Editing Fishman Affidavit (section)

==''Church of Scientology International v. Fishman and Geertz''==
The documents were brought as exhibits attached to a declaration by Steven Fishman on 9 April 1993 as part of ''Church of Scientology International v. Fishman and Geertz''. Along with [[Kendrick Moxon]] and Laurie Bartilson, [[Tim Bowles (attorney)|Timothy Bowles]] was one of the lead attorneys for the Church of Scientology in the case.<ref>{{cite book | last = Gonnet | first = Roger | title = La secte: secte armée pour la guerre | publisher = Alban |year=1998 | pages = 212 | isbn = 2-911751-04-3}}</ref>

Fishman told the court that he had committed crimes on behalf of the Church. He also attested that he was assigned to [[murder]] his psychologist, Uwe Geertz, and then commit [[suicide]].<ref name="greed">{{cite magazine |first=Richard |last=Behar |author-link=Richard Behar |title=The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972865-1,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607005304/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972865-1,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 7, 2007 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=1991-05-06 |access-date=2008-01-26}}</ref><ref name="doublecrossed">{{cite web |first=Tony |last=Ortega |author-link=Tony Ortega |title=Double Crossed |date=December 23, 1999 |work=[[Phoenix New Times]] |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/double-crossed-6431852 <!--reprint version omits original photographs--> |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312025501/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1999-12-23/news/double-crossed/full |archive-date=March 12, 2007 | access-date = 2008-01-26}}</ref> Fishman received a mail fraud conviction three years earlier, and he claimed being brainwashed by the Church and that he had committed the crime to cover the cost of his Scientology sessions. The court rejected Fishman's defense and he was soon after sued for libel by Scientology.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowan |first1=Douglas E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=91me_xjHB_gC&q=Scientology+xenu+internet+OT |title=Religion Online: Finding Faith on the Internet |editor-last=Cowan |editor-first=Douglas E. |editor2-last=Dawson |editor2-first=Lome L. |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1135461072 |access-date=2015-11-30 }}</ref>

As evidence, Fishman submitted course materials he said that he purchased from Ellie Bolger, a fellow Scientologist, and [[Richard Ofshe]], an expert witness for his defense. The Church says the documents were stolen and considers them to be [[copyright]]ed and a [[trade secret]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.courttv.com/archive/legaldocs/cyberlaw/scientology3.html |title=Court TV Library |date=1999-11-28 |access-date=2007-08-22 |work=Court TV Online Legal Documents |quote=Plaintiff claims that these documents are protected from both unauthorized use and unauthorized disclosure under the copyright laws of the United States and under trade secret laws, respectively. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070718105816/http://www.courttv.com/archive/legaldocs/cyberlaw/scientology3.html |archive-date=2007-07-18 }}</ref> Among other materials, the [[affidavit]] contains 61 pages of the allegedly trade-secret and copyrighted story of [[Xenu]].

The Fishman Affidavit contains much text from the old versions of the Operating Thetan levels. The versions of OT I to OT VII in the Fishman Affidavit are considered authentic as the church's [[Religious Technology Center]] (RTC) brought [[copyright]] lawsuits over their release on the [[Internet]]. Fishman's description of [[OT VIII]] contains what many interpret as the accusation that [[Jesus]] was a [[pedophile]]. After initially asserting copyright to all the OT level descriptions in the affidavit, RTC amended its claim to remove the OT VIII description, calling it a forgery. Fishman stated that he had obtained his copy of OT VIII from Ofshe, a different source than his copies of the other OT Levels, purchased from a fellow Scientologist.<ref>[https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/fishman.html Press Release by Steven Fishman], "Press Release: Scientology upper level references (OT materials) affirmed unsealed and in the public domain by United States Court of Appeals.", Pages 1-7., April 28, 1994.</ref>

The Church of Scientology dropped its libel case against Fishman and Geertz in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |first=Wayne |last=Garcia |title=Church of Scientology settles suit with PR firm |publisher=[[St. Petersburg Times]] |date=July 7, 1994 | quote=Earlier this year, Scientology dropped its libel case against former Scientologist Steve Fishman and his therapist, Uwe Geertz. |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/07/07/church-of-scientology-settles-suit-with-pr-firm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401045138/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/51847739.html?dids=51847739:51847739&FMT=FT |archive-date=April 1, 2008}}</ref>

An important side aspect of the case was that several high-ranking [[Scientology officials]] and lead attorneys for the organization and former high-ranking Scientologists submitted declarations on their activities for the Church of Scientology, giving thereby insight into the internal ongoings of the Scientology management.

Among others, declarations were submitted by:

* [[Vicki Aznaran|Richard Aznaran & Vicki Aznaran]], former executives of the [[Religious Technology Center]]
* Jonathan Epstein, at that time International [[Finance Director]] of the [[Church of Scientology International]]<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Jonathan Epstein 1994.pdf|Declaration of Jonathan Epstein, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* Guillaume Lesevre, at that time [[Executive Director|Executive Director International]] of the Church of Scientology International<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Guillaume Lesevre 1994.pdf|Declaration of Guillaume Lesevre, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* [[David Miscavige]], [[Chair (official)|Chairman of the Board]] of the [[Religious Technology Center]]<ref>[[:Image:Declaration David Miscavige 1994.pdf|Declaration of David Miscavige, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 8th, 1994]]</ref>
* Raymond Mithoff, at that time Senior Case Supervisor International of the Church of Scientology International<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Raymond Mithoff 1994.pdf|Declaration of Raymond Mithoff, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* Thomas Spring, tax attorney for the Church of Scientology International<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Thomas Spring 1994.pdf|Declaration of Thomas Spring, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* [[Norman Starkey]], at that time [[executive director]] of [[Author Services Inc.]]<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Norman Starkey 1994.pdf|Declaration of Norman Starkey, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* [[Andre Tabayoyon|André Tabayoyon]], ex-Scientologist and former security official of the Church of Scientology International
* William Walsh, attorney for different organizations of the [[Church of Scientology]]<ref>[[:Image:Declaration William Walsh 1994.pdf|Declaration of William Walsh, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 8th, 1994]]</ref>
* [[Marc Yager]], at that time [[Chairman]] of the Watchdog Committee of the Church of Scientology International<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Marc Yager 1994.pdf|Declaration of Marc Yager, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* Monique Yingling, tax attorney for the Church of Scientology International<ref>[[:Image:Declaration Monique Yingling 1994.pdf|Declaration of Monique Yingling, Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman & Uwe Geertz, Case No. CV 91-6426 (HLH (Tx), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles, February 7th, 1994]]</ref>
* [[Robert Vaughn Young]], former spokesperson for the [[Guardian's Office]] and [[Author Services Inc.]]
* [[Stacy Brooks|Stacy Brooks Young]], former official of the U.S. [[Office of Special Affairs]]