Piecemakers’ slander case could move forward

Andrew Glazer

COSTA MESA -- A judge ruled Wednesday that a religious anti-government

group can proceed with its slander lawsuit against the 26-year-old son of

a member.

Superior Court Judge Sheila Fell had previously refused four times to

clear the way for the Piecemakers’ lawsuit against Tom Halliburton,

saying the group didn’t have enough evidence for a case.

The Piecemakers allege that Halliburton sent slanderous e-mail messages

to customers of their crafts market on Adams Avenue in Costa Mesa.

Halliburton’s attorney, Joseph Donahue, said Fell’s decision to consider

the case a fifth time was unprecedented.

“I am very disturbed by Judge Fell’s decision,” Donahue said. “In this

case, I have real questions about the competency of the court.”

Fell declined to comment.

Donahue has one week to convince the judge that the case against

Halliburton is unfounded. He said he will argue against proceeding with a

trial Wednesday.

“She changed her mind after rejecting the case four times,” he said. “I’d

like to think she’ll change her mind in favor of us this time.”

The Piecemakers, also known as the Body of Christ Fellowship, is a group

of about 30 people who live communally in six Mesa Verde homes. They

don’t believe in the traditional family structure, instead viewing each

other as brothers and sisters, said Marie Kolasinski, the group’s

unofficial leader.

Halliburton’s mother joined the Piecemakers more than 20 years ago. He

said she has since cut off all contact with him. On Wednesday,

Halliburton said he sent the e-mails, which portrayed the group as a

cult, to Piecemakers Country Store customers after his mother failed to

attend his college graduation.

“I was furious,” said Halliburton, who picketed in front of the

Piecemakers’ home last summer. “My mother wasn’t allowed to go to my

graduation.”

Kolasinski said she was reluctant to sue Halliburton. But she said she

was glad the lawsuit -- filed almost one year ago -- is finally moving

forward.

“We have freedoms given to us by the Constitution,” she said. “One of the

reasons we start losing them is people abuse them. If we can, we will

make things right.”

Kolasinski added that Halliburton is fighting a much greater adversary

than just the Piecemakers:

“Frankly, he’s wrestling with God, not us.”