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	Lawyer: Alamo Ordered Punitive Fasts Associated Press, carried in Morning News November 26, 2008 http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/11/26/news/112708arevangelist.txt LITTLE ROCK -- Evangelist Tony Alamo ordered adults and teens at his compounds to obey "coffee and water" fasts for days at a time when he couldn't find the member who violated the church's rules, a lawyer suing the jailed church leader said Wednesday. W. David Carter has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of two men who told police Alamo ordered them beaten over perceived slights and offenses at his compound in southwestern Arkansas. The lawsuit by Carter, a lawyer from Texarkana, Texas, asks for more than $75,000 for damages "in the form of physical pain and suffering, emotional distress and scarring/disfigurement." Carter said he hopes those leaving the ministry will consider joining the suit against Alamo, who faces criminal charges for allegedly taking minors across state lines for sex. "We're obviously interested in obtaining some justice for these kids who had to grow up in this atmosphere," the lawyer said. "I think as the minors are removed from the influence of Alamo, we're going to find out a lot more about what was going on in the compound." Carter filed the suit Tuesday on behalf of Seth Calagna and Spencer Ondirsek, two men who grew up in the church's compound in Fouke. Both have offered statements to the police about Alamo, including details about beatings they suffered at the hands of his alleged enforcer John Erwin Kolbeck. Kolbeck faces a battery charge over the allegations and is wanted on federal and state felony warrants. Alamo, 74, has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. In a closed-door testimony at a child welfare hearing Monday, Alamo told a judge he knew of several members being "spanked" over disciplinary matters, but denied anyone was beaten, his defense lawyer said. Carter said he has spoken with another former ministry member who told him the fasts came anytime Alamo couldn't immediately identify a person who broke church rules. "He would just withhold food from everyone until he found out who the culprit was. That was done on a number of occasions," Carter said. "It was done until someone named the individual or came up with something that would satisfy him and he would end the fast." During one beating by Kolbeck, the lawsuit alleges Alamo hit Ondirsek at least three times himself. The lawsuit claims Alamo taunted Ondirsek by saying, "You think I like doing this? I love doing this!" State child welfare officials have seized 26 children from the ministries over the allegations of beatings and sexual abuse. Officials continue to search for more children who have likely been moved out of state to avoid the civil orders, Carter said. "They won't be subject to any order of the court," he said. "It's civil and if you leave the state, there's really not that much you can do about it." Arkansas State Police and federal agents raided Alamo's compound at Fouke on Sept. 20, searching for evidence that children there had been molested or filmed having sex. Five days later, FBI agents arrested the evangelist as he left a hotel in Flagstaff, Ariz. Alamo was convicted of tax-related charges in 1994 and served four years in prison after the IRS said he owed the government $7.9 million. He is scheduled to stand trial on the new federal charges in February.
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