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Jason was driven to a seaside cottage, where the rope around his ankles was loosened sufficiently to enable him to make steps.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /> Ross and his partners walked him into the house, one of the men leading him on a ] leash, another holding his handcuffs.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Ross and his partners had made the house a virtual prison; the windows were covered with thick nylon straps forming a mesh, to prevent escape.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> The two doors to the room where he was held were guarded.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> His captors also took his shoes and fitted the room with ]s.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason demanded that he be allowed to leave, and asked Ross whether he would try to make him change his religious beliefs.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Ross replied, "Yeah, that's what I'm paid to do."<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason then threatened him with criminal prosecution, to which Ross responded with laughter: "You're not going anywhere and if you give me any problems I'm going to handcuff you to the bed frame and it's going to be more uncomfortable than the ride over here."<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason was driven to a seaside cottage, where the rope around his ankles was loosened sufficiently to enable him to make steps.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /> Ross and his partners walked him into the house, one of the men leading him on a ] leash, another holding his handcuffs.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Ross and his partners had made the house a virtual prison; the windows were covered with thick nylon straps forming a mesh, to prevent escape.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> The two doors to the room where he was held were guarded.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> His captors also took his shoes and fitted the room with ]s.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason demanded that he be allowed to leave, and asked Ross whether he would try to make him change his religious beliefs.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Ross replied, "Yeah, that's what I'm paid to do."<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason then threatened him with criminal prosecution, to which Ross responded with laughter: "You're not going anywhere and if you give me any problems I'm going to handcuff you to the bed frame and it's going to be more uncomfortable than the ride over here."<ref name=Shupe180-184 />


Jason then endured five days of derogatory comments about himself, his beliefs, his girlfriend and his pastor, and diatribes by Ross about the ways in which ] and conservative ] were wrong.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /> On every visit to the bathroom, Jason was accompanied by at least two men.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Being fed poor, fatty food, he began to suffer from ] and ], in addition to his scratches and bruises.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Every day, Ross argued with Jason about matters of religion, without giving him a chance to say anything in return, often tapping him or hitting him on the head to underscore his points while Jason was being restrained or closely watched.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason was told that he would only regain his liberty once the deprogramming had been concluded successfully and he had given up his beliefs.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason then endured five days of derogatory comments about himself, his beliefs, his girlfriend and his pastor, and diatribes by Ross about the ways in which ] and conservative ] were wrong.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /><ref name=Haines /> On every visit to the bathroom, Jason was accompanied by at least two men.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Being fed poor, fatty food, he began to suffer from ] and ], in addition to his scratches and bruises.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Every day, Ross argued with Jason about matters of religion, without giving him a chance to say anything in return, often tapping him or hitting him on the head to underscore his points while Jason was being restrained or closely watched.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason was told that he would only regain his liberty once the deprogramming had been concluded successfully and he had given up his beliefs.<ref name=Shupe180-184 />


After several days, Jason began to pretend that he had changed his mind, feigning tears and remorse, in the hope that this would in due course give him a chance to escape.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /> The final day of his imprisonment he spent watching films on ] religions and ], even though neither are related to Pentecostalism.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason's plan ultimately worked; Ross, pleased with the apparent success of the deprogramming session, proposed that they all went out for a celebratory dinner.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> In the restaurant, Jason was allowed to go the men's room by himself; he ran out, crossed the street and used a public telephone to call the police, who arrested Ross and his companions.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /> After several days, Jason began to pretend that he had changed his mind, feigning tears and remorse, in the hope that this would in due course give him a chance to escape.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn /> The final day of his imprisonment he spent watching films on ] religions and ], even though neither are related to Pentecostalism.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> Jason's plan ultimately worked; Ross, pleased with the apparent success of the deprogramming session, proposed that they all went out for a celebratory dinner.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> In the restaurant, Jason was allowed to go the men's room by himself; he ran out, crossed the street and used a public telephone to call the police, who arrested Ross and his companions.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Cockburn />
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== The trial == == The trial ==


