.jpg)
James Arthur Ray, Oprah Winfrey promoted self-help guru and the focus of a
murder investigation. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Meredith Ann Murray)
The Associated Press reports attorney David Bodney representing KPNX-TV in Phoenix, Arizona persuaded Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Michael Bluff to vacate his order sealing search warrants and crime scene photos of the James Ray "Spiritual Warrior" sweat lodge event/crime scene.
Mr. Bodney was able to get records unsealed in another murder case which involved an eight year old boy who shot his father and his father's friend to death. Mr. Bodney said, ``It's difficult to imagine an area of law enforcement that merits greater public scrutiny than with homicide cases such as these. I think both orders underscore the importance of an informed public and the need to scrutinize the actions of public officials, whether they be law enforcement officers in the sweat lodge case or a judicial officer in the (St. Johns) case.''
Mr. Bodney also said he believes the documents will be released promptly.
James Ray said he is conducting his own investigation of what happened on October 8, 2009 when three of his customers who paid him close to $10,000.00 each died in the sweat lodge event of his "Spiritual Warrior" retreat while 21 others were hospitalized from injuries received in the sweat lodge. It doesn't appear the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office is buying into Ray investigating himself as they are conducting their own murder investigation with James Arthur Ray as their primary focus.
For more info: Uniting your belief with your reason
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/Deist1737
Comments
I called and they said the records will be released Monday, but only to people directly involved, victims, James Ray, his staff and surviving family. They wont' let the general public see them. Perhaps reporters will have to file freedom of information act requests? Thanks for reporting this. As an Arizona resident I'm very interested in seeing that justice be done. What's up with rich folks conducting their own investigations anyway? No poor person accused of negligent homicide would be able to skip town and conduct their own investigation. Why do we have two forms of justice in Yavapai county?
These documents do need to be unsealed if they don't compromise the case.Murderers operate in many ways.Some work slowly,some are spontaneous,but their goal is identical:to take the lives of other people.I don't believe any of the injuries or deaths during Ray's seminars were accidental.Ray was consumed with his quest to reach his ultimate goal:to be like Almighty God who has the power over life and death.He practiced this in his"Death" game until it actually happened.This is obvious because absolutely nothing that he orchestrated in Sedona has anything in common with real Native American rituals.Only the terms are the same,nothing else.These activities were of Ray's design,to further his Messiah Complex.That's why he did not stop the sweat activity when there was screaming and suffering in front of him,and it is precisely why he looked refreshed and detached when he emerged;he had attained a personal goal of creating conditions that resulted in the deaths of other humans.
It is beyond belief that James Ray actually thinks that that his 'self-investigation' will be perceived as credible. A woman committed suicide at one of his seminars just weeks before the sweatlodge deaths; meanwhile, he has the group partying the evening he receives the news and opts to not even mention it to participants. Is it any wonder then, that he walked out on his next victims in Arizona? Many of us are amazed the this man is still out on the streets - please keep the news coming as many of his ex-followers are using the very techniques learned from him to see him ending up where we all know he belongs!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!