By Jerry Staton

“I’m also Jewish” stated Indiana Circuit Court Judge Robert W. Thacker on record during a recent court hearing regarding the Order of Protection Cause presently before the White County Circuit Court of which he is the presiding judge (Cause No. 91C01-0605-PO-036).

(November 20, 2006—Monticello, IN) In May 2006, Michael Lewitz, 43, of Reynolds, IN filed a petition for and was granted an Order of Protection, ex parte, by the Circuit Court of White County, IN. This particular cause arose from a report of adult endangerment that had been made to Tippecanoe County Adult Protective Services case manager Angela Shay involving the endangerment of Michael Lewitz by his housemate and practicing Scientologist, Donald C. Lay, Jr., Ph.D. When concern was expressed that the claim had been dismissed without a reasonable investigation having been conducted, Angela Shay’s supervisor, Dawn Gross, responded by advising Michael Lewitz to file for an Order of Protection against the reporter in violation of Indiana Rules of Admission and Disciplinary, which prohibits the practice of law without a license.

On July 17th, 2006, an initial hearing was held during which time the argument was presented that Michael Lewitz is not a reasonable person due to the presence and influence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in addition to his being subjected to an ongoing program of coercive persuasion and cult indoctrination. Motions to Order an Independent Medical Examination (IME) of Michael Lewitz as well as to quash the order on the grounds that he had been coerced and that his filing was the direct result of Dawn Gross’ misconduct were concurrently filed.

Dawn Gross appeared at the hearing and gave testimony that she had advised Michael to file the petition and Michael testified that he had filed on the advice of Dawn Gross. Having heard testimony from both the petitioner and his witness in support of the respondent’s oral argument as to why the petition should be denied, Judge Thacker did the only thing that he could do—he threw out the opposing arguments, denied the motion to order an IME, and granted the petition for an Order of Protection anyway.

The respondent filed another motion to quash the order of protection on the grounds that it arose from the report of adult endangerment that had been made, and since Indiana State Law provides immunity from all civil and legal liability that may arise from the making of such a report, the Order of Protection is illegal and should be quashed.

During today’s hearing that had been ordered in response to the filing of this motion, Judge Thacker proclaimed “I’m a Scientologist…I’m also Jewish…so what?” Needless to say, this motion to quash the order of protection that by all rights should have been duly granted was also denied and the reason could not be clearer.

10 to 12% of those individuals with untreated BPD commit suicide. Michael Lewitz is being denied treatment for BPD and has already attempted suicide once since his being lured into the practice of Scientology.

All that it would take to end this madness and to prevent further psychological and financial injury to Michael Lewitz would be a court ordered IME to detect the presence and influence of BPD. Michael Lewitz is needlessly paying the price for Judge Robert W. Thacker’s religious affiliation.

At first glance, this may appear as an isolated instance affecting only a few people. It should, however, be a wakeup call. For each roach that you can see, there are hundreds if not thousands more that you can’t see close by. Scientologists undergo hundreds of hours of “auditing,” which significantly alters not only their behavior but their attitudes and belief systems as well. I don’t readily subscribe to conspiracy theories, but I’m not stupid, either. One can easily see the ease with which Scientologists can obtain judicial as well as other governmental positions (i.e. Congressman Foley).

The potential for such individuals to negatively affect national policy because of their willingness to forego justice and disregard law in favor of the furtherance of Scientology is enormous.