In 1993, criminal charges of ] were brought against Ross and two of his associates for unlawful imprisonment during the deprogramming; the trial ended in a ], and Ross was acquitted.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref>{{cite web | title = Deprogrammers Plead Not Guilty To Holding A Bellevue Teenager 5 Days, Against His Will | url = http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=1716415&date=19930817&query=Scientology | work = ] | publisher = ] | date = 1993-08-17 | accessdate = 2008-10-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | first = Thomas W. | last = Haines | title = 'Deprogrammer' Taken To Court -- Bellevue Man Claims Kidnap, Coercion | url = http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=2142801&date=19950921 | work = ] | date = 1995-09-21 | accessdate = 2008-10-14 }}</ref> In 1995, a civil suit for damages was filed by ], a long-time member and counsel for the ], on behalf of Jason Scott, against Ross, two of his associates, and CAN.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Appeal /> The nine-member jury unanimously held the defendants liable for ] and ] to deprive Scott of his ] and ].<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> In addition, the jury held that the defendants (excluding CAN) "intentionally or recklessly acted in a way so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community."<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=JSvRR>JASON SCOTT, PLAINTIFF v. RICK ROSS, A/K/A/ RICKEY ALLEN ROSS, MARK WORKMAN, CHARLES SIMPSON, CULT AWARENESS NETWORK, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND JOHN DOE 1–JOHN DOE 20, DEFENDANTS. Case No. C94-00796. November 29, 1995</ref><ref name=cesnur /><ref name=cesnur5>{{cite web | title=Scott vs. Ross, Workman, Simpson, Cult Awareness Network: Verdict form (page 5)| url=http://www.cesnur.org/2001/CAN/02/Page05.jpg | accessdate=15 October | accessyear=2008 }}</ref> In 1993, criminal charges of ] were brought against Ross and two of his associates for unlawful imprisonment during the deprogramming; the trial ended in a ], and Ross was acquitted.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Haines>{{cite web | title = Deprogrammers Plead Not Guilty To Holding A Bellevue Teenager 5 Days, Against His Will | url = http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=1716415&date=19930817&query=Scientology | work = ] | publisher = ] | date = 1993-08-17 | accessdate = 2008-10-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | first = Thomas W. | last = Haines | title = 'Deprogrammer' Taken To Court -- Bellevue Man Claims Kidnap, Coercion | url = http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=2142801&date=19950921 | work = ] | date = 1995-09-21 | accessdate = 2008-10-14 }}</ref> In 1995, a civil suit for damages was filed by ], a long-time member and counsel for the ], on behalf of Jason Scott, against Ross, two of his associates, and CAN.<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=Appeal /> The nine-member jury unanimously held the defendants liable for ] and ] to deprive Scott of his ] and ].<ref name=Shupe180-184 /> In addition, the jury held that the defendants (excluding CAN) "intentionally or recklessly acted in a way so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community."<ref name=Shupe180-184 /><ref name=JSvRR>JASON SCOTT, PLAINTIFF v. RICK ROSS, A/K/A/ RICKEY ALLEN ROSS, MARK WORKMAN, CHARLES SIMPSON, CULT AWARENESS NETWORK, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND JOHN DOE 1–JOHN DOE 20, DEFENDANTS. Case No. C94-00796. November 29, 1995</ref><ref name=cesnur /><ref name=cesnur5>{{cite web | title=Scott vs. Ross, Workman, Simpson, Cult Awareness Network: Verdict form (page 5)| url=http://www.cesnur.org/2001/CAN/02/Page05.jpg | accessdate=15 October | accessyear=2008 }}</ref>


The suit ended with Jason Scott being awarded $875,000 in ] and ] in the amount of $1,000,000 against CAN, $2,500,000 against Ross, and $250,000 against each of Ross' two accomplices.<ref>Scott v. Ross ( )</ref><ref name=cesnur>{{cite web | title=Scott vs. Ross, Workman, Simpson, Cult Awareness Network: Verdict form| url=http://www.cesnur.org/2001/CAN/02/01.htm | accessdate=12 October | accessyear=2008 }}</ref> The suit ended with Jason Scott being awarded $875,000 in ] and ] in the amount of $1,000,000 against CAN, $2,500,000 against Ross, and $250,000 against each of Ross' two accomplices.<ref>Scott v. Ross ( )</ref><ref name=cesnur>{{cite web | title=Scott vs. Ross, Workman, Simpson, Cult Awareness Network: Verdict form| url=http://www.cesnur.org/2001/CAN/02/01.htm | accessdate=12 October | accessyear=2008 }}</ref>

Revision as of 11:07, 16 October 2008

The Jason Scott case was a United States civil suit, brought against deprogrammer Rick Ross, two of his associates, and the Cult Awareness Network (CAN), for the violent kidnapping and failed deprogramming of Jason Scott, a member of a Pentecostalist church. Scott was eighteen years old and thus legally an adult at the time. CAN was a co-defendant because a CAN contact person had referred Scott's mother to Rick Ross. In the trial, Jason Scott was represented by Kendrick Moxon, a prominent Scientologist attorney.

The nine-member jury unanimously held the defendants liable for conspiracy to deprive Scott of his civil rights and religious liberties. In addition, the jury held that Ross and his associates (but not CAN) "intentionally or recklessly acted in a way so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community." The case resulted in an award of $875,000 in compensatory damages and punitive damages in the amount of $1,000,000 against CAN, $2,500,000 against Ross, and $250,000 against each of Ross' two accomplices. The case bankrupted both Rick Ross and the Cult Awareness Network and marked the end of the practice of coercive deprogramming in the United States.

