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Chicago jury out only 25 minutes:
MARK BUNKER FOUND INNNOCENT
(Reported by Bob Minton, 6 Feb 2001 18:37)
Mark's defense contingent arrived in Chicago on Saturday eager to show a
Chicago jury that Scientology is a lying mafia-like cult. Meetings were held
during the weekend to sort out strategy with Julie Aimen, Mark's Chicago
attorney, Denis deVlaming, Mark's Clearwater attorney, Stacy Brooks, Frank
Oliver and other potential witnesses, including the star witnesses, Bill and
Barbara Zizic. Naturally, fun was had by all especially when they went to see a
very funny play on Saturday afternoon, The Producers by Mel Brooks, staring
Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Mark said the play was fabulous. Stacy said
that she and Denis deVlaming could hardly stop laughing and Frank Oliver was
still laughing when I talked to him 10 minutes after the play was over :-) For
Mark, it was the highlight of the trip.
Monday a jury was selected and the trial started late in the day with the
prosecutor and one of Mark's attorneys, Denis deVlaming making their opening
arguments. It sounded like it would be a humiliating trial for Scientology.
Time was up for the day and court was then adjourned until 10:00 am Tuesday.
Present for Scientology's mafia-like cult was the former Mafia lawyer for the
Gambino's, now Scientology's in house legal counsel, Elliott Abelson
accompanied by Mary Ann Ahmad, OSA Chicago, Pam Valinski, OSA New York, and 2
OSA Int guys whose names Stacy does not remember.
The entire cast for all three sides were back in court sharply at 10:00 am
today. The morning consisted of the prosecutors case starting with testimony of
Mary Ann Ahmad who in typical OSA fashion stumbled and mumbled her way through
the events on the night of the incident. During cross-examination by deVlaming
Ahmad had some trouble explaining how a notary public could get the date wrong
by a month on a document the Scientologists had submitted in the case. The 2
off-duty cops were not credible at all according to the report I got and did
not hold up well under cross by Aimen. After that the defense team of deVlaming
and Aimen presented the Zizics and Mark Bunker who were all three credible,
compelling and believable witnesses. At 3:45 PM Chicago time the defense rested
and the prosecutor brought a rebuttal witness. The Judge went through
instructions to the jury and at 4:35 Chicago time the jury was charged to
decide the case.
At 5:00 PM sharp the jury came back and announced a verdict of NOT GUILTY.
Bob Minton
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