Plaintiff Pretrial Statement

October 1st, 2020

“This case revolves around the serial sexual of abuse of Plaintiffs when they were children in the 1970s and 80s. The abuse was committed by Defendant Mapley, Sr. and Gunner Haines (“Haines”), both members of the Jehovah Witnesses’ local congregation in Hardin, Montana (“Hardin Congregation”). Elders of the Hardin Congregation became aware of the abuse but concealed the abuse instead of alerting Montana authorities as required by law. The elders did this at the direction of the Jehovah Witnesses’ national organizations, Defendant Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (“WTPA”) and Defendant Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York (“WTNY”), who directed the Hardin Congregation to actively protect the pedophiles and the church from anyone trying to enforce or abide by Montana law. As a result, the known and preventable sex abuse of Plaintiffs was allowed to continue unhindered for years, causing Plaintiffs severe, permanent, and ongoing damages.”