There is a hearing this morning in the McPherson case, which Jesse Prince and I will both be attending. One of the issues that will be raised will be Scientology's demand that Jesse Prince be banned from attending all depositions because he is "untrustworthy" and "intimidating." In fact, it is the information contained in this declaration that is their real concern.
Stacy Brooks
The declaration follows:
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, STATE OF FLORIDA GENERAL CIVIL DIVISION ESTATE OF LISA McPHERSON, by and through the Personal Representative, DELL LIEBREICH Plaintiff, VS. Case No. 97-01235 Section "H" CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY FLAG SERVICE ORGANIZATION, INC.; AFFIDAVIT OF JANIS JOHNSON; ALAIN KARTUZINSKI; JESSE PRINCE and DAVID HOUGHTON Defendants. _________________________________/ STATE OF FLORIDA : : COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH :BEFORE ME, personally appeared JESSE PRINCE, who, after being duly sworn, deposes and says:
1. I am over 18 years of age and currently reside in the state of Illinois, Cook County. This declaration is of my own personal knowledge and if called upon to testify to the facts herein I could and would be competently able to testify thereto.
2. I am intimately familiar with the organization, movement, beliefs,
practices and technologies of Scientology. I served in the highest ranks of
Scientology, including second in command of the Religious Technology Center
(RTC), the most senior body of Scientology.
3. Beginning in March of 1983 and until the Spring of 1987, I held the
position of "Deputy Inspector General, External". In this position, I was
one of three members of the Board of Directors of RTC while David Miscavige
was on its Board of Trustees.
4. In the position of "Deputy Inspector General, External", I was in charge of
supervising all activities in every aspect of Scientology, i.e., supervising
senior management structure of the "mother church", Church of Scientology
International, CSI. In the hierarchy of all of Scientology, I was only two
steps removed from L. Ron Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard gave his orders to David
Miscavige who in turn gave them to me to supervise, delegate and enforce
their execution. Corporately speaking, Vicki Aznaran, the President of RTC,
and I were accountable and reported only to David Miscavige and L. Ron
Hubbard. RTC gave CSI the license to use Dianetics and Scientology
technologies.
5. Moreover, I was in charge of theTrademark Integrity Secretary, (TMI Sec),
Jim Mooney, who had authority over the senior management of CSI called the
Watchdog Committee. This Committee has complete authority over the different
sectors of all of Scientology. The members of this committee are comprised of
senior management officials who oversee and control the management of the
following: FLAG SERVICE ORGANIZATION,(FSO); World Institute of Scientology
Enterprises, (WISE); Scientology Missions International,(SMI); Reserves, the
person responsible for the management and supervision of all bank accounts and
revenues; Golden Era Productions, (GOLD);Flag Land Base,(FLB); Sea Org, (SO);
Celebrity Center International, (CCInt); and Office of Special Affairs, (OSA),
which handles all the legal and intelligence functions of Scientology.
7. Some of my specific duties as Deputy Inspector General, External,
included supervising all litigation by or against any Scientology
organization, intelligence and covert operations brought against perceived or
imagined "enemies", trademark registrations, and the licensing of trademarks
to other Scientology corporations to create the false impression of
"corporate integrity". I was also in charge of the "Celeb Project," which ran
all auditing of Scientology celebrities, such as John Travolta, Priscilla
Presley, Kirstie Alley, Anne Archer, and Chick Corea to name a few. I was
also the auditor for David Miscavige and his wife, Shelly. I was the course
instructor for all of the auditing courses for Alain Kartuzinski and his
Cramming Officer for Class 10, 11, and 12, 12 being the highest level an
auditor can reach.
6. I first became involved with Scientology in September, 1976, in San
Francisco. In late 1976, I joined the elite Scientology paramilitary
organization known as the Sea Organization, also known as the "Sea Org" or the
acronym "SO". Sea Organization personnel are authorized to take over and
control Scientology organizations and to demote or promote personnel including
chief executives, move bank accounts, and run the corporation as if SO
personnel were employees or representatives of that corporation. The power
of the SO is not only over the purported religious Scientology organizations
but also prevails over the secular organizations such as WISE or Bridge
Publications. The Sea Org's pervasive authority is possible because the only
personnel allowed into executive positions in these organizations are those
who are in full agreement that the Sea Organization is the commanding
organization.
