THE KRISHNAS OF THE '80s
LIVE IN A SOMEWHAT MORE SHADOWY WORLD.
HE WAS WORSHIPPED LITERALLY AS GOOD AS GOD.
YOU THOUGHT, "THIS IS WHAT I NEED IN MY LIFE.
THIS IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS."
I WAS BEING TOLD OFFICIALLY
THAT HE'S BEEN REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY.
I SAID, "NO ONE'S EVER GONNA FIND THAT GUY."
SHE WAS UPSET, NOT ONLY
BY THE FACT THAT HE WAS MISSING, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE NOBODY CARED.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN NONVIOLENCE.
KRISHNA SAID, "FIGHT FOR ME."
THEY WERE AFRAID FOR THEIR LIVES.
THAT MURDER WAS DONE AS AN EXAMPLE TO SCARE PEOPLE OFF.
JUST SAY NO.
- - Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
IT'S 1983.
"TRADING PLACES" IS A SMASH HIT AT THE BOX OFFICE...
SELL 200 APRIL AT 142!
- ...MOBILE PHONES ARE INTRODUCED - HELLO.
TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME...
THIS COULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE
TO HAVE A PHONE THAT TRAVELS WITH YOU.
...AND TELEVANGELISTS LIKE JIM AND TAMMY FAYE BAKKER
ARE PREACHING A NEW KIND OF RELIGIOUS DEVOTION
TO A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR MEDIA EMPIRE.
GIVE US 300 MORE PEOPLE
TO CALL ON THEIR CREDIT CARD RIGHT NOW.
BUT NOT EVERYONE IS BOWING DOWN TO THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR.
THERE'S A GROUP THAT OFFERS ANOTHER PATH
TO A SIMPLER WAY OF LIFE --
THE HARE KRISHNAS --
AND THEY PLAY OUT THEIR PUBLIC
STREET CORNERS,
AIRPORTS,
EVEN THE MOVIES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION?
NO THANKS. WE GAVE AT THE OFFICE.
"AIRPLANE" IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE
BECAUSE OF THE HARE KRISHNA SPOOFS.
THEY WERE SUCH A PRESENCE SOAKED INTO THE CULTURE.
IN A DECADE WHERE MONEY, POWER, AND STATUS RULE,
THE KRISHNAS ARE A HOLDOUT
OF THE PEACE-AND-LOVE COUNTERCULTURE OF THE '60s.
IT'S A RELIGION BASED ON DIVINE LOVE,
LEARNING TO LOVE GOD,
AND TRYING TO DEVELOP COMPASSION FOR ALL.
WE HAD PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE,
FROM TRUCK DRIVERS TO COLLEGE PROFESSORS.
THE '80s WAS THE HIGH POINT FOR THE HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT.
THEY HAD ABOUT 5,000 MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THOSE WHO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO THE KRISHNAS
DISILLUSIONMENT.
IN MY CASE, THERE WAS SOME EMPTINESS
THAT I WAS VAGUELY AWARE OF.
I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY MY LIFE WAS GOING AT THE TIME.
CHARLES ST. DENIS,
A 29-YEAR-OLD CALIFORNIA TRANSPLANT,
ALSO SHARES A TROUBLED PAST.
CHARLES ST. DENIS
WAS A VERY ATTRACTIVE MAN.
HE WAS A STRONG, TALL, DARK, HANDSOME
SORT OF CHARACTER, MUSCULAR, 6'2".
THE KIND OF IRREPRESSIBLE PERSONALITY,
VERY OUTGOING, LARGER-THAN-LIFE.
ST. DENIS REALLY DIDN'T HAVE WHAT MOST PEOPLE
WOULD CONSIDER A HAPPY CHILDHOOD.
CHARLES ST. DENIS'S PARENTS WERE ALCOHOLICS.
CHARLES'S FATHER ABANDONED THE FAMILY WHEN HE WAS YOUNG.
HE ACTUALLY RAN AWAY WHEN HE WAS 11.
AFTER A TUMULTUOUS CHILDHOOD,
MARKED BY DRUG DEALING AND JUVENILE HALL,
CHARLES FINDS THE FAMILY HE NEVER REALLY HAD
ON THE SANTA CRUZ BOARDWALK.
WHEN HE FIRST MET THE HARE KRISHNAS, HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS SELLING LSD ON A PIER.
HE SAW THEM AS THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEMS IN HIS LIFE
AND HE THOUGHT, "THIS IS WHAT I NEED IN MY LIFE.
THIS IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS."
FOR THE FIRST TIME, CHARLES HAS ORDER IN HIS LIFE.
THE KRISHNAS TELL HIM WHEN TO WAKE UP, WHEN TO SLEEP,
AND WHAT TO DO IN BETWEEN.
HE GIVES UP DRUGS
AND DEVOTES HIMSELF TO LIVING A SPIRITUAL LIFE,
A DECISION THAT WILL COME AT THE ULTIMATE COST.
IT'S A PROFOUND, LIFE-ALTERING EXPERIENCE.
CHARLES MOVES TO A HARE KRISHNA COMMUNITY
IN WEST VIRGINIA, CALLED NEW VRINDABAN.
THE MEMBERS OF THE HARE KRISHNA SECT WHO LIVE HERE
CALL THEIR HOME AMERICA'S TAJ MAHAL.
IT'S THIS REALLY GORGEOUS TOURIST ATTRACTION HERE
IN WEST VIRGINIA.
GOLD, MARBLE, TEAK,
ALL OF IT HANDCRAFTED.
INSIDE THE COMPOUND,
LIFE WAS LESS GRAND FOR THE 500 OR SO DEVOTEES.
MOST OF US JUST SLEPT ON THE FLOOR IN OUR SLEEPING BAGS.
WE HAD TO GET UP AT 2:00 OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING EVERY DAY.
WE CHANTED FOR AN HOUR, THEN THERE WAS THE MORNING SERVICE.
THEN, AFTER THAT, BREAKFAST, AND THEN WORK ALL DAY LONG.
DESPITE THE VISITING TOURISTS,
THE KRISHNAS OF NEW VRINDABAN ARE ISOLATED,
OPERATING WITHIN THEIR OWN WORLD.
THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED
ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING
GROWING FOOD, THEIR OWN WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
LEADING IT ALL?
KEITH HAM,
A BAPTIST MINISTER'S SON FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK,
WHO'S KNOWN TO ALL DEVOTEES
KIRTANANANDA SWAMI BHAKTIPADA.
HE WAS LIKE A VERY WISE AND COMPASSIONATE FATHER
THAT MAYBE I FELT I DID NOT HAVE AS A CHILD, GROWING UP.
KIRTANANANDA DEFINITELY HAD A SPECIAL PRESENCE.
HE WAS WORSHIPED LITERALLY AS GOOD AS GOD.
