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Nitrogen analogues of the Nazarov cyclization reaction ( known as imino @-@ Nazarov cyclization reactions ) have few instances ; there is one example of a generalized imino @-@ Nazarov cyclization reported ( shown below ) , and several iso @-@ imino @-@ Nazarov reactions in the literature . Even these tend to suffer from poor stereoselectivity , poor yields , or narrow scope . The difficulty stems from the relative over @-@ stabilization of the pentadienyl cation by electron donation , impeding cyclization .
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= Horrible Bosses =
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Horrible Bosses is a 2011 American black comedy film directed by Seth Gordon , written by Michael Markowitz , John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein , based on a story by Markowitz . It stars Jason Bateman , Charlie Day , Jason Sudeikis , Jennifer Aniston , Colin Farrell , Kevin Spacey , and Jamie Foxx . The plot follows three friends , played by Bateman , Day , and Sudeikis , who decide to murder their respective overbearing , abusive bosses , portrayed by Spacey , Aniston and Farrell .
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Markowitz 's script was bought by New Line Cinema in 2005 and the film spent six years in various states of pre @-@ production , with a variety of actors attached to different roles . By 2010 , Goldstein and Daley had rewritten the script , and the film finally went into production .
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The film premiered in Los Angeles on June 30 , 2011 , and received a wide release on July 8 , 2011 . The film exceeded financial expectations , accruing over $ 28 million in the first three days , making it the number two film in the United States during its opening weekend , and going on to become the highest @-@ grossing black comedy film of all time in unadjusted dollars , breaking the record previously set by The War of the Roses in 1990 . The film grossed over $ 209 million worldwide during its theatrical run .
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= = Plot = =
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Nick Hendricks ( Bateman ) and Dale Arbus ( Day ) are friends who despise their bosses . Nick works at a financial firm for the sadistic David Harken ( Spacey ) , who implies the possibility of a promotion for Nick for months , only to award it to himself . Dale is a dental assistant being sexually harassed by his boss , Dr. Julia Harris ( Aniston ) ; she threatens to tell his fiancee Stacy ( Lindsay Sloane ) that he had sex with her unless he actually has sex with her . Nick and Dale 's accountant friend Kurt Buckman ( Sudeikis ) enjoys working for Jack Pellitt ( Donald Sutherland ) at a chemical company , but after Jack unexpectedly dies of a heart attack , the company is taken over by Jack 's cocaine @-@ addicted son Bobby ( Farrell ) , whose apathy and incompetence threaten the future of the company .
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At night , over drinks , Kurt jokingly suggests that their lives would be happier if their bosses were no longer around . Initially hesitant , they eventually agree to kill their employers . In search of a hitman , the trio meet Dean " Motherfuckah " Jones ( Foxx ) , an ex @-@ con who agrees to be their " murder consultant " . Jones suggests that Dale , Kurt and Nick kill each other 's bosses to hide their motive while making the deaths look like accidents .
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The three reconnoiter Bobby 's house , and Kurt steals Bobby 's phone . They next go to Harken 's house , where Kurt and Nick go inside while Dale waits in the car . Harken returns home and confronts Dale for littering , but then has an allergy attack from the peanut butter on the litter . Dale saves Harken by stabbing him with an EpiPen . Nick and Kurt think Dale is stabbing Harken to death and flee , with Kurt accidentally dropping Bobby 's phone in Harken 's bedroom . The next night , Kurt watches Julia 's home , but she seduces and has sex with him . Nick and Dale reluctantly wait outside Bobby 's and Harken 's houses , respectively , to commit the murders , despite neither of them wanting to . Harken discovers Bobby 's cellphone in his bedroom and uses it to find his address , suspecting his wife Rhonda ( Julie Bowen ) is having an affair . He drives over and kills Bobby , with Nick as a secret witness .
