From: bob@minton.org (Robert S. Minton)
Subject: CHARGES AGAINST MINTON DROPPED
Date: 14 Dec 1998
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology

CHARGES AGAINST MINTON DROPPED

Boston, MA -- December 14, 1998. FACTNET Director, Robert S. Minton, a leading critic of the Church of Scientology announced that the Boston Municipal Court today dismissed all charges against him.

Minton had been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon stemming from picketing he conducted of the Boston Office of Scientology on September 10, 1998. The case was scheduled to begin today with jury selection. The Suffolk County District Attorney elected to dismiss the case, rather than proceed to trial.

Minton has agreed that for the next 120 days he will provide 1 hour of advanced notification of his intention to peacefully picket the Boston Office and, in turn, Scientology has agreed to acknowledge his intention to picket peacefully.

"I am very pleased that the District Attorney's Office and the Court agreed to dismiss the case," Minton said. "It is clear that they understand that I was the victim here and that the entire event was staged by Scientology employees in order to enhance Scientology's efforts to harass and intimidate me."

Report from Grady Ward:

From: grady@gradyward.com (Grady Ward)
Subject: Phony Scientology charges dismissed against Robert S. Minton
Date: 15 Dec 1998
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology,misc.legal,comp.org.eff.talk,alt.censorship

Monday, December 14, 1998 was not a good day for the criminal cult of scientology in a Boston court.

With the beginning of the criminal trial of Robert S. Minton scheduled just minutes away, all charges against him were dismissed. Boston Municipal Judge Hirschfield praised the district attorney and Bob Minton's attorney Stephen Jonas of Hale & Dorr for reaching an agreement that would forestall any criminal prosecution on Scientology's false allegations of felony assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

While the district attorney was demanding concessions from Bob and his attorney in order to drop charges, Mr. Minton refused to accept even limited restrictions on time and place of his picketing. Both Mr. Minton and his attorney insisted that Scientology had intentionally planned to provoke an incident on September 10, 1998 in front of the Beacon Street org in order to neutralize Bob's effectiveness as a critic and as a supporter of several initiatives to free captive members of the cult. The video taken by scientologist Kevin Hall of the September incident showed scientologists Hall and Frank Ofman verbally abusing and physically provoking an attack from Minton. Minton finally used his balsa wood picketing stick broken by a blow from the scientologists to defend himself after being slapped by Ofman.

As a conciliatory offer to the cult and the district attorney, Stephen Jonas finally agreed that Bob Minton would fax the Boston org of the Scientology enterprise one hour before any picket he might walk for the next four months. The Boston org would then have to fax an acknowledgement back to Minton.

A similar cult foray to bring trumped-up charges of assault against another critic Keith Henson was also brought up short earlier this year when Mr. Henson prevailed with the assistance of attorney Graham Berry with a similar dismissal of all criminal charges.

Supporting Bob Minton in the courtroom were Stacy Young, Duncan "DW" Pierce, Jesse Prince, Grady Ward, Brian Haney, and Ron Newman. Impromptu pickets of the Boston org were held both the night before the hearing before Judge Hirshfield and following the dismissal. The picketing critics shrugged off the verbal abuse from the self-style ministers of the criminal cult.

Preceding the victory picket Brian Haney hosted a lunch for critics at Faneuil Hall.

With their repeated defeats in the legal arena, Scientology will have to find a new tactic to harass and stop the critics of the cult who are simply protesting and bringing to the public's attention the cruel and sociopathic practices of the Scientology's enterprise. Multiple felony charges were filed November 14, 1998 against the Flag Organization of the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, Florida after the death of Lisa McPherson while held comatose by the cult.

Minton and the other critics vow to continue their peaceful protest of the criminal practices of the cult until scientology reforms itself or it is reformed for them.