Oprah-approved snake-oil salesman James Arthur Ray says he won't be hosting sweat lodge events anymore, which is a great decision considering the last time he did, three people died and dozens were injured.
Ray is currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of three counts of negligent homicide in the deaths of three people during a "self-help" sweat lodge event in Sedona in 2009.
Ray recently told a probation officer that he has "extreme remorse" for the people who died during his "ceremony," and takes responsibility for their deaths.
"This is horribly tragic," Ray tells a probation officer, as documented in his pre-sentencing report, first obtained by the Associated Press. "I have been holding these events
for years. I warn people in advance. I could never have imagined that
this type of thing would happen."
Ray faces anywhere from
probation to nine years in prison when he sentenced next month. Ray,
obviously, is hoping for probation, telling the probation officer that
while he's responsible for the deaths, he's not a danger to society.
Ray
could have been convicted of manslaughter -- and faced a much harsher
sentence. But his high-priced attorney, Thomas Kelly, persuaded jurors
otherwise and he was found not guilty on those charges.
See more of New Times' coverage of Ray's death lodge fiasco here.
According to court documents obtained by New Times, Ray discouraged participants from leaving the sweat lodge, even as some were throwing up and passing out.
One of the victims, 49-year-old Liz Neuman of Prior Lake, Minnesota died
of multiple-organ failure after the ceremony. The other two victims,
38-year-old Kirby Brown of Westtown, New York, and 40-year-old James
Shore of Wisconsin, each fell victim to heat stroke after being in the
sweat tent.
Ray maintains that the deaths were a tragic accident,
but prosecutors feel that stuffing dozens of people into a hot, poorly
ventilated sweat tent -- and then discouraging them from leaving -- is
more than just an accident.
Ray's sentencing is scheduled for October 6.
