Motion to Quash

Mr. Denton also represents Adam Bartley in the criminal case for Matthew Fenner’s allegations concerning incidents from January 27, 2013. In that case, five present and/or former members of WOFF were indicted on charges including second degree kidnapping, simple assault and assault inflicting injury by strangulation. These defendants include Brooke Covington, Justin Covington, Sarah Covington Anderson, Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. as well as Adam Bartley. The criminal case has been drawn out by pretrial motions and appeals. The next hearing date for the case is not known, but the most notable outcome thus far has been the Disqualification of WOFF bred attorneys – Joshua Farmer and Mark Morris and all their associates from representing any of the five defendants. Thus, we now see evidence of a puppet attorney – the honorable Robert Denton.

In a Motion to Continue the scheduled September 1st hearing filed August 22, 2016 by Denton in Anderson vs Anderson, he explains he has “…requested to take depositions of approximately ten individuals in an effort to narrow the issues, understand the issues before taking the Court’s time, and is now “guessing” to what witnesses need to be deposed prior to the trial of the actual issues.”
Motion to Continue Denton

In the same Motion he writes, “The list of witnesses may decrease or increase according to the Defendant’s answers to the interrogatories previously referenced.”

These statements don’t confirm his intentions to NARROW the issues but to broaden the scope of his depositions to simultaneously gather information to help in the defense of his other client, Adam Bartley. Ditz calls this strategy a “fishing expedition” and reveals another case where WOFF attorney Joshua Farmer attempted the same tactic. The case Ditz references is a civil case (15 CvS 32) Robert Lewis Walker, Jr, & Sarah Covington Anderson Vs. Jerry Cooper.

From the Motion to Quash:

“4. Among the actions taken by members of the Plaintiff’s church (WOFF) have included filing an action for libel against a former member of the church (Cooper) in order to obtain depositions of witnesses to the criminal action including Mr. Fenner. During those depositions, no questions were ever asked as to the statements made by the former member of the church who was the defendant in the action, but instead all questions in these depositions were asked regarding the allegations made by Mr. Fenner in the criminal case. Mr. Fenner was not a party to the action in which the depositions were sought. The case was dismissed on a Motion for Summary Judgement before Mr. Fenner could be deposed in the case.”

Shortly after the civil case against Cooper was dismissed in December of 2015, I viewed the file and found two interesting documents. The first was the Notice of Deposition filed by Joshua Farmer on December 14, 2015 seeking to depose Matthew Fenner on December 30th. In the notice, “The oral examination will continue from day to day until its completion.” This statement tells me- we don’t know when we will catch enough fish, so we will keep going until we do.
Notice of Deposition Fenner

Next, I found a “Third Amended Notice of Deposition” served on Richard Trey Hooper c/o of the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office dated November 19, 2015. The deposition was set for November 23, 2015 and “The oral examination will continue from day to day until its completion.” I am not sure if this took place, but it probably did. I also remember another employee of the Sheriff’s department being listed as being deposed, but don’t recall their name and did not get a copy of the Notice. My question is what did Richard Trey Hooper have to do with Cooper’s statements on Facebook which were the crux of the civil case? Also, I wonder if Richard Hooper was assigned to the ongoing criminal investigation of Fenner’s charges?
3rd Amended Notice of Deposition

Josh, do you have an answer to either question? If you know the completed deposition(s) were pertinent, will you turn over the content of your inquisition of Hooper and any other employee of the Sheriff’s department? Mr. Denton, did you know you were repeating Farmer’s tactics? Of course, there is no correlation only coincidence, right? Care to share your list of requested depositions in the Anderson case? Do you see you are being played? Do you care or is it all “tomfoolery” to you? Do you see the risk of working for WOFF members and taking directives from their leader? Is she sweet to you?

Ditz’s Motion includes other instances where Fenner and his relatives have suffered unduly because of Fenner’s allegations. He writes, “It is Mr. Fenner’s belief that this (subpoena) is simply another attempt by the Defendants in the pending criminal action to harass, intimidate and dissuade him from furthering his prosecution of these defendants. … Such an outrageous and transparent misuse of the discovery process and subpoena power should not be sanctioned by this Court and must result in the subpoena being quashed.”

An odd footnote, in previous court documents for this case, there is mention of a sworn Affidavit by Nicholas Anderson of the innocence of his wife pertaining to Fenner’s allegations. Why would his attorney now request to depose Matthew in light of Nicolas’ Affidavit of Sarah’s innocence? What a conundrum. There is more to come to light in this case.

2016 continues as the year for changes!

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and

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Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 575.

Before many of us settle into the first Monday of 2016, I need to take a few lines and recap what has been a year full of surprises. Of course, there will be events I don’t mention that were important to others. If you feel so compelled, comment and share with us your signature events of 2015.

On January 22, 2015, the Daily Courier reported the reindictment of the five defendants in the Matthew Fenner Case. This reindictment came after the new District Attorney for Rutherford County, Ted Bell, expressed his concern over the processes surrounding the first round of indictments in December 2014, during the tenure of District Attorney, Brad Greenway. See the post- “Word of Faith Fellowship members re-indicted- Daily Courier”

The five Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members who were indicted include Brooke McFadden Covington, Justin Covington, Sarah Anderson, Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. and Adam Bartley. The charges include second degree kidnapping and simple assault for all five with an additional charge of assault inflicting physical injury by strangulation against Sarah Anderson. These charges stem from the events of January 27, 2013 inside the sanctuary of WOFF. The story of the indictments was picked up nationally and internationally after the first round of indictments in December 2014. Again, bringing attention to the unsafe practices of WOFF.

In February 2015, many mourned the passing of Dr. Amos T. “Pat” Pagter. Later in that month, attorneys for the WOFF five filed a change of venue request which later would be answered by a motion for change of venire; suggesting the jurors for the trial be from Bumcombe County. To date, these motions have not been ruled on.

April 2, 2015; the five WOFF defendants made their first appearance in court all bright eyed and bushy-tailed. They waived their right to court appointed representation and chose Tomblin, Farmer and Morris as their counsel. No shock here. As an interesting side note, WOFF put up land for the secured bonds for all five defendants. This fact later noted in court docs as a conflict of interest, which as of yet, has not been rectified. WOFF Defendants First Appearance- 4+1

Later in April, the Jewish community in Cocoa Florida pulled their support for the WOFF Holocaust Museum display. This traveling show still occurred, but the rift between the local organizer, Ron Shelton, and David Pelzman continues as a result.

