MARYLAST WEEK OUR NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE UNIT AIRED ITS YEAR-LONG INVESTIGATION, HOLDING THE LARGEST TELEVISION GROUP INTERVIEW OF ITS KIND WITH PEOPLE WHO GREW UP IN THE CHURCH AND ALLEGE ABUSE. A CALIFORNIA LAWYER IS NOW FIGHTING IN COURT TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO A SECRET JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES DATABASE CONTAINING THE NAMES OF ACCUSED AND CONVICTED ABUSER IN A STATEMENT, THE ORGANIZATION SAID ITS POLICIES COMPLY WITH THE LA AND THAT IT PROMOTES CHILD PROTECTION EDUCATION FOR PARENTS. ♪ MARY: TODAY, MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE FIRST DAY OF A REGIONAL CONVENTION IN BIRMINGHAM. THE THEME, LOVE NEVER FAILS. >> IF WE APPLY LOVE IN OUR LIVES IT’S GOING TO MAKE SITUATIONS BETTER IN EVERY FACET OF OUR LIVES. MARY: WE ASKED BRAD SIMPSON, A MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE CONVENTION, ABOUT ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE. ARE YOU ABLE TO ADDRESS AT ALL ANY OF THE CLAIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE WITHIN CONGREGATIONS? >> NO, UH UH, NO, NOT ABLE TO COMMENT ON THOSE THINGS BUT IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONVENTION AND THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE AND HOW ITS BENEFITTING PEOPLE, WE’RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. MARY: INSTEAD, WE WERE SENT THIS STATEMENT: READING WE ABHOR CHILD ABUSE IN ANY FORM, AND WATCHTOWER’S PRACTICE IS TO ALWAYS FOLLOW THE LAW, AND WE SUPPORT THE EFFORT OF ELDERS IN THE CONGREGATIONS OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES TO DO THE SAME. THE CONVENTION CONTINUES THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH THOUSANDS MORE EXPECTED TO ATTEND. IN BIRMINGHAM, MARY O’CONN