Trial Blog Day 8: Beverley Bunn’s Emotional Testimony
From the moment my Aunt Ginny called me the morning of Oct. 9, 2009, the story of the death of my cousin, Kirby Brown, has been surreal. But within an hour of receiving that call and doing a couple of Google searches on the deaths and James Ray, I knew it would quickly become a media circus.
I won’t claim to have x-ray vision 15 months into the future, but within days we had to prepare for an arrest, and a prolonged legal battle. So when March 1, 2011 finally rolled around – the beginning of the James Ray criminal trial for the death of Kirby and two others – it was a moment we had been anticipating.
As difficult as it was to face Mr. Ray in court during that first week – as myself, Kirby’s parents and members of the two other families did – we had somewhat prepared for that. When Beverley Bunn took the stand on Friday, it was a moment 
that shook me somewhat, for many reasons.
Beverley, an orthodontist from Texas, was the only participant of the Spiritual Warrior event who attended Kirby’s funeral. I remember when she was introduced to me in the parking lot outside of the church. Because I had been the spokesperson for Kirby’s immediate family, I was the recognizable face for her. When she was introduced to me by a friend of hers, I immediately hugged her, thanked her for coming and asked how she was. I will always admire her courage, her devotion to my cousin, and her strength for standing up and doing what was right.
So watching her on the stand, on live television from my couch at home I felt proud, scared, anxious, helpless, and protective. But as her testimony unfolded, I realized she needed no protection. She was strong, brave, and – most importantly for the case – had tremendous memory of the details of the sweat lodge and the entire event.
Because of her recall and memory she was able to offer evidence such as:
• Ray was harsh and callous to his students: When she told him on the fourth day of the six day event that she would cut her hair he said. “I don’t give a fuck what you do. Shave your head, don’t shave your head.”
• Despite the defense claim that participants had freedom of choice, Beverley made it clear that “things were not optional” and that you didn’t take on Mr. Ray.
• There was no medical staff on site, nor were there proper first aid kits (Tupperware container with Band-Aids and gauze)
• In addition to the deaths, serious injuries did occur
• A man who needed to use the bathroom was told by Mr. Ray to relieve himself inside the tent, where people were also vomiting and passing out.
• Following the sweat lodge, Mr. Ray and two of his top staffers – Josh and Megan Fredrickson – stood around, never assisting anyone.
• The events of the week, particularly the sweat lodge, were kept secret to participants, unless they haven’t to read the small print of the waivers.
• Where several people were sitting in the lodge and their positions outside in the chaotic aftermath.
• That she was prevented from attempting CPR on Kirby and James Shore.
• A clear, chronological timeline of the entire week’s events.
Beverley also helped change the face of the Spiritual Warrior participants. Here is a smart, savvy, successful woman, with multiple educational degrees, and who has owned her own orthodontics practice. The TV pundits have said after her testimony that this was not a “James Jones” situation, a classic cult/death incident in our history.
Hopefully that leaves the door open for people to ask about a leader’s influence, mind control and what behaviors, words and actions allow for smart, reasonable people to follow another into danger. A larger view of the week’s events, and the extreme use of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), will be necessary in this trial to convince the jury – and perhaps the public at large – that these adults were stripped of their ability to make rational choices.
It has been notable to me that Beverley, as was Kirby, was allowed to participate in Spiritual Warrior when typically attendees had to “graduate” to this pinnacle event. Many of those who attended – and many of those still firmly in James Ray’s camp – had attended several events, often across several years. So, to me, the influence that Ray had over his followers began long before they ever arrived in Sedona. Those who were not fully conditioned through all of his events, were more cynical of his role in this tragedy when two people died that day (Liz Neuman died more than a week later).
I’m grateful that Beverley got to know Kirby; I’m grateful that she came forward almost immediately, first to be with my family, and then to tell the truth in the media; I’m grateful she remembers important details; and I’m grateful for her strength and courage.
Her testimony continues tomorrow and my thoughts will continue to be with her and, as always, with our beloved Kirby.
