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Narconon Appeals Order To State Supreme Court
By Michael McNutt
Daily Oklahoman
May 22, 1992
An unlicensed drug and alcohol treatment center, ordered to close by both a district judge and a state regulatory agency, has taken its case to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Papers were filed Thursday asking the justices to overturn a district court ruling that would close Narconon Chilocco New Life Center.
Gary Smith, Narconon Chilocco president, said the center's lawyers are asking for an emergency stay which would allow the center to stay open while the case is under review.
A referee could decide today whether the state Supreme Court will consider the case, Smith said.
If the Supreme Court refuses to consider Narconon Chilocco's appeal and issue an emergency stay, lawyers likely will go to the U.S. Supreme Court, he said.
Narconon Chilocco is allowed to operate until Tuesday under a 10-day stay issued last week by District Judge Neal Beekman, the same judge who issued a permanent injunction shutting down the facility. Beekman issued the stay to give Narconon Chilocco lawyers time to appeal.
Lawyers said last week that the recent formation of an agency by the Tonkawa tribe to govern treatment programs on Indian land and its subsequent conditional licensing of Narconon Chilocco will be brought to the state high court's attention.
Such an agency was not formed when Beekman presided over a hearing Feb. 27 on a request from state officials to close the center because it never was licensed.