7. Before I was recruited into the Religious Technology Center (RTC) in 1982,
most of my experience was with Scientology technical material; the actual
codified auditing and administrative techniques used within the organization.
This gave me considerable time to become familiar with these technical
materials, most of which was written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
My knowlege and expertise of the technologies prompted my promotion to a
technical position at RTC.
8. In the fall of 1982, L. Ron Hubbard issued an order to find the best
Supervisor/Cramming Officer in all of Scientology and bring that person to
Golden Era Productions (GOLD) to correct and train the senior executive
management structure of the Scientology empire all around the world. A
Supervisor in Scientology is analogous to a teacher in a class room. A
Cramming Officer is responsible for the correction of individuals who have
difficulty in executing the techniques of Dianetics and Scientology or
otherwise following the dogma of L. Ron Hubbard to the letter. Mike Eldridge,
a personal emissary of L. Ron Hubbard, in charge of conducting the search to
find the most qualified person to serve as Supervisor/Cramming Officer,
recommended me to David Miscavige, who ultimately approved my appointment. I
was transferred to, lived and worked at what is known as "Golden Era Studios,"
near Hemet, California. It is also known as "Gold" or simply "The Base",
where senior management of Scientology is headquartered.
9. By Scientology standards, I was a very highly trained auditor and case
supervisor. An auditor in Scientology is a trained practitioner of the pseudo
scientific methodology of psychological counseling commonly referred to as
"The Tech," as dictated and written by Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard. A
case supervisor is also a trained auditor who reads the "auditing" records of
every counseling session performed by an auditor to ensure "The Tech" was
applied exactly. In Scientology there are 12 levels of auditor and case
supervisor classification, each level being "higher" than the next. In this
system, I was certified as a Class 9 Auditor and a certified Class 9 Case
Supervisor.
10. In my capacity as Deputy Inspector General, External, I traveled about the
U.S. and outside of the U.S. on behalf of RTC. I traveled to Germany, Italy,
Australia, United Kingdom, Denmark, Mexico and Canada. These trips were
designed to put together an infrastructure that would interface with RTC for
the purpose of trademark enforcement. I was personally chosen by David
Miscavige over Vicki Aznaran to speak on behalf of RTC to a worldwide audience
via satellite to warn them that RTC holds the trademarks of Scientology and
eradicates all those who violate "The Tech" or infringe on trademarks.
11. I became familiar with the trademark laws of the various countries in
which I traveled. I interviewed and retained law firms, and put personnel in
place that would report to RTC and be our site representatives. I testified
as an expert witness on Scientology technology on behalf of RTC in federal
court in Los Angeles in a RICO action with RTC as the plaintiff in 1985. In
1983, on orders from L. Ron Hubbard, I brought into existence within RTC a
unit called "The Tech Unit". The Tech Unit had the responsibility of
inspecting PC files a/k/a Pre-Clear files, (counseling files), in all
Scientology organizations to ensure "The Tech" was being applied 100%
according to the standard tech.
12. When Hubbard died in 1986, there was a power struggle in Scientology for
the next 18 or so months that resulted in Hubbard's closest and most powerful
aide (Pat Broeker) being removed from Scientology. Total power was taken over
by David Miscavige who purged the organization of anyone who was friendly with
Broeker. In mid 1987, because I did not want to participate in Miscavige's
power struggle to become the head of Scientology, I was forcefully removed
from my position and put under armed guard at Happy Valley, located deep in
the desert behind the Soboba Indian Reservation. It is my belief that my
undated resignation, which I signed when appointed to the Board, was then
dated and used to make it appear that I had resigned, when I had not.
