Volume 1, Issue 35 vom 29. 12. 1996

Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review
Volume 1, Issue 35
12/29/96
by Rod Keller [rkeller@voicenet.com]
copyright 1996

Contents

1. Norway
2. CAN Rising
3. Senior Honor Roll
4. Delphian Academy
5. FACTNet Lawyer
6. Germany
7. Grady Ward
8. Hemet
9. Flag Abuses
10. Lisa McPherson
11. Rod Keller

Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review summarizes the most significant
postings from the Usenet group Alt.religion.scientology for the preceding
week for the benefit of those who can't follow the group as closely as
they'd like. Out of thousands of postings, I attempt to include news of
significant events, new affidavits, court rulings, new contributors,
whatever. I hope you find it useful. Like many readers of a.r.s, I have a
kill file. So please take into consideration that I may not have seen some
of the most significant postings.

The articles in A.r.s Week in Review are brief summaries of the articles. 
Many include an excerpt, and all include message IDs for the articles I
cover. This may or may not be useful to you, depending on how long your
site stores articles in the newsgroup before expiring them. 

Free A.r.s Week in Review subscriptions are available, just email me at
rkeller@voicenet.com
It is archived at:
        http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
        http://user1.i1.net/~mallen/scn/arswr/ars-summary.html
        http://users.aimnet.com/~jdiver/scieno.htm
        http://www.thur.de/religio/publik/arsfaq.html

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"The biggest (?) computer magazine in Norway had a good article about Operation Clambake. The magazine is called 'Datatid' no. 16/17 December 1996. The magazine asks 'Will international sects, who brainwash people using strange recipes, have to give up in Cyberspace? Or will sects, because they have so much money, manage to stop being undressed in public, by using lawyers against the net providers? Will they get the same power - through their closed rooms - also in Cyberspace?' The article sums up what Scientology is: 'The founder, sci-fi writer Ron Hubbard, made his own genesis and a methodic system, so called personality courses, which results in break down of the human psychical self-defence.'"

Message-ID: <32C28A1F.899@online.no>

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CAN Rising

"CAN v. Church of Scientology International Appeal Brief: 'Conspiracy to engage in malicious prosecution' December 6, 1996

"The Cult Awareness Network ('CAN') brought this action against the Church of Scientology International, Bowles and Moxon (a California law firm), and the Church of Scientology of Illinois to recover damages for conspiracy to engage in malicious prosecution. According to the allegations of CAN's complaint, defendants conspired to file and prosecute at least 24 baseless lawsuits against CAN and its affiliates in state and federal courts across the country for the purpose of harassing and intimidating CAN, suppressing CAN's legitimate public education activities, and ultimately bringing about CAN's demise as a competitor in the marketplace of ideas.

"In particular, the defendants instigated, assisted, and financed individual Scientologists who participated in the defendants' scheme. CAN further alleges that the defendants pursued these lawsuits not to recover on any legitimate legal claims, but rather to harass and intimidate CAN, to suppress CAN's legitimate public education activities, and to bring about CAN's ultimate demise.

"As evidenced in the findings of a California court in one of the underlying actions, these lawsuits appear to have their genesis in a February 1991 edict of the Church of Scientology identif[ying] CAN as a suppressive group, which church literature defines as 'one that actively seeks to suppress or damage Scientology or a Scientologist by Suppressive Acts.'

"Yet despite this scenario, the Circuit and Appellate Courts have told CAN that it has no tort remedy. These rulings are based upon a seriously flawed application of two of the required elements for stating a cause of action for malicious prosecution. First, the Appellate Court's approach to the favorable termination requirement finds no support in decisions of this Court, is not (to our knowledge) followed by the courts of any other jurisdiction, creates perverse incentives, leads to absurd results, and makes no sense in view of the recognized purposes of the requirement itself or the tort in general. Second, the Appellate Court's application of the 'special damage' requirement was inconsistent with well-settled Illinois law that having to defend multiple frivolous suits constitutes a special damage.

"CAN has suffered a grievous wrong here at the hands of the defendants. The Circuit and Appellate Courts have denied CAN an opportunity to right this wrong. Permitting the result in this case to stand will simply give succor to those who would misuse the judicial system as an instrument of oppression while at the same time denying their opponents and the courts an avenue of protection and relief.

"This Court should reverse the judgment of the circuit and appellate courts and remand the case to the circuit court for further proceedings on CAN's malicious prosecution cause of action.

