American Society for Faith Based Paranormal Research

I came across an article posted on the site ghosttheory.com.  Now the purpose of this site is to call attention to bad practices within the paranormal community and they seem to focus a lot paranormal television shows.  I believe that watch dog groups are healthy.  I believe this site does a decent job of doing what it intends to do, but I am disappointed in this.

You can read the article in its entirety here:

http://www.ghosttheory.com/paranormal/paranormal-state-caught-faking-entire-show/

Now, let me state that ghost theory did not write the original acticle.  It was written by Kirby Robinson (a paranormal investigator out of California I believe and Kelli Ryan ( a former client of the show Paranormal State.  My issue with ghost theory is that they have a much larger audience than Kirby does on his personal site and so I feel they were irresponsible in publishing an article that is such an obvious jealous tirade.  My problem is that they titled the post "Paranormal State Caught Faking Entire Show" and then go on to comment on the original letter as though it is fact.  Anyone with any common sense can see that even if the show Paranormal State is faking every episode, this in no way is any kind of proof. 

I was trained as an interrogator by the U.S. government.   My job was to gain information and process it to determine the worth of it.  I am going to tell you how I would view this letter as an investigator.   When I am done you will see why I think that anyone reposting this article has malicious intent and isn't just about finding the truth.

"I?ve had my say, I have presented you with my analysis and research into the conduct of the Paranormal Research Society, Paranormal State, Chip Coffey, Ryan Buell and numerous other para-celebrities who have engaged in acts of deception, distortion, and out and out lies. Now it?s time that you hear it and read it from the mouths of those who have been on the receiving end of those acts."

As an investigator, I looked at Mr. Robinson's website and myspace page.  You can too.  What do you see?  What I see when I look at it is someone who is upset that he is not in the limelight of the paranormal community.  He is angry that guys like Ryan Beull have a hit show and he (feeling he is more experienced and more deserving) is left to pander for members on myspace.  I find it odd that this guy and sites like ghosttheory spend a disporportional amount of time and print to go after those people who are on T.V.  This is probably less than one percent of the entire community. 

Kelli states: ?[Name removed] referred me to you. My husband and I are not under any legal restraint from telling the truth about what Ryan Buell and Chip Coffey did and what was edited and aired on our episode of A&E?s Paranormal State.

Chip Coffey play acted at being psychic. He was given every bit of information regarding our case and the identity of the ghost of the past-previous owner of our home who died 28 years before we bought our Gold Beach, Oregon home.

I am a medical hypnotherapist and respected medium and psychic with many satisfied clients. We contacted PRS after our ghost, Bill Wells, began asking us for help.

OK, again let us look at this with some common sense.  It may be true that Chip Coffey is fed the information.  This is something I have often wondered myself and Kelli could be telling the truth, however there are some red flags that go up immediately and would make me be very cautious about anything she says.  The thing that taints this entire letter is her statement about being a "respected medium and psychic with many satisfied clients".  This is obvious self promotion.  First, if you are truly a respected anything, you don't have to tell people that you are.  The only people who state things like this are those who want to be, not those who are.  Second, if this letter is to be taken seriously, then she should be writing it as a client and not as a fellow medium.  Third, I think the term "our ghost" shows a questionable relationship with a paranormal entity which would cause me to question certain things about this case and if I would get involved with it in the first place.

The PRS team represented themselves as being part of Penn State University, which was only the beginning of their deceptions. We initially asked for help because there was some sort of entity in our downstairs hall and adjacent rooms which my own spirit guide warned me from dealing with on my own.?

I don't know anyone who thinks PRS is actually part of Penn State.  I thought it was understood from the beginning that this is a student formed society.  Is that not clear and if YOU misunderstood it, then why would you blame them for deception?  Also, anytime anyone claims to be directed by their "spirit guide" this throws up a BIG red flag for me.  I will let you be the judge of that. 

Kelli and Riley Ryan are a very loving couple who purchased their dream home in Gold Beach, Oregon. Kelli who is a gifted psychic/medium, had established the Hypnotist Center in Merced, California in 1989. She is very accurate within her readings, very comfortable with spiritual communication, and has always embraced her gifts to be of help to others.

After moving in, the couple, along with Kelli?s personal spirit guide, encountered a very pleasant ghost by the name of Bill. Bill was the former owner of the home whose death was tragic, to say the least, that caused much pain for his family, friends, and the entire community of Gold Beach.

Unfortunately, that wasn?t the only entity that had taken up residence in her home. In addition, a very dark and sinister spirit had staked claim to their kitchen and hallway, moving objects at will, turning appliances off and on, frightening their ghost, Bill. The dark entity physically attacked both Kelli and her husband. Her personal spirit guide wisely informed her not to attempt to deal with the dark entity on her own but to get professional help which they did when they contacted PRS seeking such help.

