WHAT A HEEL: The Sacred And The Profane
John LaVoie claimed his Angel's Heaven Relaxation Spa in Tucson was a church where the suffering were soothed by the “laying on of hands.” But he didn’t have a prayer with the jury that found him guilty of racketeering, money-laundering and other prostitution-related offenses, clearing the way for a civil forfeiture of $2 million in assets obtained though the criminal enterprise, reports the Arizona Daily Star. Claiming to be the pastor of the Church of Liberty, LaVoie is fighting the proposed order of forfeiture on the grounds that his religious rights are being violated. His attorney, Brad Roach, contends that LaVoie “has every right under the First Amendment to freely exercise his religion, which religion includes offering comfort through the laying on of hands.” The Star explains that “[d]iverse religious groups around the world have practiced laying on of hands for centuries. In Christian churches it may be used to transmit a sacred purpose, such as blessing or healing, or to convey a church office.”
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