OSA Press Release (1984)

Source  “PR Newswire”
Author  Kathy Gorgon
Date  May 3rd, 1984 ¹

LOS  ANGELES,  May  3/PRN  –  Hundreds  of  letters  and  telegrams  from  religious  and
civic leaders, celebrities, and private citizens throughout tyhe country, expressing shock
and indignation at Boston lawyer Michael J. Flynn for pursuing a case which “weakens
the individual’s right to privacy and encourages vigilante acts of theft of valuable private
property,”  have  poured  into  the  Church  of  Scientology  in  the  last  48  hours,  a  Church
spokesman announced today.

Church  attorney John  Peterson  said  the letters were an indication of “the massive and
instantaneous  public  response”  to  the  Armstrong  case,  which  seeks  the  release  of
“priceless personal papers” of L. Ron Hubbard.

“Americans have held as inviolable their right to privacy,” Peterson said, adding that the
Church’s legal offices have been “deluged” with letters of support in the case.

Peterson revealed that the letters had come from scholars such as William Bainbridge,
sociology  professor  at  Harvard  University,  celebrities  such  as  Grammy  Award  winner
Chick Corea, a wide range of religious leaders, numerous business executives, and others
concerned with what he termed “our fundamental, constitutional right to privacy.”

Peterson  said  that  the  case  involves  a  claim  against  former  church  employee  Gerald
Armstrong,  “who  illegally  removed  thousands  of  Mr.  Hubbard’s  priceless  personal
documents from Church property while he was entrusted with their care.

Contact – Kathy Gorgon of Dateline Communications at 213-662-9431 for the Church of
Scientology.

Notes