"December 6, 1996 Respectfully submitted, James C. Schroeder Robert M. Dow, Jr. Craig A. Woods"

Jim Beebe posted some personal experiences while working in CAN.

"I am a former rondroid (scientologist) and I became one who took phone calls from around the world. Calls from very distressed people...parents of, husbands or wives of, siblings or friends of someone who had been lured into a destructive cult. Many of the most disturbing calls involved scientology.

"Within a week or two that I started work in the CAN office, Kendrick Moxon sent a threatening letter to CAN. It drove them nuts that a former member was working in the office. I started receiving threatening calls at the office and at home. Shortly after CAN was ordered closed by the bankrupt US Bankruptcy Court, I started receiving calls from people saying that they had received in the mail 8 pages of material attacking me personally. These were people who had called CAN for info on scientology and that I had talked with. How did scientology agents get these names and addresses?

"I have reason to believe that the scientology agent or agents who are attacking me, are acting under Moxon's orders. and we of the CAN staff, have good reason to believe that scientology agents had, somehow, bugged the CAN office in Barrington, IL

"Trustee, Philip Martino, has been totally unresponsive, secretive and untruthful. He tried to slip through the sale of the CAN files and only withdrew from this when people heard of this and began an outcry. He denied CAN staff access to their own mail. He arrogantly told me that he was throwing CAN mail in the garbage. He quickly realized that he had blundered with this disclosure and tried to backtrack having his secretary claim that she would send on mail that was addressed to CAN staff or pertained to them. This was a total lie as no CAN staff ever received anything." Message-ID: <32bfdd99.5601031@snews1.zippo.com>
Message-ID: <19961224221800.RAA17835@ladder01.news.aol.com>

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Senior Honor Roll

"These people fell off the list since 1990, when it had been created:

"Susanne Bendig, Jann Borowski, Steven J. Grant, Steven Kempner, Anton Kuchelmeister, Debbie Leake, Peter Love, Bill Pelletier, Jessica Ronhaar, Sharon Skonetski, Gudrun Sonntag, Bertie van Hoecke, Marc Yager

"Here are the biggest moneybags of the IAS:

The Feshbach Family (US):
Joseph Feshbach, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Kurt Feshbach, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Matthew L. Feshbach, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Cindy Feshbach, Patron with Honors -- 100,000 $
David Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Jacob Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Jessica Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Kathy Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Kuryn Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Max Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Rachel Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Sam Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Sarah Feshbach, Patron -- 40,000 $
Melissa (Feshbach?) Epstein -- 40,000 $
Total: 1,250,000 $

"The Jensen Family (US):
Craig Jensen, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Sally Jensen, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Laurel Jensen, Patron with Honors -- 100,000 $
Marissa Jensen, Patron with Honors -- 100,000 $
Total: 700,000 $

"The Mrkos Family (Switzerland):
Bretislav Mrkos, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Jelena Mrkos, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Rosemarie Mrkos, Patron with Honors -- 100,000 $
Total: 600,000 $


"The Ellenburg Family (US):
Gerald Ellenburg, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Kristin Mary Tomczak, Patron with Honors -- 100,000 $
Jason Ellenburg, Patron with Honors -- 100,000 $
Laura Jane Ellenburg, Patron -- 40,000 $
Ryan Tomczak Ellenburg, Patron -- 40,000 $
Total: 530,000 $

"The Villareal Family (Mexico/US):
Gustavo Loman Villareal, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Juan D. Villareal, Patron Meritorious -- 250,000 $
Total: 500,000 $

Message-ID: <19961226204200.PAA27674@ladder01.news.aol.com>
Message-ID: <19961226230300.SAA00413@ladder01.news.aol.com>
Message-ID: <19961227162400.LAA17460@ladder01.news.aol.com>

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Delphian Academy

"I was at the Delphian school when I was 6 yrs old and was only there for a summer (I think?). Luckily, I was able to be with my father in his area (a cubicle with a sheet for a door) and not downstairs in what I remember to be a cold and dark cement basement area where the children going there for boarding school slept. At 6 I thought it would be neat to stay down there because it looked like caves. That was back in about 1975, and I don't know how much the place has changed since. Back then, it was really pretty sparse and furnished with second-hand furniture. The lobby was really opulent, but everything else was so old. The water from the drinking fountains tasted absolutely horrible and stunk. But the food in the dining room was good, whole milk etc.

