Defense demands dismissal of charges in Jehovah Witnesses sex abuse case

The lawyer for a Lower Burrell man charged as part of a grand jury probe into allegations of widespread child sex abuse claims within the Jehovah Witnesses community on Thursday argued the case should be dismissed for lack of evidence.

Defense attorney Dan Joseph said the alleged victim’s testimony during a preliminary hearing earlier this year was too vague and failed include specific claims, such dates and locations of the alleged assaults.

“This is a due process argument. The vagary of this makes it impossible to defend this case. What we are left with is a woman who 33 years ago, after counseling, says this thing happened,” Joseph argued in defense of Ronald W. Mangone. “She can’t say anything with any specificity.”

Mangone, 70, was charged earlier this year with three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault, three misdemeanor counts of indecent assault and misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors in connection with allegations raised by a now 38-year-old woman.

She claims she was the victim of repeated sexual assaults by Mangone dating back to 1991 when she was between 5 and 8 years old. Her allegations were included in a statewide grand jury probe.

Mangone was involved in the New Kensington Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation and later in the West End French congregation, according to claims made to a criminal complaint filed by the state Attorney General’s Office.

Authorities suggested Jehovah Witnesses elders treated child sexual abuse as a sin rather than a crime and failed to report allegations to law enforcement. Church officials previously denied those claims and argued its internal policies allow members to make sexual assault reports.

Prosecutors said earlier this year that Mangone was among 16 suspects identified by the grand jury and accused of rape and sexual assault.

Joseph said Mangone continues to deny the allegations and argued the accuser during her preliminary hearing testimony failed to provide any specific dates and locations where the alleged assaults occurred and then waited years to disclose the claims of sexual abuse.

Deputy Attorney General Alicia Werner said the accuser offered more specific details in her grand jury testimony and in statements to investigators that included general descriptions of the sexual abuse she said were inflicted on her by Mangone. Her disclosure to law enforcement was a result of the investigation launched by the attorney general’s office, Werner said.

“The victim testified it happened 20 or more times. This began as a grand jury investigation by our office. We found her and realized the charges were still within the statute of limitations,” Werner argued.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears made no rulings on Thursday. He said he would review the preliminary hearing transcript and other evidence in the case and ordered the lawyers to submit written legal arguments.

Mangone remains free on $100,000 bail.