Peterson v. Sorlien

After Susan Peterson (plaintiff) became deeply involved with a group her parents believed was a cult, her family arranged for her to undergo cult "deprogramming" at the home of Veronia Morgel, assisted by deprogrammer Kathy Mills and former minister Paul Sorlien (defendants). Peterson spent an initial three days in visible emotional distress before her demeanor changed; over the following 13 days she socialized, traveled, and never sought help or attempted to leave, before eventually walking away and flagging down a police officer. She sued for false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress; the jury found no false imprisonment liability but held Morgel and Mills liable for emotional distress.