The Kittery, Me.-based Gentle Wind Project “has agreed to drop a defamation lawsuit against two former members who wrote articles comparing the self-styled spiritual healing group to a ‘mind control cult.'” (see Aug. 30, 2004). Last year a federal court threw out the group’s lawsuit against Jim Bergin and Judy Garvey, a married couple from Blue Hill, Me. (see Jan. 19, 2006), but the family of project director John Miller refiled the action in state court. Miller “claimed that he could communicate with the ‘spirit world’ [and] said he received designs for ‘healing instruments’ that resembled cards and hockey pucks, and could cure physical and emotional damage caused by illnesses ranging from alcoholism to paralysis.” (Gregory D. Kesich, Portland Press-Herald, Nov. 10).
One Comment
Great article, Mr. Olson.
The original source for this article — the Portland (ME) Press Herald — had one questionable word in it: “family.”
The so-called “Miller family” consists of John “Tubby” Miller and a legal spouse named Carol. The other Millers are women who have lived with John Miller for many years, and changed their names to Miller for purposes known only to them.
In addition to our personal knowledge about these names, the name changes were also part of the lawsuit discovery.
Hence, the “Miller family.”