On a personal note, I have been holding onto this story for a while. The news came out more than a week ago, but I've had quite a hard time trying to figure out how to discuss things. As I have spoken about the nature of Dave Nelson's crimes, it is only right that I speak about what has happened since. The entire story brings up a slew of uncomfortable feelings that I would rather not deal with.
If you recall, shortly before I left the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, I was a member of the Squaw Peak congregation. At the time, I was seriously questioning my faith. It was the first time that I was living on my own. David Nelson was the Presiding Overseer (Chief Elder) of my congregation. He took me under his wing.
Looking back, he took all of the young guys under his wing. In addition to myself, there was Patrick and his cousin Steve. And off the top of my head, I can think of two ladies that had "non believing" husbands. One had a fifteen year old son. The other had two - one about eighteen, one about fourteen. At the time, I was twenty.
Seems Dave had a thing for teenage boys. Last November, he was booked on 6 counts stemming from an encounter he had with a 14 year old Witness kid back in 1980. The local media kept referring to him as a "former" Jehovah's Witness. But, I found out (through multiple local sources) that he only resigned as an elder, and disassociated himself from the organization, four days before his arrest, knowing that authorities were looking for him. His victim, still one of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Phoenix area, managed to get Nelson to confess to the molestation on a taped phone conversation, which was later turned over to police. That was the beginning of a shocking series of events.
What came to light during the investigation was, to say the least, disturbing. Nelson had known his victim practically his entire life - 40 plus years. They lived in the same area in New York. In fact, the investigation turned up, Nelson had started molesting this man as long as 39 years ago, at the age of 6.
When the family packed up and moved to Phoenix in 1980, when the victim was 14, so did Dave. The sexual abuse continued. There is a possibility that the victim's brother was also harmed in some way by Nelson. He tried to commit suicide a number of years ago, and alluded to Nelson as his motivation in doing so.
So....The good news is...David Nelson is going to be locked up for 25 years in prison to pay for what he did to these two boys, right? SIX MONTHS. That fucking pedophile gets out of county jail on November 5th. Why?
Nelson readily admitted to authorities that he molested "that boy" when he was "14 or 15". But the victim could not provide a concrete date as to when the abuse occurred. He said that one instance was during his "freshman year around Thanksgiving". The only instance of a specific date was a time that he called "the 'Porky's' incident". The night of the abuse, he said Nelson let him go to any movie he wanted. He chose 'Porky's'.
Based upon the date that the movie was released in theaters, prosecutors were able to determine that the victim was 15 at the time. It was the only instance of abuse in which they could possibly prove the victim's age at the time of the incident. As such, it was the only charge they realistically felt they had the chance to win in a 31 year old case.
Instead of the initial six class-two felony charges that Nelson was charged with in November, for molesting a 14 year old, he was now charged with two class-six felonies for sexual conduct with a minor, since the victim was 15. As the crime happened in 1981, Arizona law states that sentencing must be per 1981 guidelines - a maximum of 1.875 years per count. The judge only gave him six months jail time and three years probation.
Meanwhile, the victim...he has attempted suicide twice this year. Once, by a gunshot to the head, four days after Nelson plead guilty. The other time, by taking over 300 pills. After the second attempt, he had a tube down his throat for 31 days while in the hospital.
In time, Dave Nelson will likely migrate back into the another congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Heck, he might even become an elder again, someday. For his victims, they have a lifetime of scar tissue and baggage. They'll never find help within the organization. I would be willing to say that he probably didn't receive one hospital visitor from his local congregation. He has become a pariah. A leper. He sent anchild molester elder to jail.
The local Phoenix New Times has a massive article detailing the story if you would like additional information.
If you recall, shortly before I left the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, I was a member of the Squaw Peak congregation. At the time, I was seriously questioning my faith. It was the first time that I was living on my own. David Nelson was the Presiding Overseer (Chief Elder) of my congregation. He took me under his wing.
Looking back, he took all of the young guys under his wing. In addition to myself, there was Patrick and his cousin Steve. And off the top of my head, I can think of two ladies that had "non believing" husbands. One had a fifteen year old son. The other had two - one about eighteen, one about fourteen. At the time, I was twenty.
Seems Dave had a thing for teenage boys. Last November, he was booked on 6 counts stemming from an encounter he had with a 14 year old Witness kid back in 1980. The local media kept referring to him as a "former" Jehovah's Witness. But, I found out (through multiple local sources) that he only resigned as an elder, and disassociated himself from the organization, four days before his arrest, knowing that authorities were looking for him. His victim, still one of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Phoenix area, managed to get Nelson to confess to the molestation on a taped phone conversation, which was later turned over to police. That was the beginning of a shocking series of events.
What came to light during the investigation was, to say the least, disturbing. Nelson had known his victim practically his entire life - 40 plus years. They lived in the same area in New York. In fact, the investigation turned up, Nelson had started molesting this man as long as 39 years ago, at the age of 6.
When the family packed up and moved to Phoenix in 1980, when the victim was 14, so did Dave. The sexual abuse continued. There is a possibility that the victim's brother was also harmed in some way by Nelson. He tried to commit suicide a number of years ago, and alluded to Nelson as his motivation in doing so.
So....The good news is...David Nelson is going to be locked up for 25 years in prison to pay for what he did to these two boys, right? SIX MONTHS. That fucking pedophile gets out of county jail on November 5th. Why?
Nelson readily admitted to authorities that he molested "that boy" when he was "14 or 15". But the victim could not provide a concrete date as to when the abuse occurred. He said that one instance was during his "freshman year around Thanksgiving". The only instance of a specific date was a time that he called "the 'Porky's' incident". The night of the abuse, he said Nelson let him go to any movie he wanted. He chose 'Porky's'.
Based upon the date that the movie was released in theaters, prosecutors were able to determine that the victim was 15 at the time. It was the only instance of abuse in which they could possibly prove the victim's age at the time of the incident. As such, it was the only charge they realistically felt they had the chance to win in a 31 year old case.
Instead of the initial six class-two felony charges that Nelson was charged with in November, for molesting a 14 year old, he was now charged with two class-six felonies for sexual conduct with a minor, since the victim was 15. As the crime happened in 1981, Arizona law states that sentencing must be per 1981 guidelines - a maximum of 1.875 years per count. The judge only gave him six months jail time and three years probation.
Meanwhile, the victim...he has attempted suicide twice this year. Once, by a gunshot to the head, four days after Nelson plead guilty. The other time, by taking over 300 pills. After the second attempt, he had a tube down his throat for 31 days while in the hospital.
In time, Dave Nelson will likely migrate back into the another congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Heck, he might even become an elder again, someday. For his victims, they have a lifetime of scar tissue and baggage. They'll never find help within the organization. I would be willing to say that he probably didn't receive one hospital visitor from his local congregation. He has become a pariah. A leper. He sent an
The local Phoenix New Times has a massive article detailing the story if you would like additional information.
1 comments:
Oh look, more proof that there is no Jehovah! I hope that son of a bitch learns what it is like to be a victim while he is in prison. Maybe that will teach him to leave people the hell alone.
And the whole disassociation thing? Yeah, right. I totally don't buy that he did it for any other reason than "to protect Jehovah's organization." You know, protecting it. Like an elder should. Sensing the sarcasm here?
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