NAFPS Forum
Odds and Ends => Etcetera => Topic started by: AlaskaGrl on February 09, 2011, 03:47:21 pm
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James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge Guru, it was announced today will be on Court TV's In Session program, so the Trial will be televised.... I looked around online but don't see a date for it yet the Lawyers are still working on getting the case ready and his Lawyers are trying to keep a couple of the prosecution’s proposed expert witnesses from testifying in the upcoming trial. I just heard about the trial coming to In Session today so thought I'd let everyone know. If you hear more info post it here.
Linda.
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Well, not exactly trial date news.. but ..
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-6186963-504083.html
James Arthur Ray Employees Rat Out Self-Help Guru, Get Immunity from Sweat Lodge Deaths
PRESCOTT, Ariz. (CBS/AP) Megan and Josh Fredrickson, who worked for self-help guru James Arthur Ray, told police they had no reason to be alarmed when participants in a deadly Arizona sweat lodge ceremony began vomiting and passing out, because Ray told them such responses were to be expected, according to documents released Friday.
Investigators conducted a lengthy interview with the Fredricksons in mid-January on condition that nothing they said would be used against them, in the case stemming from the deaths of three sweat lodge attendees last October. The couple went to work for Ray in 2005 at his Carlsbad, Calif.-based company — James Ray International — and took part in the retreat near Sedona, Ariz. that led to Ray being charged with manslaughter.
Megan Fredrickson said people who were vomiting, unresponsive and unconscious raised no red flags with her because Ray had explained those responses were possibilities. She told authorities that her experience with sweat lodges was limited to the ones led by Ray, and she never took it upon herself to research them or find out why people would pass out.
"Ultimately the plan is we never really had a plan for the extent of what happened," said Josh Fredrickson. "Call paramedics, I think is the plan." The staff never was instructed to call 911, he said, but Ray appreciated that someone had done so.
Prosecutors contend Ray recklessly crammed participants into a 400-square-foot sweat lodge and chided them for wanting to leave, even as people were vomiting, getting burned by hot rocks, and lying lifeless on the ground. Public records show a pattern of illnesses at prior Ray-led events that he largely ignored.
Ray has pleaded not guilty to three counts of manslaughter. He is being held in a Yavapai County, Ariz., jail on a $5 million bond.
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Found this..
http://healing.about.com/b/2011/01/21/sweat-lodge-tragedy-time-line.htm
HU$H - Financial Records Barred from Sweat Lodge Trial
Friday January 21, 2011
Newest Updates:
The trial judge, Honorable Warren R. Darrow, ruled against prosecutors discussing James Arthur Ray's financial status in upcoming court case. The court date for the manslaughter charges has been set for Feb. 16 in Camp Verde.
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James Arthur Ray objects to Rick Ross Expert Testimony on Cults and Programming as it explains
how Large Group Awareness Training, LGT, causes people to ignore common sense.
Below is a much shortened link to a .PDF document.
http://tinyurl.com/4a5brp6
(Please post other material on this case should you run across it)
Linda.
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Jury selection begins in Arizona sweat lodge case
Associated Press - February 16, 2011 5:14 AM ET
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=14039182
CAMP VERDE, Ariz. (AP) - Jury selection begins Wednesday in the trial of a motivational speaker accused in the deaths of 3 people in Arizona.
James Arthur Ray has pleaded not guilty to three counts of manslaughter, stemming from a sweat lodge ceremony he led near Sedona in October 2009.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys have spent the past few weeks narrowing the list of potential jurors.
Prosecutors contend Ray recklessly crammed more than 50 people inside a sweltering sweat lodge and admonished them for wanting to leave.
Ray's attorneys say the deaths were a tragic accident and Ray is not to blame.
Opening statements are set for March 1 in Camp Verde.
The judge overseeing the case has not ruled on a motion to move the trial out of Yavapai County.
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Trial started today. In Session is a show on TruTV.. at least, on my cable that's where it's at.
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Here's a link to TruTV I don't know the time of the trial, or if they will show live online.. but can
watch for it in the archives too I think?
http://www.trutv.com/
Well.. I don't know.. I'm watching the "in session" now where they are talking about Ray.. but I don't
see "in session" on the TruTV website? Nor on the "playing now" link..
