PR Director of Scientology’s Las Vegas Celebrity Center Arrested!

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology's Devon Newman & David Brutsche - Criminal Charges Update

I'm not following this too closely (read: too lazy to be thorough),
but for whatever it's worth.......despite the horribleness and insanity of the kill-a-cop plan and how deranged the accused might be, might charges have been dropped because cops botched certain things /procedures that would have had the whole case thrown out if they proceeded with all the original charges?
And despite the lies of the defendants, might the cops have gotten too much into the entrapment game to the point where they were actually initiating things that would have not been considered otherwise.
Or that a very convincing argument could have been made along those lines. Could the cops have overstated /lied about somethings...which then left them with insufficient evidence when it was time to proceed?

Excellent points you've raised above, DB.

I think all reasonable people who follow along with this case as it's developed share your thoughts/concerns -- and the answers to the questions raised don't appear to be forthcoming as yet. I've read the arrest report records twice and am still unclear about a number of things that were allegedly done/said.

200 hours of videotaped evidence remains to be viewed publicly -- if there's a trial, such is near-certain to raise even more questions, too.

JB

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology's Executive Devon Campbell Newman - Scrubbed From Membership List

Devon Campbell Newman, Scientology's Public Relations executive at the Las Vegas Celebrity Centre remains in the Clark County jail in connection with her arrest in August 2013 for multiple criminal felonies.

Immediately following news of her arrest, simple online searches showed Ms. Newman to be Co$/scientology's designated representative to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. In fact, the information provided from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce's own website showed Co$/scientology on the specific page welcoming all new members to its association.

At some point between Ms. Newman's arrest in August and now however, Co$/scientology and their designated representative were removed entirely from the welcome new members page of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce website.
See for yourself -- here's the link to the Chamber's website, specifically the "See Who's Joined" page: http://www.lvchamber.com/chamber/whos-joined

Fortunately, the good people at the Wayback machine captured the Chamber's entire site content on August 8, 2013, so here's a link to the "See Who's Joined" page as it was prior to Ms. Newman's arrest: http://web.archive.org/web/20130805154631/http://lvchamber.com/chamber/whos-joined

Has the 'innocent until proven guilty' concept entirely escaped the notice of the decision-makers at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce?
Did they remove Co$/scientology from its publicly-available member rolls because they were asked by Co$/scientology to do so?

Troubling, this.

JB

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology's Executive - Criminal Preliminary Hearing Update

The preliminary hearing began earlier today for Scientology's PR Executive, Devon Campbell Newman, and her alleged accomplice, David Brutsche. Testimony in the hearing thus far was provided by the actual undercover detective with whom the pair are alleged to have planned the kidnapping, torture, and eventual murder of randomly-targeted police officers.


Link to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's article, by Francis McCabe, here: http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/c...ifies-sovereign-citizens-plan-kidnap-kill-cop

Excerpts:

An undercover Las Vegas police officer testified Thursday that a man and a woman had a detailed plan, which included acting out different scenarios, to kidnap, convict and execute a random police officer in their own court of law as part of a domestic terrorist movement.

Detective Scott Majewski said David Allen Brutsche, 42, and Devon Campbell Newman, 67, also trained with firearms, constructed an apparatus to hold a kidnapped officer and produced videos explaining their actions. The defendants are facing one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Majewski testified during a preliminary hearing where prosecutors must show they have enough evidence to take the case to trial. Testimony was expected to continue Thursday afternoon before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Conrad Hafen.

A police report said the pair “expressed a deep hatred” for police and targeted officers for “perceived violations of Constitutional Civil Rights” during traffic stops.

But Newman, a mother and paralegal who moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, said undercover officers were the ones who called a meeting in the warehouse where they were arrested. Everyone was supposed to gather and talk about the “persecution” of Brutsche while selling water on Las Vegas Boulevard, Newman told the Review-Journal in a jailhouse interview.

JB

 

[Purple Rain]

Re: Scientology's Executive - Criminal Preliminary Hearing Update

The preliminary hearing began earlier today for Scientology's PR Executive, Devon Campbell Newman, and her alleged accomplice, David Brutsche. Testimony in the hearing thus far was provided by the actual undercover detective with whom the pair are alleged to have planned the kidnapping, torture, and eventual murder of randomly-targeted police officers.


