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Tulsa law firm files lawsuit against Narconon in woman's death

UPDATE: The same lawfirm plans to file a second wrongful death lawsuit in the next few days.

A Tulsa lawfirm has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful death, negligence, and violation of the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act in the death of an Owasso woman who died at the Narconon Arrowhead facility in July.

Stacy Dawn Murphy, 20, had just returned to the facility in Pittsburg County from a visit with her family when she died July 19, records indicate.

In a statement obtained by KRMG, the lawfirm of Richardson, Richardson, Boudreaux Keesling names the plaintiffs as Robert Murphy and Tonya White, Stacy Murphy's parents.

"Defendants are Narconon of Oklahoma (NO), d/b/a Narconon Arrowhead, an Oklahoma corporation; Narconon International (NI), a foreign corporation based in California; Association for Better Living and Education International (ABLE), a foreign corporation based in California; and Gerald D. Wootan, DO, M.Ed, medical director of Narconon of Oklahoma," the statement reads in part.

It goes on to say  “NO, NI, and ABLE all rely exclusively on the written 'technology' of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, to address the drug and alcohol rehabilitation needs of students enrolled in Narconon programs. This misplaced reliance is despite the fact that Hubbard had no known training or education in the field of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. However, instead of providing drug rehabilitation, the defendants have concealed, and continue to conceal, the Narconon program's true relationship with ABLE by teaching the Hubbard technology."

Gary and Chuck Richardson, the attorneys handling the lawsuit, say the parents of Murphy were "provided misleading information on the Narconon website and by Narconon representatives, which led them to believe that Narconon Arrowhead would be a safe and effective treatment facility.

"In addition, Narconon Arrowhead fraudulently tells potential students that a physician is on staff 24 hours a day. Instead, a physician is present only once a week," they allege.

The suit seeks in excess of $75,000 on each of the main three contentions.

When contacted by KRMG, Gary Richardson said his firm also plans to file a lawsuit in the death of Gabriel Graves, 32, who died at the Narconon Arrowhead facility Oct. 26, 2011.

Graves, like Murphy, lived in Owasso.

A third death, that of Hillary Holten, 21, of Carrollton, Texas, occurred April 11 of this year.

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