In Jan 79 Counselor magazine, a private circulated for-members-only advertising magazine apologized for its two year planned Synanon article published in february of 1978:
“We were wrong. There is more at stake here than profits, pride or personal reputations. More important issues are now involved—personal freedom, personal safety, people’s minds and even lives.” Maybe, it concluded, if they had spoken up Jonestown would have been avoided. And maybe Synanon has crossed the lime to a cult blatantly “imposing its will on blind faith followers and the general public.”
Also that month, New West Magazine published a “ Wrongdoer’s profile,” on Charles Dederich. Home: “Mohave jail hospital ward. Profession: “Lord of hosts, king of the universe, ruler of all creation.” Latest accomplishment: “to drunk to be arraigned on conspiracy to commit murder by rattlesnake.” Last quote: “I don’t know what action might be taken …bombs could be thrown into some very odd places…” His Scotch: “Whattya got?”
In February 1979 National Lampoon announced the DEA launched a nationwide war on Synanon due to the number of beatings, threats, lawsuits and attempted murders that was making Synanon a major blight on American society. It joked the organization was set up by federally funded “Synadone” While they may been occasionally burglarized a resident will no longer use heavy energy to progress all snakes in mailboxes or drag their critics into $50 million court battles.
Also during 1979, Uncle Sam gave Synanon for thirty years ownership of one-half use of a block long 192,000 square foot warehouse, rent-free and tax-free in San Francisco area valued at $1.5 million, the building was to be shared by the city’s school district. It was awarded the use by the Health, Education and Welfare department based upon Synanon’s representations it would use it as a training facility for warehousemen.
The deal had been made some time ago.
In March 79 Ted Patrick Playboy interviewed appeared. The article talked about the rise of religious cults in the 70s and that the young college students who were marching for peace in the 60’s were suddenly on street corners selling flowers and hawking books at airport. Patrick said every cult has the power to turn into another Manson group.
Asked about the deprogramming the Butler kids from Synanon, he said, “Synanon is one of the worse cults I have ever been involved with.” Everyone cut their hair so could not be seen if man or woman and people were trained to use guns. The kids told him they were preparing for a lot of killings. They talked about killing, about suicide and never to give up. When he arrived in Detroit he found the Butler kids had torn up furniture, made about $500 worth of telephone calls and the grandmother had left the home in fear for safety. “Look now I want all of you to sit right down and don’t move an inch….I told them to keep mouths closed and wanted no bullshit from you…Now I am not your grandmother. If any of you jump up I’m going to put you out of action real quick.” The three, he said, became like babies. He separated them, leaving the girl who was strongest. She was brilliant and made fun of the way I talked, he said. Patrick prepared to do what ever was necessary and told her “girl, you’re a bitch. You got the gall to talk to me that way and you don’t even know me. Your looking more like a man than your two brothers, they took a beautiful girl and made a lesbian out of her. You hate your own grandmother. You would kill your own grandmother for this leader. You take orders from that no good son-of-a-bitch, you eat his shit?” This got her steaming mad and started her out of it. He told them that if they so much as moved he was going to put them on their ass. Patrick defends his ideas as getting them out of a trance by forcing the mind to start working again. Once he gets their attention he provides challenging questions and knowing what the cults have taught them he bring in the two questions that cause frustration because they cannot answer. Once they start comparing and evaluating, they start thinking and deprogram themselves. In an almost split second they seem to snap out of it. “Like a light going on in a dark room–A werewolf turns back into a man.” Wherefrom having no emotion they begin feeling again. A lot of the cult members get violence in the beginning of the programming sessions. He had become the knife, the broken bottle, telling them he’s going to rape and drag them a lot of into closets and put ice down their backs.
These were tactics if I knew of I would not have approved. Rather, I would prefer keeping them positive and busy, buying time for their minds to surface,
Sometimes Patrick asks where in the Bible does it say hate your father or
to give your leader all you posses. Sometimes he took a photo of leader and put horns and a mustache on it. Sometimes he played tapes of others who had been to the program discussing how they had been deceived, creating the spark into a dead battery that leads an engine to recharge itself on its own power. These tactics seemed more appropriate.
