Editing Scientology controversies (section)

===Death of Elli Perkins===
{{Main|Death of Elli Perkins}}
Another crime that received substantial news coverage involved the death of Elli Perkins. This included an installment on the [[CBS]] [[investigative journalism|investigative news]] program ''[[48 Hours (TV series)|48 Hours]]''.<ref name="48hrs">{{cite news | last = Staff | title = Scientology – A Question of Faith: Did A Mother's Faith Contribute To Her Murder? | work = [[48 Hours (TV series)|48 Hours]] | pages = 1–9 | publisher = [[CBS News]] | date = 2006-10-28 | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scientology-a-question-of-faith/ | access-date = 2007-03-23 | archive-date = March 31, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070331104642/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/25/48hours/main2124568.shtml | url-status = live}}</ref>

Perkins was a mother of two, a [[glass art|professional glass artist]], and a [[Scientology|Scientologist]] who lived in Western [[New York (state)|New York]]. She was a [[auditing (Scientology)|senior auditor]] at the [[Church of Scientology]] in [[Buffalo, New York]]. When her then 24-year-old son Jeremy began to show strange and disturbing behavior, Elli did not seek out psychiatric care but used treatment in [[Scientology and psychiatry|accordance with Scientology]]. [[Scientologists]] believe that psychiatry "doesn't work."

First, the family sent Jeremy to Scientology's [[Sea Org]] in California. He returned home some months later because Sea Org had not helped. Found trespassing outside the [[University at Buffalo]] on August 14, 2001, Jeremy was arrested and remanded to a local hospital after a court-ordered psychiatric exam confirmed that he had a diagnosis of schizophrenia.<ref name="nypost">{{cite news | last = Stasi | first = Linda |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/item_upcaTdSlZAeJf4ly7sah1N |title = Scientology Schizo: His Mom's Religion Said, No Meds. That Edict May Have Cost Her Life| work = [[New York Post]] | date = October 27, 2006}}</ref>

Elli Perkins later convinced the court to release her son into her custody so she could seek alternatives to psychiatry. She also refused any treatment with anti-psychotic medications. Defense attorney John Nuchereno said that Jeremy's condition declined over the summer of 2002. He was no longer able to work in the family business. The Church of Scientology ceased efforts to cure Jeremy and classified him as a Type III "[[potential trouble source]]" (psychotic).

In the fall of 2002, the family consulted Dr. Conrad Maulfair, an [[osteopathic medicine in the United States|osteopathic physician]] and Scientologist.<ref name="nypost" /> Maulfair concluded that Jeremy needed to be purged of certain chemical toxins in his body. Maulfair said he needed to be "energized" through vitamin therapy.

Jeremy became suspicious of his mother; he thought the vitamins were poisoning him. In February 2003, Elli took Jeremy to see Albert Brown, a self-taught "natural healer". Elli planned to send Jeremy to live with Brown for treatment. He was to leave for Brown's on March 13, 2003, but days beforehand began to act more aggressively. On the 13th, after a shower he retrieved a steak knife and tried to slit his wrists. Unsuccessful, Jeremy found his mother in the kitchen and attacked her as she spoke to a friend on the phone. [[Autopsy]] reports showed that Elli Perkins was stabbed 77 times.<ref name="wivb">{{cite news | first = Marie | last = Rice | title = Amherst Man Accused of Stabbing Mother to Death, Pleads Not Guilty | work = [[WIVB|WIVB TV]] | date = 4 June 2003 | url = https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/JeremyPerkins/Articles/wivb.com-2003-06-04.html | access-date = 2007-03-23 | archive-date = September 6, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190906023812/http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/JeremyPerkins/Articles/wivb.com-2003-06-04.html | url-status = live}}</ref>

Jeremy was charged with second degree murder but found not responsible by reason of mental disease. On January 29, 2004, after NY State Office of Mental Health exams, he was assessed "Dangerously Mentally Ill" and committed to a secure facility. Jeremy is on [[psychotropic medications]], which court psychiatrists state have not cured him, but have stabilized his condition.

In March 2006, an advertisement in ''[[LA Weekly]]'' blamed the Church of Scientology for Perkins' violent death.<ref name="msnbcad">{{cite news | last = Walls | first = Jeannette | title = Scientology foes blast Cruise in ad | work = Today.com | publisher = [[NBC]] | date = March 29, 2006 | url = https://www.today.com/popculture/scientology-foes-blast-cruise-ad-wbna11878503 | access-date = 2007-03-23 | archive-date = March 8, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210308202711/https://www.today.com/popculture/scientology-foes-blast-cruise-ad-wbna11878503 | url-status = live}}</ref> The ''[[48 Hours (TV series)|48 Hours]]'' segment on Perkins' death aired on October 28, 2006.<ref name="publiceye06">{{cite news | last = Montopoli | first = Brian | title = '48 Hours' Questions Role Of Scientology In Murder, Scientologists Question CBS Ethics | work = PublicEye | publisher = [[CBS]] | date = November 2, 2006 | url = http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2006/11/02/publiceye/entry2144647.shtml | access-date = 2007-03-23 | archive-date = April 10, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080410063538/http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2006/11/02/publiceye/entry2144647.shtml | url-status = live}}</ref> Afterward, CBS reported they had received complaints from Scientologists.