---

Los Angeles Times, USA
July 1, 1999
Elise Gee
www.latimes.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 12608 • Posted: Thursday July 1, 1999  

---

Judge says lawsuit is not specific enough, so the Costa Mesa group plans to refile defamation suit against a member’s son.

COSTA MESA — An Orange County Superior Court Judge ruled Wednesday that a lawsuit by the Piecemakers against the son of one of the group’s members lacked basic and specific information. But the judge will allow the group 20 days to resubmit the claim.

The Piecemakers live communally in Mesa Verde and run a country store on Adams Avenue. They have been characterized by some experts as a cult and have had numerous run-ins with city and county government for refusing to submit to building and health inspections.

The Piecemakers filed a $5 million lawsuit in May, without the assistance of an attorney, alleging that the member’s son, Tom Halliburton, defamed them and violated their civil rights by posting critical letters on the Internet.

Halliburton sent e-mails to vendors who deal with the Piecemakers, calling them a destructive cult and encouraging vendors to read Ronald Enroth’s book “Churches that Abuse,” which devotes a chapter to the group.

Halliburton’s mother, Donna, left him and four siblings when they were children to live with the Piecemakers. He believes the Piecemakers are responsible for his mother abandoning him, his parents’ divorce and the brainwashing of some members for the benefit and profit of a select few members, according to a motion filed by Halliburton’s attorney, Joseph Donahue.

Piecemakers are paid $10 a week for their work in the Country Store, Marie Kolasinski, the group’s leader, has said.

Halliburton’s attorney said Judge Sheila Fell’s decision was a positive one. Donahue, who described the Piecemakers as self-righteous and sanctimonious, said they told him they intended to follow this course of action to victory.

The Piecemakers have asked for a written apology in addition to monetary compensation.

None of the Piecemakers could not be reached for comment.

Halliburton doesn’t intend to back down, Donahue said.

“He intends to exercise his constitutional rights and voice his constitutional opinion as to what he believes is the wrongdoing of that society or that organization,” Donahue said.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Piecemakers Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Piecemakers Read Another Article Previous entry: Stars’ cult pays out GPB 155,000 over hate campaign Next entry: Space Invaders RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Piecemakers Most Popular Today I know the dark side of Scientology…I almost lost my friend when she became obsessed with it Church of Scientology told to drop Churchill images

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.