Fists fly when astronaut meets a disbeliever
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/09/12/1031608274819.html)
Authors: Attrib. LA Times
Dated: 2002-09-12
The Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin was apparently lured to an interview with a man who claims the moon landings never took place.
Mr Aldrin was then "poked" repeatedly with a Bible before he hit the man in the face, police said.
The man, Bart Sibrel, 37, of Nashville, Tennessee, said he planned to file an assault complaint against the 72-year-old astronaut and sue him for civil damages, but police Lieutenant Gary Gilmond said just who committed assault on Monday night would be investigated.
Officer Gilmond said police would interview both parties and present a report to the district attorney's office.
Mr Aldrin's lawyer, Robert O'Brien, said the astronaut, who lives in Los Angeles, "was forced to protect himself and his step-daughter when he was aggressively confronted".
Mr O'Brien said Mr Sibrel, whom he described as a "6-foot-2, 250-pounder", intercepted Mr Aldrin, whom he said weighs about "160 pounds and is 5-10", and physically blocked him from leaving the scene.
Mr Sibrel had a different story. "I never poked him, never physically touched the guy," the video maker said.
Both sides said there was a video that would support their version of what occurred.
Mr Sibrel said he was trying to get the astronaut to swear on the Bible that Mr Aldrin had actually gone to the moon.
He said he had tried on other occasions to get a total of six astronauts to swear similarly, and none had agreed to do so.
The video maker said a Japanese company was shooting a film on the authenticity of the moon landings and he was "a surprise guest" on this show.
He said Mr Aldrin was not told in advance that Mr Sibrel would be there.
Mr Sibrel has already made and is selling a 37-minute video entitled A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon, which says the moon landings were a hoax.
Police said Mr Aldrin went to the hotel in the belief that he was going to give an interview to a Japanese educational television station
"Mr Aldrin then left the interview when he found out what it was all about, but was followed by Mr Sibrel," Officer Gilmond said.
"(Sibrel) poked Mr Aldrin repeatedly with the Bible, telling him to repent, and pushing the Bible in his face."
Although the astronaut did hit Mr Sibrel, the video maker apparently wasn't injured, Officer Gilmond said.
Mr Aldrin left before police arrived, Officer Gilmond said.
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, a spokeswoman, Eileen Hawley, said: "We have a lot of respect for Buzz Aldrin, but he no longer works for us. The only thing I can tell you is we did land on the moon, and this incident (in Beverly Hills) has nothing to do with NASA at all."
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