*………………………………………*………………………….*
In79 more guests were invited to more open house where they were treated to a barbecue, food, drinking and hooplas. And I was invited to Lake Havesu where the community was ready to burn down Synanon ala Frankenstein’s Castle. I was invited to give a speech at the school auditorium and the entire city appeared to show up. It was interesting to see the difference on how a small community reacted to something like Synanon moving in vs. Los Angeles that was used to absorbing everything crazy. I was king for the day, people giving me gifts and presents and that night the master of ceremonies tossed me a rubber Rattlesnake, to which I replied I was impressed with how fast Lake Havesu forwarded my mail. My speech, was probably a surprise. I tried to calm the community down and said that Synanon had the right to be there, the right to associate and they should be given the benefit of all doubts. The questions of the crimes were for the courts. Many people in Synanon, I said, were good people, who came for help, to give help and/or both. I admonished to make Synanon obey all the zoning laws and permit laws so they do not think they run the city as had happened elsewhere. In other words, enforce the law equally, but do no more. Years later, Burdette told me he admired me for the speech.
My feelings re Syanon lawyers was mixed. Andy Weill was duped. Dan Garrett was like a Nazi general in it for the power. Garfield wanted to be special. He liked the power, too, but he also had a religious yearning. David Benjamin was brainwashed and probably a good attorney if elsewhere. Bourdette I would later like. Garrett I wanted to see the victim of a general meeting in front of the state bar.
Adrian Williams was a donkey’s rear.
Like the AG’s office, the State Bar was given more than enough evidence, and did nothing. They were clearly frightened. For years I paid my duties “under protest.”
Shocking, in 79 it was discovered counselors at Metropolitan Police Department in Las Vegas were still assisting children to go to Synanon rather than the juvenile system. This was despite the fact that California Department of Health Services had proclaimed that under no circumstances would it ever recommend Synanon as acceptable provider of juvenile care.
Marin County had long ago stopped sending juveniles to Synanon since stories of abuse circulated following mine and Narda Zucchino’s involvement and it learned that Synanon was not licensed. The Metro in Vegas claimed it was “advising “of the program’s existence without recommendation. Listing it as “available” were Joanne Bagger and Sandy Durgin who contended that it is a proper facility and children were not abused and they did not murder– In denial, forever. Vegas had ordered them not to recommend Synanon, so the counselors instead said it was “available.” The counselors had themselves decided that Synanon as a religious organization did not need to be licensed even though California law says that even religious institutions must be licensed to take juvenile referrals. The department head of the juvenile bureau, John McCarthy, had stopped the referrals in March 1978 ordering Bagger and Durgin to stop making referrals to Synanon. McCarthy did this after his own two nephews returned from seven months stay at Synanon covered with impetigo, in infectious skin disease caused by prolonged uncleanliness. His own son had been in Synanon a year earlier and had complained of alleged abuses. The California Community Care Facilities Act requires any facility that maintains nonmedical residential care must obtain a license. A boy’s mother said both Bagger and Durkin offered no alternative other than Synanon and were pushing it, threatening to take the mother to court and have her declared an unfit mother and take her children from her if she did not. At Synanon she told she would not be able to see her children for three months which was stretched to 6 months and then she was told she couldn’t see them for year. One boy amped out when his seizure and the other’s medication was removed. While they had been promised schooling, neither received any. There were told they have to be there for one year first. Phillip was 15 and Chris was 12. Chris was made to run without shoes or socks causing painful blisters. He was kicked in the rear by a man with steel tip shoes when he didn’t do his push ups. When he faltered in step ups he was hit in the chest and knocked down. The mother received two letters from the boys saying that there having a good time, that Synanon does not abuse children and about how terrible Time Magazine was. The word “seizure” was misspelled and examination of the two letters reveal that they were written by the same person, who was not her child.