"There was also an area where the teenagers were at. A staff person once took me down there to show me what happened to kids when they didn't follow the rules. She opened the door to a small boiler room where a kid (I assume probably about 12 - 15 yrs old) was shoveling coal into a furnace. She said he was caught smoking."

Message-ID: <000056ef+00019c56@msn.com>

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FACTNet Lawyer

"I have been told by Bob Lewis that whilst I was on vacation in 1994/1995, Plaintiffs' representatives indirectly contacted a lobbyist in Washington. D.C. and persuaded him to contact my client's claim representatives in New York, and encouraged them to withdraw the defense being provided by A.I.G. to Dr. Geertz.

"Around the same time, Scientology attorneys Elliot Abelson, Esq. and William T. Drescher, Esq., and Scientology executives Michael Rinder, Lynn Famey and others visited Bob Lewis. They spent at least a full day laying out 'the evidence' they had developed against him and the Lewis, D'Amato law firm through the use of private investigators and other forms of clandestine investigation and surveillance.

"As a result, Scientology, Bob Lewis, the Lewis, D'Amato law firm, and A.I.G. entered into several secret settlement agreements - one of which was an oral agreement restricting the Lewis, D'Amato law firm from further opposing Scientology except for Scientology claims against existing Lewis, D'Amato clients, such as A.I.G.

"Under the written secret settlement agreement, Bob Lewis took the position (contrary to my understanding of black letter law) that since A.I.G. had paid for Dr. Geertz's defense, all of Dr. Geertz's files and documents of any nature belonged to A.I.G. Bob Lewis then transferred those files to a secret storage facility designated by Scientology, paid for by Scientology, and to which only Scientology and Bob Lewis could have access.

"Ultimately Dr. Geertz obtained a court order from Judge Hupp requiring that Bob Lewis turn over the files. The transfer was delayed until July when Dr. Geertz's files were transferred to Ford Greene, Esq.

"Subsequently I became aware that certain boxes of documents, that did not belong to Dr. Geertz, had been transferred to the secret storage facility and intermingled with Dr. Geertz's files. I was asked to go to the storage facility and ensure that it was only Dr. Geertz's files that were transferred to Ford Greene and Dan Liepold, and not the other boxes of documents that had erroneously been stored. Nothing was removed therefrom. I did not ascertain what was actually in the boxes. I have never conspired to 'launder' documents.

"As indicated on pages 2 and 3 of my May 9, 1996 letter to you, Vicki Aznaran, Richard Aznaran and Andre Tabayoyon were initially retained as expert consultants in the Geertz litigation and were later designated as expert witnesses.

"There is nothing unusual or improper about the payment of expert consultants and expert witnesses for their time engaged in connection with litigation. Indeed, there are many persons who make their living exclusively, or predominantly, by being paid for their time testifying in court or deposition as designated expert witnesses.

"The real rub, as far as Scientology is concerned, is that it believes that only currently practicing Scientologists in good standing with 'the Church' can be designated as expert witnesses. If the courts were to accept that rationale, there would be obvious difficulties for their opponents in litigation. Indeed, the Geertz case was probably the first Scientology case where the defense made extensive use of expert witnesses. Scientology vehemently objected to the designation of these former high ranking Scientologists as expert witnesses calling them 'apostates' and worse. However, Robert Vaughn Young subsequently provided expert witness testimony against Scientology in a Chicago case, was deposed as an expert witness in a Sterling Management (a Scientology front corporation) case and testified as an expert witness before the trial court in Religious Technology Center (a Scientology corporation) v. FACTNET.

"Vicki Aznaran executed at least three declarations on May 19, 1994. These May 19, 1994 declarations were executed during the course of a settlement between the Aznaran and Scientology. Indeed, Vicki Aznaran even admits that she went behind the back of her own counsel to settle directly with Scientology, cutting her counsel out of the settlement loop and avoiding payment of his share of the settlement monies (rumored to be $250,000). Moreover, this was the second occasion on which Scientology attorneys had gone behind the back of Ford Greene, Esq. to deal directly with the Aznarans. Clearly, the declarations were prepared by Scientology representatives and for different purposes.

"The declaration of Andre Tabayoyon executed on June 3, 1994, details Richard Aznaran's May 19, 1994 attempts to induce Andre Tabayoyon with offers of employment, etc. in an effort to have him recant the contents of his declaration and to make similar allegations to those the Aznarans made against me.

