Psychic sees two months of jail time in her future

[ravdin]

How sweet it is:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/09/BA8H14KOHF.DTL

I hope this gives Sylvia Browne the cold sweats at night.

[articulett]

How sweet it is:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/09/BA8H14KOHF.DTL

I hope this gives Sylvia Browne the cold sweats at night.

It isn't long enough...
at least the woman is purified of one evil spirit for a couple months--

I think a lot of people would be willing to spend 2 months in jail for $108,000-- I'm not sure this sends the right message. I'm sure that, like Peter Popoff, she'll bounce back.

[Ernie M]

I commend Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Kenneth Barnum, and everyone involved in prosecuting and sentencing Lisa Miller, for the public service they rendered.

Unfortunately, Lisa Miller is already out of jail.
Woman sentenced in Santa Clara County psychic scam (http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11177449)
Posted: 12/09/2008 11:51:21 AM PST

I find it disgusting that Lisa Miller is out of jail after such a short time.

I feel all psychics who don't have disclaimers, including but not limited to: "For entertainment purposes only," should be held accountable for theft by false pretense, as well as any additional and applicable charges. And, any of their promoters, such as television producers, writers, talk show hosts who support any false pretense, should face charges for aiding and abetting.

Psychics and their promoters should be required to pay full restitution, and be legally prevented from taking part in any future "psychic" scam(s).

[screensnot]

2 months is not near enough.

A little OT; Is there something wrong with me because I have a hard time feeling sorry for the victims in cases like this? I can feel pity for them, but I have to try real hard.

[articulett]

I wonder how you force someone to make restitution on ill-gotten tax free gains?

[BirdStrike]

Hmmmm.

"The woman contacted Miller in 2005 after seeing a newspaper ad that offered a $10 reading."

Are people really that "f"-ing stupid? Seriously? The woman bilked by Lisa Miller should be jailed just for being such a moron.

[JenseitsDavon]

I have to agree with everyone here - both Yes! One for the good guys! and Really? How dumb are you, lady? Critical thinking skills, check minus.

[Sasha]

According to the report,

The woman finally figured out something was wrong when she read media accounts that Miller's mother-in-law, 56-year-old Lola Miller of San Jose, had been arrested for taking $450,000 in cash and services from a San Jose woman.

So after $108,000 she still didn't realize she'd been had, just happened to see a news account. The mind boggles.

[timhau]

So after $108,000 she still didn't realize she'd been had, just happened to see a news account. The mind boggles.

But hey, it's just services rendered -- the evil spirits were nowhere to be seen.

[Toke]

I wonder what the legal difference is between these 3, and Sylvia Brown?

[SirPhilip]

I wonder what the legal difference is between these 3, and Sylvia Brown? Probably none. But this somewhat is the domain of "evil" in a Walt Disneyesque sense, you'd have to admit, after all.

[Toke]

Well, these are ripping of a few persons for huge amounts, she rip of alot of people for smaller amounts, AND is on tv.
Guess that makes an effective legal difference.

[Tricky]

Psychic asks if they should be able to practice skills split here.
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=130587

[Ernie M]

I wonder what the legal difference is between these 3, and Sylvia Brown?

From my understanding, there isn't much difference from a legal perspective from what Lola Miller (56 year-old mother) and her two daughter in-laws, Lisa Miller (27 year-old) and Danielle Miller (23 year-old) did, from what someone like Sylvia Browne does. All of them ran or run some form of a psychic scam.

Lola, Lisa, and Danielle Miller seem to be from a "gypsy" or nomadic-type background, versus someone like Sylvia Browne, who operate more-or-less from a "fixed" location, or "home-base." The Miller's main method of operation was to charge money to "cleanse" evil spirits and lift curses by selling things like candles costing hundreds of dollars, or in Lisa's case- including $5,000 urns, and having the victim(s) buy them things like clothes, jewelry, or a Corvette for Lisa. If the victim wouldn't want to pay, buy, or give them things, the many Miller's would tell (threaten) their victims that bad and evil things would happen.

Another characteristic of the "gypsy" scam style of the Miller's is, they would pack up and leave town when they are found out. For instance, Lola Miller fled the Bay Area (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/26/MN5QTJ8C1.DTL) in California and was eventually arrested in New Jersey.

In cases against the Miller's, some of the victims came forth, acquired legal counsel, and pursued action against them.

So, one key difference between psychic scammers like Lisa, Danielle, and Lola Miller, versus others like Sylvia Browne: perhaps victims of Sylvia Browne have to come forward and start legal proceedings against her (and others like her). Who knows, maybe someone should look into the feasibility of a class-action lawsuit against her?

Also, laws vary in different jurisdictions, which can complicate things. What might hold up in the court of law in one jurisdiction, might not hold up in another jurisdiction.