I ALWAYS SAW HIM AS A REALLY COMPLEX PERSON.
HE HAD POLIO AS A CHILD, THAT,
YOU KNOW, PERMANENTLY SCARRED HIM.
HE SEEMED SO INFIRM, PHYSICALLY; BUT HE WAS SO SHARP, MENTALLY.
HE COMMANDED A CERTAIN KIND OF RESPECT BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE ATTRIBUTED HIM WITH DIVINE QUALITIES.
WE LOVED HIM, YOU KNOW?
AND IT SEEMED LIKE HE LOVED US ALSO.
SO WE WERE HAPPY TO WORK TO BUILD NEW VRINDABAN.
THE SWAMI WELCOMES 27-YEAR-OLD CHARLES ST. DENIS,
WHO SHOWS HIS DEVOTION BY LANDSCAPING THE PALACE GROUNDS.
LIKE ALL DEVOTEES, HE WORKS FOR FREE.
KRISHNAS ARE TAUGHT TO LIVE A STARKLY SIMPLE LIFE.
WHEN I MOVED IN, THEY WANTED ME
TO THROW AWAY ALL MY POSSESSIONS.
MOST OF US LIVED IN POVERTY.
YOU WERE EXPECTED TO SURRENDER EVERYTHING.
YOU'RE LITERALLY SUPPOSED TO GIVE UP ALL DESIRES
AND DESIRE TO ONLY PLEASE GOD.
NO MEAT, NO INTOXICATION,
NO ILLICIT SEX, AND NO GAMBLING.
ALSO, YOU HAD TO AGREE NOT TO WATCH TV OR MOVIES,
NOT TO READ MAGAZINES, NOT TO LISTEN TO POPULAR MUSIC.
EVERYTHING HAD TO BE FOR KRISHNA.
CHARLES SOMETIMES SLIPS UP,
WHEN IT COMES TO THE STRINGENT RESTRICTIONS.
HE WAS A GOOD DEVOTEE, BUT, AT SOME POINT,
HE STARTED GOING INTO THE OLD HABITS, WITH DRUGS AND SEX.
CHUCK WAS NOT BEYOND HAVING HIS FAVORITE BEER,
AND HE MAY HAVE BROKEN SOME OF THE OTHER RULES.
APPARENTLY VERY POPULAR WITH THE LADIES AROUND NEW VRINDABAN.
RATHER THAN EXILING THOSE WHO CAN'T FOLLOW THE RULES,
THERE'S A SPECIAL PLACE FOR GUYS LIKE CHARLES.
HE BECOMES A FRINGY.
THEY'RE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE COMMUNITY,
SEVERAL MILES FROM THE TEMPLE.
FRINGIES ARE COMMITTED TO THE SPIRIT OF KRISHNA
AND THE COMMUNITY OF NEW VRINDABAN,
BUT NOT ALL OF THE RESTRICTIONS.
SOME WOULD COME TO THE TEMPLE EVERY DAY.
MOST WOULD COME ONCE A WEEK.
THEY WEREN'T FOLLOWING THE PRINCIPLES,
OF NO ILLICIT SEX, NO INTOXICATION,
BUT, THE FRINGIES WERE STILL SURRENDERED TO KIRTANANANDA.
A YEAR AFTER HE MOVES TO WEST VIRGINIA,
CHARLES FALLS HARD
DEBORAH GERE.
SHE WAS A COMMUNITY NURSE.
SHE WAS A VERY SMART LADY, VERY TOUGH LADY.
SHE HAD LONG RED HAIR, BIG BROWN EYES.
THEY WERE A REALLY GOOD COUPLE, VERY COMPATIBLE, WELL-MATCHED.
THEY WERE BOTH VERY STRONG-WILLED PERSONS,
BUT, THEY FIGURED OUT HOW TO WORK OUT THE DIFFERENCES
SO THAT THEY CAN STAY TOGETHER IN A PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIP.
IN THE WINTER OF 1982,
DEBORAH COMES INTO A SURPRISE INHERITANCE
AFTER HER FATHER DIES.
$50,000, WHICH, OF COURSE, WAS A LOT MORE AT THAT TIME
AND, FOR HARE KRISHNAS, YOU KNOW, NO ONE HAD ANY MONEY.
CHARLES AND DEBORAH WRESTLE
DO THEY GO AGAINST THE KRISHNA WAY?
NORMALLY, THAT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GO TO THE TEMPLE.
OR TO BHAKTIPADA, KIRTANANANDA SWAMI.
CHARLES ST. DENIS HAS THIS IDEA TO KEEP THE MONEY.
ST. DENIS WANTED TO BE INDEPENDENT
AND START HIS OWN NURSERY BUSINESS.
HE AND DEBORAH STRUGGLE WITH THE DILEMMA.
CHARLES WANTS TO USE THE MONEY TO OPEN
AND RUN THE BUSINESS HIS WAY,
BUT HE DOESN'T WANT TO BETRAY HIS PLEDGE TO THE KRISHNAS.
THEY DECIDE THAT THEY'LL GIVE HALF OF THE MONEY
TO THE COMMUNITY, TO KIRTANANANDA.
THEY PROPOSE THIS TO THE SWAMI,
WHO GRUDGINGLY CONSENTS TO THE DEAL.
I'M SURE HE PROBABLY DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT
THAT CHARLES ST. DENIS
DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE ALL THAT MONEY TO HIM.
CHARLES AND DEBORAH EXCITEDLY BEGIN LOOKING
INTO BUILDING THEIR NEW BUSINESS.
AND THINGS WERE LOOKING PROMISING.
EXCEPT, THEY HAD A SQUATTER ON THEIR PROPERTY.
THIS WAS THOMAS DRESCHER.
HE WAS ALSO ANOTHER FRINGY.
VERY TOUGH GUY.
HE WAS ABOUT 190 POUNDS, ABOUT 6'0", MOSTLY ALL-MUSCLE.
HE CLAIMS THAT BHAKTIPADA SAID HE COULD LIVE ON THAT PROPERTY.
PART OF WHY HE CAME TO THE COMMUNITY WAS
TO SERVE AS A KIND OF PROTECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF LOCALS GOING BY THE COMPOUND AT NIGHT,
LIKE SHOOTING THE PLACE UP, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE
LIKE BEATING UP THE DEVOTEES, LIKE OUT ON LIKE ISOLATED ROADS.
THE SWAMI HAD TROUBLE PROTECTING THE PLACE.
HE DID NEED SOMEONE THERE TO PROTECT THE DEVOTEES.
I DID HAVE MILITARY EXPERIENCE.
IN VIETNAM, I WAS PERSONALLY INVOLVED
IN QUITE A NUMBER OF
CAMPAIGNS.