"Likewise, Stacy Young, in her December 14, 1994 declaration, testifies that Scientology representatives offered the Youngs nearly $200,000 to sign their false and penurious declarations, but '[they] refused . . . because [they] would never perjure themselves nor would [they] become pawns in Scientology's vendetta against Graham Berry.' Similarly, Robert Vaughn Young, in his December 14, 1994 declaration, states that 'Vicki and Rick Aznaran had earlier met with Sutter and Rinder and had 'recanted' their declarations and were now making ridiculous statements on behalf of Scientology. [He] had heard that the Aznarans had been paid a large amount of money to retract their testimony and to help Scientology instead.'"

Message-ID: <59vuef$5pa@darkstar.bos.platsol.com>
Message-ID: <59vuiq$5r3@darkstar.bos.platsol.com>

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Germany

"Germans can be the most convenient of scapegoats, and it's not too hard to figure out why. Today's Germany may be a modern, liberal democracy but half a century after World War II, millions of people around the world still have trouble thinking about the country without dredging up images of Adolf Hitler and jackbooted SS killers. "So even though most of today's Germans weren't even alive during those brutal years, if some little understood group claiming to be a religious organization complains about being singled out for persecution, there is often a presumption of guilt. The words 'Nazi' and 'Holocaust' somehow don't seem all that out of place. "All these presumptions and prejudices are being debated here these days because of an increasingly bitter dispute between German authorities and the Church of Scientology, the controversial group whose spiritual headquarters is in Clearwater. Just this past week, Chancellor Helmut Kohl announced the creation of a federal office to monitor Scientology's activities in Germany and keep church members out of key public jobs.

"The Church of Scientology is fighting back the best way it knows how - accusing German authorities, in the most public and embarrassing way possible, of reverting to the country's Nazi past. And even if some might consider the charge a far-fetched exaggeration, it's gaining resonance in Germany and throughout the world.

"[A] dedicated Scientology foe is Ralf Burmester, a 40-year-old Hamburg lawyer who specializes in representing ex-Scientologists who feel the organization has taken financial advantage of them.

"'Normally, by the time they come to me they are finished, ruined, and they know it,' says Burmester 'Typically, it's a young man or woman who's an office worker, a clerk or an accountant in a large firm. They join Scientology and buy a flat through a company controlled by Scientologists for about 200,000 deutsche marks ($135,500). This is not the kind of flat they can afford, but with the help of the Scientologists, they get a bank loan for that amount. But only 150,000 deutsche marks ($102,000) is for the flat. The other 50,000 marks goes directly to Scientology.

"'After a while,' continues Burmester, 'they can't make their payments. The bank starts pressing but they don't have the money. They're stuck. Scientology has its 50,000 but they're stuck. It's an impossible situation but it happens all the time here. Eventually many of them come to me, usually frightened and desperate, no money, no more job, no insurance or social security."

>From a Reuters report, posted this week:

"The United States, which has criticized Germany in the past over its treatment of Scientologists, praised Bonn Friday for 'positive' and 'constructive' actions on the issue this week.

"Germany's federal and regional governments agreed on a package of steps Wednesday to counter what they called the 'expansionist aims and claim to domination' of the Church of Scientology. The move aimed to establish a unified approach against the U.S.-based group after a number of politicians and regional states called for action against what they consider to be a profit-making, pseudo-religious sect relying on manipulation.

"State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said the German government 'did not, as far as I saw, announce any draconian or repressive measures' against Scientologists and had pledged not to try to shut the group down in Germany. 'That's good news indeed,' Burns told a news briefing. 'I think the German government has said things this week which are positive and has taken an action ... which appears to be constructive. We need to study it in greater detail.'"

And finally from the San Francisco Chronicle, December 26, 1996.

"Authorities have been cracking down on the organization's 30,000 member German branch, which has operated since 1970. At a late November party conference on cults in Dresden, members of Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, presented a proposal that would severely limit the rights of Scientologists.

"The plan would put the church under surveillance, bar its members from government employment and prohibit awarding government contracts to Scientology-run companies. The major political parties already prohibit membership by Scientologists. Scientologists in Bavaria were dealt a severe blow last month when a law prohibiting members from working for the state went into effect. Government workers can be fired if they are found to be church members.

