Alcor’s lawsuits against Larry Johnson have been ended by his bankruptcy and various concessions. In 2009 Alcor sued authors Larry Johnson, Scott Baldyga, and publisher Vanguard Press in New York for their book Frozen, which purported to be about Alcor. The lawsuit was filed to obtain damages for the false and defamatory content of the book, to enforce prior court orders and agreements which publication of the book directly violated, and to protect the privacy of Alcor members. Bankruptcy papers filed by Johnson end Alcor’s ability to collect damages related to this lawsuit from Mr. Johnson, unless there is a subsequent violation of terms by Mr. Johnson. All court orders remain in force to prevent future violations.
In connection with the end of litigation, Larry Johnson has issued this public statement:
“When the book Frozen was written, I believed my conclusions to be correct. However information unknown to me and a more complete understanding of the facts furnished by ALCOR contradict part of my account and some of my conclusions. In light of this new information from ALCOR, some parts of the book are questioned as to veracity.
“For example my account of the Ted Williams cryopreservation, which was not based upon my first-hand observation as noted in my book, is contradicted by information furnished by ALCOR. I am not now certain that Ted Williams’ body was treated disrespectfully, or that any procedures were performed without authorization or conducted poorly.
“To the extent my recollections and conclusions were erroneous, and those recollections and errors caused harm I apologize.”
False allegations of mistreatment of member remains were the centerpiece of sensational publicity sought by Mr. Johnson in 2003, and subsequently during his promotion of the book Frozen in October 2009. Yet they were just a few of the many falsehoods contained in the book Frozen and the surrounding publicity. The lawsuit against the book’s coauthor, Scott Baldyga, and publisher, Vanguard Press, continues in New York. Alcor is seeking money damages against Mr. Baldyga and Vanguard Press for aiding and abetting violation of court orders, ignoring valid court injunctions, and otherwise assisting in the distribution of false information about Alcor.
Alcor CEO, Max More, stated, “We are very pleased that Mr. Johnson has publicly retracted his allegations about Alcor. Alcor feels vindicated from the falsehoods perpetrated by Mr. Johnson. Alcor is a professional cryopreservation facility dedicated to the well-being and privacy of its members.”