CHARLES REALIZES
THE ONLY WAY TO GET DRESCHER TO MOVE IS
TO PAY HIM TO LEAVE THE HOUSE,
BUT THE VIETNAM VET DOESN'T EXACTLY
GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT.
HE TOOK A FEW THINGS, LIKE THE KITCHEN SINK,
THE HOT WATER HEATER,
APPLIANCES THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN LEFT IN THE HOUSE.
HE KIND OF RIPPED THEM OUT, SO, OF COURSE,
ST. DENIS WAS REALLY PISSED ABOUT THAT.
BUT AT LEAST HE'S GONE NOW, FINALLY, THANK GOODNESS.
HE CAN BUILD HIS NURSERY.
NOW CLEAR TO GET THE BUSINESS UP AND RUNNING,
CHARLES GETS FINANCIAL ADVICE
DAN REID.
DAN REID WAS A BOOKKEEPER IN THE NEW VRINDABAN
ACCOUNTING OFFICE AND HE WAS VERY GOOD AT HIS JOB.
WITH DAN'S EXPERTISE AND DEBORAH'S INHERITANCE,
THEIR DREAM OF OPENING A NURSERY
IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING A REALITY.
IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR, BUT, AS SUMMER APPROACHES,
CHARLES AND DEBORAH HAVE REASON TO CELEBRATE.
ST. DENIS'S NURSERY WAS COMING ALONG.
THEY HAD A PLANTING PARTY, WHERE THEY WANTED TO GET ALL
OF THEIR PLANTS IN THE GROUND.
ALL OF CHARLES'S FRIENDS STOP BY.
INCLUDING DAN REID.
IT WAS A FUN TIME FOR EVERYONE.
CHARLES ST. DENIS WAS THE SORT OF CENTER OF ALL THIS ACTIVITY
AND SORT OF ENGAGING WITH EVERYONE.
AFTER THE PARTY ENDS,
THE EXHILARATED, YET EXHAUSTED, COUPLE
GETS READY FOR BED.
WHEN THE PHONE RINGS.
IT'S DAN REID.
ST. DENIS TELLS DEBORAH,
"I HAVE TO GO GET $50 THAT DAN OWES ME.
I'M GONNA GO MEET HIM."
HE TELLS HER HE'LL BE BACK IN 10 MINUTES.
DEBORAH SUSPECTS CHARLES IS HEADING OUT
FOR A LITTLE AFTER-HOURS PARTYING WITH DAN.
SHE SAID, "DON'T STAY VERY LONG" AND THEN HE DROVE OFF.
DEBORAH WAKES UP THE NEXT MORNING.
HE'S STILL NOT HOME.
SHE ASSUMES HE IS OUT, PARTYING SOMEWHERE
AND HE'LL BE STUMBLING IN ANYTIME.
BUT AFTER A FEW HOURS AND STILL NO SIGN OF CHARLES,
SHE BECOMES ANXIOUS.
DEBORAH REACHES OUT TO DAN.
DAN REID SAID CHARLES ST. DENIS HAD NOT BEEN THERE.
SHE BEGINS TO GET REALLY WORRIED
THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIM.
IT'S 1983.
TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, THE HARE KRISHNAS
ARE SPIRITUAL DEVOTEES SEEKING ETERNAL BLISS.
BUT WITHIN THE BORDERS OF THEIR COMPOUND, THERE IS DISCORD.
DEBORAH GERE IS PANICKED.
WHEN ST. DENIS DID NOT COME HOME,
DEBORAH WAS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY WORRIED.
CHARLES HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT,
WHEN HE LEFT TO MEET HIS FRIEND DAN REID.
DAN SAYS CHARLES NEVER SHOWED UP.
DEBORAH JUMPS INTO HER TRUCK
AND SETS OUT TO SCOUR THE COMPOUND FOR HIM.
AROUND THE COMMUNITY, ON THE BACK ROADS,
SOME OF THE DIRT ROADS, IT'S KIND OF ROUGH TERRAIN.
ONE THOUGHT SHE HAS IS MAYBE THAT
HIS TRUCK FELL OFF THE SIDE OF A CLIFF.
WENT EVERYWHERE AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SHE WAS DESPERATE TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.
SHE REPORTED IT TO A TROOPER AND THEY SAID,
"WE DON'T START LOOKING FOR MISSING PEOPLE
FOR 48 HOURS."
DESPERATE FOR HELP,
DEBORAH GOES TO SEE THE GROUP'S SPIRITUAL LEADER,
SWAMI KIRTANANANDA.
SHE CAME TO THE TEMPLE AT NEW VRINDABAN
AND SAW KIRTANANANDA AND TOLD HIM,
"MY HUSBAND'S GONE, YOU KNOW, MISSING."
HE DIDN'T TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
SHE SAID, "HE JUST ACTED LIKE I WAS JUST A SILLY WOMAN."
SHE WAS FRUSTRATED THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
THOUGHT THAT CHARLES ST. DENIS
PROBABLY JUST PACKED UP AND LEFT.
CHARLES, IN HIS EARLIER LIFE, WAS A LITTLE BIT NOMADIC.
DEBORAH THEN RUSHES TO FIND CHARLES'S FRIEND BIG JOHN,
WHO LIVES ACROSS THE BORDER IN OHIO,
WHERE HE MAKES HIS LIVING DEALING POT TO FRINGIES.
BIG JOHN'S FARM IS A PLACE THAT CHARLES ST. DENIS
USED TO VISIT REGULARLY.
AS DEBORAH PULLS UP, SHE'S RELIEVED TO SEE
HER HUSBAND'S TRUCK PARKED NEARBY.
SHE ANXIOUSLY APPROACHES JOHN.
HE SAID, "I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THAT'S DOWN THE STREET,
BECAUSE HE WAS NOT HERE.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT."
AFTER TWO DAYS OF FRANTICALLY SEARCHING,
DEBORAH REACHES OUT
SGT. TOM WESTFALL.
HE WAS CALLED THE KRISHNA COP.
IF THERE WAS ANY COMMUNICATION AT ALL
BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND NEW VRINDABAN,
IT PROBABLY WENT THROUGH SGT. WESTFALL.
HE DIDN'T SEE THE DEVOTEES
AS SOME HEATHEN RELIGION, WORSHIPING FALSE GODS.
THE FIRST TIME THAT I EVER MET A DEVOTEE,
I NOTICED THAT HE WAS A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.
WE ALL GREW UP WITH THE VIETNAM WAR,
WITH THE HIPPIE GENERATION, ALL OF THAT,
SO I PUT HIM AT EASE.
WE WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE, EXCEPT THEY WERE FOLLOWING
A FAR EASTERN RELIGION AND I WAS
ENFORCING THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
DEBORAH KNOWS THAT, IF ANYONE WILL HELP HER,
IT'S WESTFALL.
SHE WAS EXTREMELY UPSET. SHE WAS WEEPING.
