Letter from Walter Brown, August 25, 1997

Mr. James J. Lippard
c/o GlobalCenter
1224 E. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Dear Mr. Lippard,

Over the last several years, you have made false and damaging statements about me concerning "Lucy," frequently to large audiences in publications, on the internet, and elsewhere. Others, after reading your false statements, have repeated them in other large forums. An example was in your latest email of August 22, 1997 (your words are preceded by a ">").

>the false claim which Brown and others have made that Lucy's
>knee joint was found 2 km from the rest of the skeleton.

This is not true. My statement in Creation/Evolution [Fall 1989, p. 44] was:

"Donald Johanson, Lucy's discoverer, apparently made quite an admission at the University of Missouri in Kansas City on November 20, 1986. When asked during the question-and-answer session, 'How far away from Lucy did you find the knee?' Johanson's reported answer was, 'Sixty to seventy meters lower in the strata and two to three kilometers away' (Willis, 1987)! Johanson needs to clarify or deny this in writing. None of his published writings do."

Read it carefully, Mr. Lippard. I said that Johanson had not responded to Willis' "reported" description of Johanson's "apparent" statement. He should do so--either "to clarify or deny" it.

None of my other writings ever brought up the subject.

>If he [Brown] uses my financial inability to come up with up-front
>costs to go to arbitration as an argument against my claims, then
>it will only serve as further evidence of his character.  There is
>up-front cost for both parties in the proposal you have made.  I've
>told you of my financial situation, and there is not presently
>anything I can do about it unless someone offers to assist.

I will be happy to lend you the up-front costs for the arbitration. If the arbitrator concludes that you have done nothing wrong, then all arbitration costs will fall on me.

>I don't wish to speak to him [Brown] on the telephone in person,
>I prefer a more permanent record of his communications.

Our arbitration will be taped. You will have a detailed and permanent record.

Do you wish to nominate three arbitrators to me, or would you like for me to submit the names of three suitable arbitrators to you?

I look forward to hearing from you. By the way, since you are unwilling to speak to me personally, you have my permission to tape our phone calls--or if you wish, I will tape them and mail you a copy.

Sincerely,

Walt Brown

Lippard's Response