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Some links for today's trial start:
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2011/03/james_ray_death_lodge_trial_st.php
The manslaughter trial for snake oil salesman James Arthur Ray is set to kick off in Yavapai County courtroom today, and it will be televised live on the In Session network thanks to a ruling from Judge Warren Darrow.
Ray's been charged with three counts of manslaughter for the October 2009 deaths of three participants of a sweat lodge ceremony in Sedona.
According to court documents obtained by New Times, Ray discouraged participants from leaving the sweat lodge, even as some were throwing up and passing out.
One of the victims, 49-year-old Liz Neuman, of Prior Lake, Minnesota, died of multiple-organ failure after the ceremony. The other two victims, 38-year-old Kirby Brown of Westtown, New York, and 40-year-old James Shore of Wisconsin, each fell victim to heat stroke after being in the sweat tent.
Ray maintains that the deaths were a tragic accident, but prosecutors feel that stuffing dozens of people into a hot, poorly ventilated sweat tent -- and then discouraging them from leaving -- is more than just an accident.
Ray's attorneys have repeatedly tried to have the trial moved from Yavapai County to somewhere closer to Phoenix. They don't believe it's possible for their client to get a fair trial in Yavapai County because of extensive media coverage of the case. They've renewed a request asking the trial be moved to Maricopa County.
The Associated Press reports that his attorneys say jury questionnaires reveal widespread prejudice against Ray in Yavapai County.
Ray's lawyers made a similar request last summer, which was denied by Judge Warren Darrow. At the time, though, Darrow said he'd still consider the request as the case moves closer to trial.
If convicted, Ray faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
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There's also this from CNN aired today
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/03/01/exp.jvm.sweat.lodge.insider.hln
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I’ve been watching the James Ray manslaughter trial on CNN live all afternoon. The prosecutor is doing pretty good, but the defense makes me want to throw things at the computer.
You can watch the James Ray sweat lodge death trial live online if you go to cnn blog and click on the live stream link:
CNN blog:
http://news.blogs.cnn.com
Live Stream link:
http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=2
(IE may not wor for some ppl & you may need Firefox)
Here’s some links on the opening statements and pix the jury can’t see
Pix the jury can't see - 2008 Sedona sweat lodge photos
http://is.gd/CpdB0n
Prosecutor: Victims' mental state key in trial of self-help guru charged in sweat lodge deaths
http://is.gd/lfqvf5
KPHO PHX: Opening statements begin In sweat lodge trial
http://is.gd/wH9frx
Oprah's guru accused of killing 3 ppl in sweat lodge 2 make them 'spiritual warriors'
http://is.gd/HcsQJ7
MSNBC: Guru's trial over AZ Sweatlodge deaths starts
http://is.gd/TKpD21
Northern Arizona blog: Opening Arguments at sweat lodge trial
http://is.gd/c9H8lz
Sedona Sweatlodge trial: Defense plays audio tapes
http://is.gd/j827xp
NYT: Trial in Sweat Lodge Deaths Begins
http://is.gd/YJIgR8
Talk Left - Manslaughter Trial Begins for AZ Sweat Lodge Operator
http://is.gd/FStCQm
You can follow me on www.twitter.com/swskeptic or the hashtags
#NDNZ for the latest stuff
also try #sweatlodgetrial #JamesRay #deathlodge #JamesARay for updates
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They need to stop calling what he ran as a ceremony, I have never paid to be at or in a ceremony, What he had was a show, as he is only a bad actor, At a show with bad revues , miss managed props, untrained stage crew,
remember when a fire happens in a club and people die, it comes down to the fault of the staff, not the paying public, I don't care what release you have to sign it still does not excuse safety protocols
The courts needs to go after not just him but all the staff involved
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Absolutely! It was a purely a money-making event for James Ray.
Today, there was the first article in a long time that even mentioned real ndnz:
Sweat Lodge Trial Fuels Native American Frustrations
http://is.gd/ZbrMxJ
The prosecution is still going to call someone named Singing Bear as a sweat lodge 'expert' - another Sedona fraud, I believe.
I can't even count the number of frauds that have come forward as experts and tried to promote their pay-to-pray scams.
There's little chance that any legitimate ndn will get to say a word at this trial.
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Just another death ray
http://www.davidsingingbear.com/
Singing Bear will help people achieve self-empowerment and emotional and mental healing by taking the journey to sacred places within themselves.
