The Nation - News from May 21, 1985

About 2,000 followers of Scientology staged rallies in a downtown park and picketed a courthouse in Portland, Ore., to protest a $39-million jury verdict against the church. John Travolta and jazz musician Chick Corea each held press conferences as part of the ongoing demonstration, which began Saturday and is expected by organizers and police to build throughout the week as a series of rallies and concerts progresses. The jury found the church had defrauded a young woman, now 27, who had joined the organization and paid for Scientology courses with the promise they would improve her eyesight and communication skills. The Scientologists claim the verdict is an assault on religious freedom.