Declaration of Joseph A. Yanny
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I, JOSEPH A. YANNY, having personal knowledge of the following
hereby declare and state that :
1. I am an attorney at law, duly admitted to practice before the
United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Courts of the States of
California and Illinois, and numerous other federal courts and
administrative agencies. This is the tenth year of my admission to
practice law. I am the sole shareholder of the entity known as Joseph
A. Yanny, a Professional Corporation, which does business as Herzig and
Yanny.
2. I have from time to time, represented the Plaintiffs herein
(hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Cult") over the course of
several years. My Corporation and I are Defendants herein, along with
several of my associates. The Cult asks for equity, but their hands
are unclean.
3. One of the basic beliefs of the Cult is the much written about
"FAIR GAME" policy which states that an "ENEMY" of Scientology:
May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any
Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologis.
May be tricked, sue or lied to or destroyed.
A true and correct copy of which is submitted as exhibit A.
4. The Corrolary to this "Fair Game" Doctrine is the "Religious
Practice: set forth in the Cults' "Scriptures" known as the "level 0
checksheet" (a true and correct copy which is submitted as exhibit 1)
and provides at the page marked as 55:
The purpose of the lawsuit is to harass and discourage rather
than to win, The law can be used very easily to harass and
enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge
anyway, well knowing he is not authorized, will generally be
sufficient to cause his professional decease. _If possibly,
of course, ruin him utterly._
(emphasis added)
That is the purpose of this suit against myself, my firm and my
associates. The Cult is so anxious to abuse process that it claims it
needs expedited discovery, a special dispensation from the Rules of
Discovery intended to allow a Defendant sufficient time to secure and
brief counsel.
5. The "Fair Game" doctrine has been discussed at length in
numerous litigations including the one entitle _U.S. v. Hubbard_
reported at 474 F. 2d 64 (D.C. .D.C. 1979), its predecessors and its
progeny. See e.g.m 572 F. 2d 321, 591 F. 2d 533, 650 F. 2d 293, 668 F.
2d 1238, 436 F. Supp 689, 529 F. Supp. 945. In that case, top
executives of the Cult were eventually convicted of crimes including
theft of U.S. Government documents, obstruction of justice, and othe
"fair game" related activities against the Government of the U.S., a
known "ENEMY" of the Cult. See Exhibit 25 and 27 submitted herewith
i.e. _Sentencing Memorandum and Stipulations of Evidence_
6. As late as 1984, Judge Beckenridge of this Honorable Court,
wrote an opinion finding that the infamous "fair game" doctrine was
still in full force and effect, barring equitable relief against the
defendant in that case, Mr. Gerald Armstrong, who had actually stolen
documents from the Cult. A true and correct copy of _Hubbard v.
Armstrong_ is submitted herewith as exhibit B.
As Judge Beckenridge stated on page 8 of that opinion:
In 1970 a police agency of the French Government conducted an
investigation into Scientology and concluded, "this sect,
under the pretext of 'freeing humans' is nothing in reality
but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money
from its adepts by (use of) pseudo-scientific theories, by
(use of ) 'auditions' and 'stage settings' (lit. to create a
theatrical scene) pushed to extremes (a machine to detect
lies, its own particular phraseology. .), to estrange adepts
from their families and to exercise a kind of blackmail
against persons who do not wish to continue with this sect."2
From the evidence presented to this court in 1984, at the
very least, similar conclusions can be drawn. In addition to
violating and abusing its own members civil rights, the
organization over the years with its "Fair Game" doctrine has
harassed and abused those persons not in the Church whom it
perceives as enemies. The organization is clearly
schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination
seems to be a reflection of its founder LRH. Judicial Notice
thereof is requested.
7. I would call the Court's attention to the doctrine of
collateral estoppel, best statued by the U.S. Supreme Court in the
case of _University of Illinois v. Blonder-Tongue Laboratories_, 402
U.S. 313, 28 L. Ed. 2d 788, 91 S. Ct. 1434 (1971). I could cite
California and Federal authority for the propisition that once policy
such as "Fair Game" is established, the burden shifts to the Church to
establish "a change in circumstance." However, I do not have the
research on the subject nor my notes and copies of cases thereto (they
are locked in this Court's jury room.)
