Witches versus warlocks — but who will triumph in court?
A self-proclaimed “witch priestess” is taking a famous warlock to court over accusations of harassment.
Lori Sforza (pictured top left) — who owns a witchcraft shop in Salam, Massachusetts — has accused Christian Day (pictured top right), the “world’s best-known warlock”, of harassing her over a period of three years and is seeking court protection against him.
Forty-five-year-old Day, a former advertising executive who has referred to himself as the “Howard Stern of witchcraft”, is alleged to have repeatedly called 75-year-old Sforza late at night swearing at her. In addition, Sforza — who also goes by the business name Lori Bruno — claims Day made malicious posts about her on social media.
Attorney Fiore Porreca, who is representing Sforza, says that his client is “being abused, intimidated and harassed.”
The pair have a colourful history together. Sforza, who claims to be a descendent of Italian witches, and Day, the brains behind Salam’s Festival of the Dead, were once in business together in witchcraft-tourism-hotspot Salam.
They hit the headlines back in 2011, when they reportedly cast spells on actor Charlie Sheen after he called himself a “Vatican assassin warlock” during a TV interview.
The terms of the order filed by Sforza have not been released by the court, but it is understood that she has applied for court-ordered protection.
The two will fight it out in court today.
Update — 10:15am, 29 October 2015
Sforza has been triumphant in her harassment claim against warlock Day.
Sforza became emotional at yesterday’s hearing as she described to Salem district court the devastating impact that Day’s actions had on her life. She recalled that she had lost sleep over the harassment, feared for her store, and felt frightened that she would be physically attacked. Talking about her need for protection, she said “I can see into my own future. That’s why I’m here today”.
The self-proclaimed “witch priestess” recalled that she and Day had once had a close, mother-son-like relationship, until he turned on her three years ago. She alleged that he began making crude phone calls to her and posting messages on Facebook wishing her to die.
Records show that this is the third time that Day has been taken to court over harassment allegations. In 2002, Day pleaded guilty to the criminal harassment of a third party, with whom he is now good friends, and was sentenced to probation. In 2011, a civil harassment order was issued against Day after another man accused Day of threatening him.
Day’s lawyer, Paul Moraski, described the dispute between his client and Sforza as a simple falling out, but Judge Robert Brennan was dismayed by the number of early morning phone calls made to Sforza. He issued a civil court order preventing Day from harassing her.
When judgment was given, Day — who did not give evidence at the hearing — is reported to have stormed out of the courtroom, after saying “on everything that is holy I did not make those calls”.
Brennan described the date of the hearing, three days before Halloween, as a scheduling coincidence.