Jewish Leaders Pull Support for WOFF/WFCS Holocaust Museum in Florida

Controversy over support of WOFF Holocaust Museum continues (video)

At the end of April, we read “RcCatalyst.com Reports Surprise Arrest of Jerry Cooper”. Led by Tomblin, Farmer and Morris; Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. and Sarah Covington Anderson filed a civil case against Jerry Cooper for libel claiming his comments on December 14, 2014 of “True story” on Facebook in reply to an AP story picked up by WRAL caused Robert to lose his job and Sarah unmeasured financial damages. As required, there was a mediation session held and the requested damages rose from $50,000 to $100,000. Obviously, no settlement reached. As Jerry Cooper was leaving the courthouse, he was arrested on outstanding warrants which included cyber-stalking and telephone harassment. The warrants were from 2013 and issued with Jane Whaley, victim/plaintiff. Josh Farmer was the attorney for Jane overseeing the arrest. Court documents revealed Andra Prince as the WOFF Facebook troller.

Jerry made bond and faced a civil case and criminal charges. Before the end of 2015, he would get his days in court for both cases.

May 29th brought the most memorable time I have experienced in witnessing WOFF court drama. As plaintiff, Jane Whaley was called to testify in the trial of Jerry Cooper on the charges she filed of telephone harassment and cyber stalking (via text messages). The blog post reporting the antics and doings in the courtroom that day received almost as much traffic in a few days as the blog receives in a month! Inquiring minds wanted to know how Jane could testify and yet the charges be dropped. From the post, Jerry Cooper- Not Guilty- Jane Whaley Testifies,

“During the questioning by Ditz, he had to constantly implore Jane to NOT ramble on and add to and basically preach her answer only to be shushed by Ditz’s constant admonitions, Ma’am, ma’am, ma’am…?

Paul said, “I ask the questions and you only answer the questions, do you understand?”

Paul’s frustration with being probably the first person in Jane’s world to exercise any control over her mouth –proved intense. Finally, the very patient Judge Redwing confirmed Ditz’s instructions. Sadly, Jane still found it hard to stay restrained and not ramble on and on explaining herself as if her remarks alone were needed to convict Jerry. Any humor in these exchanges quickly expired as Jane’s own glaring lack of self-awareness killed any credibility she attempted to show. Finally, she was among folks impervious to her aura.”

Friends, May 29th was a day to remember. That day, Jane did herself no favors be testifying. Judge Redwing concluded the State of North Carolina had not proved their case by the greater weight of evidence. Jerry was not guilty.

In July, we held a car wash as a fundraiser for the Faith Freedom Fund. That was a fun time.
Car Wash – Thank you to all who helped in any way!

At the end of July, by a guest post, we learned how much Jane hates Google Plus®.
Google plus® night…. at WOFF – Guest Post

During August, we experienced an explosion of activity surrounding the Matthew Fenner case. By the end of August, it became known that Adam Bartley had been offered a plea deal. Judge Pope also issued an ORDER of Disqualification against Joshua Farmer, Mark Morris and all associates of Tomblin, Farmer and Morris barring them from representing any of the five defendants in the case. Adam Bartley and Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. did employ different attorneys. Josh Farmer enlisted the help of outside counsel to avert the results and finally he appealed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals to review the decision by Judge Pope. We learned that Bartley, in a hand written note, refused the plea deal without proper counsel. Below I list links to posts which reflect the major events of August 2015.

Plea Offered to Defendant Adam Bartley in Matthew Fenner Case- rccatalyst.com
WOFFGATE-Stunning Developments in Rutherford County
DISQUALIFICATION!!!
Summary of Events for the Matthew Fenner Case

September 15, 2015; Josh Farmer filed an appeal of the ORDER of Disqualification with the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The Court agreed to review the case and that is where we stand. Once the Court rules on Judge Pope’s ORDER, the proceedings on various pretrial motions can move forward. There is no set date for the decision from the Court.

On September 21st, I released “Locked in- My Imprisoned Years in a Destructive Cult.” The book is available on Amazon.com in print and Kindle. It is also available locally at Great Expectations and More in Rutherfordton and The Book Shelf in Tryon, NC. WLOS covered the book as well as the Daily Courier. The response from readers has been overall very positive. A portion of each sale is donated to the ongoing work of the Faith Freedom Fund. During 2015, the Faith Freedom Fund helped more survivors than previous years.

(As of December 2015, the count is approximately fifty members have stopped attending WOFF in the last eighteen months. There is no indication this trend will slow down. Continued support of the Faith Freedom Fund is needed so we can move forward helping survivors.)

October brought another hearing in the Jerry Cooper civil case. Mark Morris’ efforts to secure the phone records of Matthew Fenner were quashed. Attorney Paul Ditz labels civil case a backdoor effort to obtain information about the criminal case against the WOFF five.

Judge Tommy Davis- Who is Matthew Fenner?

October 12th, at Cleveland Community College, I sat among several WOFF leadership as we listened to opening remarks by Karel Reynolds on the Nuremburg Trials. U.S. District Judge Redinger delivered a speech about the trials. It was my first time being so close to so many I respected and admired in years past. Their reception of me was cold. Why?

Judge Reidinger Delivers Irony- Who Heard It?

Also, during October, the nation was awakened to the death and destruction which resulted from a counseling session inside a small church in New York. The session, which lasted several hours, was held at the Word of Life Christian Church in Chadwicks, NY. Lucas Leonard died as a result of the beating and his brother, Christopher, was hospitalized because of the injuries he suffered. Authorities learned the two youths expressed a desire to leave the church which prompted the session.

Nine church members including the pastor of the church and the father of the deceased, Bruce Leonard, await trial on charges including murder and gang assault. The mother, Deborah Leonard, has accepted a plea deal and will serve a total of seven years in exchange for her testimony against the other defendants. All of the others have been offered plea deals which they will either accept or decline in the next few days. Local city officials have shut down the church posting a notice barring occupancy. See here.

Pastor among eight defendants indicted in fatal beating

December 5th, Great Expectations and More hosted a book signing for me. I read from “Locked in” and then opened the floor for questions. There were several pointed questions from a standing room only crowd. Thank you, to all the family and friends who attended. I made some new friends and that is always enjoyable. Thank you, Mary for withstanding the efforts to discourage you from hosting the event.

Finally, before the end of the year, we were treated to a dismissal of the civil case against Jerry Cooper. On December 21st, Judge Tommy Davis dismissed the case and stopped the pending deposition of Matthew Fenner by Josh Farmer scheduled for December 30th. Thank you, Paul Ditz for again providing victorious counsel in this case.
Update: Robert Lewis Walker, Jr., Sarah Anderson vs. Jerry Cooper

Walker, Anderson vs. Jerry Cooper (f/k/a Jerry Butcher) – Case Dismissed

What does 2016 hold? Well, hopefully, the case of State vs. Covington will come out of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the prosecution of the WOFF five will move forward to a conclusion which at this point is hard to predict. Another thing for certain, more WOFF members will find the courage to leave. Faith Freedom Fund will help more survivors in their transition to their next place in life. Additionally, I have two more books in the making. The first is the sequel to “Locked in.” The working title for this one is “Locked out.” The next book is a narrative of my journey of personal discovery and expression found in writing the blog, the first book and investigating the doings behind WOFF.

