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Ariz. Prosecutors Press Author To Prove He's Broke

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — Prosecutors who secured negligent homicide convictions against a self-help author want him to prove he's broke.

James Arthur Ray has asked a judge to declare him indigent.

He says he cannot afford the cost of certified copies of the court record and the transcripts he needs to appeal his conviction on three counts of negligent homicide and his 2-year prison sentence.

Ray's attorneys say he's $11 million in debt. They're representing him pro bono on appeal.

Prosecutors want to know if Ray is receiving anything from self-help books and DVDs, online coaching services, and retirement and pension accounts. They're also seeking the status of items he once listed as assets.

A Wednesday hearing on Ray's request has been postponed.

Three people died following Ray's 2009 sweat lodge ceremony near Sedona.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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