Note of forward by Fredric Rice:
After Scientologist Richard Bernard assaulted XenuTV with a hammer, cult ringleader Mike Rinder went to Gottfried Helnwein's house, with, I believe, the intention of instructing the cult follower what to say about the attack or, which seems more likely to me, to order him to say nothing to the press about the attack which took place outside of his residence.

Afterwards, cult ringleader Rinder apparently met with NBC and quite accidentally informed them that, contrary to what cultist Helnwein had been demanding for the past six years, he was in fact a follower of the Scientology cult. Woops! Since the basis of Helnwein's legal activities in Germany over the past six years were due to having been identified publically as a Scientologist, two days after cult ringleader Rinder let the cat out of the bag, Helnwein dropped his legal cases in Germany. What a coincidence, huh? I doubt it.

Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 21:44:07 -0500
German_Scn_News <?german_scn_news@hotmail.com>

Bonn, Germany
February 4, 2000
Ingo Heinemann's web page

The Legal Proceedings - The Capitulation

The Frankfurt Superior State Court had set the date at February 17, 2000.

An SWR team investigated on February 1, 2000 in Clearwater, USA. In front of Helnwein's house, the camera man was attacked with a hammer. On the next day SWR obtained a capitulation statement.

The following press release was sent on February 2, 2000 from attorney Dr. Karsten Rock from the Office of Gram and Weber in Bielefeld to SWR (Southwest Broadcasting).

Press release.

Since 1994, Gottfried Helnwein has pursued legal proceedings to enforce a cease-and-desist order against the "Verein fuer die Interessen tyrannisierter Mitmenschen, e.V." and the "Verein fuer Friedenserziehung im Saarland e.V." for alleged false statements of fact. Mr. Helnwein triumphed in the first round before the Frankfurt State Court, by judgment of the 3rd civil chamber on 24 May 1995.

On appeal by the accused, the judgment of the first specification was confirmed by Frankfurt Superior State Court, but the other three specifications were overturned and withdrawn. To Mr. Helnwein's Constitutional grievance which he filed against this de cision, the first Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court, with a decision on 10 Nov 1998, case number: 1 8 VR 1531/98, overturned the decision of the Frankfurt Superior State Court based on transgression of basic rights and referred it back for a new hearing.

Since Mr. Helnwein has not lived in Germany since the end of 1997 and lives with his family and works alternately between Ireland, New York and Italy, the nearly 6 year old proceeding has since lost meaning and purpose for him. He is now dedicating himself exclusively to his artistic work and is preparing several international museum exhibits which require his entire concentration and work ability.

He has not publicly taken a position on the theme since 1998 and since he no longer lives in Germany, he has not been involved with the topic of the proceedings anymore, either. Further discussion about the case material in the proceedings before the Frankfurt Superior Court is no longer possible for him. He is lacking the time as well as the motivation to continue the dispute.

Mr. Helnwein has repeatedly sought an out of court settlement. Because the opponents in the proceedings have not responded to an offer for out of court settlement, Mr. Helnwein has instructed his representative in the matter to now end the case. Mr. Helnwein's trial representative will now accordingly withdraw his accusations. By withdrawing the accusations, however, it is not conceded that the assertions of fact by the opposing sides are true. The withdrawal of the accusations is serving exclusively to end proceedings for the complainant in which he has lost any legal interest.

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