My issue with this is that ghost theory accepts anything nagative said about Paranormal State, Ryan and Chip as fact and yet there is no need to question the fact that everything Kelli does she claims to be directed by a "spirit guide".  So we are just accepting this as fact?  That very odd fact just goes unquestioned?  Not by me. Also this whole section shows a mutual promotion of Mr. Robinson and Ms. Ryan's abilities.  You will see even more of that later.  

Kelli states: ?We made first contact with PRS by email Saturday June 21, 2008. We described all phenomenon and asked if they could help us or refer us to someone who could. We put our trust in PRS because they mention Penn State University so prominently at the beginning of their program. We felt an esteemed university would not want to expose themselves to liability so we thought PRS must be acting responsibly.

Again, this is not the fault of PRS, but the fault of the client.  Who doesn't know that there are hundreds of student groups on every campus?

We received a phone call from Eric Leven of A&E 10:30AM Pacific Time on Monday, June 23, 2008. He told us that he was making our case a top priority because it was such a compelling story (seeing a headless ghost, all kitchen appliances turning on by themselves, kitchen canister sliding across kitchen counter and falling on the floor, an evil entity in the hallway, being locked in the bathroom, being touched, scratched, bruised, squeezed until I couldn?t breath and a kindly ghost asking for help). Eric Leven asked if we could send documentation that Bill Wells lived in our home and died in an accident. We sent the news article detailing Bill?s accident and funeral along with deeds to show the list of former owners. At Eric Leven?s request we sent photographs of all the areas of our home where the phenomenon occurred regularly with detailed descriptions.?

So the wheels of deception begin to turn.

Kelli states: ?On Tuesday, July 1, 2008 Sumit David, Paranormal State Producer, arrived at our home to scout the location, interview us on camera and film all the haunted areas of our home. He toured our haunted house, property, and surrounding forest. He was actually quite frightened by the trees surrounding our home. He indicated they could start filming as early as July 10, 2008.

A&E was very pushy about urging us to contact Jim Gardner, the driver in Bill Wells? fatal accident. We told them we would try again, but we didn?t want to harass the man. We contacted him shortly after discovering Bill?s identity. The point of us contacting PRS was to get Bill the help he was pleading for. Bill wanted people in the town to know there was no wrongdoing on anyone?s part and, indeed, it was only an accident. He also wanted Jim to know he was happy in heaven and he wanted his friend to be happy and live his life without guilt or sadness. A&E said Ryan Buell was very good at convincing people to take part in their investigations and how his participation would help the healing process.

Sumit David promised us nothing on the show would be done which would be injurious to Bill Wells? loved ones. Nothing would prove to be farther from the truth than this most heinous lie.?

At this point we will use the episode, The Messenger, which was originally entitled The Headless Haunting. Each scene will be broken down exposing the deception that was occurring. Prior to the beginning of the opening credits, the lies and deception already start.

So up to this point, the client has only dealt with A&E and not PRS.

The Messenger, Part 1

The shot of Kelli observing a figure dashing past the window was staged. The person doing the dashing is a crewmember.

The photo of the tragic accident that killed Bill was never meant for public viewing. More on that later.

Chip and Ryan seeing something in the hallway and bedroom staged and fake?more on that later.

So, at this point it is one person's word against another about what was faked and what was not.  I do not see how ghosttheory or any decent investigator -cough Kirby Robinson cough- could really choose one side or the other unless you had a personal agenda.

The case briefing takes place at the Gold Beach Rare Book Room what is interesting here is how secretive PRS is.

I am going to skip ahead here because it would be too lengthy to post the entire section of he said-she said. 

We next see that Michelle Belanger is brought into the case. Two years prior to the investigation, Kelli?s spirit guide had her begin to crochet a sweater that was for Michelle. Michelle also received readings from Kelli that were so accurate to Michelle it proved Kelli?s talents beyond any doubt. And she even refers to Kelli ?as the best psychic I ever encountered.?

I am going to use one of the many juvenile internet message board lines that I hate so much.  "Link or it didn't happen."  In other words, I need to see some proof that Michelle said this or it doesn't hold any water.  Second, this is another one of those statements that makes me stop and say, "Really".  So we are going to question the integrity of PRS, but we are just going to take it at face value that this lady had a "spirit guide" tell her to knit a sweater?  We are all going to just pretend this is perfectly normal behavior and that statements like this shouldn't maybe cause us to question the source?  Third, this is yet ANOTHER example of self promotion. So this goes on to debate what time deadtime really was and crucifies Ryan for looking in the mirror. 

Next up is Chip Coffey?s arrival on the scene. He does his normal walk through shtick and informs Ryan that a person with M letters then later changes it to W W.

This is one of those things that what you think you saw you really didn?t. Let?s focus on all the deception that took place here.

~1 Chip Coffey?s arrival. Remember, we are on Day 2 of filming. Is this when Chip gets into town? Not at all. He had been in town for over 48 hours prior to his ?first arrival? on the scene.