Another Las Vegas child said an elder choked her for refusing to follow an order. Once all women protesting a juvenile being struck were dragged from the room. Another kid said they were told their parents do not love them. Another girl said the children were “brainwashed… That place is no good.”
*………………………………………*………………………………….*
By May it was still estimated Synanon was grossing 13 million a year. 700,000 had participated from inception.
In June the IRS wanted to know where the profit from $2 million Athens and $1.5 million Del Mar sales went. Further it looked into private donations not declared that wound up in over seas accounts and Canada as well as CED accounts.
ADGAP was audited for l973 and paid $3,400 deficiency. Synanon Travel was handled by Santa Rosa Travel Agency. On May 22 in New York Synanon changed its Catskills resort from business purpose to education and religious purposes (thus no tax).
*………………………….*/……………………………….*
But perhaps more than any year in history the purpose was singular in Synanon. Dederich was out of it, and Dan Garrett was in control. Only one thing really mattered, and that was defending Dederich in the murder conspiracy.
Synanon held a press conference with Cesar Chavez present stating people should consider the likelihood as there were Los Angeles Rattlesnakes that I had arranged it in order to frame them to publicize my mania over cults. Synanon even tried to go through a canyon cross the street from my house looking for rattlesnakes, creating a situation since one of my border collies was temporarily missing; it led me and 2 friends entering the canyon with shotguns only to find the dog and retreat.
The first preliminary hearing I was on the stand for almost 2 weeks only to find it had to be canceled because the judge had a private conversation with the Rattlesnake expert inquiring if he would speak at his wife’s woman club.
It had been fortunate for me that the Rattlesnake in question was found only in Visalia, something Dr. Robson and the other Marines probably were not aware of. While I was not thrilled by having to testify at a preliminary hearing for a 2nd time for several weeks, it turned out to be a blessing. The extended time led to locating a key missing witness (see Hunt For Black October). There is an old saying that justice delayed is justice denied, and Synanon took that approach, hoping time would dissolve the case. In fact, at the hospital, I was told authoities knew it was Kenton and Musico but questioned if it could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. I was even told under other circumstances they might not have even risked filing, but Synanon needed to be taken to task. A different attitude than Marin, Santa Monica and Tulare.
This time, Synanon’s delay tactics worked against them. They might have won if pursued right to speedy trial; particularly if they assert yes someone likely in Synanon did it, but prove who? In this case time bought a solid investigation, not just by myself, LAPD and the District Attorney’s Office, but by those Synanon had long been bullied. Lawyers for Time Magazine and ABC worked hard, as did journalist Dave Mitchell.
Helped by incredible errors by Dan Garrett and Howard Garfield, the case was getting tighter and tighter even though Steve Simon published for the first time that Think Tables were in fact extensions of the game and people just acted out, rather than saying the truth. To counter this, I reorganized think tables by subject matter and showed that Dederich said the same thing every time he spoke on any subject. Further, by dissecting the new religious posture tape, I showed that the speech referred to real life events, and that the claim that it was a make-believe speech opened the door to prove the facts stated on tape, including all the beatings described, such as the thrashing of the Dinuba and San Francisco punks and Santa Monica basement beatings. The key events of the investigation and the mistakes that uncovered the evidence that would destroy Synanon are described in the “Fall of Synanon” series.
It seemed like nothing else went on in my life in 1979 except the search for evidence. Led by Bernie Kolb Synanon investigators were in Los Angeles looking for dirt on me and trying to intimidate. Their investigations were noisy so it would get back to me. Using my high school year book and college yearbook they contacted people and I was surprised at how many of my friends spoke to them thinking saying nice things would be helpful, when they had no idea what information was being looked for. And they would identify other friends. Primarily, Synanon was looking for prior girlfriends. From all their years of human exploration and gaming, they knew enough of human behavior to predict a scorned ex-girlfriend would be most likely to say something negative, while at the same time putting all in fear. It was working. Each day I came to work and found messages from old friends saying Synanon had been at their door. Phil Bourdette, in desperation, actually asked Bernie Kolb to investigate 1972 Volvo 1800 ES sports wagons because they were an unusual car. When Bernie asked a mechanic, he replied his sister dated someone who owned one and the next thing I knew she was calling me because they were at her door with a tape recorders.