January 16, 2016, the next book signing for “Locked in” is scheduled in Tryon, NC. The Book Shelf will supply the books and host the event which will be next door to their location, at the Coffeehouse. We will start at 2:00PM gathering in the casual relaxed atmosphere at 90 N. Trade St. I will begin with a reading from “Locked in,” and then take questions. I spent yesterday talking with a few folks there and the interest surrounding WOFF-life is definite. The questions were many and my answers only led to more questions. Fun.

We don’t know all of what 2016 holds. Right now, the hopes and expectations of many folks for changes in Rutherford County can be felt and heard in conversations.

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.
Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 557.

Rccatalyst.com posted news of the dismissal on Tuesday. In this article, Judge Davis is quoted from Thursday’s hearing as saying to Josh Farmer, “Why are you picking on this individual? Do you have a grudge against him?” Also, Judge Davis asked why Farmer was not suing the other involved parties such as the AP or the reporter, Mitch Weiss who wrote the article upon which Mr. Cooper commented with the statement-“True story.” Mr. Farmer said his clients still may have recourse against other parties. In brief, this lawsuit alleges damages from Jerry Cooper posting the comment “True story” in relation to an AP article stating the facts surrounding the Matthew Fenner criminal case. The Fenner case has five defendants from Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) facing charges including second degree kidnapping, assault. In addition, Sarah Anderson also faces a charge of assault by strangulation. These charges stem from incidents on January 27, 2013 in the sanctuary of WOFF.

The dismissal came to my attention around midday Tuesday. After attending to some required tasks, I made my way to the Rutherford County courthouse to obtain a copy of the dismissal. About 4:45PM, I entered the courthouse and witnessed several employees scurrying about getting ready to leave. The courthouse will be closed for the rest of the week and many were giddy in their preparation to enjoy their time off. A courteous employee in the civil clerk’s office offered the case file for my review. I found the dismissal on top and the Josh Farmer’s “Brief in Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment.” I asked for a copy of this entry as well as the “Affidavit of Andra Lynn Prince.” The attached Exhibits for this document included the AP article and screen prints of the Facebook posting in question.

My time being limited, I also received copies of the “Notice of Deposition for Matthew Fenner”, which I had heard about. This was set for December 30th. Two other documents caught my eye. I only obtained a copy of one of them. This was the “Third Amended Notice of Deposition” for Richard Trey Hopper. This name was new to me. If my research is right, Patrolman Trey Hooper works for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s office on the Interdiction team. The term “K-9” is beside his name. (here) This deposition was to happen on November 23rd at 10:00AM at the Tomblin, Farmer, Morris office. His relationship to the “True story” allegation is unclear. Did he assist in the Fenner criminal case in any way? I don’t see him working for WRAL or Facebook or the AP. What could Farmer possibly have wanted with Mr. Hooper? Was this another tactic to covertly obtain information for the five defendants in the Fenner criminal case? Maybe I am wrong, but there is a lot of smoke yet to clear to understand the true motives for filing this case against Jerry Cooper. It is hard to reconcile the ORDER of Dismissal against Josh Farmer, Mark Morris and their associates in the Fenner case with their actions in this case against Jerry Cooper.

Another document which caught my eye was a subpoena for Joey Sisk, the details of which I did not have time to read. Again, I don’t believe Joey Sisk caused Jerry Cooper to type “True story.” Is this another attempt to bypass the spirit of the ORDER of Dismissal in the Fenner case? I do not know for sure, but from outward indications, it seems as such.

When I first heard of the dismissal on Tuesday, I considered it good for Jerry, for Matthew and Danielle Cordez. Now, I also believe Judge Davis did Josh Farmer a favor by closing this door. Yes, it appears as if at least some of the players in the investigation of the Fenner case may have been deposed. Those steps cannot be undone. However, if Josh Farmer had successfully been able to depose Matthew Fenner about the details of January 27, 2013 without any restraints, the fallout could have been disastrous for both Josh, his law firm and for Matthew. The results would be detrimental from different perspectives, but still not positive for either.

Judge Davis did Josh Farmer a favor. He did Josh a kindness in upholding the law and recognizing there was no genuine issue of material fact. The lawsuit was in essence –baseless. Davis did not make any further public comments. Josh and his team may have fifteen days to appeal. I am not sure what an appeal would gain for them, but more public scrutiny and more peering eyes watching their motions and their moves. Will Jane again say, let it go? This was her reply on May 29th of this year in response to her criminal charges against Jerry Cooper being dismissed. Will this contention over “True story” be dropped? We shall see. It is true; the story of Word of Faith Fellowship is not over. Many chapters have yet to be written.

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.
Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 556.

Thursday, December 17th; in Rutherford County Superior court, another drama played out surrounding Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members- past and present. In review, the case involved a civil suit from present members Robert Lewis Walker, Jr and Sarah Anderson against former member, Jerry Cooper. Learning from verbal arguments, the suit alleges the Facebook comment Jerry Cooper posted- “True story” in response to a WRAL.com/AP article about the Matthew Fenner allegations has reportedly caused financial damages and constituted libel. Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. was said to have lost his job and suffered hardship over the indictments and according to attorney Josh Farmer- Cooper’s comment. Sarah Anderson is alleging the same and the (so far, undocumented) damages total $100,000.

The previous session involving this case was reviewed in a post… here. In that session, the subpoena of Matthew Fenner’s phone/voice/data records was quashed. However, there is an effort in Florida to depose former WOFF member, Danielle Cordez, in relation to this case. The effort is being aggressively contested and the outcome is yet known. Since the last court session, Matthew Fenner was also subpoenaed for a deposition December 30th in the Jerry Cooper case. As attorney Paul Ditz pointed out last time, any effort to access records of Fenner (and now a deposition of Matthew Fenner) is a back door effort to gain information involving the criminal case which names not only Robert Lewis Walker, Jr, Sarah Anderson as defendants, but also, Brooke Covington, Justin Covington and Adam Bartley. The case referenced as State vs. Covington is presently in review in the North Carolina Court of Appeals over pre-trial motions to disqualify Joshua Farmer, Mark Morris and any of their associates from representing any of the five defendants in the case.

Today, attorney Ditz led off summarizing the allegations and giving a definition of “libel.” He provided two cases which he believed addressed the issue at hand. He ended his first argument declaring Cooper comment “true story” did not meet the test of libel and thus, he moved to quash the case as baseless.

