Vero Beach Press Journal (FL)
KASHI LEADER TO
BE DEPOSED IN DIVORCE CASE
Jayne Hustead staff writer
Attorneys for ex-Kashi member Richard Rosenkranz
can depose the Roseland group's
spiritual leader today, and when they do the scope of their questioning can be as wide as the rules of discovery allow, two circuit judges ruled Wednesday.
Vero Beach attorney G. Russell Petersen, who
represents Gina Rosenkranz in her divorce
proceeding, had moved to limit the scope of the questioning of Ma Jaya Bhagavati by having a special master - an attorney specially trained in the rules of discovery - appointed to rule on the suitability of questions.
Petersen told Circuit Judge William Roby that what
began as a secretary trying to get a divorce had
turned into an attack on the Kashi Ranch, a spiritual community in Roseland where both Rosenkranzes lived until Richard Rosenkranz moved off the property two years ago.
Petersen also said two financial officers at Kashi
- Bina Frank, who is Gina Rosenkranz's sister,
and Arlene Abelman - were being deposed Wednesday afternoon and needed a special master for their depositions.
Stuart attorney Noel Bobko, co-counsel for Richard
Rosenkranz, countered that "there needs to be
latitude" in the questioning in order to develop Rosenkranz's petition for an annulment of the marriage.
"To disrupt the ability to take a deposition
is not fair or right," Bobko said.
Roby agreed, denying Petersen's motion for lack of
cause. He also warned both attorneys he would
deal harshly with any discovery rule violations.
At a subsequent emergency hearing Wednesday
afternoon, Merritt Island attorney Stanley
Wolfman, who took over representing Bhagavati, Frank and Abelman on Monday, sought to delay Bhagavati's deposition until next week because of a scheduling conflict.
Previously, Bhagavati had been represented by
Sebastian attorney John Evans, who lives on the
ranch at 11155 Roseland Road and often represents members of the group. Richard Rosenkranz's attorneys objected to Evans because he has represented so many Kashi members involved in the case in the past, but said they had not yet been notified officially that he was off the case.
Bobko said it had taken a couple weeks and many
phone calls to schedule today's deposition with
Bhagavati. He also told Kanarek he was not available next week on the dates Bhagavati was and that it would take four to six hours to depose her.
Kanarek denied the request by Wolfman, a former
circuit judge in Brevard County. Kanarek said his
decision took into account the divorce trial is set to start Aug. 1, the deposition was set almost two months ago and neither Bobko nor Norman Green, also co-counsel for Richard Rosenkranz, had agreed to a delay.
Last December, Bhagavati, 61, unsuccessfully tried
to quash a subpoena to testify at a hearing on
Rosenkranz's obligation to support his wife, who initially had sued him for support, but not divorce.
That hearing never took place as the case spiraled
into a contested divorce.
Richard Rosenkranz now is arguing that the
marriage should be annulled, in part because he was
coerced into marriage by Bhagavati, according to his amended petition for divorce.
Gina Rosenkranz, 43, has continued to live at the
ranch and serves as personal assistant to
Bhagavati.
Richard Rosenkranz, 59, lives at 11026 Mulberry
St., across the street from the ranch. He is now
self-employed, but for many years served as media spokesman for the Kashi community. All content copyright (c) 2001 Vero Beach Press Journal and may not be republished without permission. |