8. The Court should also see the case of _Allard v. Church of
Scientology of California_, 129 Cal. Rptr. 797 (2nd Dist. 1976),
submitted as exhibit 5 herewith, and the full text of the _Stipulations
of Evidence_ in the case of _United States v. Hubbard_, which sets
fourth the various "Religious" practices of the Cult as including:
III. The conspiracy to intercept oral communications,
Burglarize and steal and the substantive acts committed
pursuant thereto.
VI. The conspiracy to Obstruct Justice, to obstruct an
investigation, to harbor a fugitive and to make false
declarations before the grand jury.
9. Submitted herewith a collection of exhibits which consist
mostly of pleadings, evidence, exhibits, and judges' opinion in legal
cases, with the only exceptions being No. 15, a magazine article, and
No. 12, complaints filed with the Massachusetts Board of Bar Oversees
by the Cult.
These materials are offered to show the chronic nationwide contempt
which the Cult has shown for all judicial process, These materials
clearly demonstrate that the Cult, according to written policy, will
use any means legal or illegal to subvert and frustrate judicial
process against them, and will willingly and knowingly abuse judicial
process in order to attack perceived "enemies". The victims of these
attacks include lawyers, judges, witnesses, and party defendants.
10. The following is a brief characterization of each of the
included documents. True and correct copies of the exhibits are
submitted herewith to wit:
Exhibit 1: _Purpose of a lawsuit_. This exhibit includes two
items. The first is a magazine article written by L. Ron Hubbard, the
founder of Scientology, describing how to use a lawsuit to harass
opponents (see page 55). The second one is an internal Scientology
document, that was part of the court record in _United States v. Mary
Sue Hubbard_, Cr.No. 78-401 (D.Ct., D.C.). It states that the object
of litigation with the I.R.S. is delay
Exhibit 2. _"Freedom of Speech Includes Freedom to Malign"._ This
document, written by Jane Kember, includes a blunt description of how
knowingly frivolous lawsuits can be used to drive publishers into
submission. Kember states that since in the U.S. a person who loses a
lawsuit is not required to pay the opponent's cost, frivolous lawsuits
are an effective means of imposing unbearable financial burdens on
publishers and thereby suppressing publications of materials on
Scientology.
Exhibit 3-9 Various cases which the Cult lost including findings
of frivolousness with the award of sanctions.
Exhibit 10. _Reader Digest Case_. The Cult attempted to enjoin
the publication of a Reader Digest article in Denmark. The Court held
that the suit was without merit and ordered the Cult to pay the Readers
Digest Dkr. 2000.
Exhibit 11. _Lawsuits against Attorney Michael Flynn and Thomas
Hoffman_. Attorneys Michal Flynn and Hoffman represented plaintiffs
who were suing the Cult. The Cult has sued the attorneys and their
employees. This exhibit includes the cover sheets of the suits and two
court orders dismissing the suits.
Exhibit 12. _Frivolous Bar Complaints_. The exhibit includes
cover sheets of frivolous bar complaints against attorneys representing
plaintiffs who are suing the Cult.
Exhibit 13. _Church of Scientology v. Cooper_. In this opinion,
Federal Judge Hauck describes an incident in which a Cult member was
found wandering around in a security area in the Los Angeles Federal
Courthouse.
Exhibit 14. _Motion to Disqualify._ Self-explanatory
Exhibit 15. _Article from "American Lawyer_. Describes a number
of covert operations against judges who were sitting on Cult cases.
Exhibit 16. _Investigations of Judges_. The three parts of this
exhibit describe Cult operations to investigate the personal
backgrounds and families of judges deliberating in Scientology cases.
These exhibits are internal Cult documents seized by the F.B.I. from
Cult headquartets in 1977 and were part of the court records in _United
States v. Mary Sue Hubbard_, supra.
Exhibit 17. _Affidavit regarding infiltration_. This affidavit
of Dennis Quilligan describes the efforts of a Cult lawyer to
infiltrate the State's Attorneys office and his successful infiltration
of the lawfirm, representing Mayor Cazares, who was then being sued by
the Cult.
Exhibit 18. _Unsigned Stipulations of Evidence_. This lengthy
document was the agreed basis for the conviction of the Church's top
leaders in Federal Court in Washington, D.C. It includes a variety of
criminal actions committed by the Scientologists, including obstruction
of justice.
Exhibit 19. _Instruction on How to Lie_. An internal Cult
document containing instructions on how to lie effectively.