It was enough to have the pressure to prove the case, and then Mary Robson, wife of Doug Robson, visited a neighbor of my mother’s and left her card so I would know they knew where she lived. It had finally for a brief moment made me like them; as I fantasized about getting Robson alone in a room. One tooth for every tooth he was responsible for having knocked out of someone else. A nice thought, but the problem was that was not me. I would get them legally or not at all.
Each night I plotted out every person in the world I could think of that knew of Trudy’s existence. I had to reach each person before Synanon did to make sure she was never disclosed. One day I came into the office and found a message from the brother of my first love– when I was 22 years old. I went into fright they had found Sharon. But it turned out they had just contacted the brother because he knew me, not that they knew of Sharon. He told me Sharon’s blessings.
I have often said that the story of Synanon is a story of the nature of the lawyers whose job it was to stop them. For years, Santa Monica, Marin and Visalia were marked by attorneys who were cowards only interested at beinghome by 5:00 PM with their paycheck. But it was different now. Maybe the exception was Charlie Just of the AG’s office who sometimes we referred to as Just Charlie. I met personally with Atty. Gen. George Deukmejian and tried to emphasize the dangers Synanon was to the State, and that a lot of people would be in danger for life if proper action was not taken but I did not feel I was getting anywhere even though a task force existed. Despite the large amount of evidence we provided nothing was happening. And when an action was taken concerning the misuse of charitable funds, old friend Sen. Nick Petris, author of the original save Synanon bill, passed-through another bill taking away the state’s rights to protect religious trusts from misuse of funds. By the time Just got around to investigating past beatings, the statute of limitations had run. The AG contacted Meyer, but despite what happen he said he had no ill willl, just sadness. The case was filed but was dismissed for lack of speedy investigation as the San Francisco police knew of the Kim Meyer charge and had done nothing for several years, a correct judicial decision under the law.
Synanon allowed Bernie Kolb to much time outside of Synanon investigating me; he also started dating a younger nonmember girl. So Synanon reeled him in and put him in the Hoodlum patrol in order to get his mind right. Instead, he left. 90 days later he called and said he had been out 90 days and he assumed therefore I knew he was ready to talk. In fact I had been waiting the 90 days rather than contacting him. He also wanted to help getting his daughter out. It was sort of odd considering what he had put me through going to my friends and asking who my girl friends were, but he said the inability to hear anything said other than positive was one of the things that allowed him to leave. Bernie had clearly been saved by early Synanon, but he knew who did what and he believed it had to be stopped. It was the start of a life time friendship that only ended with his recent death.
Finally, in 1980 they pled guilty. CED, Musico and Kenton. At the court hearing on sentencing I took an empty seat between Jady and Ginny, my way of saying it was all over now. I even lead the media down the hallway so that Burdette could sneak Dederich out a side door and avoid the microphones.
We felt safe until 1982 when ABC betrayed us (See Fall of Synanon II). Synanon filed more lawsuits and I got a phone call telling me another snake was coming. Deukmejian just plain let us down He had enough evidence to convict them all of RICCO ten times over but did nothing. A state investigator Suaso had complained also of Just Charlie.
Then the phone rang. Frank Hertz and Tom Lawler identified themselves as from the Department of Justice. They had been given what they thought was an abuse of charitable tax case concerning Synanon. It had been suggested they call me. They did not even know my involvement. “Where the hell you guys been, “ I screamed.
They said that shook them up and they listened as I told the tale. They got the message and these guys were the real McCoy. They were ready to catch up, roll up the sleeves, burn the midnight oil, do what had to be done. There was hope after all. And none of it was for Synanon.