Nobody knows what specific suffering someone will have to go through that will bring them back to remembering."
David Singingbear
David Scott Gonzaga
David Scott Losthorse
David Singingbear
60 Arrowhead Dr
Sedona, AZ 86351-8901
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-08-24/local/me-37077_1_vehicle-registration
(928) 284-1773
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Just another death ray
http://www.davidsingingbear.com/
Singing Bear will help people achieve self-empowerment and emotional and mental healing by taking the journey to sacred places within themselves.
Nobody knows what specific suffering someone will have to go through that will bring them back to remembering."
David Singingbear
David Scott Gonzaga
David Scott Losthorse
David Singingbear
60 Arrowhead Dr
Sedona, AZ 86351-8901
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-08-24/local/me-37077_1_vehicle-registration
(928) 284-1773
We have a thread on "David Singingbear" here: http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2479
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The #NDNZ crew on Twitter have been posting some of the best coverage of the trial. Top stories, links and videos are updated every 24 hours or so at The #NDNZ Daily: http://paper.li/tag/NDNZ
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/02/sweat-lodge-trial-fuels-native-american-frustrations/
So when [David Singingbear] was asked to design a sweat lodge outside Sedona, where he lives, it mattered to him that it was done right. He says he selected the blankets and canvas covering that would breathe...
Really? Photos and video of the DeathLodge clearly show blue plastic tarps as part of the structure.
I watched the Thursday and Friday recordings of "In Session". Multiple photos of the deathlodge show not only blue plastic tarps, but heavy, overlapping coverings of brown, black and grey that all appear to be heavy-gauge plastic. Inside the construction blankets, possibly canvas, and what appears to be blue plastic are all visible. But on the outside the heavy plastic appears to cover the entire structure and is weighted down all around the outside with rocks on the ground. It looks like they made every effort to make it air-tight.
With that construction, and the size of the thing, Ray and the others right next to the door would have been the only ones getting much fresh air when the door was opened.
So unless David Singingbear is saying that Angel Valley staff, his nephew, and/or Ray and his "Dream Team" completely removed the blankets and canvas he selected - blankets that were interwoven with the plastic in multiple patchwork layers - and completely rebuilt the structure with plastic, his statement in the report linked above does not line up with the evidence.
The photos are shown many times in the broadcast. On the Thursday 3/3/11 recording they start at 1:38. Friday 3/4/11 they are at 4:51, 5:14, and other times.
A very irritating and disturbing part of the coverage is the In Session host, Christi Paul. She continually makes mistakes, such as calling witnesses by the wrong name. Worse, she has said things like, "We're getting a good idea what happens in a sweatlodge ceremony." >:( There has been little to no effort to distinguish Ray's horrible travesty from legitimate ceremony. Words like, "medicine wheel," "vision quest," and of course, "sweatlodge," are casually tossed around to describe what these newagers did.
One witness describes making "tobacco pouches" as an offering, and says it had "no meaning" to her, nor did she really understand why they were doing it; she just did it because they were told to.
Granted I have not watched the whole stream, only the In Session reports. But I have heard no mention of prayer, tradition or culture. The closest is that one witness mentioned there was "chanting" in the beginning, which she says was in... Peruvian. ??? Ray's defense is partially that this was *not* a religious ceremony, and that he is not a religious leader. It was presented as an extreme endurance event. Yet the lawyers and the television hosts continually refer to the atheistic exercises they did as "ceremonies". And Ray's own words on the tape recordings show he referred to himself as a spiritual leader, compared himself to God, compared himself to a monk, and referred to the upcoming deathlodge as a temple.
This is truly sickening. I knew it would be, but it's awful to hear this stuff. The only good part is watching DeathRay twitch and squirm. I suppose it's also good that the inner workings of these atheistic, appropriative, exploitative events are being exposed. I know Ray is not unique. Not by a long shot. The coverage of this trial is making it clear to those who did not know that there is an entire subcultures of these types out there.
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I have been watching the court session via the live stream link, so there
is no host. Just the direct court, as though one were sitting in the court room.
I too found it disturbing of the woman making offerings and yet it not
having any meaning to her. Empty.
Also, what they did in the deathtrap was yell out what they wanted for
their selves.
It's a disturbing trial, and I am hoping the prosecution has lined up
witnesses with the most damning still coming forward. So far, the first
two women seem very inclined to not want to admit they were fallible
to 'going along with the crowd' mindset. They are not helping the case
imo.
