Sweat Lodge Deaths Ruled Accidental

The deaths of 3 people in a sweat lodge ceremony have been ruled accidental by an Arizona coroner as the new age guru who arranged the ritual faces manslaughter charges. Two of the participants died of heat stroke the day of the ritual, while the third died of multiple system failure linked to prolonged heat exposure a week later.

Some 65 people participated in the ceremony that involved sitting in a dome heated with hot rocks and steam for up to 2 hours. Some 20 people reported feeling ill. James Arthur Ray has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges, arguing that he took health precautions, including hiring medical professionals to monitor participants.
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