In Jan 79 Counselor magazine, a private circulated for-members-only advertising magazine apologized for its two year planned Synanon article published in february of 1978:
“We were wrong. There is more at stake here than profits, pride or personal reputations. More important issues are now involved—personal freedom, personal safety, people’s minds and even lives.” Maybe, it concluded, if they had spoken up Jonestown would have been avoided. And maybe Synanon has crossed the lime to a cult blatantly “imposing its will on blind faith followers and the general public.”
Also that month, New West Magazine published a “ Wrongdoer’s profile,” on Charles Dederich. Home: “Mohave jail hospital ward. Profession: “Lord of hosts, king of the universe, ruler of all creation.” Latest accomplishment: “to drunk to be arraigned on conspiracy to commit murder by rattlesnake.” Last quote: “I don’t know what action might be taken …bombs could be thrown into some very odd places…” His Scotch: “Whattya got?”
In February 1979 National Lampoon announced the DEA launched a nationwide war on Synanon due to the number of beatings, threats, lawsuits and attempted murders that was making Synanon a major blight on American society. It joked the organization was set up by federally funded “Synadone” While they may been occasionally burglarized a resident will no longer use heavy energy to progress all snakes in mailboxes or drag their critics into $50 million court battles.
Also during 1979, Uncle Sam gave Synanon for thirty years ownership of one-half use of a block long 192,000 square foot warehouse, rent-free and tax-free in San Francisco area valued at $1.5 million, the building was to be shared by the city’s school district. It was awarded the use by the Health, Education and Welfare department based upon Synanon’s representations it would use it as a training facility for warehousemen.
The deal had been made some time ago.
In March 79 Ted Patrick Playboy interviewed appeared. The article talked about the rise of religious cults in the 70s and that the young college students who were marching for peace in the 60’s were suddenly on street corners selling flowers and hawking books at airport. Patrick said every cult has the power to turn into another Manson group.
Asked about the deprogramming the Butler kids from Synanon, he said, “Synanon is one of the worse cults I have ever been involved with.” Everyone cut their hair so could not be seen if man or woman and people were trained to use guns. The kids told him they were preparing for a lot of killings. They talked about killing, about suicide and never to give up. When he arrived in Detroit he found the Butler kids had torn up furniture, made about $500 worth of telephone calls and the grandmother had left the home in fear for safety. “Look now I want all of you to sit right down and don’t move an inch….I told them to keep mouths closed and wanted no bullshit from you…Now I am not your grandmother. If any of you jump up I’m going to put you out of action real quick.” The three, he said, became like babies. He separated them, leaving the girl who was strongest. She was brilliant and made fun of the way I talked, he said. Patrick prepared to do what ever was necessary and told her “girl, you’re a bitch. You got the gall to talk to me that way and you don’t even know me. Your looking more like a man than your two brothers, they took a beautiful girl and made a lesbian out of her. You hate your own grandmother. You would kill your own grandmother for this leader. You take orders from that no good son-of-a-bitch, you eat his shit?” This got her steaming mad and started her out of it. He told them that if they so much as moved he was going to put them on their ass. Patrick defends his ideas as getting them out of a trance by forcing the mind to start working again. Once he gets their attention he provides challenging questions and knowing what the cults have taught them he bring in the two questions that cause frustration because they cannot answer. Once they start comparing and evaluating, they start thinking and deprogram themselves. In an almost split second they seem to snap out of it. “Like a light going on in a dark room–A werewolf turns back into a man.” Wherefrom having no emotion they begin feeling again. A lot of the cult members get violence in the beginning of the programming sessions. He had become the knife, the broken bottle, telling them he’s going to rape and drag them a lot of into closets and put ice down their backs.
These were tactics if I knew of I would not have approved. Rather, I would prefer keeping them positive and busy, buying time for their minds to surface,
Sometimes Patrick asks where in the Bible does it say hate your father or
to give your leader all you posses. Sometimes he took a photo of leader and put horns and a mustache on it. Sometimes he played tapes of others who had been to the program discussing how they had been deceived, creating the spark into a dead battery that leads an engine to recharge itself on its own power. These tactics seemed more appropriate.
