We’ve talked to Mareka Brousseau numerous times for stories at the Village Voice and the Underground Bunker. And she was a key character in John Sweeney’s 2010 BBC special, The Secrets of Scientology. And now Jeffrey Augustine has given us a treat and interviewed Mareka at length for the Surviving Scientology podcast.
It’s really eye-opening to hear about Scientology’s attitudes toward children from someone who actually grew up in the church. Mareka’s account is bleak. She talks to Jeff about growing up with Sea Org parents who are too busy ‘clearing the planet’ to have much to do with their kids.
In previous stories, you may have seen Mareka’s last name as James or Backus. She’s now married to John Brousseau, another former church member, and the subject of one of our favorite two-part stories. John and Mareka have two young children.
Laura DeCrescenzo’s lawsuit: Scientology tries more obstacles and delays
Not a lot has happened in Laura DeCrescenzo’s forced-abortion lawsuit since we reported on her stunning victory over Scientology’s motion for summary judgment in October.
After that hearing, Judge Ronald Sohigian set a trial date for early in 2015, but then he retired. After the case changed hands a couple of times, now both sides have submitted statements in advance of a status conference that’s scheduled to happen tomorrow.
In Laura’s statement, we get a short summary of where this complex case has been, as well as a description of Sohigian’s plan for a bifurcated trial — initially, a few days would be spent hashing out statute of limitations issues before proceeding to the main event. Laura’s team asks for a trial to start by May 20, 2015. (Attached to the short statement is a voluminous collection of material from past filings and hearings.)
Scientology’s statement, naturally, tries to give the new judge the idea that all of the issues it failed to get past Sohigian are still in play. They also indicate they want another motion for summary judgment, as well as some other delaying matters. Scientology, in no rush, says a trial date of September 2015 makes more sense, and doesn’t mind waiting for the end of the year.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 5, 2014 at 07:00
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Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS (We read Scientology’s founding text) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
UP THE BRIDGE (Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN (Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING (Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer
