News From the Daily Courier - Sweat Lodge Search Warrents Soon to Be Opened to the Public

http://www.dcourier.com/

Saturday, December 26, 2009



Yavapai Superior Court Judge Michael Bluff rescinded Wednesday his earlier order to seal search warrants and crime scene photos of the sweat lodge site at Angel Valley Retreat where three people died and 18 were injured on Oct. 8.



The sweat lodge ceremony led by author and motivational speaker James Arthur Ray culminated his five-day Spiritual Warrior Retreat that participants paid as much as $9,000 to attend at the resort south of Sedona.



On Oct. 15, Yavapai County Sheriff Steve Waugh said the deaths - of Lizbeth Neuman, 49, of Michigan, Kirby Brown, 38, of New York, and James Shore, 40, of Wisconsin - are homicides, and Ray remains the primary focus of their investigation.





Sunday, December 27, 2009

2009 IN REVIEW: #6 - Self-help guru's retreat culminates in grueling sweat lodge ritual - and 3 deaths

Yavapai Superior Court Judge Michael Bluff rescinded Wednesday his earlier order to seal search warrants and crime scene photos of the sweat lodge site at Angel Valley Retreat where three people died and 18 were injured on Oct. 8.

So what do folks think about this?  Why were the details of the search warrant sealed in the first place and what arguments did the Phoenix attorney make to get them unsealed. I personally feel that sunlight always makes the best disinfectant and as long as this won't traumatize the surviving family and loved ones, I think everything should be out in the open. What do other folks think?  Have we heard too much about this tragedy, or is this just the beginning?  Does the public have a right to know what goes on in these self-help seminars so they can protect themselves against injury and possibly even death?  What does James Ray and associates have to hide?