Affidavit of Paulette Cooper, 7 Apr 1981



From the court case Paulette Cooper v. Scientology et al., docket
number 81-681, U.S. Federal District Court, Boston. The files are
stored at the Federal Records Center in Waltham, Massachusetts.

AFFIDAVIT OF PAULETTE COOPER

I, PAULETTE COOPER, hereby depose and state:

The following is a brief summary of the emotional distress I suffered
as a result of the dissemination of my psychiatric records.

1.  Many of the members of my family had been exterminated in
Auschwitz, including my parents.  At the age of 17, I returned to
Belgium and met many of my surviving relatives and my sister. For the
first time, I saw a picture of my dead parents.  This caused an
emotional crisis for me, but I did not want to admit to my adoptive
parents how torn I was between them and my real family. While at
college this identity conflict intensified.

2.  I consulted Dr. Stanley Cath, 18 Moore Street, Belmont,
Massachusetts for this emotional crisis which I experienced.

3.  During the course of my psychiatric treatment, I disclosed many
intimate facts concerning my personal life which were recorded and
compiled in my medical file and kept by Dr. Stanley Cath.

4.  On several occasions I received copies of my medical records,
kept by Dr. Cath.  On each occasion my records were mailed
anonymously.  This caused me tremendous anxiety over the years as I
was concerned that my adoptive parents had or would receive copies of
my records, and I did not want them to know of the conflict I
experienced concerning my real and adoptive family.

5.  I believe that others may have received these records as well,
but did not mention it out of delicacy.

6.  I am a free lance writer and I am only paid for the articles I
produce.  I frequently suffer from anxiety attacks, when I think
about what the Scientologists would do with my medical records, and
anxiety prevents me from writing.

7.  On each occasion that I received copies of my medical records, I
became extremely agitated.  My physician prescribed Valium which
makes me extremely sleepy and unable to think clearly and therefore
unable to write.  These anxiety attacks have impaired my ability to
produce articles and compositions.

8.  Scientology has sent at least five (5) anonymous smear letters
about me, along with a copy of my diary and other personal papers to
me and others.  Relying on that course of conduct as precedent, I
have experienced acute anxiety when considering who might receive my
psychiatric records, and what personal and potentially embarrassing
information would be revealed.

One of the smear letters mentioned herein was sent to half of the
tenants in my apartment building (approximately 150 people) and I
feared that those tenants would also receive copies of my medical
records.

9. In 1972, the Scientologists engineered an elaborate criminal
conspiracy which resulted in my indictment.  Subsequently, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation cleared me of any wrongdoing, and
exposed the Scientologists plan to have me incarcerated.

10. As I have stated, I received my medical records through the mail.
A simple exercise of receiving and opening mail has been transformed
into a nightmarish experience as I am never certain what my mail may
contain. I continue to be anxious when answering the phone for I fear
that the caller may inform me that he/she has received my medical
records.

11. On several occasions I felt the need to confer with a
psychiatrist due to the extreme anxiety caused by the Scientologists.
At one point, after my records were disseminated, I became suicidal.
However, I am unable to consult with my psychiatrist for fear that
these new records would be obtained by the Scientologists.