*………………………………………*………………………….*
In79 more guests were invited to more open house where they were treated to a barbecue, food, drinking and hooplas. And I was invited to Lake Havesu where the community was ready to burn down Synanon ala Frankenstein’s Castle. I was invited to give a speech at the school auditorium and the entire city appeared to show up. It was interesting to see the difference on how a small community reacted to something like Synanon moving in vs. Los Angeles that was used to absorbing everything crazy. I was king for the day, people giving me gifts and presents and that night the master of ceremonies tossed me a rubber Rattlesnake, to which I replied I was impressed with how fast Lake Havesu forwarded my mail. My speech, was probably a surprise. I tried to calm the community down and said that Synanon had the right to be there, the right to associate and they should be given the benefit of all doubts. The questions of the crimes were for the courts. Many people in Synanon, I said, were good people, who came for help, to give help and/or both. I admonished to make Synanon obey all the zoning laws and permit laws so they do not think they run the city as had happened elsewhere. In other words, enforce the law equally, but do no more. Years later, Burdette told me he admired me for the speech.
My feelings re Syanon lawyers was mixed. Andy Weill was duped. Dan Garrett was like a Nazi general in it for the power. Garfield wanted to be special. He liked the power, too, but he also had a religious yearning. David Benjamin was brainwashed and probably a good attorney if elsewhere. Bourdette I would later like. Garrett I wanted to see the victim of a general meeting in front of the state bar.
Adrian Williams was a donkey’s rear.
Like the AG’s office, the State Bar was given more than enough evidence, and did nothing. They were clearly frightened. For years I paid my duties “under protest.”
Shocking, in 79 it was discovered counselors at Metropolitan Police Department in Las Vegas were still assisting children to go to Synanon rather than the juvenile system. This was despite the fact that California Department of Health Services had proclaimed that under no circumstances would it ever recommend Synanon as acceptable provider of juvenile care.
Marin County had long ago stopped sending juveniles to Synanon since stories of abuse circulated following mine and Narda Zucchino’s involvement and it learned that Synanon was not licensed. The Metro in Vegas claimed it was “advising “of the program’s existence without recommendation. Listing it as “available” were Joanne Bagger and Sandy Durgin who contended that it is a proper facility and children were not abused and they did not murder– In denial, forever. Vegas had ordered them not to recommend Synanon, so the counselors instead said it was “available.” The counselors had themselves decided that Synanon as a religious organization did not need to be licensed even though California law says that even religious institutions must be licensed to take juvenile referrals. The department head of the juvenile bureau, John McCarthy, had stopped the referrals in March 1978 ordering Bagger and Durgin to stop making referrals to Synanon. McCarthy did this after his own two nephews returned from seven months stay at Synanon covered with impetigo, in infectious skin disease caused by prolonged uncleanliness. His own son had been in Synanon a year earlier and had complained of alleged abuses. The California Community Care Facilities Act requires any facility that maintains nonmedical residential care must obtain a license. A boy’s mother said both Bagger and Durkin offered no alternative other than Synanon and were pushing it, threatening to take the mother to court and have her declared an unfit mother and take her children from her if she did not. At Synanon she told she would not be able to see her children for three months which was stretched to 6 months and then she was told she couldn’t see them for year. One boy amped out when his seizure and the other’s medication was removed. While they had been promised schooling, neither received any. There were told they have to be there for one year first. Phillip was 15 and Chris was 12. Chris was made to run without shoes or socks causing painful blisters. He was kicked in the rear by a man with steel tip shoes when he didn’t do his push ups. When he faltered in step ups he was hit in the chest and knocked down. The mother received two letters from the boys saying that there having a good time, that Synanon does not abuse children and about how terrible Time Magazine was. The word “seizure” was misspelled and examination of the two letters reveal that they were written by the same person, who was not her child.
