[ Ссылка ] The trial of self help guru James Arthur Ray started last week with an interesting twist: it will be televised live on In Sesion TV. David M Cantor, a Phoenix DUI and Criminal Lawyer, discusses why he feels this is a bad idea in today's video. Watch the video below and let us know what you think:
James Arthur Ray stands accused of multiple manslaughters after three people died at one of Ray's Sweat Lodge "Spiritual Warrior" events in October of 2009. The participants each paid up to $10,000 to attend and went without water for two days prior to entering the swelteringly hot lodge. Here is an excerpt from the wikipedia page on James Arthur Ray:
On October 8, 2009, at a New Age "Spiritual Warrior" retreat conceived and hosted by Ray at the Angel Valley Retreat Center in Yavapai County near Sedona, Arizona, two participants, James Shore and Kirby Brown, died as a result of being in a sweat lodge exercise. Eighteen others were hospitalized after suffering burns, dehydration, breathing problems, kidney failure or elevated body temperature. Liz Neuman, another attendee, died October 17 after being comatose for a week.[19]
The attendees, who had paid up to $10,000 to participate in the retreat, had fasted for 36 hours during a vision quest exercise before the next day's sweat lodge. During this vision quest, participants were left alone in the Arizona desert with a sleeping bag, although Ray offered them Peruvian ponchos for an additional $250.[20] After this experience, participants ate a large buffet breakfast before entering the sweat lodge.[21] A site owner reported she learned after the event that participants went two days without water before entering the lodge.[22]
Ray has a Twitter account and was sending tweets of his intentions on the day of the deaths, before the lodge event. Apparently, Mr. Ray later deleted the tweets, but they were nonetheless found by others and reported. They included references to death.[23]
David M Cantor made a video post a few months ago regarding witnesses for the Trial, you can watch that here(Sweat Lodge Trial New Witness Provides Little). In that video David makes the point that these participants were adults who paid to attend this event, and could have left at any time.
Here is the recent Phoenix New Times story detailing the Judges decision to allow Court TV at the James Arthur Ray Sweat Lodge trial:
The manslaughter trial of snake oil salesman James Arthur Ray could be televised live, the judge overseeing the case ruled today.
In Session, formerly Court TV, requested to cover the trial live saying it would "advance Arizona's tradition of courtroom access," according to the Associated Press. It probably won't hurt the network's bottom line, either.
Prosecutors argued that witnesses might be intimidated by live coverage, which could impact Ray's ability to receive a fair trial.
Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Warren Darrow felt otherwise. He says the possibility of harm doesn't outweigh the public's right to coverage of the trial.
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.
Opening statements in the trial are scheduled to begin March 1.