SHE WAS UPSET, NOT ONLY BY THE FACT THAT HE WAS MISSING,
BUT IT SEEMED LIKE NOBODY CARED.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY
CATCHES WESTFALL'S ATTENTION
IS DEBORAH'S RETELLING OF THE PROBLEMS
CHARLES HAD WITH THOMAS DRESCHER.
AWARE OF HIS REPUTATION, WESTFALL BELIEVES
THE VIETNAM VET COULD BE CONNECTED TO THE DISAPPEARANCE.
I NEVER HAD ANYBODY EVER COME UP TO ME AND SAY,
"WHAT A GREAT GUY."
EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT HIS ROLE WAS THERE,
AND EVERYBODY FEARED THAT.
THOMAS DRESCHER HAD A CRIMINAL RECORD
THAT INVOLVED A LOT OF CRIMES, THAT INCLUDED VIOLENCE.
I WAS THE SECURITY GUARD FOR THE PALACE
AND THAT ROLE WAS SORT OF EXPANDED
TO BEING SORT OF LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY'S POLICEMAN.
FROM THERE, THE ROLE,
I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, IT EXPANDED INTO OTHER THINGS.
HIS ROLE EVOLVED TO ALSO KICK PEOPLE OUT
WHEN THEY NEEDED TO BE KICKED OUT, OR ROUGH PEOPLE UP.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN NONVIOLENCE.
KRISHNA SPOKE THE "BHAGAVAD GITA" ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
KRISHNA SAID, "FIGHT FOR ME."
WE WOULD GET REPORTS OF FLEEING DEVOTEES,
THAT THEIR CAMERAS WERE TAKEN,
MONEY WAS TAKEN, CREDIT CARDS WERE TAKEN.
AND THEY WOULD ALL SAY IT WAS TIRTHA --
TOM DRESCHER'S DEVOTEE NAME.
THEY WOULD SAY, "THOMAS DRESCHER BEAT THE HELL OUT OF ME,"
BUT NOBODY EVER WANTED TO PROSECUTE.
HOW COULD A COMMUNITY DEVOTED
TO THE PRINCIPLES OF PEACE AND LOVE
UNLEASH A MAN LIKE THOMAS DRESCHER
ON ITS OWN MEMBERS?
DISILLUSIONED DEVOTEES BEGIN QUESTIONING THE STATUS QUO.
DESPITE ALL THE PROMISE OF LOVE AND INNER PEACE,
THE DEVOTEES BEGIN TO REALIZE
THERE'S A DARK SIDE TO NEW VRINDABAN...
DURING THE 1980s, ESPECIALLY,
THERE WAS A LOT OF UNFORTUNATE INCIDENCES.
...AND IT HAD BEEN IN FRONT OF THEM THE WHOLE TIME.
HARE KRISHNA
HARE KRISHNA.
SURRENDER, SURRENDER, SURRENDER.
HEAD GURU KIRTANANANDA
DEMANDS ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE FROM ALL OF HIS FOLLOWERS.
HE WOULD RISE EARLIER THAN ANYBODY ELSE
AND HE WOULD WAKE US UP IN THE ASHRAM.
HE'D WALK ALONG AND, IF SOMEONE WASN'T GETTING UP FAST ENOUGH,
HE'D WHACK 'EM WITH HIS CANE.
THE SWAMI BELIEVES VIOLENCE IS EVEN NECESSARY
WITH WOMEN.
I CAN'T SAY THAT THERE WOULD NEVER BE A CIRCUMSTANCE
WHEN IT WOULDN'T BE THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD
TO GIVE HER A LITTLE SLAP ON THE FACE OR --
Y-- JUST LIKE, UH, MY DOG.
CHILDREN ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS
AFTER THE AGE OF FOUR.
THEY ALSO WERE SUPER-OVERMANAGED.
THEY WERE MADE TO ACT LIKE LITTLE ADULTS.
THEY WERE EXPECTED TO CHANT AND TO SIT QUIET.
THEY USED TO SAY, "NOT A BLADE OF GRASS MOVES
WITHOUT KIRTANANANDA KNOWING ABOUT IT."
I WAS AFRAID OF HIM.
KIRTANANANDA COUNSELS DEVOTEES NOT TO LET THE OUTSIDE WORLD
KNOW ABOUT THE TRUE GOINGS-ON WITHIN.
KIRTANANANDA ALWAYS TOLD US, "YOU SHOULD NOT TALK
TO ANYONE ELSE, SUCH AS THE POLICE.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT
ANY NEGATIVE THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN HERE."
DRESCHER MAY NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO
WITH CHARLES'S DISAPPEARANCE,
BUT, IF SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED TO HIM,
THE COMPOUND'S HEAD ENFORCER WILL LIKELY KNOW ABOUT IT.
WESTFALL TRIES TO TRACK HIM DOWN,
BUT IT SEEMS DRESCHER'S GONE INTO HIDING.
I WAS BEING TOLD OFFICIALLY THAT HE'S BEEN
REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY,
BUT I HAVE OTHER PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT HE'S THERE,
THAT HE'S STILL COMING BACK, AND THAT HE LIVES IN THE AREA.
AT THIS POINT, WESTFALL BECOMES CONVINCED
SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED TO CHARLES.
HE CONFRONTS THE SWAMI.
SWAMI BHAKTIPADA TOLD DEVOTEES NOT TO TALK TO ME
AND I SAID, "LISTEN, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU"
AND HE SAID, "WELL, I MAY NOT WANNA TALK TO YOU."
AND I ASKED HIM DIRECTLY ABOUT IT.
I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ST. DENIS CASE?"
AND HE SAID,
HE'S GONE TO CALIFORNIA OR GONE TO DO SOMETHING.
HE'S NOT HERE, HE'LL PROBABLY NEVER COME BACK HERE,
AND WE DON'T CARE."
EQUALLY TIGHT-LIPPED IS DAN REID,
THE MAN CHARLES WAS ON HIS WAY TO SEE THE NIGHT HE VANISHED.
JUST SAID THAT CHARLES ST. DENIS HAD NOT BEEN THERE.
THE NEXT STOP?
BIG JOHN'S.
IT'S STILL A MYSTERY, WHY CHARLES'S CAR
WAS PARKED NEAR HIS HOME.
BIG JOHN WAS VERY HONEST WITH US.
HE COOPERATED AS MUCH AS HE COULD.
IT BECAME PRETTY CLEAR TO ME
THIS WAS NOT PART OF WHAT BIG JOHN DID.
MY BELIEF WAS SOMEBODY PUT THE VEHICLE THERE.
BUT WHO, AND WHY?
AFTER WEEKS OF DEAD ENDS,
THE KRISHNA COP FINALLY UNCOVERS A POTENTIAL BOMBSHELL.
