[Update: WSMV News4 will be broadcasting an updated report available here.]Nashville: A Murfreesboro man has filed a $6 million lawsuit against the Church of Scientology's Nashville celebrity center claiming that guards hired by the church assaulted him while he was staging a protest.
Thomas A. Parker and other members of an anti-Scientology group called Anonymous planned to protest the center's grand opening on April 25.
Parker and others were walking down Eighth Avenue South, when two off-duty Spring Hill police officers, hired as security guards by the church, confronted them, the suit alleges. Parker claims he was pushed to the ground. He claims to have suffered injuries to his left shoulder, elbows and knees.Charges dropped.
According to the suit, Parker was arrested for aggravated criminal trespass. The charge was later dismissed. Brian Fesler, spokesman for the Church of Scientology, said he was unaware of the lawsuit and had no comment.
The incident occurred on a sidewalk about 450 yards away and across the street from the Scientology center at 1130 Eighth Ave. S., said Nathaniel Koenig, Parker's lawyer.Koenig said his client had every right to peacefully protest the Scientology event.
"I didn't know that walking down a public street in Nashville was a crime," said Koenig. "I have nothing against the Church of Scientology. I don't care. This is not attacking them as a religion. This is all about their attack on my client and his constitutional rights."
Also added by an anon protester involved "Scientology is listed on the lawsuit because of the master-servant clause. They are responsible for Hayes' action in this case. Otherwise, it would have been just Hayes. Hayes is listed as well, along with the individual officers", and don't expect this to get settled out-of-court, "...I told him that if he agreed to any kind of NDA, he'd feel the wrath of his fiance. I don't think he wants to deal with that... [also, see comments below]".
Seems as if the "basement dwelling, internet terrorists are all grown up now and filing their very own lawsuits". Earlier ODIT reports archived here for original assault in April and the follow-up report in May.
Protester Assaulted by Scientology Rent-a-Cops in Nashville
Part 1 [WSMV News4 broadcast May 6th 2009]
Protester Assaulted by Scientology Rent-a-Cops in Nashville
Part 2 [WSMV News4 broadcast]
Beautiful! I love it. Thanks for quoting me. lol
ReplyDelete<3 from 44's fiance.
@ 44's fiance: Thanks for recording the updated video!
ReplyDeleteNote: When the fiance says that an NDA won't be accepted, she's NOT ruling out an out-of-court settlement entirely. She's only ruling out settlements with broad confidentiality clauses in them.
ReplyDeleteThis might well be settled. Hayes and their insurance company would be stupid not to settle this case, as it's so obvious on so many levels. All that needs to be argued is how big the settlement or judgment should be.