Scientology Attorney Paul Johnson Files Motions in Tonya Burden Case

Date: January 31, 1984
Scientology attorney Paul Johnson files motions in response to statements made by Tonya Burden's attorney Michael Flynn. Flynn and a former high-ranking church member contended in sworn statements that the church tried in 1982 to compromise U.S. District Judge Ben Krentzman, who was then hearing the Burden case. According to the statements, private investigators for the church wanted to lure Krenztman onto an 81-foot yacht, then offer him prostitutes and drugs while secretly recording and filming the events. The alleged plot was never carried out, Flynn said. Krentzman said he was never aware of any such plan. In Johnson's response, he includes affidavits from private detectives Richard Bast and Robert Keefer, who both denied attempts to "set up" the judge. In his affidavit, Bast said he personally supervised an investigation "designed to establish contact with local realty, banking and business interests ... for the purpose of gaining information concerning any possible conspiracy against the church ..." He said his investigators developed a cover story that they represented "wealthy foreign investors interested in real estate in Florida." "In preparing for the investigation, Judge Krentzman's name as well as the names of other public figures, were mentioned. I was specifically instructed with respect to Judge Krentzman that there was to be no effort made to make contact with him, and that instruction was followed."
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