Link to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's article, by Francis McCabe, here: http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/c...ifies-sovereign-citizens-plan-kidnap-kill-cop

Excerpts:





JB

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology's Devon Campbell Newman - Criminal Trial Required, Per the Judge

The Preliminary Hearing just finished and the Judge in Las Vegas has ruled enough evidence exists to conduct a trial for Devon Campbell Newman and David Brutsche. The next proceeding for Ms. Newman to appear is scheduled to take place on October 8, 2013.

Link to article the Las Vegas Sun's here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/sep/26/after-officers-testimony-judge-rules-sovereign-cit/

Detective Majewski, who worked undercover in this months-long investigation, described a key exchange that allegedly took place just before the defendants were arrested. I've bolded it below.

Excerpt:

Officers met with defendants at a warehouse — which Metro had secured earlier so the group could lead Sovereignty classes — and told the defendants they didn’t want to wait any longer to act on the plan.

The officers gave the defendants the option to back out. Brutsche said he wanted more time, but he came around when Newman said she was on board, Majewski testified.

After both defendants agreed to act on the plan and were leaving the warehouse, SWAT arrested them, Majewski testified.

JB

 

[JustSheila]

Great news! Thanks for the update, JBWriter!

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology's Executive, Devon Newman: Her Criminal Attorney Says...

Just in from the AP and featured on MSN's news page...

"2 To Face Single Charge In Sovereign Citizen Case" -- link to the MSN-news story: http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/2-to-face-single-charge-in-sovereign-citizen-case?stay=1

Devon Campbell Newman is represented by Carl Arnold, an attorney with the Public Defenders Office in Clark County, Nevada.

Excerpts:

A Las Vegas man and woman who had faced three charges alleging they planned to abduct, torture and kill patrol officers to draw attention to an anti-authority sovereign citizen philosophy are heading for trial in Nevada state court on a single conspiracy count.Prosecutors previously dropped the two most serious charges against David Allen Brutsche and Devon Campbell Newman, before a Las Vegas judge on Thursday ordered them to stand trial on a lesser felony conspiracy to commit kidnapping charge.

The charge could get Brutsche, 42, and Newman, 67, up to six years in prison — much less than the possibility of life in prison on kidnapping with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder charges

Defense attorneys claim police entrapped the two during an almost five-month undercover operation, and that prosecutors overreached with the initial charges.

"Bottom line, they didn't have proof of conspiracy to murder. And they never kidnapped anyone," Newman's defense attorney, Carl Arnold, said outside court.

Police "spent hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars on this case, and all they did was talk," he said.

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Lalli told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the kidnapping and murder conspiracy charges were dropped Sept. 9 because prosecutors received new evidence following the arrests.

Whatever "new evidence" was received on September 9, 2013 by the DA's office has certainly piqued my interest.

JB

 

[JBWriter]

Re: Scientology's Executive Devon Newman: Criminal Trial Date: December 9, 2013

Devon Campbell Newman, the PR executive from Scientology's Celebrity Center of Las Vegas, entered a 'not guilty' plea earlier today to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. A 'not guilty' please was also entered for her alleged co-conspirator, David Alan Brutsche.

The trial date for both defendants has been docketed for December 9, 2013, but news reports state that Ms. Newman's public defender, Carl Arnold, will seek a separate trial for his client.

Las Vegas Sun article link: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/oct/08/attorney-may-seek-separate-trial-defendant-soverei/

Excerpts:

On one hand, Newman’s attorney, Carl Arnold, thinks keeping the pair together will show the jury that Newman, a 67-year-old grandmother and retired paralegal is radically different than convicted felon Brutsche, who objects to everything on grounds that it clashes with his Sovereign beliefs.

“The jury can see, ‘Well, obviously she doesn’t buy into this Sovereign thing because she wants to abide by the law,'” Arnold said.

That said, Arnold doesn’t know if they want to put up with all of the interruptions.
The case is set to go to trial Dec. 9, but Brutsche has entered a motion to reverse a lower court judge’s ruling that barred Brutsche from representing himself.