"It is likely that the law will be found unconstitutional, and even some government officials who are working to clamp a lid on Scientology believe it goes too far. 'Such extremism by the Bavarian Government will only give Scientology the appearance of legitimacy,' said Anne Ruhele, the Berlin state commissioner for religious cults.

"Dr. Hans-Gerd Jaschke, author of a 1995 report on Scientology for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, said the group's political intentions are apparent in its tenets and in its stated goal of establishing a utopian world based on the philosophy of its founder, the late science-fiction author L. Ron Hubbard.

"Jaschke, a professor of political science at the University of Frankfurt, said the organization fits the paradigms of totalitarian groups that teach strict, unwavering dogma, follow the convictions of their leaders unquestioningly and brand their critics enemies. He draws parallels between the methods of Scientology and those of the Nazis and Stalinists."

Message-ID: <32df79cf.21752427@news.snafu.de>
Message-ID: <199612230048.QAA23630@mailmasher.com>
Message-ID: <32C4399B.5B88@fsc.fujitsu.com>
Message-ID: <32C4432B.15A@fsc.fujitsu.com>

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Grady Ward

"'By soliciting them [RTC's works], you are both violating trade secret law prohibiting the acquisition of trade secrets, as well as soliciting others to engage in copyright infringement by making and distributing copies of copyrighted works.'

"You are a lying fool, Hogan. I am not acquiring secrets *improperly* according to California law. If you disagree, take it to the Judge.

"'Since your solicitations pose a continuing threat to RTC's intellectual property rights, we must insist that you immediately post to ars and other newsgroups an unequivocal withdrawal and renunciation of your December 11 posting. We intend to seek amendment of the existing preliminary injunction to include all the works you are soliciting, and we will ask the Court to enjoin you generally with respect to all of the Advanced Technology works in which RTC holds the rights. We will also request that you be ordered to pay RTC's fees and costs in connection with making such a motion.'

"Once again you attempt to violate my First Amendment rights and my rights of Fair Use under the copyright law to acquire and quote for scholarly purposes and for purposes of criticism the criminal cult handbook of misery that the racketeering cult calls its most holy scriptures. As you well know I am asking people only to send me material that they have properly acquired."

Message-ID: <32c261e8.1117943@207.126.101.80>

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Hemet

"I went by an apartment complex that they use for berthing, and took a photo of the apartment and 3 buses in front. Then I went on to Golden Era Studios. I parked near the new studio and started taking photos. Immediately a guy on a motorcycle came up to me and asked what I was doing. I said I just wanted to take photos of the property and then I'd be leaving. He asked who I was and who I was working for and I refused to answer both questions. He called on his walkie-talkie 'professional photographer coming up.'

"As he drove off to get my license plate number, I went on to take photos of the ship and such. As I was about 20 yards from the gated entry, 2 guys came out and started taking pictures of me. One had a telephoto lens and the other a cheapy camera. I told them that I was just going to take a few photos and leave. They said they were worried about me because I wouldn't reveal who I was or who I was working for. So I took their photo too. The one guy told me that the curb was their property line, which doesn't leave much room for walking! I took shots of the sign (after the one guy finally got out of the way when I said I'd stay there as long as it took to get that photo), the ship, and the chapel.

"When we got to my car he took photos of the inside of the car. Then I opened the trunk to get out my video-camera. He called on his walkie- talkie 'he's taking out a video camera.' Sheesh. He photographed the inside of the trunk of the car, and I told him I considered that a violation of my privacy. I told him I was only going to take about 30 seconds of the studio, which I did. I then thanked him for the conversation, shook hands, and drove off.

"They have many remote cameras along the metal fences. They have high-powered lights all along the fence. You can read Andre Tabayoyon's affidavit for other unseen security systems. And on top of the hardware used, security guards instantly come out to question anyone who even stops near their property."

Message-ID: <59l3s3$i8c@nnrp1.news.primenet.com>

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Flag Abuses

"Several of my pcs were severely disturbed by false promises from registrars. The most infamous involved Martha Higareda, a rich Mexican businesswoman. She was made to pay over 2 million US dollars to pay for Mexican trainees. A lot of money was dilapidated and books and E-meters that were not needed were sold so that the registrars would get 15% commissions on those sales. A scare was for some Trainees to get their free E-meter and then sell them, pocketing the money for themselves. Martha Higareda left the Church.

