Date: Fri, 8 Sep 89 21:06 EDT
From: Michael Travers <mt@MEDIA-LAB.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Love Offerings Declared Illegal in LA
Message-ID: <19890909010645.7.MT@OUROBOROS.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
COUPLE WHO OPERATED SEX CHURCH FOUND GUILTY OF PROSTITUTION CHARGES
Dawn Webber
LOS ANGELES -- A woman who claimed her sex acts with and
``donations'' from more than 2,000 men were part of an ancient
Egyptian religion has been convicted of prostitution.
Mary Ellen Tracy, 46, the self-proclaimed high priestess of the
Church of the Most High Goddess, was found guilty Friday of three
misdemeanor charges by a Los Angeles Municipal Court jury that
deliberated nearly five days.
Her husband, Wilbur L. Tracy, 51, was convicted of a single
misdemeanor count of running a house of prostitution in connection
with the operation of the ``church'' in West Los Angeles.
The Tracys live in Canyon Country in the Santa Clarita Valley,
about 20 miles north of downtown.
As the jury's verdict was read, Mary Ellen Tracy, stood with her
eyes cast down and appeared to be near tears.
She wore what she said was the white dress of the high priestess.
Her husband grasped her hand and starred at the jury, a stunned
look on his face.
``This was a heresy trial,'' Wilbur Tracy, who represented
himself during the trial, said outside the courtroom.
``In this case, nobody cares about the first amendment ...or
freedom of religion.''
Mary Ellen Tracy told reporters that she will remain high
priestess as long as she lives and will continue to ``do whatever
is necessary -- whatever God is requiring.''
``What I've been guilty of is just preaching a religion that is
... advanced beyond (this) time,'' she said.
``I consider my beliefs to be worth standing up for. We will
just continue to fight.''
The Tracys both took the witness stand during their trial and
told jurors that they had re-established an ancient Egyptian church
that requires male worshippers to perform sex acts with female
priests in order to be absolved of their sins.
The men made donations to the church in the name of the Goddess,
the Tracys said.
``(The prosecution) considered that the money was for sex,''
Mary Ellen Tracy said after the verdict.
``(But) it was always accepted as an offering on behalf of the
Goddess. People would contribute to the church as they did to any
church.''
Jury forewoman Joan Klein said jurors had given careful
consideration to the Tracys' religious-freedom defense.
``We deliberated at great length as to whether or not ... these
people held this religion in honesty and good faith,'' she said.
After two ballots, the jury ``eventually concluded that (the)
law was broken,'' she said.
During the trial, Deputy City Attorney George Lomeli argued that
the Tracys were clever enough to use their knowledge about
religious history to veil a very lucrative prostitution scam.
He referred to index cards seized by police that listed, in Mary
Ellen Tracy's handwriting, the names, telephone numbers and
physical characteristics of hundreds of men and the sex acts they
performed with her.
Lomeli also introduced into evidence a sexually-explicit
newspaper in which Mary Ellen Tracy had advertised for sex
partners, and six telephone answering machines and scripts stating:
``A contribution is required, but not necessary.''
``The evidence we presented was overwhelming,'' Lomeli said. ``I
do believe that everybody is entitled to believe what they want,
and religious freedom is important.
``However, before you can claim you have a religion, when you
are doing something that is otherwise illegal, you have to prove
that you are sincere.''
Mary Ellen Tracy's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Maureen
Tchakalian, said she would ask for a new trial on the ground that
the jury was prejudiced against her client after reading an October
1988 article Mary Ellen Terry had written for a sexually-explicit
newspaper.
Although the publication was not introduced as evidence, it
somehow appeared in the jury room, Tchakalian said.
``I am horrified, and I am disgusted because I don't believe the
prosecution (proved) their case,'' Tchakalian said.
A psychiatrist who testified for the defense said that Mary
Ellen Tracy was delusional and under the control and domination of
her husband and therefore incapable of forming the intent to commit
prostitution.
The couple will face sentencing Sept. 14.
Mary Ellen Tracy could receive up to 18 months in jail and a
$3,000 fine.
Her husband faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Mary Ellen Tracy told reporters that due to ``negative
publicity,'' the couple no longer could afford the four-bedroom,
Spanish-style house just outside Beverly Hills that served as their
church.
Authorities could not say how much money the couple collected or
how long the ``church'' had been in operation.
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End of SubGenius Digest
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