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Nick flees at high speed , setting off a traffic camera . The trio meet to discuss their reservations about continuing with their plan . They are arrested by the police , who believe the camera footage makes them suspects in Bobby 's murder . Lacking evidence , the police are forced to let the trio go free . The trio consult with Jones again , but learn that he never actually killed anyone , having been imprisoned for bootlegging the film Snow Falling on Cedars . Jones suggests that they get Harken to confess and secretly tape it . The three accidentally crash Harken 's surprise birthday party , where Nick and Dale get Harken to confess to the murder before realizing that Kurt , who has the audio recorder , is elsewhere having sex with Rhonda . Harken threatens to kill all three for attempting to blackmail him . They flee by car , but Harken gives chase and repeatedly rams their vehicle . Believing they have committed a crime , the car 's navigation @-@ system operator remotely disables Kurt 's car , allowing Harken to catch and hold them at gunpoint . Harken shoots himself in the leg as he boasts about his plan to frame them for murdering Bobby and attempting to kill him to get rid of the witness .
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= = Cast = =
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Jason Bateman as Nick Hendricks
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An executive at a financial firm who is manipulated into jumping through hoops in order to get a promotion that his boss never intended to give him . Markowitz wrote the role specifically for Bateman .
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Charlie Day as Dale Arbus
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A dental assistant who is sexually harassed by his boss . Described as a " hopeless romantic " in love with his fiancée . Ashton Kutcher was in talks for the role at two different points in the lengthy production . Day was considered for the role following his co @-@ starring performance with Sudeikis in the 2010 film Going the Distance — Reuters reported that industry insiders believed his performance overshadowed the main stars .
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Jason Sudeikis as Kurt Buckman
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An account manager at a chemical company dealing with a new , drug @-@ addicted boss after his beloved former boss dies . Sudeikis was cast in May 2010 .
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Jennifer Aniston as Dr. Julia Harris , D.D.S.
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Markowitz based the character on a former boss , claiming she was " very sexually aggressive with everybody " . When writing the script , Markowitz intended for the role to go to Aniston . He stated , " but [ the aforementioned boss ] looked more like Cruella de Vil . It was like flirting with a cobweb . So I decided for the sake of the movie , let ’ s go with Jennifer Aniston . ” The actress insisted on wearing a brown wig for the role , wanting to look different from other characters she had played .
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Colin Farrell as Bobby Pellitt
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Described as a " weaselly scion " and a " corrupt and incompetent jerk who 's in charge of things but clearly has no idea what he 's doing . " Farrell explained the motivation he gave to the character , stating " This guy thinks he 's God 's gift to women , God 's gift to intellect , to humor , to the club scene , to everything . It 's all part of his grandiose sense of self @-@ esteem , which is probably masking a deeper sense of being a disappointment to his father and being riddled with envy over the relationship his father had with Kurt , and all kinds of other things . With Pellit , Seth gave me complete license to act as pathologically screwed up as possible . " Farrell contributed significantly to the appearance of his character , suggesting the comb over hairstyle , pot @-@ belly and an affinity for Chinese dragons .
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Kevin Spacey as David Harken
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President of Comnidyne Industries . Tom Cruise , Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jeff Bridges had been approached by New Line Cinema to take the role , described as a psychopathic master manipulator with an attractive wife . Spacey signed up for the role in June 2010 . The part was considered " integral " to the film . Gordon commented that the character was an amalgamation of several real bosses ( rather than one single person ) to avoid being sued .
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Jamie Foxx as Dean " Motherfuckah " Jones
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During the six @-@ year development of the film , several actors were in negotiations to star , including Owen Wilson , Vince Vaughn , Matthew McConaughey , Ryan Reynolds , Dax Shepard , and Johnny Knoxville .
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Donald Sutherland portrays Jack Pellitt , Bobby 's father and Kurt 's boss . On July 27 , 2010 , Isaiah Mustafa was confirmed as joining the cast . Mustafa was quoted as saying " It 's a smaller role " . He appears as Officer Wilkens . Julie Bowen appears in the film as Rhonda , Harken 's wife . Bowen stated that her character " may or may not be a hussy " , the character described as intentionally making her husband jealous . Ioan Gruffudd has a cameo as a male prostitute erroneously hired as a hitman . Lindsay Sloane appears as Dale 's fiancee Stacy . P. J. Byrne plays Kenny Sommerfeld , a former investment manager , now scrounging for drinks , while Wendell Pierce and Ron White play a pair of cops . Bob Newhart makes a cameo as sadistic Comnidyne CEO Louis Sherman . John Francis Daley , a screenwriter on the film , cameos as Nick 's co @-@ worker Carter .