"A pc of mine, named Francesco Da Pasquale was debited $2,000 more on this credit card than he had authorised. As a result, he went beyond his limit. He was very upset about it as this was a non-authorised debit. I have heard several times Flag registrars, such as Per Almquist debiting credit cards of public without their OK as once a Flag public has made a payment by credit card, the Church now has their number on file and can instantly debit more money.

"Gloria Newmeyer is a rich and successful woman from California who is an IAS Patron (she's paid over $100,000) and has been an important member of WISE. Prior to Scientology she was an alcoholic. Since on the OT levels and while on the long level of Solo NOTS she never once took a glass containing alcohol. After attesting to Solo Nots, she took the plane back home and got drunk on the plane. The Church decided to make a scandal out of this affair and went on the rampage to harass her and her past auditors and C/S's. She started to get drunk and got under threat of expulsion, ordered to report to Flag. Gloria got violently upset at the indications and bizarre handling from the MAA. She went psychotic, and was held against her will in a room at the Fort Harrisson. She escaped and went to a hotel on the beach and drank a whole 40 oz bottle of Vodka and passed out. She started to act incoherently in the lobby of the hotel and the police invoked the Baker act and ordered her institutionalized in a mental hospital for 'observation' for 48 hours.

"I witnessed several Flag public being detained against their will after they were locked in a room after going type III. One was a businessman from France in his mid 30's. He went lunatic after attesting to Solo Nots. He repeatedly tried to leave the room where he was locked up at the Hacienda in Clearwater. He was jumped on and even slightly injured once in his struggle to go out. I delivered him the Introspection Rundown. He was hallucinating. He was seeing flying saucers everywhere and was convinced WWIII had actually begun. His name is Christian Fouche.

"Another was a woman, a field auditor from Switzerland, she went into a full blown paranoia-persecution fit 2 days after attesting OT VII (her Solo Nots completion number was no 107, which got later given to someone else). She was held at the Sand Castle against her will for several weeks. One day she managed to escape from her guard (Susan Hughes, wife of Chief of Security Flag Land Base) and went to the police station but she was so incoherent and hardly knew a word of English, (her main worry was that we were giving her AIDS) that no action was taken. I audited her on the Introspection Rundown and on sec-checks. Her husband flew in to escort her home after she was made to sign affidavits in her incoherent state. Her name is Marylin Stuckly.

"Roxanne Friend went utterly and violently psychotic a year after attesting to Solo Nots. She was held against her will in a room at the Hacienda in Clearwater according to the reports (which I personally read) of both the auditor, (Jim Sydejko, CL XII) and her guard (a Flag trained Class VI), her behaviour was very similar to the girl possessed by the devil in the Movie 'The Exorcist'. She would even masturbate herself without shame in front of her male guards. One night she screamed at one of her guards 'FUCK ME!' and went into a catatonic fit. She later managed to escape to California and her auditor was ordered to pursue her."

Message-ID: <5a3eqb$ind@netaxs.com>

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Lisa McPherson

"Shortly before Thanksgiving 1995, she called an old friend and family members and said she would be coming home for the holidays. For the first time in four years, she talked with her childhood friend Kellie Davis and told her she would be moving back to Dallas by Christmas.

"She also told her she would be leaving the Church of Scientology, of which she had been a member for half of her life. 'She couldn't wait to get here,' Davis said. Davis never heard from her friend again.

"On Dec. 5, Scientologists took McPherson from the Fort Harrison Hotel to HCA Hospital in New Port Richey. She was dead on arrival. An autopsy of her gaunt, bruised body showed she died of a blood clot brought on by days of 'bed rest' and 'severe dehydration.'

"'There's no way Lisa would let herself get that sick without calling her mother,' Davis said. 'The Lisa I know would never just lay there and die.'

"McPherson's mother, Fannie, her aunt, Dell Liebriech, and her old friends blame Scientology for her death. They wonder what caused her dehydration, the bruises on her arms and legs and the abrasions and lesions, and why her body had bug or animal bites on it. McPherson also had a staph infection, which the church says explains all of her symptoms, including the bruises.

"Liebriech said that since the circumstances of McPherson's death were first reported by The Tampa Tribune a week ago, Anderson has called the McPherson home as many as three times a day. She considers the calls harassment.

