Synanon Short Film (for my cousin Paul)

The story of Synanon, the renegade cult led by Charles Dederich, and the battle waged by a young lawyer named Paul Morantz (my cousin) on behalf of the people trapped inside this renegade organization. Synanon attempted to murder Paul Morantz, but he persevered, and ultimately won, freeing children and reuniting families, and creating the legal battle that would unravel Dederich's house of cards. For more information on Synanon and attorney Paul Morantz, go to www.paulmorantz.com (produced and edited by Jacob Davis)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Synanon
• Paul Morantz
• Cults
• 1970's
• Connie Chung
• Charles Dederich
• News
• Lawyer
• Attempted Murder
• Rattlesnake in Mailbox

[Gettebrid]

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[clumpft]

SOUNDTRACK FAIL!!

[AnonLover]

This is a fantastic summary, thank you Jenni for preserving Mr. Morantz historic fight against Synanon for the future generations of those of us who are brave enough to oppose destructive cults to learn from.

[ogaextreme2035]

The music track is annoying not clever.

[Anntelope]

This is so sad. What happened at Synanon was a tragedy of astronomical proportions. They went from being the "Miracle On The Beach" to this wretchedness - violence, drinking and bullying of children. I was there from sixty six to sixty eight and the main rules were "No violence of threat of it" and "No chemicals of any kind." How they got from that to this I can't imagine. Sad, sad, sad.

[hormelinc]

Dederich was pretty much off his rocker by the 70's. I used to go to the Oakland building (the old Athens Athletic Club) after school when I was a kid. I used to see him and another guy named John Maher that he'd argue with all the time. Maher took off in 1971 (during the time I used to visit) and started the Delancey Street Foundation (right down the street where I live now). After that, Dederich got even more paranoid and started to shut off the outside world. And we all know the rest ...

[webdiva1969]

Yep! Straight was a spawn of Synanon, can't wait to educate some people on all of this via our film!

[damnmearaboy]

Scary stuff,and Just like Straight,nobody thinks it happened.

[419ANGEL]

Wow Jenni, you did a really fantastic compelling job putting this chilling video together.There are peole that still care about what happened and I am one of them although I was not in Synanon.I have the utmost respcet for your Uncle Paul for all he did,he's an amazing guy!

[beckiru]

Does anyone know what became of Ken Hurst - son of Jack Hurst?