About 2:27PM, Josh led off declaring his beliefs of how the damages occurred and the exchanges between Judge Tommy Davis soon escalated and were difficult to follow for detail. Judge Davis questioned whether “True story” from Cooper would lend credence to the story. Farmer contended that if Fenner was standing in the courtroom and recounted the details in the article and Cooper was beside him and said- “True Story”- that would constitute libel. Judge Davis did not seem convinced. So, Farmer repeated the suggestion in a more emphatic way. In my opinion, Josh came off as a 6 year-old being refused his favorite lollipop. His became just as animated on Thursday, as when Judge Marvin Pope engaged him in a heated exchange back in August.

In a paraphrased recount, Judge Davis asked if he was missing something. Who had the deep pockets? Was Farmer stepping round the other three parties (Facebook, WRAL and the AP) to go after Jerry Cooper? Farmer replied; my clients may still have a course of action against them (the other three).

Farmer presented a North Carolina case which he believed applied. In his comments; attempting to answer several questions from Judge Davis, Farmer resolutely contended the average reader of the Facebook comment in question would believe Cooper’s affirmation of the story and assume guilt. When Judge Davis pointed out that the WRAL article included statements from Farmer denying the allegations- how would that affect opinions? Josh’s answer could not be clearly heard.

Theses exchanges were rapid and filled with as much emotion as would be allowed without things getting out of hand. Judge Davis ended discussions by agreeing to review the information presented by each attorney and issue a decision by next week. Quickly, I left and followed Paul Ditz out to ask more questions. In the foyer between the courtrooms, Josh emerged to talk to Paul Ditz. Stepping aside, but still in earshot, Josh asked if the case continued was the (deposition of Matthew Fenner) still on for December 30th. Ditz nodded.

Forget the banter and drama occurring in the courtroom, the lollipop, the prize, for Thursday, for Farmer was his hopes for the deposition of Matthew Fenner to survive and occur on December 30th. Farmer unsuccessfully covered a smirk and asked Ditz in an authority voice, do we have any more issues to discuss here? His goal of deposing Matthew Fenner about the events of January 27th 2013 had survived- for now. Judge Davis could torch the whole deal by granting the motion to dismiss/quash the case.

Does anyone else see the real purpose of the civil case? Paul Ditz called it a backdoor way to gain information that would affect the defense of not only Walker and Anderson, but any or all of the other three defendants in Fenner’s criminal case. Matthew Fenner and Danielle Cordez are not parties to the civil case. Farmer’s efforts to depose them are a BLATANT violation of the spirit of the ORDER of Disqualification by Judge Pope in the Fenner case earlier this year.

From page 7 of the PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI filed by Farmer in the North Carolina Court of Appeals in State vs. Covington:

The undersigned counsel note to the Court that they proceed in this matter with an abundance of caution and with due deference to the trial court’s order of disqualification entered August 6, 2015. Since that time, counsel have limited their representation of Petitioners to seeking review of the disqualification order and related orders of the trial court. The undersigned have considered the ethical implications of representing Petitioners in seeking appellate review after having been disqualified in the trial tribunal and rely on N.C. R. Prof’l Conduct 3.4(c), which states: “A lawyer shall not … knowingly disobey … an obligation under the rules of a tribunal, except a lawyer acting in good faith may take appropriate steps to test the validity of such an obligation.” The undersigned sought guidance from the ethics counsel at the North Carolina State Bar who confirmed that this rule authorizes the actions of the undersigned in seeking review of the rulings below.

Josh, if you were not using the Cooper civil case to depose Matthew Fenner and Danielle Cordez, you would possibly be in compliance with your own stated “abundance of caution.” To date, your pretention of caution is only a lie you tell yourself and those in your firm. Are you “knowingly disobeying?” Regardless, if you admit it, what is the public perception of your “good faith” efforts “…to test the validity of such an obligation?” (the Disqualification) Did you in anyway disclose to the Court of Appeals your firm’s role in Walker, Anderson vs Cooper and the efforts to depose Fenner and Cordez regarding the events of January 27, 2013? Or are you attempting to hide under the “…related orders of trial court?” Ask yourself; is it worth the risk to your ability to practice law in North Carolina? Are you so blind with loyalty to Mother Jane?

If Judge Davis rules in favor of the motion to quash, the motions in this case will not evaporate. If he does not stop the deposition of Matthew Fenner; then proceed at your own risk, Mr. Farmer. You just may not like the flavor of the lollipop.

Season of Changes is upon us. When will there be snow in Spindale?

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 555.

Before the noon recess, the opening volleys include four quick objections by Cooper’s attorney, Paul Ditz which were subsequently sustained by Judge Dennis John Redwing. Josh Farmer testified and Jane Whaley took the stand before for about twenty minutes the break for lunch. The courtroom was closed when I arrived about 1:50PM. Jerry and his team were waiting at the door unsure when the proceedings would restart. A few minutes later, the room was opened by the bailiff. She kept conversation going during the wait for the judge’s return.

Again, as in times past, I sat on the right side of a courtroom with a reporter in front of me, advocate to my right and another supporter sitting behind me. Jayne Caulder was so kind to join us on the front row of Jerry’s side. I am not sure why. Jane Whaley and her entourage sat on the left side behind the table for the District Attorney, Roger McCalman. Before the proceedings began there were a few eerie, awkward, mostly silent moments. The clock was high up the far wall to my left and I found myself constantly looking UP and over to avoid any potential eye-locks with the WOFF entourage. My clock watching was motivated by thoughts of returning to work and if today’s matters would be settled by the time I needed to leave.

Once the Judge entered, the attorney for the State called Mrs. Whaley back to the stand. Jane stood in her purple and black outfit with a protective boot on one foot and began her journey forward assisted by Mark Morris. Once seated and properly oriented to the microphone, the State attorney began right where he had ended asking Jane how she felt after receiving messages from Jerry. From here, I may not retell the exact order of events or have exact quotes, but I will tell the highlights and main issues to the case, from my perspective.

Jane lightly and delicately avoided saying she was overrun with fear, she was not frightened, but there was “fear”. For the unlearned, I believed she was not going to admit outright fear because, ‘perfect love casts out all fear’ – a Scripture reference she has preached for years. Jane did not want to be caught OUT of the love of God- even towards Jerry.

During the proceedings, I realized several nuances which those who had been under her preaching or a part of the WOFF-life would understand, but which were for the most part, unknown to others. These nuances in some instances acted as guideposts, fences or walls- depending on your position. I will explain as we go forward.

After McCalman finished, Paul Deitz began his long awaited turn to question Jane. He asked if Jane preached and was ordained. She affirmed she was ordained “at some time in the 80’s.” That was NEWS for me. After sixteen years under Jane’s teaching, preaching and storytelling, I never learned that she was ordained. The obvious question which Ditz missed, WHO ordained Jane? I never knew and expect the answer in Jane’s mind to be – she was ordained-called by God to preach the message of deliverance to anyone who would listen. I regret Paul missed asking the direct question, but it turned out to not be material to his case.