Exhibit 20. _Instructions on How to Steal Documents_. This
appaling document is self explanatory. It was seized in the F.B.I.
raid. The second part of the exhibit shows full knowledge by Cult
officials of ongoing burglaries.
Exhibit 21. _More Instructions+. Self-Explanatory.
Exhibit 22. _"Bulldozer Leak"_. This document describes an
operation to frustrate service of legal process by fraudulent means.
This document was seized in the F.B.I raid.
Exhibit 23. _Project Quaker_. This document describes an
operation to obstruct justice by concealing witnesses. Also taken in
the F.B.I. raid
Exhibit 24. _Early Warning system_. A scheme to frustrate legal
process by fraudulent and criminal means. This document was also taken
in the F.B.I. raid.
Exhibit 25. _Scientology Memorandum_. This is a lucid
description of the scope of criminal and tortious (sic) activities and
abuse of the judicial system by the Scientologists.
Exhibit 26. _Lost of Scientology Lawsuits_. This exhibit is a
partial list of lawsuits brought by the Cult, intended to show the
extreme litigiousness of the Cult.
Exhibit 27. The Signed Stipulations referred to in Exhibit 18.
11. I have personal knowledge of the fact that while the Cult
claims in the verified complaint, to be religious, this Cult clams to
be religious only within those jurisdictions where it is expedient to
be so, e.g. the U.S. where there is a tax exempt status for such
activities and a first amendment to hide behind when tortious (sic) and
criminal activity must be defended. However, I have personal knowledge
that in such countries as Israel and many parts of Latin America, where
it is not expedient to be a religious organization, (because of a state
religion and a prohibition against ownership of property by Religious
organizations, Respectively,) "The Cult" claims to be a philosophical
Society. I also have personal knowledge of documents which can prove
these facts, which documents are in the possession of Thomas Small,
Esq, of the firm of McDonald& Halstead, and Cult members such as Alan
Cartright and a young lady named "Kirsten" (pronounced-Sher Ston).
12. The Court should also be aware of the verdict in tow recent
cases, to wit:
1) _Christoffersin (Tichbourne) v. CSC, Hubbard et all_,
Portland, Oregon decided in 1985 (Case citation in Court's
Jury room) (in which a jury awarded Mrs Titchbourne $39
million dollars as a result of the "Fair Game" "Religious"
practices directed at her); and the case of 2) _Wollersheim
v. C.S.X._ in LA Superior Court before the Honorable Ronald
Swearingger (citation in Courts Jury room) (in which the jury
awarded Mr. Wollersheim $30 million as a result of the "Fair
Game" "Religious" Practices directed at him)
13. Since the outbreak of hostilities between the Aznarans and
the Cult there is additional evidence of continued application of the
"Fair Game Doctrine" present in the instant case, to wit:
1) Ms. Karen McRae, one of my alleged co-conspirators
herein, after having been visited upon by various attorneys
for the Cult (including two phone calls from: Earle Cooley,
Esq. and one visit in Dallas, Texas, by a femal attorney
from a D.C. firm representing the Cult), was severely beaten
by two unknown assailants in Dallas, Texas;
2) Rick Aznaran, while under surveillance by agents of the
Cult, was the object of a hit and run accident in the State
of Texas;
3) This past week, Ms. Wilske, my fiancee, was the object of
an auto accident involving the collision of the front and the
rear of her vehicle, totally disabling it and injuring her;
4) I, on Sunday June 26, 1988, at about 5:00 p.m. was
stopped by no less than four local police cars, in the City
of Bellaire, Ohio. The police called me by name that they
had information that I was in posession of firearms and
cocaine (the very same allegations made by the Cult in this
case). I was informed by the police that I had two options
i.e. to allow my car to be searched or be arrested on the
spot. Needless to say, I permitted the car my person and the
person of my relative to be searched. Nothing was found.
The next day, Monday the 27th of June, the occupants of two
out-of-state cars having Pennsylvania plates were questioned
by local officials. The occupants, stated that they had me
under surveillance since Saturday, June 25, 1988 (before the
search by the police), and that they had been hired by a
Washington D.C. firm (who represents the Cult) named
Williams & Connolly. A full report on this matter is now in
the hands of the FBI.
5) At a meeting held in the offices of Howard Weitzman, on
June 15, 1988, I was informed by Mr. Weitzman, that this
suit need not be filed and "could be handled", if and only if
the Aznaran suit would be made to go away.
