Subject: Church of Scientology ordered to return files to critic
Copyright: 1995 by Reuters
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 95 16:50:21 PDT

	 DENVER (Reuter) - A judge Tuesday ordered the Church of
Scientology to return research files on the church that had been
assembled by a critic and former member.

	 The decision, by U.S. District Court Judge John Kane,
reversed a fellow judge who last month ordered the material
seized and given to the church.

	 Larry Wollersheim, a former member, operates a computer
bulletin board via on-line services that distributes information
critical of the church.

	 Wollersheim and the church are involved in a long-standing
dispute over what he calls ``mind control.'' But the church
argues his actions are an attempt to discredit the religion.

	 Another judge had granted a branch of the chuurch, The 
Teligious Technology Center, authority to seize the files on the
church's claim Wollersheim violated copyright and trademark
laws.

	 But Kane did not accept that argument. ``The public interest
is best served by the free exchange of ideas,'' Kane said in
refusing the church's request to keep the files. The original
seizure order came under a preliminary injunction.