Sweat Lodge Trial Update: No way James Ray could have foreseen deaths, lawyer says

(CBS/AP) CAMP VERDE, Ariz. - An attorney for James Arthur Ray, the motivational speaker charged with manslaughter in Arizona, told jurors Wednesday there's no way his client could have predicted the deaths of three people following a sweat lodge ceremony he led near Sedona, in Oct. 2009.

Luis Li says the deaths of Kirby Brown, James Shore and Liz Neuman were tragic accidents, but that James Arthur Ray is not guilty of manslaughter.

Li said Neuman declined help near the end of the sweltering two-hour sweat lodge ceremony, Shore was helping other participants, and that Brown's words of encouragement were so loud that she was asked to quiet down.

The prosecution has said Ray conditioned participants to trust him so much that they disregarded signs of danger at the final event of the retreat.

The first of dozens of expected witnesses took the stand Wednesday after Li's opening statement.

Click here for complete coverage of the Sweat Lodge case on Crimesider.