Elected through Terror

Untitled Part 45

September 13, 1985, the beginning of the end of Rancho Rajneesh.

On September 15th, in the afternoon, I was made aware that the Rajneesh was supposed to speak to his followers that evening. He had invited news media, State Police, our District Attorney and me to the meeting.

I had one of the Sergeants attend the meeting. I picked up the DA and headed to the ranch. We arrived about the same time an OSP Captain arrived and we went into the meeting area together.

The news conference was held in the two acre 'green house' turned meeting room. There were several doors opening into the room from the south side. We were asked to sit in the front row on the south side of the platform where Rajneesh would be talking.

The Rajneesh followers, still on the ranch, were dancing and singing to a small band as they waited for him to come.

There were several news reporters present. Rajneesh had been big news for a number of years, and this news conference was purported to be a major development at the ranch.

Rajneesh came into the room from a door leading onto the back portion of the platform. He sat down in a large chair near the edge of the platform.

Smiling and looking around the room, he moved his arms up and down in time with the music then held up his hands for quiet. The band stopped and he started speaking.

This was the first time I had seen the man in person.

He was not a very tall man; he had a long grey beard and hair wearing a knitted cap of some kind. He was wearing expensive long flowing robes and a very expensive watch.

As he looked around the room. His eyes were what I would call hypnotic, rarely blinking, very piercing.

He spoke good English but very slow, very deliberate. While I cannot recall all that he talked about the gest of it was that after Sheila had fled with her entourage a couple of days ago (the 13th,) her criminal conduct was uncovered.

In front of him on tables were a number of items, particularly recording devices. He claimed that Sheila had caused these to be placed in the hotel, restaurant and others areas where they could monitor and record conversations.

He was asked about the buildings in Antelope and he said it was all Sheila's idea, not his. He said something like, "I am the Guru of the rich, why would I want AIDs patients as part of my commune, they would cost us too much money" as he rotated the $25,000 watch on his arm.

He was asked about the restaurant poisoning, the burning of the planning office and many other charges. He said that Sheila was the one who planned all of it.

Most of the followers, in the building, were very surprised; they had no idea that these things had been done. And then having been done in the name of Rajneesh just added to their distress.

Those of us who had been dealing with the antics of Sheila and her group were not surprised. We had long suspected they were committing crimes, but were unaware of the total extent. We did not trust them and our feelings were now vindicated.

We looked at the 'evidence' after he was done, but they weren't tagged and were useless as evidence; too many people had handled them and the chain of custody had long been destroyed.

However, as he accepted questions from the floor and he admitted that Sheila and her entourage had committed many crimes; we had barely scratched the surface that night.

We had information, but it was all hearsay. We would have to formulate a plan to begin the investigation into Sheila's, and her henchmen's, activities.

As we left the building to head home, the Chief came up to me. I looked at her, put my hands on her biceps and asked her, "What happened to your crime free city?"

She said, "I don't know I was wondering the same thing."