Arizonians still haven't forgotten about the tragic sweat lodge ceremony in Sedona that killed three people in October 2009. Reuters reported that the people died after participating in a "spiritual warrior" retreat, where dozens of people were crammed into a four-foot tall sweat lodge that was packed with superheated rocks. Even when participants became delirious and passed out from suffocation, Ray did not stop the ceremony.
But were the sweat lodge deaths the result of an accident or should the deaths be considered a crime? This is a tough question that jurors had to decide on in a Camp Verde courtroom. On June 22, the Yavapai County jury found that Ray is not guilty of manslaughter in the sweat lodge case, but instead guilty of the lesser charge of negligent homicide.
Negligent homicide is classified as a class 4 felony in Arizona and carries a minimum sentence of 1.5 years in jail for each count. This means that Ray could be locked up behind bars for at least 4.5 years, since he was convicted of three counts. Jurors in the case will reconvene on June 28 to determine if there were aggravating factors in Ray's case. Sentencing is set to occur within 30 days.
This case shows that self-help leaders like James Ray are held accountable for their actions when deaths or injuries occur. And while prosecutors encouraged jurors to convict Ray of manslaughter rather than negligent homicide, ABC News reports that families of the victims are still pleased with the outcome of the trial.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix Criminal Lawyer (FindLaw)
- Sweat Lodge Trial Focuses on James Ray (FindLaw Blotter)
- Sweat Lodge Case Highlights Dangers of Inexperienced Spiritual Guides (FindLaw KnowledgeBase)
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