Ditz asked Jane about Jerry being a member and ordained. Jane promptly affirmed he came to get help and was never ordained and never a minister at WOFF. Yes, I about came out of my seat and shouted! The obvious dividing of words and semantics Jane was hiding behind were too much. Jane did qualify her remarks by saying Jerry sang on the praise and worship team, but was never a “minister.” Split hairs to make your next fur coat! How many folks were referred to as ministers inside of WOFF and yet were not ordained by Jane? You could be a ‘minister” and not ordained at WOFF. Who remembers this besides me?

During the questioning by Ditz, he had to constantly implore Jane to NOT ramble on and add to and basically preach her answer only to be shushed by Ditz’s constant admonitions, Ma’am, ma’am, ma’am…?

Paul said, “I ask the questions and you only answer the questions, do you understand?”

Paul’s frustration with being probably the first person in Jane’s world to exercise any control over her mouth –proved intense. Finally, the very patient Judge Redwing confirmed Ditz’s instructions. Sadly, Jane still found it hard to stay restrained and not ramble on and on explaining herself as if her remarks alone were needed to convict Jerry. Any humor in these exchanges quickly expired as Jane’s own glaring lack of self-awareness killed any credibility she attempted to show. Finally, she was among folks impervious to her aura. (Witnessing this one fact by itself made the trip away from work worth it, no matter the cost.)

Paul Ditz had a clear strategy. Establish Jane as a minister, ordained or not, it did not matter. Establish Jerry as a minister, definitely ordained. Show that the exchanges initiated by Jerry were borne out of concern and love for one he used to be close to and in fact, confessed a love for- Jane. In questioning Jane, he asked if she ever preached to someone who did not want her words. At that one moment, the expression on Jane’s face showed she clearly knew where Ditz was headed and she looked defenseless. I hung on every word of her answer to that question. Who can doubt that Jane’s ministry includes preaching to those who do not want to hear her words? As she answered, she hesitated, well, yes, but not beyond what they want… then she trailed off. (Did I remember that right?) Honestly, there was such a screaming in my head of the name– LIAR! I may not have heard the rest of her answer.

Paul was not thrown off his plan, he added, what about someone who agrees for a while with your preaching then has a change of heart? Do you still preach to them? Jane appeared stunned, saying I don’t know where you are coming from. Ditz repeated his question. Dear readers, it was at that moment the air went out of her balloon. Reeling under the burden of being a high paid literalist, Jane was groping to tell “Truth” and not slip into the obvious net Paul laid before her. She never seemed to recover from this deftly pointed arrow. Oh, she tried to ramble and was quickly alerted it would not be tolerated. I can’t say how long her testimony lasted. She exited the witness stand, assisted by Morris walked back to her front row seat. Her expression was stoic and stern, no happy face.

Next, Pricilla Rezende was sworn in and took the stand. She testified about the phone calls Jerry made seeking to reach Jane on a certain day. Pricilla did not ramble. The State attorney opened with some questions. He hung on certain terms or lack of terms throughout the course of each testimony. His job to produce undisputable evidence of a crime was a tall order. When Paul’s turn came he read from notes written by Pricilla about the incidents in question. It was a basic recount from someone whose second language was English. Short, bullet points which alluded to more than she was able to express in writing. The main point Ditz drilled with Pricilla was since she never engaged Jerry in a lengthy conversation, she had no way to properly judge his intentions or motives. She adamantly held her ground that Jerry was attacking, not satisfied with her answers and had malicious intent.

Here, Paul may have known and chose not to pursue it, but every present member of WOFF is perpetually conditioned to believe that all those who have left have evil intentions, to destroy the church calling them “attackers.” Pricilla was already prejudiced against Jerry by the environment she lived in. She was able to strongly defend her opinions of Jerry in the light of Paul’s clever questions because she believed her prejudices despite the logic Ditz laid out before her. Her chance to learn about one of the main errors of her culture may have passed her by- forever. Though, I hope not. On her stroll back to her seat, she passed Jane glancing to her for a look of approval- finding none. I believe Jane was still reeling and unable to confirm her employee’s efforts.

The State called Holly Morris to the stand. Honestly, I did not recognize her. She smiled profusely, completed the swearing in process and took her seat. She stated her name and that she was present during the time of the calls from Jerry. During this brief exchange, it was pointed out to me you could see the arteries in Holly’s neck pulsing. She was on high alert with a rapid heart rate. No surprise, right?

At that moment, the proceedings stopped each counsel was called to the bench. Holly was instructed to step down. She floated back to her seat in a state of obvious relief still smiling profusely.

After a short conference, counsel returned to their tables, Ditz asked to dismiss the charges. The judge agreed to dismiss the harassment charges but continue on the cyber stalking charges. Jerry was then called to the stand. He was sworn in and took his seat, again properly adjusting to be heard and seen by the judge.

Ditz began by establishing Jerry’s status as a minister and then his time at WOFF. Jerry said he preached and sang as a minster at WOFF. Who during his first tour of WOFF could deny this? Do we remember his message- Faith is NOW, from Hebrews 11? And how many times did Jane have him sing- Thank you, for Giving to the Lord? If he was not a minister, then at least the regular members never knew the difference, right?

Jerry appeared to concentrate at times as he was also a literalist during his WOFF days. Each word spoken means something. Today, each word meant a lot. Jerry’s testimony lasted a while. I cannot remember it all. Highlights include his statements of affection for Jane and his desire to see her stop the controlling behaviors over her members. The bulk of the testimony included the fact that much of the content of the text messages included Scripture or biblical references. Much was made over Jerry calling Jane a Jezebel and committing adultery. Jerry cleared up his intentions were to reference the spirit of Jezebel and spiritual adultery and not actual physical act of adultery. Jerry came off as believable and not in angst over not being allowed to ramble and preach his answers. At several points, he looked at his attorney for clues to know if he could proceed or needed to stop. He had less trouble expressing his intentions about the events in question.

To the credit of the State attorney, he did point out Jerry’s confessed lack of memory the content of certain text messages and of the events January of 2010(?). There was no physical evidence of Josh Farmer’s warnings to stay away from WOFF at that time. If there had been, it would have been entered into court today. There was also a lot made of Jerry’s request through Josh Farmer as attorney for WOFF, for Michael Lowry as a reunited member inside WOFF in February 2013, to be reimbursed for the support during his time in Jerry’s care. Ditz was able to settle the dust some and establish a trail of logic which supported Jerry’s unmet request and recast it as non-threatening event.

During Jerry’s testimony, I was clock watching, attempting to determine if I needed to exit back to my work in a town about an hour away. When Jerry was told to step down and return to his seat, the time seemed to slow down, slower than a snail’s crawl. Each minute passed as if an hour, during the time the Judge called for the warrant and appeared engrossed in reviewing documents. Between 3:25PM and about 3:35PM, I believe the entire WOFF delegation renewed their long lost affection for silent prayer. The air on my side of the room was flooded with hopes for justice.