14. David Miscavige specifically ordered destruction of any documents in ASI's
posession which would implicate Hubbard as managing agent of Scientology. He
stated that under his directive the LRH orders, or "advices" were being
collected and transferred by truck to a Riverside County recycling plant where
the documents were to be "pulped." This method of destruction was considered
to be better than shredding. I was also put in charge of purging the
remainder of the LRH orders, i.e. "Advices". This was to include "advices"
that were located in Church of Scientology of California (CSC); Church of
Scientology International (CSI); and RTC.
15. Several weeks after the April, 1983 meeting, I attended another meeting
at the ASI offices concerning the continuing destruction of Scientology
corporate documentation. In attendance at this meeting were David Miscavige,
Lyman Spurlock, Vicki Aznaran, Norman Starkey, Marty Rathbun, and Scientology
attorney, Earl Cooley. At this meeting, Miscavige, for the first time, stated
that Scientology had been ordered by a court to produce various documents
concerning a former Scientology member, Lawrence Wollersheim, who had a
lawsuit pending in Los Angeles against the Church of Scientology of
California. The court had ordered Scientology to produce Wollersheim's entire
Pre-Clear file.
16. A "Pre-Clear" file is one of the several files kept on members. The
Pre-Clear file is the file that includes all written records of all
"confessionals' done by the member. This means that it includes not only the
most self-damaging material, but it also reflects every problem the person
might have had with the organization, including complaints. This Pre-Clear
file grows with the person's tenure in Scientology.
17. Mr. Wollersheim's Pre-Clear file was several thousand pages in length and
stood as high as a six-foot tall man. Initially at this meeting, it was
decided that Mr. Wollersheim's Pre-Clear file would be redacted and culled of
any evidence or documentation which might assist Wollersheim in his lawsuit
against CSC. There was also concern that the materials known as Clear, OT I,
OT II, OT III, and NED for OT's (NOTS) would be open to public inspection if
Wollersheim's files were produced as ordered. Scientologists are taught that
a person could catch pneumonia and die if that person is prematurely exposed
to these "upper level" materials without first having taken many hours of
preparatory auditing.
18. Wollersheim's Pre-Clear file was purged of any incriminating evidence
against Scirentology based on a direct order from Miscavige in the presence of
Scientology's lead trial counsel, Earl Cooley of Boston, Massachusetts. Mr.
Cooley thereafter represented to the court that the purged file was indeed the
entire PC File of Mr. Wollersheim. Ultimately, approximately 50 pages were
produced pursuant to the court order.
21. Later, I was informed that a second court order was issued to produce
Wollersheim's entire file. Faced with the prospect of having to produce the
entire file, Miscavige gave orders that the entire file simply be destroyed by
being pulped.
22. Pursuant to Miscavige's orders, I ordered Rick Aznaran to take
Wollersheim's Pre-Clear files to the recycling plant in Riverside to be
pulped. Several hours after I gave the order to have Wollersheim's Pre-Clear
files destroyed, Rick Aznaran returned and confirmed that the records had been
pulped and even showed me a small bottle of pulped material. "Here's what's
left," he said.
23. Members of Scientology are induced to confess to acts that, if not
outright criminal, are embarrassing or possibly destructive to the person's
job, marriage or profession. For example, shoplifting, adultery, masturbation,
homosexuality, drug abuse, or any other potentially embarassing or illegal
matters are recorded. Members are urged to write down these compromising
facts in their own handwriting, under the guise that it is a "religious
confessional" for the member's good. The truth is that these "confessions"
are kept to blackmail and extort members should they dare to speak out against
Scientology. Members are also coerced to sign documents that are self-damaging
in order to protect Scientology in case they dare to leave its control and
speak the damaging truth. I know all this to be true, because I watched this
done to others; I did it to others; and it was done to me.
