Ex-Elder Dropped for Abuse Comments

DRAFFENVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A lifelong Jehovah's Witness said he was expelled from the tight-knit religious group after publicly criticizing the church's handling of allegations of child sex abuse.

William Bowen, a former church elder, said he was excommunicated — or disfellowshipped, as the denomination calls it — after a brief hearing Wednesday.

A judicial committee member contacted Bowen's lawyer on Thursday to relay the judgment but provided no further information, Bowen said.

Committee members did not return calls seeking comment.

Bowen complains that child-sex allegations are generally not reported to secular authorities by the Jehovah's Witnesses because of the church's closed nature and its insistence on handling problems internally.

Bowen said he plans to appeal the decision, which was made at a closed hearing where he was not present.

"From my standpoint, the real crime is not disfellowshipping me," Bowen said. "The real crime is, now they're going to silence anyone in the organization who needs help or support."

Being disfellowshipped requires members to shun the person who has been expelled. Bowen is the fourth Jehovah's Witness disfellowshipped this year for speaking out on the issue.