Founder of Synanon Held in Snake Attack On California Lawyer

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2 (UPI) —Charles Dederich, founder of Synanon; the drug rehabilitation colony, was arrested in Arizona today on a California warrant charging suspicion of conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder in the rattlesnake attack on a Los Angeles lawyer.

Al Albergate, a spokesman for the Los Angeles district attorney's office, said Mr. Dedetich was “stone drunk” when arrested at his home in Lake ‘Havasu City, Ariz., and was taken by ambulance. to a hospital in Kingman, Ariz.

Mr. Dederich was charged with one count of Conspiracy to commit murder and assault and one count of solicitation to commit murder, Mr. Albergate said.

He was expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Arizona and to face an extradition hearing for return to California. The authorities said they would seek $500,000 bail.

Mr. Albergate said Mr. Dederich, 66 years old, was wanted in connection with the attack on Paul Morantz, who was bitten on the hand on Oct. 10 by a rattlesnake, its warning rattle removed. The snake had been placed in his mailbox.

Mr. Morantz recently won a $300,000 judgment against Synanon. Two Synanon menjbers, have been arrested In connection with the attack on Mr. Morantz.

Mr. Albergate said Mr. Dederich's arrest was based on a tape recording that was seized at Synanon's headquarters. In the tape, Mr. Albergate said, Mr. Dederich made threats against Mr. Morantz, but he would not eloborate.