Woman sues church for reporting husband's confessed sex abuse to the police

[Stevicus]

Oregon woman sues church for reporting husband's sex crimes to the police - CNN

(CNN)An Oregon woman whose husband is in prison for sexually abusing a child is suing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for reporting his confession to state authorities.

In the lawsuit, Kristine Johnson said her husband confessed his sexual abuse to clergy as required by church rules. That confession was passed along to state authorities, forming the basis of their investigation, she says.

She filed the lawsuit in Marion County Circuit Court last week and seeks $9.5 million for loss of income, emotional distress and her family's loss of her husband's companionship. The lawsuit, which argues the church went against its own policy that considers confessions confidential, also seeks an additional $40,000 for his criminal defense.

They claim that they followed the church rules by him confessing his crime, but that the church did not tell them it would be confidential.

In 2016, the lawsuit states, plaintiff Kristine Johnson learned that her husband, Timothy Johnson, had engaged in inappropriate conduct with an underage girl.

"In response to that, plaintiff Kristine Johnson and Timothy Johnson followed the rules and scriptures of the church, which ... requires and admonish church members to 'confess their sins unto the brethren before the Lord,'" the lawsuit says.

But the church failed to advise the couple that if he followed the guidance and confessed his sins, it would report him to state authorities. The church should have warned her husband that his confession would not stay private, the lawsuit says.

The man was arrested and found guilty, and is now serving a 15-year sentence.

The article also mentioned that Oregon is one of 28 states which require clergy to report known or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. However, a law professor said that this lawsuit, if successful, could have dire consequences.

Oregon is one of 28 states that considers clergy among professionals mandated by law to report known or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. But that law makes some exceptions, and statutes in some states specify circumstances under which a communication is "privileged" or allowed to remain confidential.

Christine Bartholomew, an associate professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law, told The Oregonian that the lawsuit could have dire consequences.

"If successful, this litigation would push courts and these religious organizations toward less transparency than more," Bartholomew said. "And you have to wonder if that would create the environment where abuse can really fester."

 

[Polymath257]

Confidentiality usually doesn't apply if there is danger to another person. In this case, a minor. I would have blamed the church if it *didn't* report such behavior.

 

[whirlingmerc]

Oregon woman sues church for reporting husband's sex crimes to the police - CNN



They claim that they followed the church rules by him confessing his crime, but that the church did not tell them it would be confidential.



The man was arrested and found guilty, and is now serving a 15-year sentence.

The article also mentioned that Oregon is one of 28 states which require clergy to report known or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. However, a law professor said that this lawsuit, if successful, could have dire consequences.

Jesus said to go to your brother privately and if he doesn't repent bring 1 or 2 and if he doesn't repent tell it to the church.. Seems to me there is an element of privacy. So I might disagree with how they went about it.

On the other hand if he was a leader in the church not a member there may be less privacy due to the office.

The man going to jail 15 years seems non private enough, an announcement may not serve a good purpose but depends on circumstances. No need to throw salt in a sore wound for the sake of the family.