Another Las Vegas child said an elder choked her for refusing to follow an order. Once all women protesting a juvenile being struck were dragged from the room. Another kid said they were told their parents do not love them. Another girl said the children were “brainwashed… That place is no good.”
*………………………………………*………………………………….*
By May it was still estimated Synanon was grossing 13 million a year. 700,000 had participated from inception.
In June the IRS wanted to know where the profit from $2 million Athens and $1.5 million Del Mar sales went. Further it looked into private donations not declared that wound up in over seas accounts and Canada as well as CED accounts.
ADGAP was audited for l973 and paid $3,400 deficiency. Synanon Travel was handled by Santa Rosa Travel Agency. On May 22 in New York Synanon changed its Catskills resort from business purpose to education and religious purposes (thus no tax).
*………………………….*/……………………………….*
But perhaps more than any year in history the purpose was singular in Synanon. Dederich was out of it, and Dan Garrett was in control. Only one thing really mattered, and that was defending Dederich in the murder conspiracy.
Synanon held a press conference with Cesar Chavez present stating people should consider the likelihood as there were Los Angeles Rattlesnakes that I had arranged it in order to frame them to publicize my mania over cults. Synanon even tried to go through a canyon cross the street from my house looking for rattlesnakes, creating a situation since one of my border collies was temporarily missing; it led me and 2 friends entering the canyon with shotguns only to find the dog and retreat.
The first preliminary hearing I was on the stand for almost 2 weeks only to find it had to be canceled because the judge had a private conversation with the Rattlesnake expert inquiring if he would speak at his wife’s woman club.
It had been fortunate for me that the Rattlesnake in question was found only in Visalia, something Dr. Robson and the other Marines probably were not aware of. While I was not thrilled by having to testify at a preliminary hearing for a 2nd time for several weeks, it turned out to be a blessing. The extended time led to locating a key missing witness (see Hunt For Black October). There is an old saying that justice delayed is justice denied, and Synanon took that approach, hoping time would dissolve the case. In fact, at the hospital, I was told authoities knew it was Kenton and Musico but questioned if it could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. I was even told under other circumstances they might not have even risked filing, but Synanon needed to be taken to task. A different attitude than Marin, Santa Monica and Tulare.
This time, Synanon’s delay tactics worked against them. They might have won if pursued right to speedy trial; particularly if they assert yes someone likely in Synanon did it, but prove who? In this case time bought a solid investigation, not just by myself, LAPD and the District Attorney’s Office, but by those Synanon had long been bullied. Lawyers for Time Magazine and ABC worked hard, as did journalist Dave Mitchell.
Helped by incredible errors by Dan Garrett and Howard Garfield, the case was getting tighter and tighter even though Steve Simon published for the first time that Think Tables were in fact extensions of the game and people just acted out, rather than saying the truth. To counter this, I reorganized think tables by subject matter and showed that Dederich said the same thing every time he spoke on any subject. Further, by dissecting the new religious posture tape, I showed that the speech referred to real life events, and that the claim that it was a make-believe speech opened the door to prove the facts stated on tape, including all the beatings described, such as the thrashing of the Dinuba and San Francisco punks and Santa Monica basement beatings. The key events of the investigation and the mistakes that uncovered the evidence that would destroy Synanon are described in the “Fall of Synanon” series.
It seemed like nothing else went on in my life in 1979 except the search for evidence. Led by Bernie Kolb Synanon investigators were in Los Angeles looking for dirt on me and trying to intimidate. Their investigations were noisy so it would get back to me. Using my high school year book and college yearbook they contacted people and I was surprised at how many of my friends spoke to them thinking saying nice things would be helpful, when they had no idea what information was being looked for. And they would identify other friends. Primarily, Synanon was looking for prior girlfriends. From all their years of human exploration and gaming, they knew enough of human behavior to predict a scorned ex-girlfriend would be most likely to say something negative, while at the same time putting all in fear. It was working. Each day I came to work and found messages from old friends saying Synanon had been at their door. Phil Bourdette, in desperation, actually asked Bernie Kolb to investigate 1972 Volvo 1800 ES sports wagons because they were an unusual car. When Bernie asked a mechanic, he replied his sister dated someone who owned one and the next thing I knew she was calling me because they were at her door with a tape recorders.