THERE'D BEEN SOME HARSH DEALINGS
BETWEEN DAN REID AND ST. DENIS.
DAN HAD HEARD TALK THAT HIS WIFE
WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH ST. DENIS.
AND REID'S REACTION WAS IT MUST'VE BEEN RAPE.
SO THAT MADE HIM REALLY, REALLY ANGRY AT ST. DENIS.
A VERSE FROM THE "SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM" SAYS
"ONE WHO RAPES A WIFE DESERVES TO BE KILLED,
WITH NO PUNISHMENT GIVEN TO THE EXECUTIONER."
IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS
SINCE DEBORAH GERE'S HUSBAND, CHARLES ST. DENIS,
VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE
FROM THE HARE KRISHNA COMMUNITY NEW VRINDABAN.
DEBORAH'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY UPSET.
SHE'S FRANTIC.
SGT. TOM WESTFALL HAS UNCOVERED
A DISTURBING ALLEGATION ABOUT DAN REID,
THE MAN CHARLES WAS HEADING TO SEE RIGHT BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED.
HE FELT HIS WIFE, BRENDA,
HAD BEEN RAPED BY CHARLES ST. DENIS.
DAN HAD HEARD TALK THAT HIS WIFE
WAS HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH ST. DENIS
AND, WHEN HE APPROACHED HER ABOUT IT,
SHE SAID IT WAS A RAPE.
DEBORAH SAYS THAT SHE KNEW ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN CHARLES ST. DENIS AND BRENDA,
BUT THAT IT WAS JUST AN AFFAIR.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY RAPE.
DEBORAH HAS FORGIVEN CHARLES FOR WHAT SHE BELIEVES
WAS A BRIEF DALLIANCE THAT ENDED LONG AGO.
BUT DAN HAD JUST HEARD ABOUT THE TRANSGRESSION A MONTH EARLIER.
IF DAN BELIEVED THAT CHARLES HAD RAPED HIS WIFE,
COULD HE HAVE GOTTEN HIS OWN BRAND OF JUSTICE
BY GOING AFTER CHARLES THE NIGHT OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE?
WHEN I TALKED TO DAN REID, HIS VOICE CRACKED,
I COULD SEE THAT HE WAS SWEATING,
AND HE WAS SHAKING A LITTLE BIT.
I COULDN'T EXACTLY SAY THAT HE WAS NERVOUS
BECAUSE HE HAD DONE SOMETHING,
BUT I KNEW THAT HE WAS NERVOUS ABOUT TALKING TO ME.
BUT HE SAID HE LIKED CHARLES ST. DENIS.
THERE ISN'T A SHRED OF EVIDENCE
THAT HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO CHARLES.
WESTFALL CONTINUES TO SUSPECT
THAT THE VOLATILE THOMAS DRESCHER IS THE LINCHPIN.
DRESCHER TRIED TO INTIMIDATE ST. DENIS.
BUT DRESCHER HAS NOT BEEN SEEN ON THE COMPOUND FOR WEEKS
AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S MADE A HASTY EXIT.
WHEN WESTFALL GOES BACK TO INTERVIEW DAN AGAIN,
HE FINDS OUT HE'S GONE, TOO.
DAN REID MOVES BACK TO LOS ANGELES.
HE CRATED UP HIS MOTORCYCLE AND SHIPPED IT, AND HE'S GONE.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY REASON TO GET A WARRANT FOR HIM AT THAT POINT,
BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY CURIOUS.
MONTHS INTO THE INVESTIGATION, POLICE ARE NO CLOSER
TO SOLVING THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
DEBORAH GERE WAS VERY FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT
THAT WE WERE NOT GETTING ANY FURTHER.
WESTFALL IS STONEWALLED
THE SWAMI WON'T COOPERATE,
THE PEOPLE WHO MAY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HAVE LEFT,
AND IT APPEARS THE DEVOTEES HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO KEEP QUIET.
AS MONTHS TURN INTO YEARS,
THE INVESTIGATION SPUTTERS TO A DEAD HALT.
WE COULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER.
WE DID NOT HAVE THE BODY.
WE WERE SORT OF IN PURGATORY ON THIS.
BUT WESTFALL NEVER LETS GO OF THE CASE,
KNOWING THAT DEBORAH HASN'T, EITHER.
IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR DEBORAH.
A SPOUSE WHO'S DISAPPEARED.
SO, I MEAN, IT HAD A GREATER IMPACT ON HER THAN ANYBODY,
AND I THINK SHE SHOWED THE STRESS OVER THE YEARS.
BUT I CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE.
I WAS FORMING UP A GROUP OF POLICE OFFICERS
ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY
WHO HAD HAD DEALINGS WITH THE HARE KRISHNAS.
NEARLY THREE YEARS AFTER CHARLES ST. DENIS VANISHES,
THE SERGEANT GETS A DISTURBING CALL
FROM THE LOS ANGELES POLICE.
A FORMER NEW VRINDABAN MEMBER LIVING THERE,
NAMED STEVE BRYANT, WAS MURDERED.
EXECUTION-STYLE.
HE WAS PARKED IN HIS VAN.
SOMEONE WALKED UP TO HIS VAN,
TAPPED ON THE WINDOW,
SO THAT STEVEN BRYANT WOULD TURN AND LOOK AT HIM.
AND, WHEN HE DID, HE FIRED TWO SHOTS INTO HIS HEAD.
AND KILLED HIM.
WESTFALL IMMEDIATELY SUSPECTS THE CALIFORNIA KILLING
IS CONNECTED TO CHARLES ST. DENIS'S DISAPPEARANCE.
STEVEN BRYANT HAD BEEN A DEVOTEE AT NEW VRINDABAN
AND REALLY HAD BEEN A CONTROVERSIAL CHARACTER.
HE WAS EXPELLED FROM THE COMMUNITY BY SWAMI
AND WAS SPEAKING AGAINST BHAKTIPADA.
STEVE BRYANT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES
HAPPENING AT NEW VRINDABAN.
HE STARTED TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY,
VISITING OTHER DISGRUNTLED FORMER RESIDENTS,
AND HE FOUND OUT MORE AND MORE
ABOUT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE SWAMI.
HERE WAS STEVEN BRYANT, WHO WAS A DISSIDENT,
AND, YET, HIS PUNISHMENT WAS NOT JUST BANISHMENT.
HE WAS MURDERED.
THAT MURDER WAS DONE AS AN EXAMPLE TO SCARE PEOPLE OFF.
THE MURDER WAS ONE OF THE BIG TURNING-POINT MOMENTS
BECAUSE THINGS WERE NEVER THE SAME.
A LOS ANGELES MURDER
MAY FINALLY LEAD TO ANSWERS
ABOUT CHARLES ST. DENIS'S DISAPPEARANCE
FROM A HARE KRISHNA COMMUNITY OVER 2,300 MILES AWAY.