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= = Production = =
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= = = Development = = =
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Markowitz 's script for Horrible Bosses was sold at auction to New Line Cinema by Ratner 's production company Rat Entertainment in 2005 for a six @-@ figure amount . Ratner initially was interested in directing , but became occupied with directing the comedy Tower Heist . Frank Oz and David Dobkin were in talks to direct . Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley rewrote the script in 2010 , and the project went into production with Seth Gordon directing .
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= = = Design = = =
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Production designer Shepherd Frankel specifically set out to create distinctly different environments for the three employees and their respective bosses ' homes and offices . Nick and Harken 's workplace is the " Comnidyne " bullpen , which was designed to " enhance the discomfort and anxiety of lower @-@ level employees clustered in the center of the room where every movement is monitored by the boss from his corner office . " The design team met with financial strategists and management companies to learn about the architecture of their office layouts to visually represent the experience of starting from a low @-@ ranking position in a cubicle and aspiring to an office . Costume designer Carol Ramsey worked with Frankel and set decorator Jan Pascale to match Harken 's suit to that of the surrounding " cold grey and blue " color palette of his office . Harken 's home was described as " equally lacking in warmth " as the office but more lavishly decorated and " for show " , including an intentionally oversized portrait of him with his " trophy wife " .
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Designing Julia 's office was described as a " challenge " , infusing a " sensual vibe " into a dental office . Frankel approached the design through Julia 's mentality , stating , " She 's a Type A professional at the top of her game , who likes to play cat @-@ and @-@ mouse , so it 's a completely controlled environment , with apertures and views into other rooms so she always knows what 's going on " . " It 's highly designed , with rich wallpaper and tones , sumptuous artwork and subtle lighting — all very disarming till you step into her private office . The blinds close , the door locks and you think , ' It 's the Temple of Doom . ' " Similarly approaching the character 's home , the design allowed for wide windows which face onto a public street " which afford her the opportunity to put on the kind of show she couldn 't get away with at work . "
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Bobby 's environments were designed with more contrast , the character being new to the work area . Frankel described the contrast as " the company reflects [ Jack Pellitt 's ] human touch , whereas [ Bobby Pellitt 's ] home is a shameless shrine to himself and his hedonistic appetites . " Frankel continued , " It features a mishmash of anything he finds exotic and erotic , mostly Egyptian and Asian motifs with an ' 80s Studio 54 vibe , a makeshift dojo , lots of mirrors and a massage table . " Some parts of the house design were provided by Farrell and Gordon 's interpretation of the character and his " infatuation " with martial arts and " his delusions of prowess " .
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= = = Filming = = =
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Filming of Horrible Bosses took place in and around Los Angeles . The production team attempted to find locations " that people haven 't already seen a hundred times in movies and on TV " , aiming for the film to appear as if it could be taking place anywhere in America " where people are trying to pursue the American dream but getting stopped by a horrible boss . " " Comnidyine " was represented by an office building in Torrance , California , with the crew building the set on a vacant floor . For " Pellitt Chemical " , the production team found a " perfect landscape of pipes and containers " in Santa Fe Springs , surrounding an unoccupied water cleaning and storage facility . To take advantage of the surrounding imagery , the warehouse required an extensive series of overhauls , including cutting windows into concrete walls and creating new doorways to allow for visuals of the warehouse exterior and provide a setting for the final scene of Sutherland 's character . A T.G.I. Friday 's in Woodland Hills , Los Angeles , was used as a bar frequented by Nick , Dale , and Kurt , while the bar scene where they meet with Jones was staged in downtown Los Angeles .
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The film was shot digitally using the Panavision Genesis camera . Gordon encouraged the actors to improvise , though Aniston claimed to not have taken advantage of the offer as much as her co @-@ stars , stating , " My dialogue was just so beautifully choreographed that there wasn ’ t much that I needed to do ” .