The 3rd woman seems more with it in what an ass Ray is. I look forward
to her continued testimony on Tuesday. And hope the prosecution has
better witness to come.
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I have been watching the court session via the live stream link, so there
is no host. Just the direct court, as though one were sitting in the court room.
I too found it disturbing of the woman making offerings and yet it not
having any meaning to her. Empty.
Also, what they did in the deathtrap was yell out what they wanted for
their selves.
It's a disturbing trial, and I am hoping the prosecution has lined up
witnesses with the most damning still coming forward. So far, the first
two women seem very inclined to not want to admit they were fallible
to 'going along with the crowd' mindset. They are not helping the case
imo.
The 3rd woman seems more with it in what an ass Ray is. I look forward
to her continued testimony on Tuesday. And hope the prosecution has
better witness to come.
Hi Critter, you have to admit that this trial has to be horribley embarrassing to these white people. Even I'm a little embarrassed for them. They paid some con-man thousands of dollars to play Indian. And you know if that Indian factor had not been there neither would these people and everyone else can see this too. Maybe that's why they're not so forthcomming.
Lim lemtsh,
Diana
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I know, but I wondered off and on while watching them if they
were more on Ray's side of things. That it was a "horrible accident"
and not exactly on the prosecutions side.
I wondered, if he gets off, will they be first in line to his next lecture?
Just seemed like they still believe in him..
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I have been watching the court session via the live stream link, so there
is no host. Just the direct court, as though one were sitting in the court room.
I too found it disturbing of the woman making offerings and yet it not
having any meaning to her. Empty.
Also, what they did in the deathtrap was yell out what they wanted for
their selves.
It's a disturbing trial, and I am hoping the prosecution has lined up
witnesses with the most damning still coming forward. So far, the first
two women seem very inclined to not want to admit they were fallible
to 'going along with the crowd' mindset. They are not helping the case
imo.
The 3rd woman seems more with it in what an ass Ray is. I look forward
to her continued testimony on Tuesday. And hope the prosecution has
better witness to come.
Hi Critter, you have to admit that this trial has to be horribley embarrassing to these white people. Even I'm a little embarrassed for them. They paid some con-man thousands of dollars to play Indian. And you know if that Indian factor had not been there neither would these people and everyone else can see this too. Maybe that's why they're not so forthcomming.
Lim lemtsh,
Diana
I think those people were mainly there for his work on that crappy book called the Secret and anything he sold to them.
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Gary Fourstars just appeared live on In Session for an interview regarding Sweat Lodge. He had taken several of the In Session hosts into one of his sweat lodges to show them what they were about. It was mentioned by the In Session hosts that they had allot of activity on the Face book page for In Session (you might want to join it) regarding what indigenous peoples thought about the popularization of Sweat Lodges and the ripping off of ceremony and how horrified they were. And that Sweat lodges were sacred... Gary Fourstars was indignant... if Native Americans had a problem with it being offered, "it was their problem." I am waiting for the video to be posted at http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/ I bout fell out of my couch.
This is the InSession Face Book page mentioning Gary Fourstars
http://www.facebook.com/InSession Thread:
"""In Session
Coming up: Watch Christi Paul and Ryan Smith talk with spiritual leader Gary Fourstar about their experience in a sweat lodge!
41 minutes ago
7 people like this. """"
Gary Fourstars is mentioned elsewhere on NAFPS.
He has a Face Book Page. Gary Fourstars
Website: http://manyhorses.org/
I am hoping the video of the Gary Fourstars interview appears here on their InSession Blog.
http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/
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I get really confused. Because I don't get In Session here. The link goes to their CNN webpage,
but there is no live stream link on it, and no articles/videos of what you are talking about.
Is there another or a different In Session than the CNN live stream one?
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I get really confused. Because I don't get In Session here. The link goes to their CNN webpage,
but there is no live stream link on it, and no articles/videos of what you are talking about.
Is there another or a different In Session than the CNN live stream one?
Hi Critter,
Yes that link goes to their CNN page where I am hoping a video of Gary Fourstars interview will be posted, along with the other clips that are there.
That is not a live link, I saw the interview via In Session TV.
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Right.. but WHERE is In Session TV? and is their show line up listed at the
CNN spot so can look ahead to what they have coming up as for interviews?