THE SHOOTING VICTIM, STEVE BRYANT,
ONCE BELONGED TO THE SAME WEST VIRGINIA COMPOUND
NEW VRINDABAN.
THE STEVE BRYANT MURDER WAS A VERY HIGH-PROFILE INCIDENT.
IT WAS A CLEAR CASE OF MURDER.
THIS BEGINS TO DRAW SOME LARGER MEDIA SCRUTINY
TO THE NEW VRINDABAN COMMUNITY.
HE WAS KILLED ON THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES.
THE MEDIA IS A LITTLE BIT THICKER IN LOS ANGELES
THAN IT IS IN NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.
THE KRISHNAS OF THE '80s
LIVE IN A SOMEWHAT MORE SHADOWY WORLD.
WE HAD NETWORKS IN AND WE HAD NEWS MAGAZINE SHOWS
COMING IN AND DOING PIECES.
THE ORGANIZATION WAS VERY OUT OF CONTROL.
BRYANT WAS A DISAFFECTED KRISHNA
WHO QUIT THE COMPOUND IN 1984,
ONE YEAR AFTER ST. DENIS DISAPPEARED.
STEVEN BRYANT WAS A DISSIDENT
AND HE WAS UNHAPPY WITH HOW KIRTANANANDA WAS RUNNING THINGS.
HE BECAME MORE AND MORE FRUSTRATED
WITH TRYING TO GET SOMEWHERE AT THE COMMUNE
AND HE FINALLY DECIDED
THAT HE HAD HAD IT. HE WANTED TO LEAVE.
AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD DESTROY
ME AND THE COMMUNITY.
BRYANT GOES ON A ONE-MAN ODYSSEY,
TRACKING DOWN EX-DEVOTEES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
HE STARTED AN INVESTIGATION TO FIND SOME DIRT
ON KIRTANANANDA, AND HE FOUND LOTS OF IT.
BRYANT UNCOVERS VARIOUS SCHEMES KIRTANANANDA BHAKTIPADA UTILIZES
TO FUND THE UPKEEP AND EXPANSION OF HIS ORNATE PALACE.
BECAUSE OF HIS GOALS, BHAKTIPADA HAD A VERY BIG NEED FOR MONEY.
WHICH MEANT COLLECTING MONEY, BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE.
THERE'S A SORT OF FAMOUS PICTURE OF HIM SEATED ON A THRONE
AND HE'S COVERED IN MONEY THAT WAS BROUGHT IN.
HE'S CELEBRATING THE MONEY COLLECTION.
THEY DID NOT DRESS UP AS THEY DID IN NEW VRINDABAN.
THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT
NOT TO BE NOTICED OR KNOWN AS A HARE KRISHNA.
FUND-RAISING PRACTICES
THAT WERE EXTREMELY QUESTIONABLE, AT BEST.
THEY COLLECTED MONEY IN THE NAME OF NORML,
THE MARIJUANA ORGANIZATION.
THEY COLLECTED MONEY IN THE NAME OF THE GIRL SCOUTS.
THEY WOULD ASK FOR MONEY TO HELP STARVING CHILDREN IN APPALACHIA.
BRYANT ALSO DETAILS SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS
INVOLVING CHILDREN.
VARIOUS ACTIVITIES HAPPENING AT NEW VRINDABAN,
ESPECIALLY CHILD ABUSE
AND SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAD A SCHOOL AT THE PROPERTY
AND THEY HAD CHILD ABUSERS WORKING ON THE STAFF.
BRYANT TAKES HIS STORY TO THE MEDIA.
EVEN MORE DAMNING?
DISTURBING ACCUSATIONS
THAT THE GURU HIMSELF IS A SEXUAL PREDATOR.
BRYANT FOUND OUT MORE AND MORE ABOUT THESE ALLEGATIONS
OF THE SWAMI HAVING SEXUAL RELATIONS
WITH THE BOYS AT NEW VRINDABAN.
STEVE HAD MANY AUDIOCASSETTES
ABOUT SEXUAL MOLESTATION OF THE BOYS.
BRYANT KNEW HE WAS PLAYING WITH FIRE.
ONE RECORDING IS EERILY FOREBODING.
NOW? HIS WORST PREDICTIONS HAVE COME TRUE.
WITH STEVE BRYANT'S MURDER, ALL EYES ARE NOW ON NEW VRINDABAN
AND, FOR CHARLES ST. DENIS'S WIFE, DEBORAH,
IT'S THE BREAK SHE'S BEEN WAITING FOR FOR THREE YEARS.
THERE WAS SO MUCH MEDIA ATTENTION
THAT CAME AFTER THE BRYANT CASE THAT DEBORAH GERE
WAS NO LONGER SOMEBODY CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS.
SHE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION
TO WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY.
THE MURDER OF STEVE BRYANT WAS AN EXTREME
TURNING POINT FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE
THAT'S WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOT INVOLVED.
WE FORMED THIS TASK FORCE.
THERE WERE TWO TROOPERS AND THERE WAS AN FBI AGENT.
WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTERED THE CASE,
WE HAD A LOT MORE RESOURCES.
THAT HELPED QUITE A BIT.
TWO DAYS AFTER BRYANT'S MURDER,
A FRIGHTENED OLDER MAN NAMED RANDALL GORBY.
HE MADE CONTACT WITH A TROOPER
WHOM HE KNEW PERSONALLY FROM UP IN THE AREA.
GORBY DID LAND DEALS FOR THE SWAMI.
HE'S FRIENDS WITH THOMAS DRESCHER
AND HE HAS A SPINE-TINGLING STORY TO TELL.
HE TELLS THEM THAT HE KNOWS WHO KILLED STEVE BRYANT.
WHILE THOMAS DRESCHER WAS SORT OF HIDING OUT AT GORBY'S HOUSE
TO STAY AWAY FROM NEW VRINDABAN, AND ME,
HE TOLD RANDALL GORBY THAT "I'M GOING TO KILL STEVEN BRYANT."
AFTER THE BRYANT MURDER BECOMES FRONT-PAGE NEWS,
HE REALIZES DRESCHER WAS DEAD SERIOUS.
NOW, GORBY'S TERRIFIED
THAT DRESCHER MAY REGRET HIS CONFESSION
AND COULD COME AFTER HIM NEXT.
DRESCHER MUST'VE RECOGNIZED THAT HE HAD A LOOSE END
THAT HE NEEDED TO CLOSE.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.
THERE'S ONE MORE SHOCKING REVELATION THAT CAME OUT
DURING THE DISTURBING CONVERSATION.
DRESCHER TELLS GORBY,
"I'M GONNA HAVE TO KILL STEVE BRYANT
JUST LIKE I DID ST. DENIS."