As if sunshine bursting through a thick cloud, the judge uttered words to the effect the State has not proved the greater weight of the evidence. Jerry was declared not guilty! Just as the judge began his closing remarks, the ever attentive bailiff made her way to our area. Once the decision was known, she motioned for the WOFF side to remain seated and allowed Jerry, his attorney and the few supporters to exit first. We were allowed an escorted free pass without any chance of a WOFF connection, out of the building and were watched carefully as we made our way to our cars. The air seemed light and the spontaneous expressions jubilant! The strategy of Paul Ditz had proven effective and conclusive. What a day!

As in every courtroom in Rutherford County’s courthouse, it was difficult to hear at times and if I missed or misquoted any part of this proceeding, it was not intentional. See rcCatalyst story about today- here .

Jean Gordon of the Daily Courier posted more details of the testimony- here. (updated 5/31/15-11:35AM)

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Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 518.

Different opinions abound as to why Jane would pick Jerry for these charges. First, let me say that any attempt on her part to say she felt seriously threatened by anything Jerry could say or do would be based what? Jane has always been able to coordinate her comfort level in any environment. She has many resources for this. She pretends to fear – Jerry?

Speculation runs rampant as to why she picked Jerry. Who knows for certain, but Jane? One thing I believe is sure; these charges against Jerry could have a stifling effect on members inside and outside. This action by Jane follows her fear-based control methods employed for years over members inside and shows clearly her intense efforts to remain in control over ex-members. Face it; she wants to be in control of anyone who will bow. Anyone who she threatens to label as an “attacker” has heard her warnings- You will be cut off from any family member here!

She uses her incantations cooked up from her “knowledge” and “revelations” of Scripture and direct revelations from her god as the basis for her fear tactics. This has worked for her quite well over the years to break-up families and keep the fences high for many who seek to leave. The outcome of this case as well as the Fenner case in August will determine much for ex-members, Jane and her members inside.

For now, Jerry needs representation. Helping members on the inside is difficult until they leave. Fending off the fear-based strategies of WOFF helps us all, in the long run. By donating to help Jerry, in a small way you will also be helping those on the inside who don’t even realize they need help- yet.

Proverbs 31:8

8 Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble.

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by World Bible Translation Center (viewed on “biblegateway.com” May 25, 2015)

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults
Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 517.

With the help of friends, Jerry made bond and the court date for this matter is May 29th. In unconfirmed statements, sources close to the drama say two high profile surprise participants have been subpoenaed in that case. The earlier civil case between WOFF members, Robert Louis Walker, Jr. and Sarah C. Anderson case and Jerry has a next appearance date of Jan. 2016. What drama this year holds, and we only know part of it, I am sure.

Questions over this drama roll too fast for me to type. Could the civil case have been a strategy move just to get Jerry into the county for the arrest? Why do I ask? A source in the mediation noted Josh appeared disorganized, off his game and disheveled when the court appointed mediator ask what damages the plaintiffs had incurred. His answer was a meek reply containing the assertion the damages were yet to be determined, but the plaintiffs had increased their request for punitive damages from $25,000 each to $50,000 each? Do those two things make sense when put in the same sentence?

Before the drama played out on Tuesday, I read the civil complaint against Jerry noting the apparent disjointed presentation of observations appearing to have been cobbled together in a hurry. The complaint fell way short of the usual standard of Josh Farmer legal presentations. Could this complaint have been dictated or provided for Josh to sign in a rush to piece together a strategy to have the arrest of Jerry before the next appearance in the Fenner case? Is the warrant from Jane Whaley in 2013 being played to bolster Josh’s request for a change of venue in the Fenner case? There are more questions than answers.

Last weekend, a truck load of questions rained down on me about the future of WOFF members and here it seems proper to share them.

How Long? How long can you risk being a member of WOFF?

Regardless of this past week’s drama, the members inside WOFF who are considered ‘professionals’ must ask themselves – “How long can they risk close association with a group with such a growing list of negatives?” Allow me to explain.

For the dentist, how long can you look your patients straight in the mouth and pronounce the innocence of WOFF practices? How long can you afford to be associated with a group whose persona continues to worsen and grow more harmful? Will your patients jump for joy when they know you support such a group with your time, money- even your heart?

For the doctor and other medical professionals, how long can you afford to associate with the group that requires such an undeniable allegiance evidenced by your time, your money and your personal relationship choices? Will your patients line up excited to have you lay hands on them once they begin to doubt or wonder if those are the same hands that participate in abusive WOFF practices? Can you afford even one conviction of any level in the Fenner case? Can you control the outcome of the case?

For the medical professional with a concentration in psychiatric medicine, my questions don’t differ much. Can you afford to tell your next employer that you are an active part of a group that has five members under felony indictments? These indictments include actions during the particular prayer practices that you are so convinced do more good than medicine?

For the accountant(s), will your WOFF participation throw a cloud of mistrust over your non-WOFF clients who don’t automatically trust you? Can the livelihood you have worked so hard to build afford the possible damage of the publicity the Fenner case is bound to generate in August and who knows how many months into 2015 and 2016?

For the WOFF members who teach in the public school system, wow! Can YOU afford even one conviction of any type in the Fenner case? Will the public drama generated over this case impair your relationship with your supervisors or even fracture the trust parents of your students must have in you? Have you considered the ramifications? Will your contract be renewed next spring? Is there any guaranteed position in public education in the times we live?

And lastly, for those WOFF members in the legal profession, what will you do? Where will you run when the piercing eyes of a searching public see you day after day defending the five defendants in the face of whatever evidence the District Attorney brings forth? What if you don’t successfully fend off every conviction of every one of the five defendants? Will your participation in WOFF leadership be automatically construed as your approval of every practice sanctioned and allowed by Jane? Will your defense of the group which you lived inside of and loved for years show a weakness because possibly there is a small fissure of doubt? Will you be able to hold onto to the needed objectivity while under the mounting pressures? What if you lose? What will be Jane’s reaction? Will she run and hug you, kiss your check and say thank you? You missed God, but that is okay. I understand.

Have you tried to help Jane realize the physical abuses must stop? How was that received? Have you ever thought about following the two attorneys who cut WOFF ties a few months ago? How did your spouse react when she found out? Loving and supportive?

For each person in the groups above, I am not accusing any of you of the abuses listed in the Fenner indictments. I don’t have to. There are five WOFF defendants, but in reality and in the public eye- the whole church is on trial. Jane’s legacy hangs in the balance over the Fenner case, and if not this case, certainly in any one of the ones which are sure to follow. From my view point, the waters are rising on Old Flynn road. Who opened the flood gates? I think they were gradually opened as WOFF leadership evolved during each service to accept as “God’s ways” the abuses which now plague the subculture.