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= = = Music = = =
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The soundtrack was composed by award @-@ winning composer Christopher Lennertz , with music contributed by Mike McCready of Pearl Jam , Stefan Lessard of Dave Matthews Band and Money Mark — a collaborator with the Beastie Boys . McCready , Lessard , and Mark worked with musicians Matt Chamberlain , David Levita , Aaron Kaplan , Victor Indrizzo , Chris Chaney , Davey Chegwidden and DJ Cheapshot to develop the music . Major contributions were provided by Mark on keyboard , McCready and Levita on guitar , Chaney and Lessard on bass , Indrizzo on drums and DJ Cheapshot on turntables .
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Horrible Bosses : The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released in physical and digital formats on July 5 , 2011 , by WaterTower Music . The soundtrack consists of 33 tracks with a runtime of 63 minutes .
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= = Release = =
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North America
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Other territories
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Horrible Bosses was released on July 7 , 2011 , in the United Arab Emirates ( $ 258 @,@ 108 ) , and on July 8 in Estonia ( $ 24 @,@ 471 ) , Latvia ( $ 15 @,@ 750 ) , Lebanon ( $ 36 @,@ 316 ) and Lithuania ( $ 13 @,@ 676 ) , grossing $ 348 @,@ 321 for the opening weekend and accruing a total of $ 855 @,@ 009 in the first 17 days . On the weekend of July 21 – 24 , the film opened in the United Kingdom ( $ 3 @,@ 386 @,@ 876 ) , Greece ( $ 367 @,@ 845 ) , Israel ( $ 200 @,@ 372 ) , South Africa ( $ 193 @,@ 632 ) , Norway ( $ 109 @,@ 252 ) and East Africa ( $ 7 @,@ 324 ) .
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= = = Accolades = = =
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The film received several award nominations , including a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor for Colin Farrell , and three nominations from the 2012 Comedy Awards , including Comedy Actor for Bateman , Comedy Actress for Aniston , and best Comedy Film . Farrell and Aniston were both nominated for Best On @-@ Screen Dirt Bag at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards , with Aniston claiming the award . Farrell also received a nomination for Best On @-@ Screen Transformation .
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On July 26 , 2011 , FX obtained the rights to the network premiere of the film .
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= = Sequel = =
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= 1985 Rajneeshee assassination plot =
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The conspirators included : Ma Anand Sheela , Sally @-@ Anne Croft , Chief Financial Officer of Rajneeshpuram ; Susan Hagan , head of security at Rajneeshpuram , Catherine Jane Stork , who bought weapons and silencers and volunteered to be the actual murderer ; Ann Phyllis McCarthy , fourth @-@ in @-@ command of Rajneeshpuram ; and co @-@ conspirators Alma Potter , Carol Matthews , Phyllis Caldwell and Richard Kevin Langford . The conspirators obtained false identification to purchase handguns out @-@ of @-@ state , stalked Turner , and planned to murder him near his workplace in Portland , Oregon . The assassination plot was never carried out and was only discovered later , as a result of the investigation by federal law enforcement into the bioterror attack in The Dalles and other illegal acts by the Rajneeshpuram leadership .
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Prosecution of the conspirators began in 1990 , when a federal grand jury brought indictments against several of the key players . Some had fled the country , and extradition proceedings against the perpetrators and subsequent prosecution and conviction was not completed for sixteen years . The final conspirator was convicted in 2006 , when Catherine Jane Stork agreed to return to the United States from Germany in order to be allowed to visit her ill son in Australia . Eight perpetrators received sentences ranging from five years probation to five years in federal prison and an additional member of the Rajneesh commune pleaded guilty to murder conspiracy . Rajneesh was never prosecuted in relation to the conspiracy , and left the United States after pleading guilty to immigration fraud and agreeing not to reenter the country without permission from the U.S. Attorney General .
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= = Planning = =
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= = = Hit list = = =
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Seven followers ( called Rajneeshees ) of charismatic leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh ( now known as Osho ) , were convicted of a 1985 conspiracy to assassinate Charles Turner , and an additional unindicted eighth member of the Rajneesh commune pleaded guilty to murder conspiracy . The perpetrators were high @-@ ranking followers within the Rajneeshee organization . Prosecutors in the case stated that the perpetrators had planned to murder Turner after he was appointed to head an investigation into the group 's activities in Rajneeshpuram , Oregon . Turner 's investigation focused on sham marriages organized by the group , as well as other illegal activities including immigration fraud , and he later headed the federal prosecution relating to the 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack in The Dalles , Oregon . Oregon Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer was also involved in investigations of the group , working alongside Turner .
