September 10, 1999

The Latest in the Seattle Incident Trial

By Jeff Farr
Associate Editor

On Aug. 10, a special edition of Daibyakuho, the temple members? newspaper in Japan, attempted to discount the testimony of former Seattle police officer Ronald Sprinkle in the Seattle Incident trial.

According to Nikken?s attorneys, Officer Sprinkle, who as a defense witness corroborated Mrs. Hiroe Clow?s testimony, was not with the Seattle Police Department, but the Air Force at the time of the incident.

But on Aug. 14, the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai?s daily newspaper, rebutted with evidence proving that while Mr. Sprinkle did serve in the Air Force reserve at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis in late 1962, he was back with the Police Department well before the Seattle Incident occurred. He was, indeed, on police duty the night of March 19–20, 1963.

Prior to calling Mr. Sprinkle as a witness, the Soka Gakkai defense team conducted a thorough investigation of his background. His military records show that he had only served 30 days as of September 1964, not the six months the temple is claiming he served in late 1962 and early 1963.

Attorneys for the Soka Gakkai also promise to present more evidence proving the temple?s accusations false in upcoming court sessions.