Every WOFF member must ask themselves during the quiet times before sleeping, is it worth it? Is continuing to live in this church worth the potential damage to me personally or my children? Maybe you still think the doctrines are right, but can you agree with the evolving abusive practices? What will it take to cause you to exit WOFF? Are you truly happy? It has been a nice run, time to move on?

follow on Twitter- @religiouscults
Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 513.

On Friday, January 4, 2013, in the Rutherford County Courthouse; I was witness to the courtroom drama involving four Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members and a former member, Jerry Cooper. The case stems from warrants issued after incidents which took place October 16, 2012 in Rutherford County. This case has been reported on this blog. Here is a link to the most recent post about this drama- The Present Drama(s) – https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=5275

Let me first say I was not there for the first motion which the judge granted. That was to bar cameras from the courtroom. This stopped the local television reporter from filming what turned out to be a very long day. I did arrive in time to see several cases dispensed before getting to obviously the main case on the docket- North Carolina vs. Jason Gross, Gilbert Carmona, Chris Hall and Randy Fields. Also, I left at 2:45PM and was not able to stay for the entire proceedings, as it was sometime around 5:00PM when things were wrapped up, so I told. During my time there, I did see Jerry Cooper testify and be cross-examined. Michael Lowry testified for the State and then was crossed examined by Mark Morris with a very few questions. Now, that seemed odd since Mr. Morris was named in the initial complaint in February 2012 filed by Michael Lowry… I am no law scholar but, doesn’t that seem strange?

From here, this post will only contain my opinions and what I observed. It will not be a complete record, as I only took mental notes. There were so many pieces of evidence introduced and at times, combative statements by most all parties; who could remember it all unless they were taping it from inside or outside the courtroom? Getting the transcripts would probably prove very costly.

After Jerry Cooper was called to the stand and before his questioning began; Josh Farmer opened with an explosive shot over the bow. He introduced a motion to quash the proceedings based on what were in his opinion, poorly written, incomplete warrants. He conveyed several jabs (figuratively) toward the magistrate who wrote the warrants saying they were incomplete and did not provide the facts surrounding the incidents which did not give his clients time or the ability to prepare a defense. Looking back, this supposition was not entirely true. In fact, I would call it “lawyer-speak”. As the day wore on and the defense tactics and strategies became evident, it was obvious Josh Farmer and his crews had spent HOURS preparing their defense and were very deliberate in everything they presented. Before the session was finished, there were videos, pictures, maps, and of course the pounding of the State witness;  all of this while the defendants (that I saw) were allowed to ramble on and on in a reflective, seemingly surreal, overly pleasurable and often gushing fashion about the “good life” at WOFF. To me, it seemed par for a much practiced performance. What did I note in the previous post; there is never an open and shut case when WOFF is involved.

There were four lawyers active at the defense table, but only three who were directly representing the defendants. There was one district attorney representing the State, who appeared to be marking pages in a criminal reference manual just before the proceedings and I believe had NO idea of the intense battle she was about to encounter with the WOFF attorney team. Her prep time with Jerry Cooper was maybe twenty minutes in room off to the side of the court. As I reflect on the circus that unfolded, it appeared that neither the judge nor the D.A. had been briefed on past cases involving WOFF and the lengths they will go to in order to defend the reputation of the leader, Jane Whaley and her group. Yes, Jane was there at times, she came in after most were seated and left before the break time and obviously purposed to return to see the afternoon session as I met her on my way out.

Josh Farmer’s efforts were rewarded with the stalking charges being stricken. Odd, as the day went on and the testimony came forth, it was quite OBVIOUS that the members of the WOFF Security Team were proficient and counted it their duty to take pictures and film Jerry Cooper – whether he was on Old Flynn Rd or at the Tri-City Mall where the series of incidents in question took place. Was that stalking when it was away from WOFF property? I know of this tactic as I have been filmed and photographed many times by WOFF folks. Jason Gross even followed me closely when I was leaving the area of the church back in May of 2012. He seemed surprised when I stopped and allowed him to go by and got behind him! Read about that day- here:  Spring Missions Project 2012- Pictures- https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=5104

As this post could get very lengthy, allow me to summarize with some more observations and provide a video link. In the morning, the State presented their case with Jerry Cooper being the main witness. He was allowed to tell his story and cross-examined by WOFF attorneys. The WOFF defense was two-part. The first part was based on attacking Jerry’s credibility by presenting evidence of previous his ventures down Old Flynn road. These presentations were supported by video and photographs taken by WOFF surveillance cameras. Pictures were also presented which were taken by WOFF members and what seemed like still shots taken from a video of the events on October 16^th.

Two points here: if there was a video of the series of events on Old Flynn which were being debated, and if that video was being accurately described by WOFF attorneys with still shot pictures; why was the video not shown in its entirety? What would have been on the video that could not be explained in the favor of WOFF?

Second, since there was evidence allowed supporting Jerry Cooper’s mindset and previous activities; why did the D.A. not introduce evidence showing the previous activities of the WOFF Security Team as already proven in court documents? The case that comes to mind is the McGee case. From the Findings of Fact in case of Bernard McGee, Jr. vs. Pamela McGee- FILE NO. : 00 CVD 0686- in Rutherford County –

58. On the night of the parties separation (April 22nd, 2000), Jamie Dunn, then of the Spindale Police department, observed a van operated by Mike Capistran to being following a vehicle in which the Plaintiff was a passenger at a distance of less than 4 feet.  Jamie Dunn testified that he pulled Capistran over and noted that Capistran had a 2 way radio in his possession.  Jamie Dunn and others testified that they are aware that Capistran is a member ofWOFF.

59. Subsequent to this April date, Mr. Dunn got a second call that a Mr. Wayne Hall, also a member of WOFF, was following the Plaintiff’s mother, Lois McGee.   Mr. Dunn found that Mr. Hall had in fact, pulled his car within close proximity to the vehicle operated  by Lois McGee.

Yes, it was several years ago, however, what evidence is there that the conduct of the WOFF Secuirty Team has changed? I certainly have been treated in similar fashion as recent as May of 2012. The WOFF Security Team does in fact practice intimidation of ex-members on Old Flynn Rd. and away from Old Flynn Rd.