6) Since I stopped representing the Cult in or about November
of 1987, my offices have been broken into on at least three
occasions (once with a crow bar), and numerous documents are
now missing relating to the cult. These break-ins were
conducted a number of months after __Mr. Moxon (an
unindicted co-conspirator in the__ _United States v. Hubbard_
__case__) had 'cased the Joint" under the guise of wanting to
rent space from me;
Now as to the players:
14. As to Mr Vallier, my former associate, an officer of my
professional Corporation, and former employee, I state as follows:
a) Mr. Vallier, quit my employment in the month of February on a
few days notice;
b) Mr. Vallier is a well known seller of large quantities of
cocaine and has been so for years;
c) I am informed by Mr. Vallier that he was first busted and
convicted on drug charges at age 17, I am informed that through the aid
of his father (a local attorney), he had the matter expunged from his
records. Mr. Vallier expressed concern to me during 1986 that he was
being blackmailed by the Cult. he stated that the Cult had confronted
him with thefact of his prior drug conviction as a minor, a fact that
was not public knowledge.
d) I have personally seen Mr. Vallier in possession of large
quantities of cocaine which he stated was intended for resale; and he
also stated that selling drugs was his way of supporting his own habit
and supplementing his income;
e) Mr Vallier has stated that he had been a supplier of cocaine to
other known enemies of the Cult while he was in la school;
f) Mr Vallier stated before departing my good offices that he had
been an "operative" for the Cult in obtaining information from inside
the offices of Charles O'Reilly, through an old "cuddle" (as he called
her), whom I recall he identified as "Mary", stating that she was one
of the O'Reilly attorneys' secretary. Mr Vallier further stated that
he supplied "Mary" with cocaine. With respect to the O'Reilly
operation, Mr Vallier stated to me that he was "run" by Warren
McShane.;
g) There currently exists a dispute between Mr Vallier and myself
as to fees earned. It took Mr Vallier three times to pass the
California Bar Exam.
15. Ms Peti;
a) Worked for me from April 1987, (the time when the Aznarans made
an escape from a secret cult prison location in the desert known as
"Happy Valley") until shortly before, the institution of this action.
She was emotionally distraught, a heavy substance abuser, and possessed
of an extreme weight problem. She was also a lover of Thomas Vallier
with whom she spent the night during a visit to Oregon which we took in
the Summer of 1987,
b) I am within the last week, informed by a Mr. Waysman that she
was a former secretary of his and a key witness in a disciplinary
proceeding which resulted in the 1986 published case of _Waysman v.
State Bar of California_, 224 Cal. Rptr. 101 (Cal.1986), involving
allegations of drinking and drug abuse. I am informed by Mr. Waysman,
that Ms. Peti, worked for him only three weeks before running off with
money and testifying to things she could have no knowledge of.
c) I know believe that Ms. Peti, was recruited to infiltrate my
organization as a plant at about the time of the criminal incarceration
of Vicki Aznaran, in early 1987, by the Cult because of Peti's peculiar
experiences as witness in the Waysman case (see exhibits 17 & 20.)
d) Prior to departing my offices, Ms. Peti had numerous financial
misfortunes, was sued for divorce by her estranged husband, (the law
clerk referred to in the Waysman case), and was heavily using alcohol
and drugs (which she stated she obtained from Mr. Vallier, who she was
regularly seeing after she left my employment).
16. As to Mr. Warren McShane, I state that he has informed me
that he was a high ranking operative in the "G.O.", during the days
which saw the events which resulted in the _United States v. Hubbard_
convictions. His tendencies toward criminal behavior and disregard for
the law were the subject of many complaints by me to Mrs Vicki Aznaran
prior to her incarceration in the dessert by the Cult. It was this
tendency to criminality that resulted in his removal from his post and
apparently gave rise to his current grudge match against me. I was
informed by Mr. McShane the he was running plants in the inner circle
of one David Mayo and that he was "culling" confidential confessional
folders of cult members (known as "P.C. folders") to gain information
that would be used against them as blackmail or for impeachment
purpose. I personally observed this culling and objected to it.
17. As to Mr Moxon, I state that: Prior to his completing law
school, he was one of numerous unindicted co-conspirators in the case
of _United States v. Hubbard_.
