Alcor Life Extension Foundation Granted Temporary Restraining Order Against Larry Johnson
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (October 5, 2009)… Earlier today, Judge James Yates of the Supreme Court of the State of New York entered a Temporary Restraining Order against Larry Johnson, forbidding disclosure of any confidential information which is not already contained in his inflammatory and misguided book entitled, Frozen: My Journey into the World of Cryonics. The book was originally scheduled for release on October 6, 2009, but Vanguard Press, the publisher of the book, was allowing sales of the book in advance of today’s hearing. It was also admitted at the hearing that Vanguard Press shipped copies of the book despite knowing there was a July 7, 2009 judgment entered in Maricopa County, Arizona against Mr. Johnson, forbidding disclosure of any confidential or illegally obtained information about Alcor, its members or its operations.
Upon receiving the Court’s Order, Alcor legal counsel, Clifford A. Wolff stated, “Alcor is pleased that the Court prevented Larry Johnson from any further disclosures of confidential information and that Judge Yates gave validity to the judgment entered against Mr. Johnson in Maricopa County, Arizona. Alcor will continue its legal efforts for sanctions and damages against the defendants in order to protect the privacy rights of its members and employees.”
According to Dr. Ralph Merkle, speaking on behalf of Alcor’s Board of Directors, “we are pleased that the Court Order will prevent Mr. Johnson from any further violations of the previously obtained Judgment. The book is based upon illegally obtained and misleading information that also violates the privacy rights of our members and employees.” Merkle added, “we are disappointed that a book publisher would knowingly sell for profit confidential information of Alcor and its members even after receiving notice of a previously entered judgment forbidding disclosure.”
The book’s primary author, Larry Johnson, was employed at Alcor for approximately seven months during 2003. He served as Director of Clinical Services and briefly as Chief Operating Officer. Johnson admits that, during his employment, he stole confidential documents and medical photographs from Alcor and “secretly recorded” private conversations with Alcor staff members. Obviously, Johnson intentionally invaded the privacy of individuals and abused his position of trust to gather materials for the sale of an exploitive book.
According to Merkle, an internationally respected scientist who has served on the nonprofit organization’s Board for over a decade, “Larry Johnson’s covert misconduct demonstrates his disrespect for Alcor, its patients, its 900 members, and the law. As an employee of Alcor, his duty was to protect the interests of our members and the public. Unfortunately, his actions seem motivated by nothing more than desire for his own personal gain.”
Merkle said that Johnson’s main area of responsibility during his tenure at Alcor in 2003 was the supervision of the cryopreservation of Alcor members. According to Merkle, “Johnson expressed none of his lurid and sensationalistic concerns during his employment -- when preventing and correcting any such alleged mistakes would have been a major part of his duties. Only afterwards, when he could profit from exaggerations and misrepresentations, did he start to complain about how Alcor performed cryopreservations.”
Some of Johnson’s most derogatory attacks of Alcor involve alleged mistakes during the cryopreservation of baseball great Ted Williams. Merkle said “It is absurd for Johnson to make these allegations because he had yet to be hired by Alcor when Williams was cryopreserved. Ted Williams was cryopreserved with the care and scientific rigor that Alcor devotes to all its patients. Mr. Johnson’s claims are not only harmful to Alcor and its members, but also violate the privacy rights of the Williams family. It is a travesty that Mr. Johnson would knowingly and blatantly violate the Williams family’s privacy in utter disregard of both the law and professional norms.”
Alcor spokesperson, Cheryl Walsh, added that “publication of a book does not ensure its truthfulness as has been demonstrated in the past in such cases as James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces and Herman Rosenblat’s An Angel at the Fence. Even Oprah Winfrey, with her expansive staff, was deceived by these authors. Alcor’s Board will not and can not stand by and allow Mr. Johnson to tarnish nearly 40 years of diligence and commitment by members, volunteers, scientists and professional staff. Alcor must set the record straight and ensure that Mr. Johnson is not permitted to cause havoc and confusion with his misleading claims.”
About the Alcor Life Extension Foundation
The Alcor Life Extension Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1972, is the world leader in cryonics, and cryonics technology. Cryonics is the science of using ultra-cold temperatures to cryopreserve humans. The intent is that technologically advanced scientific procedures will one day be available to revive cryopreserved humans and restore them to good health. Alcor performed its first human cryopreservation in 1976. Since then, Alcor has engaged in long-term patient care as well as cryopreservation. Among Alcor’s scientific achievements is the use of advanced cryoprotectant formulas capable of vitrification, which enables cryopreservation to take place with reduced damage to the patient. Today, Alcor is the largest cryonics organization in existence. Alcor has more than 900 members from around the world and 88 patients in cryostasis. The public is welcome to attend regularly scheduled tours of the Alcor facility. For more information about Alcor and cryonics, visit www.alcor.org.
Supplementary documents related to the lack of credibility of claims made about Alcor in this book are available as links on this page.