Post to alt.religion.scientology

On the morning of February 1, 2000, I accompanied a German film crew as they attempted to conduct an interview for a documentary they were shooting on the subject of Scientology. They asked me to join them and to videotape them as they approached the home of a Scientologist. My duties were to remain on the sidewalk and to train the camera on the filmmakers in case there was any disturbance.

The German filmmakers knocked on the front door and, while I was at a great distance and could not see what was happening, it appeared to me that someone answered the door and immediately slammed it.

We were leaving the area when the German filmmakers spotted the Scientologist’s garbage piled at the roadside. They started looking through the garbage. I was uncomfortable with this as this was never discussed as something we would be doing. I asked “Is this legal?” and they informed me that it was legal to look but not legal to take.

After about a minute of this we started back to the car when suddenly a man appeared at my back wielding a hammer and threatening us. He was within striking distance of me, shouting obscenities and threatening to hit the camera and me. I was in great fear for my life.

The man shouted “Get the fuck out of here!”

The man struck out with the hammer and hit the camera which continued to record the event. After more threats the man shouted “you want to start something with me?” and struck both myself and the camera, more forcefully this time, and shoved the camera and me back. He then retreated to the house.

Moments later, a Clearwater police officer, Officer Kelly, arrived at the scene. I continued videotaping as Officer Kelly came out of the car. He asked me if I was recording sound and I said yes and he told me that was I was committing a third degree felony and if I didn’t want to get arrested I would turn the camera off right now. I complied.

We informed Officer Kelly of our actions and then I told Officer Kelly that a man with a hammer came out of the house and threatened me and hit both the camera and me. Instead of Officer Kelly being concerned about a man assaulting me with a hammer, Officer Kelly asked me if I had informed the hammer-wielding assailant that I was recording sound. He again informed me that it is a felony to record a person without consent.

Officer Kelly told me he knew I was part of the Lisa McPherson Trust and asked the German film crew if they were working for the trust as well. We informed him that this was not a Trust matter, that it was a German documentary and I came along as a favor to insure their protection.

Shortly, Officer Holsombach arrived on the scene. He is one of the officers who works for Scientology when he is off-duty.

Sgt. Zegzdryn was next to arrive and he brought some order to the proceedings. He was the first one to be interested in the fact that a man attacked me with a hammer.

Kelly concluded his investigation and after interviewing the people inside the house, Kelly called the three of us (myself and the two German filmmakers) over to the side. With Officer Kelly was a man whom I believe to be a groundskeeper for the house we had visited. Officer Kelly very pointedly was addressing his comments directly to me as he said “I want you to very carefully listen to what this man says.”

The groundskeeper then addressed the German filmmakers. The groundskeeper did not look at me at all. He was only interested in the Germans who had come by the house twice before. The groundskeeper told them that they were not welcome there and if they came back they would be trespassing.

Having said all this, Officer Kelly told us that we were on notice and the next time we came in that neighborhood all three of us would go to jail. He said he could arrest us all right there but he was going to let us go. I said “That’s it, you not going to do anything about the guy who attacked me with a hammer?” and he said no and said we were free to go.

I went over to the Sgt. Zegzdryn and demanded to have the hammer assailant arrested. I told Zegzdryn again that Kelly refused to even look at the video. Sgt. Zegzdryn watched the video twice and forced the officers to do an investigation of it. They went back into the house and spoke with the people inside.

It was determined that no one would be arrested and that the video tape would be sent to the state attorney’s office to see if charges would be pressed.

At least one of the officers at the scene, Holsombach, is paid $21 an hour by Scientology when he’s off duty to work for the “church.” Indeed, in each of the following two days after the event he has spent eight hours a day schmoozing with the very people who have been involved in repeated conflicts with us.

People in the “church” have gone around the neighborhood smearing me name and the names of the other people involved in the Lisa McPherson Trust. They have compared us to cross burners and said we are dangerous criminals. This same line of bull is handed to the police officers eight hours a day.

We can see from the behavior of the police responding to this incident that there is an extreme conflict of interest in having the police accept money from Scientology and then respond to any call related to any member of the trust.

Mark Bunker