Well, if we is jus speculatin’ – here’s my 2 units of the minimum unit of currency on the matter.
The cult absolutely cannot let this go to trial, for several reasons. Mainly because Miscavige has been named in the complaint. He will never, ever take the stand in open court and risk being asked some awkward questions where he has the stark choice of either admitting to some despicable acts which would risk alienating the tiny minority people on this planet who think he is a human being or committing perjury and thus spending the rest of his days in a paranoid funk waiting for the consequences to catch up with him.
Another reason would be widespread damage to what is left of the cult’s reputation (I know, I know it’s difficult to believe that they have any repute left, but remember not everyone bothers to actually research the cult before attending one of their flash fundraisers etc) by having all the sordid details play out in court in front of a voracious media. Think the Debbie Cook fiasco times 10.
Now, the cult has a very difficult decision to make – do they employ their usual tricks of harassment against someone who will be well-prepared, well-supported and expecting it and risk providing even more ammunition for the law suit or do they just employ the usual legal stalling tactics and play for time? I don’t think that Monique is going to just give up. If they try to get at her through her family or friends it will backfire very badly.
So, assuming that Monique is going to see it through, I don’t think that the cult will want it dragging on for years. I’m sure Ray Jeffrey will look to depose Miscavige and some of his top henchmen and again they won’t want that to happen.
Surely they will try to settle? Couple of mill sound about right? Is there any reason why Monique will have to sign a gagging order? Or if she does, will it matter? The facts of the case will have already come out and everyone will know what happened. Marty and Monique will move to a luxury waterfront condo but they won’t have to stop being a thorn in Miscavige’s butt.
Then again, I suppose we all have our price. If the cult offered say, £10M would they quietly slip away to a comfortable little island in the Caribbean and never be heard from again?
Personally I don’t care what they do as long as they establish a precedent for suing the cult and winning.
Axiom142