"After she died, McPherson's relatives came to her apartment to take care of business on Dec. 16. People were carting out Lisa's belongings, including her stereo, television set, answering machine, telephone and clothes, Liebriech said.

"'There was one box they didn't get to,' Liebriech said. The box, tucked away in a hall closet, contained the diaries and a variety of documents. An unsigned 1994 tax return form lists McPherson's income at nearly $137,000. Scientology documents the family has indicate McPherson paid as much as $1,000 an hour for Scientology courses. According to a Church of Scientology Parishioner Annual Statement for 1994, she donated $75,275 'to qualified religious services.' The same document shows she made additional tax-deductible donations of nearly $55,000 to the church."

>From a December 18th article in the St. Petersburg Times:

"There is considerable anecdotal evidence that should heighten concern about McPherson's death. Shortly before her traffic accident in November 1995, McPherson confided that she was leaving the Church of Scientology, a long-time friend told the Tampa Tribune. McPherson's mother, Fannie McPherson, told the newspaper that her daughter told her she was having trouble meeting her sales goals at a Clearwater business owned by a Scientologist. Fannie McPherson said Scientologists told her that her daughter was placed in solitary confinement at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater after the auto accident. She said Scientologists attended her daughter's funeral in Texas and claimed that Lisa wanted her body to be cremated. Scientologists deny they place anyone in solitary confinement.

"Why did Scientologists ignore medical advice and escort Lisa McPherson out of Morton Plant Hospital after her traffic accident? What happened to her in the l7 days between the traffic accident and her death? Why did Scientologists avoid nearby hospitals and take her to a Pasco County hospital, where she was to be examined by a doctor who is a Scientologist and who had never seen McPherson before? Why did McPherson have just $11 in her savings account at the time of her death when Scientology officials say she earned up to $80,000 a year? Why has the Church of Scientology failed to help police locate three Scientologists who apparently helped care for McPherson in Clearwater and have since left the country?

"The Clearwater Police Department should press ahead with its investigation into Lisa McPherson's death. It should not hesitate to seek help from other law enforcement agencies, and it should proceed with or without cooperation from the Church of Scientology."

Message-ID: <32e07a18.21824876@news.snafu.de>
Message-ID: <32c2a690.93735173@news.snafu.de>

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Rod Keller

"All communications to or with Graham Berry, Steven Fishman, any officer or director of the Cult Awareness Network, and/or Rick Ross; any communications to or with any person concerning or relating to Jason Scott and the case of _Scott v. Ross & CAN_; any communications relating to the Cult Awareness Network. This demand includes all electronic and hard copy media of any type in your possession, custody or control."

Here's what I filed with the bankruptcy court in Arizona.

"Roderick S. Keller ('Keller') moves to quash summarily the Subpoena Duces Tecum for a Rule 2004 Examination dated Wednesday 'December 18, 1996' which was served on him on December 23, 1996, at 8:00 p.m. at his home in Philadelphia, PA. (Exhibit A) in accordance with the attached Form of Order, and/or to schedule a hearing, at which he may participate by telephone, and to suspend effectiveness of the Subpoena pending hearing, in accordance with the attached alternative Form of Order. In support of which Keller states:

"1. Keller is not a party to this bankruptcy.

"2. The Subpoena is invalid insofar as it states that, 'A copy of the court order authorizing the examination is attached' but fails to attach any such order. Keller has faxed and mailed to Counsel issuing the Subpoena, Kendrick L. Moxon, Esquire, a letter requesting a copy of the missing order.

"3. The Subpoena does not allow Keller reasonable time to obtain representation in this matter, particularly considering the holidays between December 23rd and January 2nd.

"4. The Subpoena is not calculated to develop any information within the scope of Rule 2004 (as contrasted with a harassing tactic for some other purpose).

"a. Keller has no information relating to the 'acts, conduct or property or to the liabilities and financial condition of the debtor or to any matter which may affect the administration of the debtor's estate' as covered by Rule 2004.

"b. The Subpoena seems to be part of a vendetta far beyond the scope of Rule 2004.

"5. If Counsel issuing the Subpoena has any valid reason for any of the proposed Rule 2004 Examination, he has failed to demonstrate inability to secure relevant information without examining a non-party. Accordingly, Keller respectfully requests that this Honorable Court, in accordance with the alternative attached forms of Order, summarily quash the Subpoena or, at the least, schedule a hearing on this motion, permitting participation by telephone."

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