I heard he had broken his original Alcor employee NDA as well. The whole situation is sad, I've talked with people who were directly involved in some of the events "detailed" in Larry Johnson's book--that say what he writes is false. I was not at those events and I'm sure those who were, and what documentation there is from them will be used when or if needed. I was surprised that his current book was allowed to be published, when it seemed that some in Ted Williams family were against it being published.
Claudia Williams, the youngest child of the Red Sox legend, attended the hearing but declined comment. In a statement issued through her attorney Eric Abel on Monday evening, said she was "horrified and shocked" by Yates' decision.
"This book serves no public purpose and obliterates the innermost sanctuary of a family's privacy," the statement said. "I believe Larry Johnson violated the confidentiality of my family in the most vile manner possible...The privacy of my family and the resulting horror is of the highest degree and should never have outweighed the public's interest."
(
http://www.nydailyne..._ted_alcor.html )
Larry Johnson went to work for Alcor after Ted Williams was preserved, I've always felt that if there was a real problem-something that he found truly shocking he would have gone to the police while he worked at Alcor or even after he left. Its too bad that the NYC court order has not yet gone through and backed up what the AZ court ordered. Even the audio recordings that Larry Johnson has given to various news sources were recorded while he was talking with people who were not present at the issues he was bringing up for his secret recordings. Those recordings were taken into consideration by AZ authorities, no charges have even been brought up and the first restraining order against Larry Johnson by the AZ court, I feel should be honored. On the topic of legislation, some people want Alcor to be more professional, which of course it is always working on. I empathize with the issues that have been brought up by many professionals that work or have worked with Alcor-there are currently initiatives in place to address how to make aspects of suspension and preservation better. I've visited Alcor three times, and talked with many people who have worked or volunteered there and have never heard or seen any major problems. Alcor is under legislation, so I don't understand what Larry Johnson-who calls himself "The enemy of cryonics", wants? Alcor is currently the leader in cryonics research funding and stand-by procedures. I volunteer to help with locally based Alcor Area Readiness teams who assist the Alcor transport team in the event of a local members' legal need for suspension. I've not read Larry Johnson's book as I've not wanted to contribute funds to what I feel is a over-dramatization and misrepresentation of cryonics, but I've seen many quotes from his book, seen his website and listened to many interviews with him. His efforts to try and make cryonics look ghoulish (and he also amounts to name calling in his descriptions of Mike Perry in the book), makes it seem to me that he is out more for the fame than for any effectual change. There are many committed cryonicists who are working to make the organizations better, and to keep providing the services that they've been giving for decades. Hopefully the publicity of this negative toned book will bring some more people into the field of cryonics. Making David Letterman's top ten, and other popular programs will I'm sure get the attention of those who thought cryonics was only science fiction and will be interested in it for its common sense possibilities. I myself saw a sensationalized news piece about the end of the Dora Kent case when I was a teen that had a negative tone and remember being amazed that cryonics was real, it seemed a noble endeavor to me and I've kept that interest as I've grown. I've seen the industry grow over the past decade, and hope to watch many more years of growth--I'll continue to volunteer for the Venturists to promote cryonics advocacy and help in what ways I can such as my writing, and local community building efforts.
I like to think he may have been influenced by me with his quote here:
"You have a right to be frozen, just like you have a right to cremation or burial," Johnson told the Daily News. "But people need to know what is going on at Alcor. I feel very strongly that lawmakers should step in and regulate this field. It sickened as a medical professional me that they would do this stuff."
As he must have read my petition that I created as a counter to his "calling for regulation" on the Care2 site, but there are medical professionals at Alcor and in the field of cryonics who are not sickened, there are some who are there working to better the field too. Finally, about regulating the field- CI is under the cemetery regulation of Michigan, Alcor has fought to maintain its own regulation and has higher standards than the funeral industry or cemetery regulation--there is more information in many areas on Alcor's site but this page goes into into detail over what happened in '04 when there was public hearing over Alcor's legislation
http://www.alcor.org...on20040226.html
