Sweat Lodge Ceremony Conviction To Stand
A jury's decision to convict a self-help author in the deaths of three people following an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony will stand. The state Court of Appeals has granted James Arthur Ray's request to drop his challenge of the case and also dismissed a cross-appeal. Ray said he wanted to avoid the possibility of a retrial and resentencing. He maintains his convictions on three counts of negligent homicide were flawed, but the state Attorney General's Office disputed that.
Dozens of people participated in Ray's sweat lodge ceremony near Sedona in October 2009. Kirby Brown of Westtown, N.Y.; James Shore of Milwaukee; and Liz Neuman of Prior Lake, Minn. died.
Ray remains in Arizona on community supervision, but will be allowed to leave the state next month.