Speediness is important to Newman, Arnold said.
She found out last week that she lost her apartment despite sending a rent check, Arnold said. The complex didn't like the legal trouble she was in, he said.
When Arnold told her it is possible she could lose all of her possessions, which are still in the apartment, she couldn’t stop crying, Arnold said.

“She’s totally devastated right now in regard to getting caught up in this,” Arnold said. “She didn’t know how to get out of it.”

She met Brutsche through a friend and started selling water on the Strip with him. Eventually, they became roommates, which made it hard for her to get out of the scheme, Arnold said, noting that Brutsche had threatened to kill Newman roughly a week before their arrest.

Of the 6-7 uploaded news stories about today's developments, only one thus far, reported by Ken Ritter of the AP and uploaded by the San Louis Obispo's The Tribune mentions Ms. Newman's scientology connection - in passing and in the past tense. Um...?

Here's the link: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/10/08/2723592/not-guilty-pleas-in-vegas-sovereign.html

Excerpt:

Newman, 67, pleaded not guilty, then turned her back to Brutsche during his exchanges with the judge.
Newman's lawyer, Carl Arnold, said later that he may seek to sever Newman's trial from Brutsche's.

Arnold said undercover police recordings entered as evidence in the case show that Brutsche threatened to kill Newman, a former paralegal who once served as a publicist for the Church of Scientology, and that Newman was distancing herself from Brutsche when the two were arrested Aug. 20.

Both defendants are due in court for a calendar call on December 2, 2013, but it seems that appearance is mostly administrative in nature.

JB

 

[JBWriter]

Re: State of Nevada v Devon Newman - Criminal Trial Begins December 9, 2013

Just wanted to let folks know that both Devon Campbell Newman and her alleged co-conspirator, David Alan Brutsche, are still listed on the Clark County Inmate Locator site as scheduled to appear for trial on December 9, 2013 @ 9:30 a.m.

Both appeared at the final pre-trial hearing on December 2, 2013, but I'm not able to determine whether or not Ms. Newman's attorney filed any motions at that time.
It was thought that her Public Defender would move the Court with a request for her to have a separate trial, but perhaps the strategy has changed.

From arrest on August 21, 2013 to trial on December 9, 2013 sure seems speedy. Too speedy? :confused2:

JB

 

[JBWriter]

Scientology - Criminal Trial Update - Nevada vs Devon Campbell Newman - Dec 2013

Update on the day's developments in court for this case...

1. Devon Campbell Newman's bail was reduced from $200k to $50k;
2. David Alan Brutche's bail was reduced from $600k to $200k;
3. Carl Arnold, Public Defender for Newman, has withdrawn his request for a separate trial;
4. Brutsche intends to act as his own attorney and no longer adheres to the 'sovereign citizens' movement; and,
5. The next hearing date is March 3, 2014, with the trial scheduled for March 10, 2014.

Link to article: http://lasvegas.greatlocalnews.info/?p=42027

A Nevada judge cited lesser remaining charges and reduced bail for a man and a woman accused of conspiring to kidnap police officers to draw attention to an anti-government sovereign citizen philosophy.
Clark County District Court Judge Elissa Cadish on Monday lowered bail for David Allen Brutsche from $ 600,000 to $ 200,000. The judge cut bail for Devon Campbell Newman from $ 200,000 to $ 50,000.

Prosecutors previously dropped the most serious charges of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted kidnapping with a weapon.
Brutsche and Newman have each pleaded not guilty to the remaining charge, and they face trial March 10.

Newman’s attorney, Carl Arnold, on Monday withdrew a request for a separate trial.

Brutsche is representing himself. He told the judge he doesn’t really adhere to a sovereign citizens movement.

JB

 

[aegerprimo]

Devon Newman pleads guilty. Link to article - http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/...zen-plot-to-kidnap-and-kill-a-police-officer/

 

[Type4_PTS]

Devon Newman pleads guilty. Link to article - http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/...zen-plot-to-kidnap-and-kill-a-police-officer/

I started a new thread over here:
http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthre...Kidnap-and-Kill-a-Police-Officer!-(Raw-Story)

 

[Arthur Dent]

Update on the day's developments in court for this case...

