Deposition of JANICE BETHANY CROUCH Co-Founder and Director of Trinity Broadcast Network
The Omega Syndrome
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The deposition of Jan Crouch was, for her convenience, re-scheduled twice but finally conducted January 15th & 16th, 2001. When questioned about her involvement in TBN, she acknowledged she is a Director but does not know what that means exactly. Nor who else is or may be a director. She also said "always was and still am just" the Program Director for the network and as such does sometimes do original work. "You know, produce shows and find new stuff". She asserted she had never seen the manuscript of The Omega Syndrome and had never heard of Sylvia Fleener, until she was told about her pending deposition and was handed the Declaration of Kelly Whitmore to read in preparation for it. Further she said "she did not even know about the lawsuit" until told in early December that she would be deposed. Is she a mushroom? A "surprise" question directed to her by Quisenberry concerning her use of an alias, "Do you know the name Beth Dell?"... got a shocked look, a pause, then a meek "Yes". Her attorney/nephew John Casoria said for the record "She won't be using it anymore!" Though she told that TBN has more than 400 employees, she DID NOT have, NEVER DID have, the AUTHORITY to instruct, supervise, hire or fire employees at TBN. So she never did. She further added that "Kelly Whitmore was just a housekeeper, probably hired by one of the property managers, I guess, and was never, to my knowledge, promoted, nor her title and responsibilities changed to anything else". Paul Crouch attended this deposition and broke in NUMEROUS times with requests to go "off the record". Breaks were allowed and they left the room "en masse" to resume the deposition after the break. One significant event, when Sylvia's manuscript was first placed in front of Mrs. Crouch, she almost broke down. She mumbled to John Casoria, who raised his voice to override her, and they took another break. The court reporter got her utterance of "John, I've got to, I have to do the right..." The interruption was "NO! You don't, we're taking a break." They left the room, returning in twenty minutes and from then on Mrs. Crouch, now having collected her composure, denied everything she was asked, with "NO! or absolutely not!".
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