The second part of the WOFF defense strategy was a grandiose retelling of the circumstances involving the incidents on October 16^th. This was accomplished methodically and persistently as any one would expect a WOFF attorney to do. When I saw Jeff Cooper carrying a two inch binder – I should have known it was going to be a long day. This was apparently their resource book for photographs and such. I had seen a similar binder technique used by a WOFF member in a recent court appearance- but, with a different outcome. By the time WOFF rested, I was told that their story included Jerry Cooper as the aggressor and Randy Fields as the victim who was “hit” by Mr. Jerry Cooper’s car. If that were the case, where were the medical bills proving injury? Capitalizing on a statement made by the attending officer who by self-admission was over nineteen hours without sleep, WOFF lawyers said that Gilbert Carmona’s van was not close to Jerry Cooper at the Tri-City Mall and in fact did not hinder his freedom of movement. During the session, charges against Chris Hall were dropped and he was released from standing as a defendant. I heard Rodney Moore, the WOFF juror on the first grand jury in the Michael Lowry case which led to Michael’s testimony not being heard in December; Mr. Moore took the stand to confirm Mr. Fields being hit by Jerry’s car. How credible was that?

As mentioned, I did not stay for the duration and missed the closing arguments. I do regret that, however, I did have previous work related obligations and NEVER anticipated this trial to run as long as it did. Who except the WOFF lawyers knew how much defense they would present after realizing the warrants were written so poorly and they did not know the facts surrounding the accusations? After hearing the judge speak something to the effect that any hindrance of a person’s movement could be false imprisonment, I felt like Jerry Cooper may gain some ground. This comment by the judge was before the onslaught of WOFF “evidence” entered after the lunch break. Also, not all comments by the D.A., the attorneys, the witnesses or judge could be heard clearly. I probably missed some important comments or information during the day.

As many know, the charges were dropped and a WOFF rally was soon formed outside the courthouse. In my mind, the entire drama was secondary to the fact that an F.B.I. agent was watching the proceedings. I saw Josh Farmer’s countenance drop as he introduced himself to the F.B.I. agent. Who knows where this will take Michael Lowry’s complaint?  Here is the link to the WLOS story about Friday’s verdict: (you may have to hit your “Back” Button to return to this post)

http://www.wlos.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/wlos_vid_10113.shtml

In conclusion, the fact that Jane Whaley and her WOFF group keep running in and out of court in reference to many different matters says something. The fact that they employ a Security Team to “guard the church”, have cameras running 24/7 and do make intimidating actions toward former members- says something. After being inside and now outside, to me what all of this does not say is –normal. None of the constant drama surrounding WOFF conveys any sense of stability, common sense or true Christian character. While I was inside, I thought I was in the right place. Now, I see that what I gave up to stay was just as or even more costly than what I gave up to leave. The whirlwind of stressful drama that is the signature of WOFF stems from and is reflective of the instability of its leader(s). In this case, the personality and weakness of the leader has entirely shaped the sub-culture of her group. For that, we must take note and warn others. In light of these observations, we see the true “WOFF-gospel”.

Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 420.

Monday, Michael Lowry was supposed to testify in front of a grand jury in Rutherford County. Just before the proceedings were to begin, Michael was standing in the hallway and noticed a WOFF church member walking in as part of the jury. The member was RM. It was reported to me that RM was clean shaven and had been decked out in a fine leather coat. Former members also noted that his wife had served in the church office and was charged with counting the offerings. What were the odds of that? A WOFF member, who has a spouse working in the church office, (or did at one time…) was picked and allowed to serve on the grand jury which was scheduled to hear a case about a former member of WOFF?

Yes, it would be a tricky maneuver to screen potential jurors based on religious affiliation. Since the influence of Jane Whaley and her group is felt far and wide in Rutherford County, does this not require a change of venue for Michael’s case in order for him to receive due process in the hearing of his complaint? The process could be moved to another county- similar to Jane’s situation a few years ago when her trial for simple assault was moved to Polk County. After the inherent weaknesses were made evident on Monday- this appears as the only option. Do you agree? If it is not moved, the next hearing will be January 9^th in Rutherford County for Michael.

Here is the video link for today and one previous —–

http://www.wlos.com/shared/news/top-stories/stories/wlos_controversial-church-hearing-postponed-9857.shtml

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2nLX8gjBfk

The next drama which is also scheduled in Rutherford County involves four present WOFF members being charged with various infractions including misdemeanor stalking, false imprisonment and damage to personal property. These charges stem from recent events which these four members attempted to impede Jerry Cooper’s freedoms in a local parking lot. The four accused members are Jason Gross, Gilbert Carmona, Sr., Randy Fields and Chris Hall. There has already been one court date which the defendants were granted a continuance until January 4, 2013.

In my opinion, this is cut and dry. It either happened or it did not. The present WOFF members are either guilty or they are not. No amount of Jane’s community influence should be able to cloud the verdict. But, what has been learned in the last few years and confirmed on Monday? There is never an “open and shut” case when WOFF is involved. There are “variables” that come into play and when Lady Justice is supposed to be “blind”, someone succeeds in lifting her blindfold and showing her Jane’s picture or this sign…

We love all People…. Right? We just can’t stand former members who tell what happened behind our doors…

What do all these dramas being played out in public tell us? I firmly believe that anyone seeing these events should realize that the outward events are but reflections of the intense internal dramas going on daily at WOFF. Reflecting over my years at WOFF, I remember the personal realization that the intimidation and physical force exerted in closed door meetings was considered normal and accepted practice as being the pivotal moment when I knew I was in the wrong place. That understanding occurred in a closed door meeting in RF’s office on April 9, 2008. (Here is the link…”What Thoughts Helped Me Leave WOFF?? Part 1″- https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=1396 )

It is NORMAL for Jane and her leadership to use whatever means they feel are “the will of God” in order to bring someone to “repentance” or into “submission”. I have witnessed the screaming, the physical contact and the restrictions to personal freedoms while inside of WOFF. While it is happened to others, one could rationalize and excuse it as necessary…right? When those measures are turned on you, then you have a decision to make… stay or go? If a member chooses to leave, they may not have the means to leave and feel very stuck in WOFF.

The dramas behind the doors constitute the day to day molding and forming of members into the image Jane has for them. THOSE dramas are many times worse and many times more detrimental because they are done under the guise of “God’s ways”… under the guise of “living the way God’s people are supposed to live…” or required to show you are faithful to Jesus… faithful to God and are serving the Lord with all your heart… Members often become very disillusioned with the WOFF-Jesus being forced upon them.

The catalyst for the drama-engine has to be the daily administration of the hundreds of ever-changing unwritten rules within WOFF. This must be considered the real signature or DNA that demonstrates the purposes of the group. A sign can be made to say “We Love All People”… but really, how is that “love” shown everyday? The “love” they show to each other includes the forceful socialization into the sub-culture in the name of WOFF-Religion, under the heading of “the call of God”… for Jane’s edification and support… Think about it- those who reject the socialization into the sub-culture after once being a part are shunned, slandered, ostracized from family, prophesied unto death and destruction…. Yes, reject their “love” and feel their wrath…Who can deny this is Truth? If there are this many “public” dramas,  consider how many other tense dramas are being played out behind the lily white doors of the sanctuary or doors of the WOFF homes…

Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

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Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 418.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. ) This is post number 75.