From: tomklem@netcom.com (Tom Klemesrud) Subject: LYON TRIAL French press report on verdict, Nov 23rd [Xenu] Date: 1996/11/23 Message-ID: sender: tomklem@netcom7.netcom.com organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) newsgroups: la.general,la.news [ Article crossposted from alt.religion.scientology ] [ Author was Jens Tingleff ] [ Posted on Sat, 23 Nov 1996 12:53:38 +0100 ] [Summary/piecemeal translation of article describing verdict in the trial in Lyon of 23 clams. From Liberation, liberal/leftish French daily. French original in single quotes. Comments/unclear points in square brackets. Apologies for my French, gotta get a dictionary one of these days... For 'sect' you may want to read 'cult'.] 'Un Scientologue en Prison' A Scientologist in prison by Bernard Fromentien Liberation, 23/11 -96, page 13 Copyright 1996 Liberation [Picture of Jean-Jacques Mazier with a young qoman (looking positive, but not looking at the camera and an older woman gicing the camera the evil eye)] ======================================================================= The court in Lyon sentenced on friday 15 members of the sect prosecuted after the suicide of an adhenerent in march 1988 On Oct 8th, in the course of a trial lasting seven days, the responsibles in Lyon of the church of scientology heard the public prosecutor demand suspended prison sentences. The criminal court ['Tribunal correctionel'] in Lyon, giving judgement on friday, went further: Jean-Jacques Mazier, accused of 'atteinte involontaire a la liberte autrui' and 'tentative d'escroquerie' was sentenced to 18 months in prison - not suspended - and a further 18 months suspended as well as a fine of 500000FFR (roughly 100000$). 14 other accused were sentenced to between three years and 18 months of prison and fines between 10000 and 50000FFR for 'tentative d'escroqurie, escroqueries, complicitee d'escroquerie et abus de confidences'. Finally, eight other members, mostly in senior positions in the sect - among them Danielle Gounord, national spokesperson - went free. Serene and precise, the president of the court, Patrick Lifschutz, imposed on 21 of the 23 accused the quasi-complete reading of a judgement in 72 pages. The methods of the sect were dissected. The responsibility of J-J Mazier in the initiation of Patrice Vic, who committed suicide after after joining the church of scientology, was established ['accablant']. "Direct causal links" between the actions of the responsibles in Lyon and the death of the member were, according to the judge, cearly established. The judgement quotes the expert Jean-Marie Abgrall: "The techniques of "auditing" places the subject in a state of infantilisation and dependence on connection with the sect." The psychological pressure to which Patrice Vic was exposed and the harassment done by Mazier in the hours before Vic's death "drove him to look for an end to his psychological suffering and brought him to suicide." As to the crime of attempted fraud ['tentative d'escroquerie'] committed by Mazier, it was defined according to te judgement by the "manoeuvres" which had only one goal: "the surrendering of funds more and more important by victims who had been robbed of their free will." The Parisian responsibles of the church of scientology owe their aquittal to the absence of "formal instructions ['consignes formelle']" given to those in Lyon. Mr Metzner, defense laywer, raises this fact. He will appeal against "this judgement of value based on a manifest contradiction: the acquittal of the Parisian members of the church of scientology and the conviction of those from Lyon." And Marc Bromberg, spokes-person for the organisation, sees in the verdict "a success for psychiatric lobbies and anti-sects." In contrast to this, to Mr LLacer, laywer of Nelly Vic, "this decision is essentiel. It permits the pinpointing of the methodologies of this sect. It's a reason for hope for all those who are victims. This judgement is the proof that one can bring a powerful organisation which thought itself above the law to its knees." Nelly Vic, widow of Patrice, could not prevent her husband from jumping from the window on 24th of March of 1988. A year later, as a civil party, she took on "the methods that provoked the breakdown of her husband ['les methodes qui avaient trainee la decheance de son mari']." Yesterday, Nelly Vic expressed her satisfaction "to have succeeded, after eight years of struggle, in obtaining a result which should give courage to all those who fight against sects and who are often tempted to give up on going to the end." ======================================================================= Comment: It's nice to see the judge coming down like a ton of bricks on the local leader of the org. Although I don't doubt that he was "merely" following policy, it's perhaps hard to establish specific links between general attitudes in the cult and the pressure specifically brought on one member. Although all but one prison sentence was suspended, I would be surprised if they could get away with not paying their fines without going to jail ;-) Ah well, that was round one; now for the appeal ;-( Later Jens ------ No PGP signature, no authenticity. Vive La France!! --------- http://www.imaginet.fr/~jensting/. Scientology[tm]?? Check it out at http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html *and* http://www.scientology.org/. Report to alt.religion.scientology ;-)