The court I watch on Live Stream, but if it IS on the regular TV then I could
record it in case I have to work when the live stream is on.
The only In Session I can find is on the CNN link.. no TV channel or TV
listing is given on the CNN page.
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Right.. but WHERE is In Session TV? and is their show line up listed at the
CNN spot so can look ahead to what they have coming up as for interviews?
I could not find a list of upcoming Interviews. The best bet there is to check out their
Face Book page, the link I posted above, to see when they might be mentioned. There is no
schedule I am aware of, of Interviews.
In Session is part of TruTV.com However when I go to their programming page I do not see
In Sesson listed. If you search TruTV for "In Session you only get
http://www.trutv.com/search/index.html?q=in+session
TruTV is channel 246 via Direct TV for the Eastern US.
I have to head out for a bit now... Dr's... ack!
Linda.
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Ok.. that helps.. I get TruTV on my cable and thought that was right and I posted
about it earlier in this thread, but.. they didn't have In Session listed as one of their
shows on their webpage, so thought I had it wrong..
Thanks.. and good luck w/the doc.. :)
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In Session is on right now, on TruTV. I think it starts at 9am and runs for most of the day. They switch back and forth between a couple trials they're covering, sometimes with a live feed from the courtroom, other times with summations and, ahem, commentary. I just glanced at today's recording, and they led with DeathRay.
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First, this is the Gary Fourstar CNN video
http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/inside-a-sweat-lodge-ceremony/3145426168
Now, I was not really sure where to place this on the list .... It is still in a way regarding Death Ray but with a
CNN faux "investigative" twist taking a look at what they think is a sweat lodge. So where did the CNN Investigative team go? why to a wannabe
faux sweat lodge in GA. The implications for more of this stuff to spring up since airing on CNN is tremendous.. with CNN showing that THIS
is the way Sweat Lodges are supposed to be! DGMS..
I would not advise having liquid near your computer or be drinking it while looking at the picts.
The picts are infuriating...
"Issues with Jane Valez-Mitchell"
http://www.facebook.com/JaneVelezMitchellHLN
"""It’s the story you will ONLY see here on HLN! Jane participated in a sweat lodge ceremony this past weekend, enduring intense heat to get the inside story on the sweat lodge manslaughter trial! Tune in TONIGHT – 7pET/4pPT – to hear her take!""""
Her Face Book page on the Sweat has a collection of images where Jane goes and gets the low down on sweats....
Please join in and comment on this. It has 90 comments thus far, mainly from
Natives... Janes Twitter account is http://www.twitter.com/issueswithjvm to Twitter to her directly.
I just got back home and online.
Linda.
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First, this is the Gary Fourstar CNN video
http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/inside-a-sweat-lodge-ceremony/3145426168
Now, I was not really sure where to place this on the list .... It is still in a way regarding Death Ray but with a
CNN faux "investigative" twist taking a look at what they think is a sweat lodge. So where did the CNN Investigative team go? why to a wannabe
faux sweat lodge in GA. The implications for more of this stuff to spring up since airing on CNN is tremendous.. with CNN showing that THIS
is the way Sweat Lodges are supposed to be! DGMS..
Thread about it here:
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=138.0
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Finally.. a witness who is laying it out there.. sorry, I can't find it in me to repeat the
horrific events.. but I'm sure someone can/will post blog report ..
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Live here:
http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1
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this trial has been so wrenching.. what a nightmare. these people swore, yelled, cussed inside there,
and hung up empty offerings, and were literally just baked alive..
in my lifetime.. in all i've been seen done.. i can honestly say that of my life experience, the
inipi was and is what i have loved most. without doubt, what i have loved most. and this is
awful.. and i feel sick when i see what these people have done.. and this fake fourstar guy
taken someone's name and doing the same in making inipi plastic.. i feel sickened by it all. and
don't know what can be done, or what.. and if it keeps on will u.s. gov will ban inipi if more people
die in there.. ? then.. i guess native americans will have to take it underground again, well, at
least it would be protected.. i don't know.. i just want these people to stop doing this to inipi.
and sorry for my expressings .. i don't want to bother anyone with my feelings i'm just an
anonymous person sitting here feeling all that i feel .. and i don't know what i can do.
today, my prayers go to inipi.. to her.. for what she gave to me, i will give to her.. if i can..