18. Mr Cooley (who in his last two outings for the church lost a
$39 million dollar verdict in Oregon and another $30 million verdict in
L.A.) has personally ordered the destruction of evidence relating to
Cult litigation in my presence. These orders were given to Warren
McShane and Mark "Marty" Rathburn
19. I was hired by Mrs. Aznaran in 1984 to represent the Cult in
trade secret, copyright and trade mark litigation matters.
20. I am informed and therefore believe, that sometime in early
1987, Mrs. Aznaran was abducted and taken to a "Johnestown-like" camp
known as "Happy Valley". As far as I know, she just disappeared. It
was not until many months later that Vicki, a personal friend, found
the courage to initiate contact with me.
21. Prior to talking with Vicki, after her abduction, a number of
extremely troubling occurrences happened involving my representation of
the Cult; to wit:
a) Sometimes in April or May 1987 I was summoned to a meeting on
the 4th floor of the Cult headquarters in L.A. and at that meeting
were many high ranking officials of the Cult including, Linda Hamel
(Director of Covert Intel operations), "Marty" Mark Rathburn. and an
indistinguished cast of others. The subject matter of the meeting was
to be "The Catholic Conspiracy and Charles O'Reilly." At the meeting
it was explained that Catholics were the enemies of the Cult and that
Charles O'Reilly was their best hit man. (O'Reilly had recently
obtained a $30 million dollar verdict against the Cult in _Wollersheim_
and previously tried the _Allard_ case). Mr O'Reilly (whom I have
personally sued for the Cult, obtaining an injunction against him in
Federal Court), despite his human tendencies, remains one of the few
lawyers in this country with the skill and courage to meet the Cult
head on, beat it and not sell out. Since he didn't have a price, it
was explained by Mr Rathburn that he must be handled through blackmail.
Three private investigators were present at that meeting. I do not
remember their names. I and the others were told by "Marty" Rathburn,
that on the orders of David Miscavige (the successor of the L. Ron
Hubbard as the head of the Cult), that the medical records of O'Reilly
were to be stolen from the "Betty Ford Center" and another location in
Santa Barbara to show that he was using cocaine, discredit him, and
possibly blackmail him into easing off on his 30 million dollar verdict
now on appeal. I objected to this as illegal and an alternative plan
was quickly arrived at to "settle my nerves". Within days, I informed
the Cults' chief lawyer, John Peterson, that I wanted to substitute out
of the cases in which I represented the Cult. Soon thereafter Mr.
Peterson died. I substituted out as quickly as possible thereafter.
b) I also became aware of numerous "cullings" of P.C. folders by
Cult members. I was actually given P.C. folder data to prepare for
depositions of former members. Again I objected. The confidential
materials were put in "prep packs". When I objected to this practice,
I was told by Mr. McShane and a Mr. Ryerson that this was standard
practice in the Cult. I again offered my resignation as their counsel.
Within weeks, the prep packs were removed from my office by a team of
Cult members headed by a Mrs Joyce van Dyke. Prior to the break-ins
into my office, I received receipts for the prep packs as they were
turned over to the Cult team. I have not been able to locate them.
c) There was also wholesale destruction of evidence, theft of
documents from private persons and attempts to infiltrate the Court
chambers of Judges Lilly and Swearinger.
d) This is but the top of the iceberg. Many of the documents in
this Court's Jury Room show recent attempts by this Cult to infiltrate
courthouses, U.S. government contractors such as Honeywell in Phoenix,
to find out what classified projects these contractors were getting
from the "Rockefellers" and the "DOD" and other "enemies of mankind".
e) I was also informed of a Cult-organized group of vigilantes
known as the "minutemen" who were to go beat up dissidents and had in
fact done so. I retained no originals of any documents that belong to
the Cult, I simply retained copies, which I am permitted to do. The
enscrypting diskettes for the Cult computer, were turned over to them
prior to the break-ins in my office.
f) I also became aware of a plot to obstruct Justice or at least
perpetuate a fraud to the Courts in the form of settlement agreements
of numerous pieces of Cult litigation, which required that lawyers
never take litigation against the Cult in the future, that no-one
(lawyers or parties) testify against the Cult, and that all evidence
and files be turned over to the Cult for destruction.
g) Additionally, I became aware that witnesses such as Bill Franks
and others signed contracts to keep quiet about what they knew. In
other words they were paid hush money,
22. I never engaged in the representation of the Aznarans or Mr
Corydon, nor did I impart any confidential "privileged information to
them." We have one thing in common, a common criminal enemy -- the
Cult -- who the governments of this country have allowed to physically
beat its citizens, to betray their confidences, ignore their civil
right and use the Judicial System to Destroy them.
