Im Verfahren Conti v Watchtower sprach eine kalifornische Jury 2012 rund 28 Millionen US-Dollar zu (7 Mio. als Schadensersatz, 21 Mio. als Strafschadensersatz, letzterer vom erstinstanzlichen Richter auf 8,61 Mio. herabgesetzt); 2015 bestätigte das Berufungsgericht die Haftung dafür, dass der Predigtdienst eines bekannten Täters nicht beaufsichtigt worden war, hob den Strafschadensersatz jedoch auf und befand, die Ältesten 'had no duty to depart from Watchtower's policy of confidentiality and warn the members of the Congregation'.

California Court of Appeal, First District, Division Three, “Conti v. Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc., 235 Cal.App.4th 1214 (No. A136641)”

13. April 2015 · Holdings and disposition · California Courts (opinion text via FindLaw)

“The elders of the Fremont Congregation had no duty to depart from Watchtower's policy of confidentiality and warn the members of the Congregation that Kendrick had molested a child.”

The court reversed the punitive award but held that 'Defendants had a duty to use reasonable care to restrict and supervise Kendrick's field service to prevent him from harming children'. The 2012 Alameda County jury had awarded $7,000,000 compensatory and $21,000,001 punitive damages (about $28m); the trial court reduced the punitive award to $8,610,000. On appeal the compensatory verdict (reported as about $2.8m against the defendants after apportionment) was affirmed and the punitive award reversed with directions to enter judgment for Watchtower on that claim. The opinion describes a 1 July 1989 letter to elders on confidentiality and a 1 August 1995 letter saying 'steps should be taken to protect the child, or other children'.

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