APnv 12/10 1707 Bride of Christ ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) -- Five men have been acquitte

APnv 12/10 1707 Bride of Christ


   ROSEBURG,  Ore.  (AP)  --  Five  men  have  been  acquitted of
burglary and kidnapping  charges  after  they  argued  they  were
trying to rescue a woman and her two children from a church.

   A  Douglas County Circuit Court jury deliberated an hour and a
half Wednesday before finding the men innocent of breaking into a
house at the Bride of  Christ  Church  in  Azalea  and  abducting
Gloria  Hollin,  40,  her  daughter Sarah, 4, and her son, Johnny
Frech Jr., 21.

   The defendants, all relatives or friends  of  Mrs.    Hollin's
family,  were  Nestor  Calderon, 34, of West Covina, Calif.; Alex
Soto, 27, of Las Vegas, Nev.; Kerry Soto, 25,  of  Baldwin  Park,
Calif.;  Enrique R. Tanguma, 24, and Johnny M. Chapa, 35, both of
Lindsay, Calif.

   They  were  arrested  while  driving  through  Yreka,  Calif.,
shortly after the April 26 incident.

   "It's  a  family  matter,  not  a  criminal  matter,"  defense
attorney Gary Hill said in closing arguments Wednesday.

   Defense attorney Mark  Hendershott  said  the  men  wanted  to
rescue Mrs.  Hollin and her children from a church.

   Hendershott  said  after the Bride of Christ Church moved from
Las Vegas  to  Azalea,  "the  curtain  dropped"  as  far  as  any
communications between   Mrs.      Hollin  and  her  family  were
concerned.

   "The cult leader controls all," Hendershott said, calling  the
jury's   attention  to  the  number  of  church  members  in  the
courtroom, which he called "a line-up to see if witnesses testify
properly."

   Hendershott said the family took action  after  seeing  danger
building as Mrs.  Hollin became more involved in the church.

   Hill  said  the  defendants didn't intend to break the law and
were motivated by concern for Mrs.  Hollin.

   Although guns were found in the van when the  defendants  were
stopped in California, only electronic stun guns were used to get
Mrs.  Hollin and her children away from her husband.

   Hill said  witnesses  had testified that Mrs.  Hollin left the
house of her own free will,  and  that  Frech  struggled  only  a
little.

   Hill said  the  family's concern about Mrs.  Hollin grew after
her daughter Margaret returned to California in 1985 to live with
her father.

   The family saw a dramatic change from the normal child she had
been to one who hid in a closet during a family celebration, Hill
said.

   The drastic change in the child was almost like a message from
Hollin, saying, "See what could happen to me," Hill said.

   District Attorney Jack Banta attacked the  "choice  of  evils"
defense, saying  there  was no imminent threat to Mrs.  Hollin or
her children if they stayed at the church.

   Banta said the family could  have  called  on  authorities  to
investigate if they thought there was any danger.