23. That I had a difficult time sleeping knowing what I knew,
having represented this criminal Cult -- I readily admit.
24 From the time I wanted to substitute out of the Cult cases
until present, the Cult failed to make payments for services rendered,
A deep dispute arose, when questioned by Cult member Carol Martiniano
about who would have facts to support my contentions regarding the fee
dispute, I informed her Vicki and others would know. Within a few days
Vicki called me to tell me that she had received threats from Earle
Cooley on the phone, that she better not remember the facts the way she
was stating them or she would be sued by the Cult. At that time Vicki
informed me of the facts surrounding her incarceration and denial of
medical treatment at "Happy Valley". I informed her that she had a
potential statute of limitation problem, that I probably should not
represent her, but would help her find a lawyer. I told her that she
had a place to stay if she wanted one -- my home. She, her husband and
Ms. McRae came to my home, found a lawyer and sued. To this day, I
haven't seen her full complaint, and no one in my office drafted any
part of it.
23. It was my determination that I had no conflict of interest in
the Aznaran matter, but in order to best serve the Aznarans' interest,
they should find other council -- so the matter could be resolved on
the merits, not by default or attrition.
26. As a result of Vicki's visit, I met Mr. Corydon, Vicki's
friend. I began to gather evidence for my conflict with the Cult since
the storm clouds were gathering. I had read Mr. Corydon's Book _L.
Ron Hubbard - Messiah or Madman_, before meeting Mr. Corydon, found
the book both frightening and interesting, and submit the same as
exhibit 28. I recommend it to the court's attention.
27. Most of the alleged facts set forth in the Declaration of
Peti are outright lies. It is true that Mrs. Peti worked for the firm
of Herzig & Yanny for a little more than a year. When she quit, she
left in the middle of a business day and never returned, contrary to
her statement that she came back to the from from time to time and that
I made damaging statements to her.
28. In addition to the above, it is also true that my office has
copied the work performed on behalf of the plaintiffs and the work
performed by other offices to which our office responded on behalf of
plaintiffs. We have retained those copies. It is further true that
our office has retained the complete diskettes that contain the work
that the Herzig & Yanny firm did for the plaintiffs, most of which has
been filed and is therefor subject to public inspection. I have also
received communications from plaintiffs containing material which
indicates that they were engaged in criminal activity. I retained
copies of those documents in order to establish that these criminal
activities are such as to constitute a waiver of the attorney-client
privilege and also establish that this lawsuit and their conduct
towards me in initiating it are a part of a common purpose and plan
carried out by the plaintiffs against all those people who leave their
employment or who leave their church. It is necessary for me to retain
those copies to properly defend myself in this action.
29. I have had no opportunity to get fully informed advice from
my attorney, or from any attorney, as to what I should do with the
copies that I have formerly retained, which are now held by this Court.
I believe that those documents will indicate that the plaintiffs have
participated in a consistent conspiracy to obstruct justice and to
perpetuate fraud upon the Court and that by reason thereof, and by
reason of the provisions of California Evidence Code paragraph 956,
such information is not subject to any privilege whatsoever.
30. Addressing myself to certain of the specifics of the Dorothy
Ann Peti Declaration, my comment is as follows:
At no time did I instruct Dorothy Ann Peti or anyone else in the
employment of Herzig & Yanny to inflate the billable hours for the
plaintiffs, or to any other clients of the office. With reference to
Thomas R. Vallier, on numerous occasions, I informed Mr. Vallier that
he was either incompetent or had lost sight of the true hours spent on
the job, and that I could not bill the client the hours shown on his
timesheets, and I drastically reduced the hours billed to the clients.
31. It is absolutely false that I charged Lisa Wilske's time at
other than her normal rate, which ran from various time at $40 per
hour, $75 per hour, and later, when she finished law school and became
an attorney, at $125 per hour.
32. It is not true that Lisa Wilske or anyone else ever asked Ms.
Petti to attend any proceedings at the home of Joseph a. Yanny and give
an "impression" of conversation with any individuals. Most of the time
that Ms Peti was "at" my home was actually spent at a local bar called
the "Poopdeck" and, on at least one of the days that she referred to,
she called us to come and get her because she was so drunk that she was
afraid to leave the bar by herself. On one of those occasions, she
bought me a shirt containing an advertisement of the bar, which is
still owned by the Declarant.