24. I have personally witnessed executive decisions directed to members
instructing them to "end cycle", i.e., die. I have personally read written
instructions by Ray Mithoff concerning the following individuals:
a) Diane Morrison, a personal friend of mine. She had cancer. Radiation
treatment is forbidden by Scientology. She was instructed by Ray Mithoff to
"end cycle." Her husband, Shawn Morrison, was ordered by Ray Mithoff to
transport her off of the Scientology property at Gilman Hotsprings,
California, to her mother's house so that she would not die on Scientology
property.
b) Ted Cormier, a personal friend of mine. He had Parkinson's disease. He
was ordered to leave Gilman Hotsprings and go directly to Flag for NOTS 34,
auditing to cure his cancer. When this failed, Ray Mithoff sent him orders
in his Pre-Clear folder for him to "end cycle." He died.
25. I have personally reviewed a video of a television interview of
Roxanne Friend, a former Scientologist. She had cancer which could have been
successfully treated. She was kidnapped in California and taken across
country in a motorhome to FLAG in Clearwater where she was held against her
will, which prevented her from getting cancer treatment. After she escaped
she gave this interview that I observed on a television talk show. She
disclosed that she was beyond treatment because of this delay and subsequently
died. Based on my experience in Scientology, her statements ring true.
My History in Scientology
2. I was in Scientology for 16 years (1976-92). In July of 1992, I
escaped with my wife from Scientology headquarters at Gilman Hotsprings, Ca.
Under duress, my wife and I were forced to return. After intense interrogation
and isolation, my wife and I on October 31, 1992, were able to leave
Scientology, but only after we were coerced to sign a release containing
untrue statements protecting Scientology from legal liability. I remained
silent about my experience in Scientology, since upon leaving I was subjected
to routine monitoring by Mike Sutter of the Religious Technology Center,
(RTC), and Earl Cooley, Scientology counsel. In July of 1998, I discovered
that others had similar experiences and were courageous enough to speak out
against Scientology. I therefore ended my silence so that others would know
about the truth of what really happens within the inner circles of
Scientology.
Practices of Scientology
13. From time to time, based on orders that I received from David Miscavige,
I would order others to engage in illegal activities against perceived enemies
of Scientology. These activities included, but were not limited to,
wire-tapping and document destruction. For example, on or about April,1983, I
was present at a meeting which took place in Los Angeles, California, at a
Scientology office called Author Services, Inc. (ASI), a for profit company
and the "literary agency" for Hubbard, run by David Miscavige. There is no
real corporate structure among the many Scientology corporations. ASI was the
meeting place where various Scientology corporations went to receive orders.
Present at this meeting was David Miscavige, then the Chairman of the Board of
ASI, Vicki Aznaran, Deputy Inspector General of RTC, Marc Yeager, Commanding
officer of CSI, and Lyman Spurlock, who was "Director of Client Affairs" for
ASI. Mr. Miscavige expressed concern at this meeting that there might
possibly be a raid on Scientology by the IRS. At that time, none of the
churches of Scientology had received tax exempt status. At this meeting, David
Miscavige announced to the group that the destruction and alteration of
documents to protect Scientology was in progress. One principal reason why tax
exempt status had not been granted was the IRS's position that Scientology
founder, L. Ron Hubbard (LRH), was actually the managing agent of Scientology
in complete disregard of the corporate structure of Scientology. We knew this
to be a fact, but also knew that it violated IRS rules and thus had to be
hidden. There was concern that the IRS would obtain the hundreds of daily,
weekly and monthly LRH orders written by Hubbard and distributed throughout
Scientology. These orders were commonly referred to in Scientology as
"advices" to avoid the appearance that Hubbard was actually running
Scientology. In fact, Hubbard was running Scientology. The principal concern
expressed at this meeting was that the LRH orders or "advices" would be used
to name Hubbard as the managing agent of Scientology. Because of an already
existing fear that an LRH "advice" might fall into the wrong hands, these
orders from him were written in a way that we could deny it was from him. His
name was not on them. He was never cited in the dispatch except in the third
person. There was no signature and a salutation in reply was never more than
"Dear Sir." The routing at the top referred to him merely as "###", (three
pound signs), while his closest aids, Pat and Annie Broeker, were referred to
as "* ", (an asterisk). However, if a person (or agency) got enough of
these, there would be little doubt that we were in touch with Hubbard (via
ASI) and that he was telling us and each corporation what to do to make him
more money.