RANDALL GORBY
HAS JUST GIVEN SGT. TOM WESTFALL
THE BREAK
THE NAME OF THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE
FOR CHARLES ST. DENIS'S MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
I KNEW THAT THOMAS DRESCHER WAS INVOLVED.
GORBY TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT DRESCHER SAID HE KILLED ST. DENIS
STEVE BRYANT.
HE AGREES TO BE A POLICE INFORMANT.
GORBY ALLOWS THEM TO TAP HIS PHONE.
HE HAS A CONVERSATION WITH DRESCHER
ABOUT THE STEVE BRYANT MURDER.
THE RECORDING PROVIDES DAMNING EVIDENCE
THAT DRESCHER WAS A PAID ASSASSIN WHO KILLED BRYANT.
IT WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHY DRESCHER
HADN'T GOTTEN THE FULL $8,000 FOR KILLING BRYANT.
THE SOURCE OF THAT MONEY?
SWAMI BHAKTIPADA.
WHEN CONFRONTED,
THE SWAMI VEHEMENTLY DENIES
ANY INVOLVEMENT IN BRYANT'S DEATH.
DID YOU GIVE THE ORDER TO MURDER STEVE BRYANT?
I'M SURPRISED AT YOU.
OF COURSE NOT.
I COULD NOT DO THAT.
WE DON'T EVEN KILL ANIMALS.
AS MAJOR NEWS NETWORKS
CONTINUE TO SHINE A HARSH LIGHT ON NEW VRINDABAN,
SGT. WESTFALL HOPES THE GLARE WILL REFLECT BACK
TO THE UNSOLVED DISAPPEARANCE OF CHARLES ST. DENIS
AND DEVOTEES WILL COME FORWARD.
HIS HOPE IS REALIZED WHEN THREE KRISHNAS TELL WESTFALL
THAT DRESCHER ALSO MADE MURDEROUS CONFESSIONS TO THEM.
DRESCHER BRAGGED THAT HE KILLED ST. DENIS.
WE HAD FORMAL STATEMENTS FROM EVERYBODY.
WE HAD DEVELOPED MORE INFORMATION.
THE STUNNING INFORMATION REVEALED THAT DRESCHER WAS NOT
THE ONLY ONE INVOLVED IN THE MURDER OF CHARLES ST. DENIS.
DAN REID WAS AN ACCOMPLICE.
REID IS SAYING, "I WANT TO KILL THIS ST. DENIS
BECAUSE MY WIFE SAYS HE RAPED HER."
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE EVER KNEW WHETHER OR NOT
THAT RAPE EVER OCCURRED.
IN EARLY JULY,
WHILE AWAITING TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF STEVE BRYANT,
THOMAS DRESCHER, ALONG WITH DAN REID,
IS INDICTED ON CHARGES OF MURDERING CHARLES ST. DENIS.
ST. DENIS'S BODY?
HAS STILL NOT BEEN FOUND.
WE WERE HAUNTED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING THE CASE
BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A BODY, BUT TIME RAN OUT.
ON A COLD WINTER DAY,
THE TRIAL BEGINS.
ONE WITNESS CALLED TODAY, DEBORAH GERE,
WAS LIVING WITH ST. DENIS WHEN HE DISAPPEARED.
DEBORAH GERE TELLS THE JURY ABOUT THE FEUD
BETWEEN HER HUSBAND AND THOMAS DRESCHER.
RANDALL GORBY AND THREE KRISHNA DEVOTEES ALSO TESTIFY
ABOUT HOW DRESCHER BRAGGED TO THEM ABOUT MURDERING CHARLES.
THE TRIAL LASTS FOUR DAYS.
THE PROSECUTION HAS
ONE, CHARLES ST. DENIS IS ACTUALLY DEAD,
EVEN THOUGH THE BODY WAS NEVER FOUND;
AND TWO, THAT THOMAS DRESCHER KILLED HIM.
DRESCHER SITS SMUGLY THROUGH THE TRIAL,
CONVINCED THAT, WITH NO HARD EVIDENCE AND NO BODY,
THERE WILL BE NO CONVICTION.
AND THEN, ON DECEMBER 5, 1986,
THE VERDICT IS ANNOUNCED.
THE JURY FOUND THOMAS DRESCHER
GUILTY IN THE FIRST DEGREE OF MURDERING CHARLES ST. DENIS.
DRESCHER IS SENTENCED
TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE.
I THINK THOMAS DRESCHER WAS PRETTY STARTLED.
REID, WHO HAS NOT YET GONE TO TRIAL,
IS SPOOKED BY THE SWIFT, AND HARSH, OUTCOME.
IT WAS NOT LONG AFTER THAT
THAT DAN REID'S ATTORNEY
THAT HE WOULD PLEAD TO MANSLAUGHTER
AND THAT HE WOULD SHOW THE INVESTIGATORS
WHERE THE BODY WAS BURIED.
AND INVESTIGATORS LEARNED, FOR THE FIRST TIME,
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT CHARLES ST. DENIS
LEFT HIS HOME MORE THAN THREE YEARS EARLIER
AND NEVER RETURNED.
THAT NIGHT,
AS ST. DENIS WAS WINDING DOWN AFTER HIS PLANTING PARTY,
DAN REID AND THOMAS DRESCHER LAUNCHED THEIR PLAN
TO LURE CHARLES TO A CABIN.
CHARLES ST. DENIS GETS A CALL FROM DAN REID.
HE'S THINKING THAT THEY'RE GOING
TO DO SOME COCAINE TOGETHER
AND HE TELLS DEBORAH THAT HE HAS TO GO MEET DAN.
CHARLES DRIVES UP TO MEET DAN.
DAN WAS SITTING IN THE SHADOWS
AND DRESCHER WAS BEHIND THE DOOR.
AND ST. DENIS PULLS UP IN HIS JEEP.
HE WALKS OUT.
AND THEN DAN CONFRONTS HIM.
DRESCHER SAYS, "STEP INSIDE. WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU."
AT THAT POINT, CHARLES ST. DENIS
TURNS TO RUN AWAY.
DRESCHER HAD A .22 PISTOL
AND SHOT HIM ABOUT 11 TIMES.
ST. DENIS WENT DOWN, BUT HE DIDN'T DIE.
ST. DENIS IS SAYING, "WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING,
SHOOTING ME, YOU KNOW, BULLETS IN ME?"
HE'S STILL TRYING TO GET BACK TO HIS TRUCK TO ESCAPE.
THOMAS DRESCHER YELLS TO DAN REID, "GET ME A KNIFE!"
DAN REID -- HE'S FREAKING OUT BY THIS POINT --
RUNS AND GETS HIM A KNIFE.
THOMAS DRESCHER STABS CHARLES ST. DENIS
MULTIPLE TIMES.
THEY'RE KILLING THE GUY AND THEY'RE ORDERING HIM,
"CHANT HARE KRISHNA."