~2 When Chip is asked by Ryan ?Have I told you anything about the case?? Chip says: ?You tell me nothing.? That?s actually the first truthful statement that they have made on camera at this point in the episode. Ryan didn?t have to tell anything. Chip knew the whole story of Bill?s death and the haunting prior to stepping foot on the property.

Kelli states: ?Eric Leven asked if we could send documentation that Bill Wells lived in our home and died in an accident. We sent the news article detailing Bill?s accident and funeral along with deeds to show the list of former owners. At Eric Leven?s request we sent photographs of all the areas of our home where the phenomenon occurred regularly with detailed descriptions.

Eric Leven interviewed me by phone twice. He consulted Chip Coffey with all the details about our case before they decided to do the show.

We had to leave so we would not affect ?so sensitive? Chip?s psychic abilities.

I wanted to stop right here just to call attention to that last sentence.  Now, those of you with common sense, what do you see when you read that sentence?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the jealousy in this statement.  You can tell right away that she has a problem with Chip because he does what she does and he is famous for it while she has to spend all her time promoting her own abillities. 

Chip had been given all those captioned photographs we sent Eric Leven explaining all locations in and around our home where the phenomenon occurred. As a result, Chip very accurately picked up on all the phenomenon including Bill Well?s initials, WW (William Wells).

Eric Leven from A&E told me on the phone, ?I consulted Chip Coffey about your case and he was really excited. I forwarded all your info to him??

Now, she is claiming that Chip knows the info before he comes on the scene.  I do not know if this is true or not.  It may be true.  What I do know is that you cannot use the information in this letter to determine that either way and that is why distributing this is irresponsible.  When someone says "I forwarded all your info", you don't know what that means.  It could mean name and address.  It could be general details about the case.  It could be everything, but you don't know.  None of us know.  Second, you would think that A&E would be smart enough that if they were feeding the info to Chip, they wouldn't let the client know that.  She said they were under no legal contract not to talk about it.  Do you honestly believe that if A&E were faking the show that they wouldn't make them sign a confidentiality agreement?  Really?  Lets skip ahead.

We now witness an outright scripted staged deception by Heather, Eilfie, and Michelle.

I just wanted to stop here to say that she is now admitting that the person she claims as a credible witness to her own abilities is faking something for TV.  What does that say?  She goes on to talk about some things that she felt were shady, but most of this is done by A&E crew and not PRS.  The one valid point she may have is the beer can making an IR signature.  If that is true, it is unfortunate that made it to TV, but all investigators make mistakes on every investigation.  Hate to break that to her.

She then goes on to talk about her relationship with Bill the ghosts.  This is another one of those situations where as an investigator myself, I would take a step back and say, "ok our client may have some issues."  Am I wrong in my belief that if a client has that close of a relationship with a "ghost" and a "spirit guide" that something is off?  Fellow investigators, would that not worry you?  I can tell you that personally, I would not accept that case.  I am wondering if PRS didn't have all that info when they started this either. 

Our house is in a place where the other side and our world have very little separation. That veil, like an ozone is not very defined on our property. We live in a type of portal between us and the other side. Our house sits on top of an underground stream which connects to Hunter Creek. Where Taylor Creek and Hunter Creek meet forms a kind of meridian and that is where our house sits. Put in a channeling medium and you have paranormal Disneyland when you are inside the house. This scared Chip Coffey so much he would not deal with the entity in the hallway after Bill, our ghost, was so angry over what Chip did. He rushed out and lunged at Chip scaring him badly. You can see this on the second Dead Time when Chip has his hand in front of his mouth and is hiding in a leather chair looking at me in the hallway. Michelle Belanger had an argument with Chip during that Dead Time explaining I was the real deal unlike him. Michelle knows this as I spent only a small time with her and discussed with her a secret she says no psychic she has ever been with has ever picked up. I called Chip a fraud. Michelle stood up and told Chip I was the read deal, a real medium, not like him who was faking it. The camera rolled the entire time. Look at Michelle?s face. At one point she simply looks disgusted and quit participating.?

So, speaking as someone who was trained to deal with information and to determine if it is true or not, there are two things that would cause me to throw this whole letter out.  First is the constant self promotion throughout the entire letter.  That alone is enough for a level minded person to discredit this entire thing.  Ask any one in law enforcement what they would think of a testimony that is self serving and they will tell you to throw it out.  Second is her direct competition with Chip.  Both of the people responsible for this letter have an agenda.  I do not see how any responsible member of the paranormal community would continue to spread this information around.  It is tainted.  Using this information to form a judgment about the show or PRS is in bad taste.  I have lost a measure of respect for ghosttheory.com.  I will examine part 2 of this letter at a later date and get into why Kirby Robinson also discredits himself.

Forgive me if portions of this blog are poorly written or my spelling is really bad.  It is 4:30 am and I am a little out of it

Brenton