El fiscal general de Delaware demandó a la congregación de Laurel y a dos de sus ancianos, alegando que no habían denunciado una relación sexual entre una mujer adulta y un miembro de 14 años; el Tribunal Superior se negó a desestimar el caso sobre la base del argumento de los ancianos relativo al privilegio de «sacerdote y penitente», y, según se informó, el caso se resolvió mediante acuerdo en 2018 sin que se dictara conclusión alguna en su contra.

State of Delaware v. Laurel Delaware Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and two elders (C.A. No. N14C-05-122 MMJ), “State of Delaware v. Laurel Delaware Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Joel Mulchansingh and William Perkins (C.A. No. N14C-05-122 MMJ)”

26 de enero de 2016 · Judge Mary M. Johnston · Delaware Superior Court (listed on Justia)

“between priest and penitent in a sacramental confession”

The wording of Delaware's reporting-law exemption (16 Del. C. s. 909) on which the elders relied. The State alleged two elders learned in January 2013 of a sexual relationship between an adult woman and a 14-year-old congregant and did not call the child-abuse report line. The court denied the defendants' motion for summary judgment (AP, 4 February 2016), leaving factual issues for trial. The case was reported to have settled in January 2018; the settlement terms have not been verified from a court record and are not published here.

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