BUT ST. DENIS WAS SOMEHOW STILL BREATHING.
THE MEN ARE CONVINCED THAT CHARLES IS FINALLY DEAD.
BUT, JUST LIKE A CHARACTER IN A HORROR MOVIE...
HE OPENED HIS EYES AND SAID, "DON'T PUT THAT OVER MY FACE.
YOU'LL SMOTHER ME."
DRESCHER AND REID DRIVE ST. DENIS TO A NEARBY CREEK.
WHEN DRESCHER AND REID BURIED ST. DENIS IN THE CREEK,
HE WAS STILL BREATHING.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS DROWNING, TECHNICALLY.
TOM DRESCHER BURIED THAT BODY UNDER A MOVING STREAM.
THAT WILL CONFUSE DOGS.
THAT WILL CONFUSE ANY KIND OF SEARCH PARTY.
AFTER THEY BURY CHARLES ST. DENIS,
THEY TAKE HIS TRUCK.
THEY DRIVE TO BIG JOHN'S FARM.
THEY PARK THE TRUCK THERE.
I SAID, "NO ONE'S EVER GONNA FIND THAT GUY."
ST. DENIS WOULD'VE NEVER BEEN FOUND,
IF DAN REID HADN'T HAVE GONE TO THE AUTHORITIES
AND SHOWN THEM WHERE THE BODY WAS.
INVESTIGATORS FINALLY HAVE THEIR ANSWER
AS TO HOW CHARLES ST. DENIS WAS KILLED.
BUT THERE'S STILL ONE MORE PERSON INVOLVED
IN THE GRUESOME TALE,
ONE WHO APPARENTLY
KIRTANANANDA SWAMI BHAKTIPADA.
REID IS SAYING, "I WANT TO KILL ST. DENIS."
DRESCHER SAYS, "YOU GOTTA COME AND TALK TO KIRTANANANDA.
HE'LL KNOW WHAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO."
I FINALLY TALKED HIM INTO
GOING TO SEE KIRTANANANDA.
AFTER MEETING WITH THE SWAMI, REID CONTACTS DRESCHER.
I SAID, "HOW'D IT GO?"
HE SAYS, "HE WANTS ME TO KILL HIM.
HE SAID TO GET WITH YOU AND MAKE SURE THE JOB GOT DONE RIGHT.
BECAUSE OF HIS OFFENSES, HE HAS TO DIE."
DAN REID IS SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS
FOR VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER
AS AN ACCOMPLICE IN THE KILLING OF CHARLES ST. DENIS.
BUT INVESTIGATORS ARE UNABLE
TO PIN ANY RESPONSIBILITY ONTO THE SWAMI.
IN CALIFORNIA, THOMAS DRESCHER FACES YET ANOTHER TRIAL.
HE STILL HAD TO FACE THE TRIAL
FOR THE MURDER OF STEVEN BRYANT IN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH, HE WAS LATER BROUGHT OUT OF PRISON
AND TAKEN TO CALIFORNIA.
DRESCHER IS FOUND GUILTY
AND RECEIVES A SECOND LIFE SENTENCE.
AND, WITH NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE, HE FINALLY REVEALS THAT
THE SWAMI HAD HIS OWN REASONS FOR WANTING ST. DENIS DEAD.
ST. DENIS WAS TELLING PEOPLE
KIRTANANANDA WAS HAVING SEXUAL RELATIONS
WITH SOME OF THE MEXICAN WORKER BOYS.
IT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS TRUTH TO THESE ALLEGATIONS
THAT HE HAD TO BE SILENCED.
WHATEVER I DID,
I DID OUT OF A SENSE OF DUTY TO MY SPIRITUAL MASTER.
DRESCHER REALIZES THAT HE'S BEEN USED BY KIRTANANANDA.
HE TELLS POLICE THAT KIRTANANANDA SANCTIONED
BOTH OF THESE MURDERS AND HE IS VERY ADAMANT
THAT HE WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT
WITHOUT KIRTANANANDA'S DIRECT PERMISSION.
INVESTIGATORS WORK DILIGENTLY TO PUT THE SWAMI BEHIND BARS
FOR THE MURDERS OF ST. DENIS AND STEVE BRYANT.
IN MAY OF 1990, KIRTANANANDA IS INDICTED FOR MAIL FRAUD,
RACKETEERING, AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER.
DRESCHER TESTIFIES AGAINST KIRTANANANDA.
THROUGHOUT IT ALL, THE HEAD GURU MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE.
THEY SAID THAT I CONSPIRED.
I DON'T SEE THAT.
SWAMI BHAKTIPADA WAS SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN JAIL.
BHAKTIPADA WAS CONVICTED ON NUMEROUS COUNTS.
THE SWAMI'S CONVICTIONS ARE OVERTURNED ON APPEAL,
BUT DURING A RETRIAL,
HE PLEADS GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF RACKETEERING
AND GOES TO PRISON.
ALL THREE MEN CONNECTED
TO CHARLES ST. DENIS'S BRUTAL MURDER
FOUND THEMSELVES BEHIND BARS.
I COULD NOT HELP BUT THINK THAT DEBORAH WAS PROVED TO BE RIGHT.
SHE WAS VINDICATED.
THE ST. DENIS CASE WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END
OF THE REGIME OF SWAMI BHAKTIPADA
AND THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF HIS INFLUENCE
WITHIN THE KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT.
DURING THE 1980s,
NEW VRINDABAN WAS AS MUCH A CRIME SCENE
AS A PLACE OF SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT.
IN 1987, NEW VRINDABAN WAS REMOVED
FROM THE SANCTIONED LIST OF KRISHNA TEMPLES AND COMMUNITIES.
IT REGAINED ITS STATUS IN 1998.
IN MANY WAYS, THE HARE KRISHNA COMMUNITY
IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS IN THE '80s.
THE TWO MURDERS OF ST. DENIS AND STEVE BRYANT
TURNED THE TIDE
REGARDING THE CORRUPTION AND IMMORAL ACTIVITIES
AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AT NEW VRINDABAN.
THE ST. DENIS MURDER MAY HAVE BEEN
MORE IMPORTANT, IN THE LONG RUN,
BECAUSE, AFTER TOM DRESCHER WAS PUT IN JAIL,
THE DEVOTEES AT NEW VRINDABAN BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT
MAYBE GOOD DOES TRIUMPH OVER EVIL.
OBVIOUSLY, WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW VRINDABAN IS A TRAGEDY.
CHARLES ST. DENIS WAS AN AMAZING PERSON, IN HIS OWN WAY,
AND, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, WOULD HAVE SETTLED DOWN,
LIKE MOST OTHER PEOPLE WHO GOT INTO DRUGS AND HAD A WILD TIME.
I JUST SEE SO MUCH LOST POTENTIAL.