1st of expected flurry of lawsuits filed in Arizona sweat lodge tragedy

1st lawsuits filed in Arizona sweat lodge tragedy

PHOENIX — The first of what could be a flurry of lawsuits stemming from a sweat lodge ceremony led by author and motivational speaker James Arthur Ray in northern Arizona was filed on Friday.

The family of one of three people who died after the Oct. 8 sweat ceremony filed a wrongful death suit, and a southern Arizona woman who was badly hurt also filed suit.

Both accuse Ray, the owners of the Angel Valley Retreat Center where his retreat was held and others of negligence, negligent misrepresentation, fraud and other actions.

A call seeking comment from Ray’s attorney wasn’t immediately returned. Amayra Hamilton, who with her husband owns Angel Valley, says there was nothing wrong with the lodge itself and she had no part in how Ray ran the ceremony.

The deaths and 18 other hospitalized happened at the end of a five-day Ray-led “Spiritual Warrior” program.