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James Arthur Ray Arrested for the 3 'Sweat Lodge' Deaths

by Scott Wu | February 3, 2010 at 05:28 pm

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Self-help guru James Arthur Ray was arrested after being charged with 3 counts of manslaughter happened at a "sweat lodge" retreat last year. Kirby Brown, James Shore, and Liz Neuman died after feeling ill in the 2-hour ceremony. James Arthur Ray will be held at the Camp Verde Detention Center on $5 million bond.

The Oct. 8 sweat lodge was part of James Ray's 5 days, $9000, "Spiritual Warrior" event set outside of Sedona, AZ. During the 2 hours ceremony, some began vomiting and collapsed at the site. However, according to authorities and participants, James Ray urged people to push through.

Kirby Brown, 38, and James Shore, 40, passed out in the sweat lodge and died in a hospital that night. Liz Neuman, 49, slipped into a coma and died a week later. Eighteen people were hospitalized.

Authorities conducted hundreds of interviews to investigate into James Arthur Ray's past. Documents show that some participants lost consciousness and others suffered broken bones at past events, and Ray ignored those medical problems.

One participant, Beverley Bunn, previously told The Associated Press that Ray did nothing to help the sick. Ray's attorneys have countered that he took all necessary safety precautions and wasn't aware of any medical problems until the ceremony was over.

James Arthur Ray offered his own account of the sweat lodge incident in Sedona on his website.

This was a terrible accident. Much has been written and said about this matter – some true, some not – but nothing will ever alter that simple fact. Mr. Ray was and is devastated. The victims were friends and students. He cared deeply for all of them.