Protester is subject to arrest THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE Thursday, May 17, 2001 BY ERIN D. RANDOLPH http://www.inlandempireonline.com/news/stories/051701/hhens.shtml A man convicted in April of oppressing Scientologists because of their religion has fled to Canada to apply for political refugee status, the man said Wednesday. Keith Henson, 58, of Palo Alto, was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday morning in court but didn't show up. A judge immediately issued a warrant for his arrest. Henson's conviction on a charge of interfering with a religion stemmed from his picketing at the Church of Scientology's Golden Era Productions in Gilman Hot Springs. Henson said in a phone interview Wednesday night from Canada that he went there to protest a Scientology event. He then decided he would stay after talking to an immigration lawyer. Henson said his human rights have been violated because of a recommended sentence that could put him in jail for 200 days and subject him to five years' probation for a misdemeanor crime. He said the sentence would be too harsh. Probation officer Garry Davis recommended that sentence to the court. Henson had said he did not want probation because he believed it would give Scientologists a chance to keep an eye on him through the government. Despite his conviction, Henson doesn't believe he was a threat to the Scientologists. He said Wednesday that he just wants them investigated for one death in the compound and one near it last year. Court records include handwritten and typewritten letters from some of the Scientologists who work at Golden Era expressing their fear that Henson might harm them. They requested sentencing terms similar to Davis' recommendation. Friends of Henson don't believe that he deserves the treatment he has received, because they say he would never hurt anyone. "He is a kind and gentle man," Ida Camburn said. "He is a decent human being." Riverside County Superior Court Judge Robert Wallerstein issued a no-bail arrest warrant for Henson. The judge postponed the sentencing until Henson is arrested and can explain where he has been and why he didn't come to court. Deputy District Attorney Robert Schwarz said Henson took pictures of him and posted the names of district attorney support staff on the Internet. Schwarz said in court Wednesday that he believes the moves were an attempt to intimidate him from prosecuting the case. "He needs to come back here and face up to his charges," said Muriel Dufresne, public relations director for Golden Era. "He can't flee from justice." Erin D. Randolph can be reached by e-mail at erandolph@pe.com or by phone at (909) 487-5229