French Justice Ministry investigates destruction of Scientology evidence
CNN, Sep. 8, 1999
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9909/08/BC-France-Scientology.ap/index.html
PARIS (AP) -- France's Justice Ministry opened an investigation
Wednesday into the destruction of key evidence against the Church of
Scientology in a Marseille court, according to judicial sources.
Marseille court officials alerted the Justice Ministry to the removal
of more than three tons of evidence in August, the sources said on
customary condition of anonymity.
The Marseille prosecutor's office said in a statement that the
destruction of certain sealed files was a result of "negligence"
by a court clerk and not an intentional act.
The documents relate to an investigation opened in 1990 against
regional Scientology leaders in the southern coastal cities of
Marseille and Nice for fraud and the illegal practice of medicine.
Seven of those leaders are scheduled to go on trial Sept. 20. The
destruction of the evidence will not delay the trial, the sources said.
[...cuts...]
A Paris appeals court is expected to rule Sept. 29 on a similar case
against the Church of Scientology in which evidence also disappeared.
[...cuts...]
Founded in 1954 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, the Los
Angeles-based organization teaches that technology can expand the mind
and help solve human problems.
[... extracted items only ...]
Return to The Skeptic Tank's main Index page.
The views and opinions stated within this web page are those of the
author or authors which wrote them and may not reflect the views and
opinions of the ISP or account user which hosts the web page. The
opinions may or may not be those of the Chairman of The Skeptic Tank.