33. I knew Vicki Aznaran because she had been the president of
Religious Technology Center, one of the plaintiffs herein, during the
time that I represented the plaintiffs. After Ms. Aznaran left the
Church, and after I terminated my professional relationship with the
plaintiffs, I had numerous conversations with her, and she advised me
that she had terminated her relationship with the plaintiffs and that
she had been, in effect, kidnaped and taken to the desert, deprived of
medical care, forced to go on marches, and finally was able to escape.
She said that she was going to come over and discuss the matter with
me. During one of the weekends at my home, in addition to the social
pleasantries that were exchanged, she asked me if i could represent her
in suits against the Church; I stated that I would have to review the
matter.
34. At that time, I had heard of Mr. Corydon, but I had not met
him until he came to visit with Vicki at my home in Hermosa beach. I
had known that he had written the book _L Ron Hubbard -- Messiah or
Madman ?_, and that the plaintiffs were extremely angry with him over
writing the book, but I knew little about him. At no time did Mr.
Corydon tell me he did not have financial resources to hire an
attorney. At no time did I discuss those lack of funds or Lisa
Wilske's prior participation with the plaintiffs, nor did I ever offer
to have Ms. Wilske, or anyone in my office, represent Mr. Corydon.
At no time did I have Lisa Wilske or Richard Wynne or anyone else in my
office research any issues concerning the Aznaran complaint. The only
research that was done was by Lisa Wilske and Mary Grieco as to the
propriety or possibility of our firm representing someone adverse to
the plaintiffs. For many reasons, I decided it would be inappropriate
to represent the Aznarans.
35. Neither I nor anyone else in the office of Herzig & Yanny to
my knowledge drafted any portion of the planned or actual Aznaran
Complaint, and it is an absolute lie (as is most of the Declaration of
Peti) that I was present during the filing of that complaint. It is
also not true that I imparted any confidential material, or any
material whatsoever, to the firm of Cummins & White or to any of its
members to assist them in the preparation of the Aznaran Complaint.
36. It is true that a stack of documents were brought to my home
on one of the dates referred to in the Peti Declaration. These
documents related to the break-in of government offices by agents of
the plaintiffs in 1977 or 1978 which resulted in an action brought by
the United States against the plaintiffs, and resulted in nine of the
top executives of the Cult, including the wife of L. Ron Hubbard, being
convicted and sent to spend time in the Federal penitentiary.
37. I felt they were relevant to my impending suit with the Cult
in light of the numerous break-ins to my quarters. The fanciful story
told by the petitioner in paragraph 21 on page 6 and 7 of Ms. Peti's
Declaration is not only false, but it is intended to create an
impression which Ms. Peti knows is false. The fact of the matter are
absolutely to the contrary. Ms Peti is well aware that the motion she
refers to was prepared by the Church at their own offices and was
brought to me by Thomas Vallier at Court when I was present during
another matter. I read the documents and refused to sign them. I said
that they were wrong and were not to be served. I told Mr. Vallier
that they were wrong and were not to be served, and he left. If I had
known that they had been served, I would certainly have sent out a
"notice of non-hearing." I first learned that the documents had been
served when I received the motion for sanctions. I inquired of Ms.
Peti, and she told me that she had received a call from the Church and
that they had told her that I had advised them that she should serve
the documents. I told her that that was absolutely false. The church
insisted that I oppose the motions for sanctions and I did.
38. At no time did I lecture or otherwise inform Corydon or
anyone else concerning the actual facts about the plaintiffs'
"weaknesses." I was advised and learned of some of those weaknesses,
but that knowledge was one of the things that persuaded me not to
represent the Aznarans in their suit against the plaintiffs.
39. It is true that, after Vicki Aznaran told me the facts of her
imprisonment by the plaintiffs, I told her that she might have a
statute of limitation problem and that if she was going to bring an
action she had better be careful of the time limitations. I also told
her that I would recommend some attorneys she could go to. She told me
that there had been numerous agreements between the Church and numerous
attorneys and witnesses wherein they had agreed not to represent anyone
who had an interest adverse to the Church and the witnesses agreed not
to testify for anyone who had a cause of action against the Church.
