon.

Sentencing guidelines for 4 counts of child porn in North Carolina is 4-6 years in prison, or 5 years’ probation. Penalty and fines. Court Cost. They can break it down to 4-6 years in prison, serve 2 years and get released for good behavior and be placed on probation for the rest of his sentence.

Probation means, no active life. No smoking, no drinking, no drugs unless approved by the PO, no interaction with families that have children, no social interaction with children outside the family circle. Needs to stay away at least 100-300 feet (ca. 91 m) with kids when grocery shopping or other matters such a kingdom hall if he doesn't blame the Watchtower for his downfall and action as customary with some. Will need to live at least 1-2 miles (3.22 km) away from any school or child institution zone. Needs to report to his PO, whichever the court decides by, day, week, bimonthly, month, get drug tested, no internet access through any form of media, pay for probation. Sentence will include “community service” ranging from 250 hours and above. Behavioral Counseling. His name and address goes into a sex offender registry that will follow him regardless where he is allowed to move for the rest of his natural life.

Failure to comply with any of these provisions can land him, being violated (revoked) and sent back to prison. The most common ones are DRINKING and internet access.

As far as I can see, this is James first offense on this matter which will work in his favor.

[Anna]

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

 Child Porn USA, After 2013 the Federal Government made it at 18 YEARS and under. 

People are still 'children' under 18 in USA ?  Don't they make soldiers out of them at a younger age ? 

Here in UK people can have sex legally at 16. And girls of 14 years old can go to their GP / Doctor without parental consent, and get contraceptives if they say they are 'in a relationship'. 

Having helped my wife raise 4 of her daughters (my step daughters), I'm glad they are all grown up now. And yes we had a multitude of problems. 

 

@Nathaniel Compton Quote.   I am waiting to read someone accuses the watchtower and elders for the action of this individual.

Why would someone do that ? 

And it seems you have passed judgement on James already.  You say 'for the actions of this individual'. Whereas you don't know what actions he took, or even if he took any actions at all. 

 

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

Quote @TrueTomHarley Is it not slander to take an accusation that would otherwise never go beyond some tiny community billboard and re-broadcast it to the whole world news media .org?

I think you are stretching the idea of the word slander here.  It's not a nice thing to do, but it's only making known an accusation already made. It's not actually making the accusation. Unless we know Ann's motives then we would be judging her without true knowledge. 

[Ann O'Maly]

1 hour ago, 4Jah2me said:

Unless we know Ann's motives then we would be judging her without true knowledge.

Yup.

OK. I learned about it on another very public forum, was shocked, came here to see what people were saying about it (y'all must have heard, surely? but no), found this thread with JTR's last post and Tom's comments about JTR's estrangement from his family ("He made it all public previously," said Tom in answer to some criticism about publicizing this private matter) and Witness's link to JTR's discussion about his being disfellowshipped and reinstated a while back and, as people were already openly talking about JTR's personal life and were wondering about where he'd abruptly disappeared to (all pretty intriguing), I decided to share a link which would shed some light on what had happened to him, thereby making his post a little less mysterious. I thought you guys would like to know, even if it was unpleasant news. At least we know he's not dead.

So there it is, and here we are.

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

@Ann O'Maly Thank you Ann. What you have written makes good sense.  It was me that criticised Tom about making it known about James' family, but Tom rightly enough put me straight that James had previously mentioned it himself. And it is true that some of us, well me anyway, was thinking that James might have taken his own life.  I only use this forum, so I wouldn't have seen any information elsewhere. 

So it was good news ,bad news, really.  James is not dead, but James is in a 'spot of bother'. 

Thank you again.

 

[Nathaniel Compton]

For those wonderful and compassionate friends (active JW's) of JTR that was charged for felony child porn, his court date has been set for arraignment on December 3, 2020. For those of you that have never understood secular law, this is where JTR will plea “guilty” or “not guilty” to the 4 counts he has been charged with.

If he pleads guilty, he will have a final hearing with the court's recommendation.

If he pleads not guilty, court will set the agenda for pretrial.