Related
Advertisements *
Elsewhere
Subscribe: RSS
RNB's RSS feed What is this? |
Subscribe: Email
![]() |
![]() Subscribe by Email What is this? |
Most Popular
- Ayah Pin, leader of Sky Kingdom cult, living in Thailand
- Judge won’t stop hearing on FLDS sect land sale
- Thousands of polygamous sect members show up for court hearing
- Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs faces new sex assault charge
- Evangelist Ted Haggard returns to the pulpit in Illinois
- Australia: Kingdom of Yahweh sect declares itself above law and constitution
- Jury awards $2.5 million to teen beaten by Klan members
- Peoples Temple: pain of cult massacre lives on
- Opinion writer spouts misinformation about the term ‘cult’
- Religious cult member convicted but viewed as victim of cult leader
Scientology Critic Seeks New Judge In Case
The Tampa Tribune, Jan. 21, 2003
http://tampatrib.com/
By DAVID SOMMER
CLEARWATER - A leading critic of the Church of Scientology who switched sides last year now wants to disqualify the judge on the Lisa McPherson wrongful death case.
Pasco-Pinellas Circuit Judge Susan Schaeffer blames multimillionaire Robert Minton for the breakdown of settlement negotiations in the case and has concluded Minton is a criminal because he invoked his constitutional right not to answer questions in court, a motion filed late Friday states.
Schaeffer should disqualify herself because Minton is a defendant in the church’s counterclaim against the McPherson estate, Minton attorney Anthony Battaglia wrote.
McPherson, a longtime church member, died in December 1985 after a 17-day stay at Scientology’s spiritual headquarters in Clearwater. The church contends the lawsuit is baseless.
The judge has put the counterclaim on hold until the original lawsuit is settled. A trial scheduled to begin today was postponed indefinitely while the church appeals an order issued by Schaeffer on Jan. 12. In the order, Schaeffer denied the church’s bid to have Ken Dandar removed as the estate’s attorney. That bid was based on testimony from Minton, who said Dandar told him to lie under oath about $2 million Minton purportedly gave Dandar to fund the lawsuit.
Schaeffer concluded it was Minton who was lying about Dandar and said he did so to cover up Minton’s own tax evasion.
Minton’s new motion also attacks Schaeffer for issuing her order on a Sunday, which Minton contends is against Florida law and renders the order void. And because the order is void, the judge “may be liable for substantial damages to Minton” for defamation, the motion states.
“Because Minton has potential tort claims against Judge Schaeffer, the latter has a direct pecuniary interest in seeing Minton discredited, lose valuable rights, or become incarcerated, and hence, the outcome of the case before her,” the motion states.
Like this story?
Today's Most Popular Articles |
|
Share this
To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:
Article and Site Tools
» PermaLink to: Scientology Critic Seeks New Judge In Case Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final / » More news articles + news archive on Scientology » More religion and cult news Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?] » RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed » RSS News Feed - Single Topic: Scientology » Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines |
More Article Tools
Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us Bookmark / Tag: Furl Save this article Email this article Print this article [Temporarily out of order] More Information Books about Scientology Relevant books (and other goodies) |