40. I have never seen the full Aznaran Complaint. I am not aware
of it ever coming to the office of Herzig & Yanny. I was not aware
that this was a possibility until my attorney read that portion of the
Ms. Peti statement to me on June 26, 1988, paragraph 24 of the Peti
Declaration. Under no circumstances did I assist in the preparation of
any Complaint by Aznaran against the Church.
41. The declaration of Vicki Aznaran concerning the retaining fee
dispute that I presently have with the plaintiffs came in some time
prior to any meeting that I had with the Aznarans. That Declaration
was taken from my office during one of the many break-ins to my office
following my termination as attorney for the Church. During one of
those break-ins, which was accomplished by the use of a crowbar, my
individual office was broken into as well.
42. Paragraph 28 of Ms. Peti's declaration is absolutely false,
and Ms. Peti must know that it is false. Ms. Peti had nothing to do
with the billing at our office. If she had taken the time to make an
investigation of that billing, she would have discovered that all of
the billing for Lisa Wilske, whether for the Church or any of the
clients, was billed at Ms. Wilske's regular rate, and was never billed
at Yanny's higher partner rate.
43. The allegations of paragraph 21 in Ms. Peti's Declaration
are vicious and false, and are nothing but deliberate lies intended to
place me in a bad light before this court.
44. At this point, I have not had sufficient opportunity to
review the extensive documentation filed by the Cult in support of the
pending Application.
45. As to the Declaration of Mr. Vallier, I can only state that
the contents of paragraph 2, appear to be generally correct but the
contents of paragraph 3 and 4 are out right perjury. As to paragraph
5, I can only state that there was a break-in into my offices, I have
no knowledge of what others believe or stated, that I staged no
break-in. The balance of Mr. Vallier's paragraph 5 is a lie. As to
paragraph 6 and 7 of Mr. Vallier's Declaration, I can only state that
both Peti and Vallier (who are now on the Cult's payroll) are Liars and
the implications are false. As to paragraph 8, I did withdraw as
counsel and executed substitution of attorney papers which were
delivered to the Cult representatives for filing in Court. As to the
contents of paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, I can only state that there
was no "conspiracy," and I have no knowledge of Mr. Vallier's
conversations with Messrs.. Wynne and Grabowski, and that his alleged
conversation with me is a figment of his tortious imagination. The
contents of paragraph 14 are also false.
46. As to the Declaration of Warren McShane, I can state that as
to:
a) paragraph 3, 4, 5, 6, - the contents are false as far as I
know. I never met McShane until 1984.
b) The contents of paragraph 7 appears to be generally correct;
c) I have no recollection of the allegations made in paragraph 8
or 9 of the McShane Declaration, and all my files are with this
Court;
d) The contents of paragraph 10 appears to be generally
correct, except that the dates, and I did represent the Cult
in the litigation specified in paragraph 11.
e) As to paragraph 12 and 13, I can only state that Vicki
Aznaran was and is my friend (a concept you will not find
discussed in the Cult writings of L. Ron Hubbard). In 1985,
I was given a $150,000. non-refundable retainer, "For 1985"
not to be applied against billings, as an inducement to begin
working nearly full time for the Cult as "co-ordinating
attorney". I did submit bills regularly and none of the 1985
retainer was applied against billings. The remainder of
paragraphs 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are untrue except that I
did often reduce my bills to compensate for the quality of
work done by Vallier, who needed three tries to pass the Bar
Exam.
f) As to the contents of paragraph 18-24, I can only state
that I have had correspondence with Mr Weitzman, but the
balance is either untrue, distorted, or not in my memory
banks or records.
At no time have I ever conspired with anyone to disclose, nor have
I disclosed, nor do I intend to disclose any privileged information
pertaining to the plaintiffs in this lawsuit which was obtained during
the course of the prior attorney-client relationship between Plaintiffs
and Defendants. I do not intend during the course of this lawsuit, nor
at any time hereafter, to aid, counsel, or otherwise participate in the
legal representation of Vicki J. Aznaran, Richard Aznaran, and Bent
Corydon regarding their lawsuits with the Plaintiffs.
I hereby declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the
State of California that all of the above is true and correct except as
to those matters stated on information, and as to those matters I
believe them to be true.
Executed at Los Angeles, California on this 13th day of July, 1988
[Signature]
Joseph A. Yanny
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