Abuse Victim Awarded $13.5 M In Suit Against Jehovah's Witness Watchtower Society

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that last Wednesday a California state trial court judge awarded compensatory and punitive damages totalling $13.5 million to 36-year old Jose Lopez who, in 1986 as a 7-year old child, was sexually molested by Jehovah's Witness church leader Gonzalo Campos. After the victim's mother reported the abuse the church decided Campos was repentant, and he rose through the ranks, was expelled for a few years after another victim came forward, but was then reinstated.  The judge had previously imposed sanctions on the church's governing body, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, for not producing documents, and it was precluded from presenting evidence in defense in the 6-day trial.