Events leading up to the failed deprogramming attempt

In 1990, Ross and associates attempted an involuntary deprogramming of Jason Scott, then an 18-year-old member of the Life Tabernacle Church, affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International. Scott's mother, Katherine Tonkin, had been a member of the church, but had withdrawn from it after falling out with a business partner, also a church member. Three sons of hers disagreed with her decision and insisted they would remain in the church.

Tonkin then ejected the two younger sons from her househould, the youngest, aged thirteen, going to live with his grandmother, and the second-youngest, sixteen, moving in with another family from the church. Jason remained at home at first, but subsequently also moved in with his grandmother.

Tonkin then called the local Cult Awareness Network (CAN) hotline. The CAN contact person, Shirley Landa, referred her to Rick Ross; based on her endorsement of Ross, Tonkin retained him to deprogram her sons. Landa had had a longstanding relationship with CAN; she had founded its predecessor organization, and was a former member of CAN's board.

The deprogramming

According to a detailed account of the case by Anson Shupe, a professor of sociology at the joint Indiana University-Purdue University campus in Fort Wayne, and Susan J. Darnell, in their 2006 book Agents of Discord, "based closely on court documents and testimonies, including Scott's own under-oath account of his deprogramming experience", Ross put together a two-man "security team". The three traveled to the grandmother's residence, locked the two youngest children in the basement, and following several days of argument and lecturing, the boys gave up their Pentecostal beliefs. For deprogramming Jason, Ross demanded a larger fee, in view of the fact that he was powerfully built and legally an adult, increasing the risk of prosecution. Ross hired a karate black belt to help with the operation. One evening, as Jason returned to his grandmother's house, he was surprised by Ross's team, wrestled to the ground, and dragged into a waiting van.

Jason struggled, but was held down and handcuffed by the three men, gagged with duct tape, and had his ankles tied with rope. As he lay face down and with his cuffed hands beneath his body, one of the men, weighing 300 pounds, sat on top of his back. Jason's legs, upper body and back had sustained multiple bruises and abrasions from being dragged to the van across stairs, floors and a patio.

Jason was driven to a seaside cottage, where the rope around his ankles was loosened sufficiently to enable him to make steps. Ross and his partners walked him into the house, one of the men leading him on a nylon leash, another holding his handcuffs. Ross and his partners had made the house a virtual prison; the windows were covered with thick nylon straps forming a mesh, to prevent escape. The two doors to the room where he was held were guarded. His captors also took his shoes and fitted the room with motion detectors. Jason demanded that he be allowed to leave, and asked Ross whether he would try to make him change his religious beliefs. Ross replied, "Yeah, that's what I'm paid to do." Jason then threatened him with criminal prosecution, to which Ross responded with laughter: "You're not going anywhere and if you give me any problems I'm going to handcuff you to the bed frame and it's going to be more uncomfortable than the ride over here."

Jason then endured five days of derogatory comments about himself, his beliefs, his girlfriend and his pastor, and diatribes by Ross about the ways in which Christianity and conservative Protestantism were wrong. On every visit to the bathroom, Jason was accompanied by at least two men. Being fed poor, fatty food, he began to suffer from diarrhea and nausea, in addition to his scratches and bruises. Every day, Ross argued with Jason about matters of religion, without giving him a chance to say anything in return, often tapping him or hitting him on the head to underscore his points while Jason was being restrained or closely watched. Jason was told that he would only regain his liberty once the deprogramming had been concluded successfully and he had given up his beliefs.

After several days, Jason began to pretend that he had changed his mind, feigning tears and remorse, in the hope that this would in due course give him a chance to escape. The final day of his imprisonment he spent watching films on New Age religions and channeling, even though neither are related to Pentecostalism. Jason's plan ultimately worked; Ross, pleased with the apparent success of the deprogramming session, proposed that they all went out for a celebratory dinner. In the restaurant, Jason was allowed to go the men's room by himself; he ran out, crossed the street and used a public telephone to call the police, who arrested Ross and his companions.

The trial

In 1993, criminal charges of kidnapping were brought against Ross and two of his associates for unlawful imprisonment during the deprogramming; the trial ended in a hung jury, and Ross was acquitted. In 1995, a civil suit for damages was filed by Kendrick Moxon, a long-time member and counsel for the Church of Scientology, on behalf of Jason Scott, against Ross, two of his associates, and CAN. The nine-member jury unanimously held the defendants liable for negligence and conspiracy to deprive Scott of his civil rights and religious liberties. In addition, the jury held that the defendants (excluding CAN) "intentionally or recklessly acted in a way so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency and to be regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community."

