Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 3, 2003, Page 104
siege in Waco, TX, and the Jonestown suicides and said that John Muhammad may have
been able to control Malvo‘s mind and will. He said people who have been indoctrinated ―can
change their moral values ...start to engage in crimes. People can kill when they are
under this sort of mindset.‖ Prosecutor Horan retorted: ―The red herring in this case is
indoctrination. It is the ultimate refuge of mental health scoundrels.‖ Horan added that only
people held captive, like prisoners of war and hostages, should be able to claim they were
brainwashed. Martin responded saying indoctrination was equally possible in voluntary one-
on-one settings.
The prosecution argued that Martin was not qualified to give an opinion on the Malvo-
Muhammad relationship and that brainwashing is not a diagnosable mental illness that can
lead to insanity. Prosecutor Horan said of Martin: ―His field is deprogramming cults [sic].
There are no cults in this case,‖ and Judge Roush agreed. Indeed, she criticized the defense
for broadly exploring issues of cults and brainwashing, and told it to concentrate more
narrowly on the case at hand.
Steven Hassan, a Massachusetts-based cult expert said a ―cult of two‖ can exist and involve
extreme indoctrination. He said Malvo could laugh at his crimes because ―in his cult identity,
it was right for him to kill people.‖ Hassan likened the brainwashed condition to a
dissociative disorder. The defense argued that Malvo‘s true personality is surfacing now that
his bond with Muhammad has weakened.
Robert Jay Lifton, who studied Korean War prisoner indoctrination and prefers the term
―thought reform‖ to ―brainwashing,‖ believes Malvo‘s behavior after the shootings meets the
criteria for someone who had undergone the process. He said: ―A strong person, particularly
an older person, can have an enormous influence on the shaping of mind and behavior of
another person. But there is still the issue of responsibility. One would have to be extremely
cautious about labeling a process between two people to be thought reform.‖
Some observers believe that the jury may have recommended life in prison rather than the
death penalty in part because they saw Muhammad‘s malignant influence as a mitigating
factor in Malvo‘s guilt. (Adam Liptak, New York Times, Internet, 12/6/03 and 12/16/03
Timothy Dwyer, Washington Post, Internet, 12/18/03 Carla Florin, Psychology Today,
Internet, 12/9/03 Rosie Dimanno, Toronto Star, Internet, 12/5/03 Matthew Barakat, AP,
Internet, 12/5/03 Angie Cannon, U.S. News and World Report, Internet, 11/17/03 James
Dao, New York Times, Internet 11/8/03)
Nation of Islam
“Brainwashing” Michael Jordan
A senior employee of pop star Michael Jackson says that the Nation of Islam is taking over
his affairs, keeping him ―semi-captive‖ ...and are in full and total charge‖ in the wake of
Jackson‘s legal troubles, and ―basically brainwashing‖ him. The Chicago-based group says it
has not taken over Jackson‘s affairs or taken a central role in his defense. (Margaret
Neighbor, The Scotsman, 12/31/03)
NXIVM/Executive Success Programs
Critical Website Can Continue
An Internet site containing material that accuses the Colonie, NY-based NXIVM human
potential program (known as ESP for its Executive Success Programs) of being a cult can
remain online, a U.S. District Judge in Albany has ruled. NXIVM argued that the Ross
Institute, which provides information on cultic groups, was causing it irreparable damage.
NXIUM claims the Internet postings cost it $10,000 per day in revenue and cancellation of a
speaking engagement by actress Goldie Hawn.
siege in Waco, TX, and the Jonestown suicides and said that John Muhammad may have
been able to control Malvo‘s mind and will. He said people who have been indoctrinated ―can
change their moral values ...start to engage in crimes. People can kill when they are
under this sort of mindset.‖ Prosecutor Horan retorted: ―The red herring in this case is
indoctrination. It is the ultimate refuge of mental health scoundrels.‖ Horan added that only
people held captive, like prisoners of war and hostages, should be able to claim they were
brainwashed. Martin responded saying indoctrination was equally possible in voluntary one-
on-one settings.
The prosecution argued that Martin was not qualified to give an opinion on the Malvo-
Muhammad relationship and that brainwashing is not a diagnosable mental illness that can
lead to insanity. Prosecutor Horan said of Martin: ―His field is deprogramming cults [sic].
There are no cults in this case,‖ and Judge Roush agreed. Indeed, she criticized the defense
for broadly exploring issues of cults and brainwashing, and told it to concentrate more
narrowly on the case at hand.
Steven Hassan, a Massachusetts-based cult expert said a ―cult of two‖ can exist and involve
extreme indoctrination. He said Malvo could laugh at his crimes because ―in his cult identity,
it was right for him to kill people.‖ Hassan likened the brainwashed condition to a
dissociative disorder. The defense argued that Malvo‘s true personality is surfacing now that
his bond with Muhammad has weakened.
Robert Jay Lifton, who studied Korean War prisoner indoctrination and prefers the term
―thought reform‖ to ―brainwashing,‖ believes Malvo‘s behavior after the shootings meets the
criteria for someone who had undergone the process. He said: ―A strong person, particularly
an older person, can have an enormous influence on the shaping of mind and behavior of
another person. But there is still the issue of responsibility. One would have to be extremely
cautious about labeling a process between two people to be thought reform.‖
Some observers believe that the jury may have recommended life in prison rather than the
death penalty in part because they saw Muhammad‘s malignant influence as a mitigating
factor in Malvo‘s guilt. (Adam Liptak, New York Times, Internet, 12/6/03 and 12/16/03
Timothy Dwyer, Washington Post, Internet, 12/18/03 Carla Florin, Psychology Today,
Internet, 12/9/03 Rosie Dimanno, Toronto Star, Internet, 12/5/03 Matthew Barakat, AP,
Internet, 12/5/03 Angie Cannon, U.S. News and World Report, Internet, 11/17/03 James
Dao, New York Times, Internet 11/8/03)
Nation of Islam
“Brainwashing” Michael Jordan
A senior employee of pop star Michael Jackson says that the Nation of Islam is taking over
his affairs, keeping him ―semi-captive‖ ...and are in full and total charge‖ in the wake of
Jackson‘s legal troubles, and ―basically brainwashing‖ him. The Chicago-based group says it
has not taken over Jackson‘s affairs or taken a central role in his defense. (Margaret
Neighbor, The Scotsman, 12/31/03)
NXIVM/Executive Success Programs
Critical Website Can Continue
An Internet site containing material that accuses the Colonie, NY-based NXIVM human
potential program (known as ESP for its Executive Success Programs) of being a cult can
remain online, a U.S. District Judge in Albany has ruled. NXIVM argued that the Ross
Institute, which provides information on cultic groups, was causing it irreparable damage.
NXIUM claims the Internet postings cost it $10,000 per day in revenue and cancellation of a
speaking engagement by actress Goldie Hawn.