It was enough to have the pressure to prove the case, and then Mary Robson, wife of Doug Robson, visited a neighbor of my mother’s and left her card so I would know they knew where she lived. It had finally for a brief moment made me like them; as I fantasized about getting Robson alone in a room. One tooth for every tooth he was responsible for having knocked out of someone else. A nice thought, but the problem was that was not me. I would get them legally or not at all.
Each night I plotted out every person in the world I could think of that knew of Trudy’s existence. I had to reach each person before Synanon did to make sure she was never disclosed. One day I came into the office and found a message from the brother of my first love– when I was 22 years old. I went into fright they had found Sharon. But it turned out they had just contacted the brother because he knew me, not that they knew of Sharon. He told me Sharon’s blessings.
I have often said that the story of Synanon is a story of the nature of the lawyers whose job it was to stop them. For years, Santa Monica, Marin and Visalia were marked by attorneys who were cowards only interested at beinghome by 5:00 PM with their paycheck. But it was different now. Maybe the exception was Charlie Just of the AG’s office who sometimes we referred to as Just Charlie. I met personally with Atty. Gen. George Deukmejian and tried to emphasize the dangers Synanon was to the State, and that a lot of people would be in danger for life if proper action was not taken but I did not feel I was getting anywhere even though a task force existed. Despite the large amount of evidence we provided nothing was happening. And when an action was taken concerning the misuse of charitable funds, old friend Sen. Nick Petris, author of the original save Synanon bill, passed-through another bill taking away the state’s rights to protect religious trusts from misuse of funds. By the time Just got around to investigating past beatings, the statute of limitations had run. The AG contacted Meyer, but despite what happen he said he had no ill willl, just sadness. The case was filed but was dismissed for lack of speedy investigation as the San Francisco police knew of the Kim Meyer charge and had done nothing for several years, a correct judicial decision under the law.
Synanon allowed Bernie Kolb to much time outside of Synanon investigating me; he also started dating a younger nonmember girl. So Synanon reeled him in and put him in the Hoodlum patrol in order to get his mind right. Instead, he left. 90 days later he called and said he had been out 90 days and he assumed therefore I knew he was ready to talk. In fact I had been waiting the 90 days rather than contacting him. He also wanted to help getting his daughter out. It was sort of odd considering what he had put me through going to my friends and asking who my girl friends were, but he said the inability to hear anything said other than positive was one of the things that allowed him to leave. Bernie had clearly been saved by early Synanon, but he knew who did what and he believed it had to be stopped. It was the start of a life time friendship that only ended with his recent death.
Finally, in 1980 they pled guilty. CED, Musico and Kenton. At the court hearing on sentencing I took an empty seat between Jady and Ginny, my way of saying it was all over now. I even lead the media down the hallway so that Burdette could sneak Dederich out a side door and avoid the microphones.
We felt safe until 1982 when ABC betrayed us (See Fall of Synanon II). Synanon filed more lawsuits and I got a phone call telling me another snake was coming. Deukmejian just plain let us down He had enough evidence to convict them all of RICCO ten times over but did nothing. A state investigator Suaso had complained also of Just Charlie.
Then the phone rang. Frank Hertz and Tom Lawler identified themselves as from the Department of Justice. They had been given what they thought was an abuse of charitable tax case concerning Synanon. It had been suggested they call me. They did not even know my involvement. “Where the hell you guys been, “ I screamed.
They said that shook them up and they listened as I told the tale. They got the message and these guys were the real McCoy. They were ready to catch up, roll up the sleeves, burn the midnight oil, do what had to be done. There was hope after all. And none of it was for Synanon.
