Associated Press (via WESA, Pittsburgh), “Pennsylvania charges put focus on Jehovah's Witnesses' handling of abuse”
“does recognize abuse as a crime”
Organisation spokesman Jarrod Lopes' response, adding that members may report to authorities, that the second-witness requirement applies only to internal discipline and that elders comply with reporting laws regardless of witness availability. The AP reported nine men charged between October 2022 and February 2023 after a four-year grand jury investigation, with the Attorney General saying the investigation of the organisation itself was ongoing.
Official source (opens in new tab)
Provenance and verification note for Associated Press (via WESA, Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania charges put focus on Jehovah's Witnesses' handling of abuse
Confidence note. Syndicated copy opened (wesa.fm redirected to wesanews.org).
Corroborated by. src-inquirer-2023-0707-pa-charges
Notes. Official PA Office of Attorney General releases (e.g. Westmoreland County, Allegheny County, Butler County case updates) could not be opened (HTTP 403); their existence is confirmed by search listings only. Archive reference removed: https://apnews.com (blocked in this environment; original AP URL not recorded)
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-ap-2023-0420-wesa-pa-charges