The suit ended with Jason Scott being awarded $875,000 in compensatory damages and punitive damages in the amount of $1,000,000 against CAN, $2,500,000 against Ross, and $250,000 against each of Ross' two accomplices.

Addressing the defendants, United States District Judge John C. Coughenour concluded:

Finally, the court notes each of the defendants' seeming incapability of appreciating the maliciousness of their conduct towards Mr. Scott. Rather, throughout the entire course of this litigation, they have attempted to portray themselves as victims of Mr. Scott's counsel's alleged agenda. Thus, the large award given by the jury against both the CAN and Mr. Ross seems reasonably necessary to enforce the jury's determination on the oppressiveness of the defendants' actions and deter similar conduct in the future.

After the jury decision, Scott said "he thought the amount of the award was justified." Judge Coughenour pronounced the verdict "quite reasonable." Moxon said he thought "the decision and the large award for punitive damages set an important precedent and would deter other religious deprogrammers."

CAN tried to appeal the verdict, but without success. The judgment drove CAN, which had already been weakened by the cost of defending over 50 previous lawsuits filed by Moxon, into bankruptcy. Ross went into bankruptcy as well.

Aftermath

In December 1996, when Scott reconciled with his mother, he settled with Ross for $5,000, and for 200 hours of Ross's services. Ross said that he and Scott had become friends now. Moxon was replaced by Church of Scientology opponent Graham Berry as his lawyer. Moxon, who had argued in the case that Ross and associates had hindered a competent adult's freedom to make his own religious decisions, unsuccessfully filed to rescind the settlement and appoint a guardian for Scott, who he argued was "incapacitated."

References

  1. ^ Shupe, Anson (2006). Agents of Discord. New Brunswick (U.S.A.), London (U.K.): Transaction Publishers. pp. pp. 180–184. ISBN 0-7658-0323-2. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Cockburn, Alexander (1996-08-26). "Vindication II: That Fool Adolph". The Nation. 263 (6). The Nation Company L.P.: p. 8. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ "UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT: JASON SCOTT, Plaintiff-Appellee v. RICK ROSS, A/K/A/ RICKEY ALLEN ROSS, MARK WORKMAN, CHARLES SIMPSON, Defendants, CULT AWARENESS NETWORK, Defendant-Appellant". Retrieved 2008-10-13. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ "Deprogrammers Plead Not Guilty To Holding A Bellevue Teenager 5 Days, Against His Will". Associated Press. Seattle Times. 1993-08-17. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  5. Haines, Thomas W. (1995-09-21). "'Deprogrammer' Taken To Court -- Bellevue Man Claims Kidnap, Coercion". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  6. ^ JASON SCOTT, PLAINTIFF v. RICK ROSS, A/K/A/ RICKEY ALLEN ROSS, MARK WORKMAN, CHARLES SIMPSON, CULT AWARENESS NETWORK, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND JOHN DOE 1–JOHN DOE 20, DEFENDANTS. Case No. C94-00796. November 29, 1995
  7. ^ "Scott vs. Ross, Workman, Simpson, Cult Awareness Network: Verdict form". Retrieved 12 October. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. "Scott vs. Ross, Workman, Simpson, Cult Awareness Network: Verdict form (page 5)". Retrieved 15 October. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. Scott v. Ross (Ninth Circuit Panel Opinion En Banc Opinions)
  10. ^ Bjorhus, Jennifer (1995-09-30), "Man Wins $5 Million In Deprogramming Suit – Mother Had Tried To Wrest Son Away From Bellevue Church", Seattle Times {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  11. Knapp, Dan (1996-12-19). "Group that once criticized Scientologists now owned by one". CNN. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. 'The Cult Awareness Network, CBS News 60 Minutes report 28 December 1997
  13. ^ Burkitt, Janet (23 March 1993). "Anti-Cult Group Must Pay Award -- `Deprogramming' Case Upheld By Court; Sale Of Group's Name Creates Complication". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-10-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  14. Goodstein, Laurie (23 December 1996). "Plaintiff Shifts Stance on Anti-Cult Group: Scientology-Linked Lawyer Is Dismissed in Move That May Keep Network Running". Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  15. Ortega, Tony (1995-11-30). "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlatans. Clients of deprogrammer Rick Ross call him a savior. Perhaps that's why people he's branded cult leaders want to crucify him". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2006-04-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. Ortega, Tony (1996-12-19). "What's $2.995 Million Between Former Enemies? Stunning settlement frees cult deprogrammer Rick Ross from almost all of $3 million judgment". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2006-04-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

See also

External links

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