Laura DeCrescenzo fires back at Scientology’s desperate new federal court gambit

 
Late last year, we told you about Scientology’s latest and rather desperate attempt to derail Laura DeCrescenzo’s nine-year odyssey to seek justice after being forced to have an abortion as a 17-year-old Sea Org worker.

Laura first filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2009, but its history since then has been tortuous. It was removed to federal court by Scientology, where one of its claims (under a federal law) was knocked down, but then the federal court sent the remaining case back to the LA state court. Judge Ronald Sohigian then dismissed the case, agreeing with Scientology that Laura should have filed in 2008, within four years after leaving her Sea Org position. But an appeals court revived the case, agreeing with the argument that since Laura had remained in the church after leaving the Sea Org, she had been intimidated by the church from filing sooner. Her case has also survived two motions for summary judgment (we were there both times!), and she also got her folders of data after the church appealed all the way to US Supreme Court to keep them out of her hands.

Now, she finally has a firm trial date set for August 13 of this year, but Scientology is trying a pretty wild new tactic: It filed a new federal lawsuit against Laura, claiming that when her case was previously in federal court, it should have been thrown out entirely. That’s after the church has spent years litigating the case in state court, including its two defeated motions for summary judgment.

This is sort of like a trailing football team, halfway through the fourth quarter, asking for a forfeiture because it says the pregame coin toss didn’t go its way.

Now we have Laura’s answer to the new lawsuit, submitted by her attorneys John Blumberg and Ave Buchwald.

As you can imagine, it’s pretty dismissive of Scientology’s new lawsuit. It goes through the history of the case and argues a lot of dry law about state and federal courts and we’d quote it at you but it’s really not exciting. But in this case, that’s probably for the best. Scientology’s longshot move simply reeks of desperation.

But who knows? Scientology often finds a way to make a mockery of our court system.

Take a look at Laura’s answer for yourself and let us know how it strikes you…

Scientology v. DeCrescenzo (Federal) Motion to Dismiss by Tony Ortega on Scribd

 
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Another Scientology chiropractor, another employee lawsuit

News out of South Carolina yesterday that a Columbia chiropractor, Joseph Barton, is being sued by an unidentified former employee who claims that he tried to force her to have sex with him, and also that he demanded that she become a Scientologist.

Scientology targets chiropractors, dentists, and veterinarians with its “World Institute of Scientology Enterprises” front group, and over the years we’ve covered numerous cases of WISE businesses forcing Scientology on their employees.

There was a chiropractor in Miami, for example, and a dentist in Oregon.

Some sample quotes from Jane Doe’s complaint in South Carolina…

“Shortly after being hired, Doe became the ‘phone and marketing girl’ per Barton’s orders.”

“Barton made Doe the ‘face of the clinic’ by having Doe star in a welcome video…Barton insisted that Doe star in the video because he told her that she was ‘hot,’ and because she was ‘hot’ more patients would choose MPM.”

“Barton told Doe that through his practice of Scientology, he could sense emotional disturbances in people and could sense that Doe had suffered emotional trauma…this ‘help’ included Barton’s offer to send Doe to a facility outside of South Carolina which could help her overcome her inner issues…Although Barton never provided Doe with the name of this facility, Barton informed Doe that his intention was to convert her into a Scientologist.”

“After Doe received the first $1,700 bonus check, Barton told Doe if she wanted to keep receiving bonuses and be employed at MPM she would either have to give him oral sex or to show Barton her naked breasts.”

“Barton requested that Doe not wear panties to work.”

“Barton sexually harassed Doe…by texting her…’You ever do a black guy?’…’Just making sure. I don’t like banging chicks that screw blacks.'”

“At MPM, Barton removed his penis from his pants in front of Doe. Barton then told Doe to engage in oral sex quickly before another employee came into her MPM’s office. When Doe refused to look at his penis, he zipped his pants and became angry.”

We’re going to assume that this case gets settled pretty quickly, so you might want to temper expectations about any more information coming out about it.

Here’s the complaint itself…

Jane Doe v. Joseph Barton, Complaint by Tony Ortega on Scribd

 
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Bonus items from our tipsters

From a new Scientology magazine: Apparently Mr. Mogel is a Greek heavy metal performer of at least some small note.

 
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Make your plans now!

Head over to our HowdyCon 2018 website to start making your travel plans!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 23, 2018 at 07:00

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BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
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