1. Devon Campbell Newman's bail was reduced from $200k to $50k;
2. David Alan Brutche's bail was reduced from $600k to $200k;
3. Carl Arnold, Public Defender for Newman, has withdrawn his request for a separate trial;
4. Brutsche intends to act as his own attorney and no longer adheres to the 'sovereign citizens' movement; and,
5. The next hearing date is March 3, 2014, with the trial scheduled for March 10, 2014.

Link to article: http://lasvegas.greatlocalnews.info/?p=42027



JB

Perfect!
And Brutsche intends to represent himself. Well, we know what Abe said about that.

 

[JBWriter]

Re: David Alan Brutsche - Plea Deal - Update February 2014

Devon Newman pleads guilty. Link to article - http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/...zen-plot-to-kidnap-and-kill-a-police-officer/

David Alan Brutsche accepted a plea deal to a Federal criminal felony charge of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping.
He entered his plea of guilty in court on February 3, 2014, and is scheduled for formal sentencing by on April 7, 2014.

Link to article here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/feb/03/man-takes-plea-in-vegas-sovereign-citizen-case/

Excerpts:

LAS VEGAS (AP) — An ex-convict from California who had been accused of plotting to kill random Las Vegas police officers to advance an anti-government sovereign citizen philosophy took a plea deal Monday that could get him freed from jail later this year.

David Allen Brutsche, 43, who in previous court appearances declared himself a sovereign citizen and later denied involvement in any organized movement, continued to serve as his own lawyer as he stood in shackles and pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Brutsche's plea on Monday was linked to an earlier guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of failing to register as a sex offender.
He is expected at sentencing April 7 to receive up to five years' probation in the police plot case and one year in county jail in the sex offender case, prosecutor Thomas Carroll said.

With time already served, Brutsche could be out of jail by August.

JB

 

[Type4_PTS]

With time already served, Brutsche could be out of jail by August.

Maybe Devon can assist him to get a job. CoS could probably post him in Criminon.

 

[aegerprimo]

Maybe Devon can assist him to get a job. CoS could probably post him in Criminon.

Typical. That idea makes me want to

 

[Smurf]

Devon has been a good girl since being released from the pokey..

12/12/13 Entry of Plea (Judicial Officer Cadish, Elissa F.)

Amended Information and Guilty Plea Agreement FILED IN OPEN COURT. NEGOTIATIONS: parties jointly recommend a suspended sentence of 12 months and not to exceed 1 year of probation with parties remaining free to argue the terms and conditions of probation. Defendant NEWMAN ARRAIGNED AND PLED GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FALSE IMPRISONMENT (GM). Court ACCEPTED plea. Court noted a Gross Misdemeanor Worksheet has been prepared by the parties who've requested the Court sentence the Deft. today. Mr. Arnold and Carroll concurred. Deft. NEWMAN ADJDUGED GUILTY OF CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FALSE IMPRISONMENT (GM). Statement by Mr. Carroll. Matter submitted by Mr. Arnold.

COURT ORDERED, in addition to the $25.00 Administrative Assessment fee, $250.00 Indigent Defense Civil Assessment fee, $3.00 DNA Collection fee and $150.00 DNA Analysis fee including testing to determine genetic markers, Deft. SENTENCED to THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR (364) DAYS in the Clark County Detention Center (CCDC), SUSPENDED; placed on probation for an indeterminate period not to exceed ONE (1) YEAR:

CONDITIONS: 1. Pay the $150.00 DNA fee and $3.00 DNA Collection fee.

12/26/2013 - Court Assessment - $428
02/10/2014 - Payment (80.00)
03/05/2014 - Payment (10.00)
04/21/2014 - Payment (70,00
05/07/2014 - Payment (10.00)

Balance Due as of 05/26/2014 - $258.00

 

[TG1]

The "Saga of Devon Newman" is one of the oddest chapters in "Scientology -- It's Weirder Than You Thought."

 

[Leland]

The "Saga of Devon Newman" is one of the oddest chapters in "Scientology -- It's Weirder Than You Thought."

Tell all please.

 

[TG1]

Tell all please.

SMH.