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Susan Hagan ( Ma Anand Su ) , a top official in the Rajneeshpuram hierarchy , was also a participant in the assassination conspiracy . Hagan was in charge of the security force at Rajneeshpuram , ran the Rajneesh Investment Corporation , and supervised construction on the commune . Other conspirators in the assassination plot included Ann Phyllis McCarthy ( Ma Yoga Vidya ) , president of the Rajneesh commune , and Alma Potter ( Ma Dhyan Yogini ) , Ma Anand Sheela 's bodyguard and traveling companion . Potter was manager of the Hotel Rajneesh in Portland , Oregon , and a member of the commune 's security force . The Oregonian reported that nine people were on the hit list , including : Turner , Frohnmayer , former assistant attorney general Karen H. Green , Wasco County planning director Daniel C. Durow , Wasco County commissioner James L. Comini , investigative journalist for The Oregonian Leslie L. Zaitz , former member Helen C. Byron ( Ma Idam Shunyo ) , who had been awarded US $ 1 @.@ 7 million in a lawsuit against Rajneesh Foundation International , her daughter Barbara J. Byron ( Makima ) , and Rajneesh 's former secretary Laxmi Thakarsi Kuruwa ( Ma Yoga Laxmi ) .
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= = = Weapons = = =
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Catherine Jane Stork volunteered to be the follower who would actually murder Turner , and bought guns and silencers . Stork was known to fellow followers as Ma Shanti Bhadra , and was also one of the three " Big Mammas " in Rajneeshpuram . Sally @-@ Anne Croft ( known by followers as Ma Prem Savita ) , an accountant and the group 's Chief Financial Officer , provided money for the purchase of weapons related to the plot . Phyllis Caldwell ( Ma Deva Ritka ) described in a federal affidavit how members of the murder conspiracy obtained handguns , referring to Catherine Jane Stork and Sally @-@ Anne Croft : " Shanti B went down to Jesus Grove , and Savita gave us several thousand dollars to use to buy guns . " Jesus Grove referred to a group of trailers where all the leaders of the Rajneesh commune resided , except for Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh .
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Ma Anand Sheela and three other Rajneesh followers traveled to New York in the spring of 1985 to acquire false identification . According to a federal indictment , the perpetrators of the assassination plot used a false birth certificate to purchase guns . Two members of the group then traveled to Texas to purchase handguns . Caldwell stated she and Catherine Jane Stork flew to Texas to purchase guns there . They purchased five guns in Texas , but encountered difficulty purchasing handguns in Texas with out @-@ of @-@ state identification and traveled to New Mexico instead . Caldwell said they called back to the commune but the women were instructed " not to come back without the guns " .
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In New Mexico , they obtained false identification , and purchased several pistols . Their intention was to purchase guns which were difficult to trace . Caldwell said it was easy to obtain guns in New Mexico : " we found it was pretty easy to buy guns . All you had to do was show some identification and it was easy to get . " Caldwell said she and Stork went to a university library to find the identity " of someone dying very young " , next went " to public records and asked for a copy of a birth certificate " and described how " we got a rent receipt book and just made up a rent receipt " . " And then we were able to go to several different gun shops in Albuquerque with those two bits of identification and buy five different guns and bullets , " said Caldwell . They were able to obtain one Colt .38 @-@ caliber revolver , and four Ruger .357 @-@ caliber Security @-@ Six Magnum revolvers . The conspirators smuggled the guns into Oregon by packing them in luggage and putting the luggage on a Greyhound Lines bus . Caldwell said that she and Stork traveled by bus back to the Rajneesh commune so as to avoid airport metal detectors .
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= = = Surveillance = = =
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Members of the group of conspirators watched Turner 's office , home and car , and discussed methods to assassinate him , hoping that his death would hinder the efforts of the federal investigation into Rajneeshpuram . Their plan was to shoot Turner in the garage of the federal office building where he worked , in Portland , Oregon , but the conspirators also debated whether to murder Turner in downtown Portland or closer to his home . After spending multiple nights watching Turner 's house , the conspirators decided on the parking garage because they felt it would be too risky to murder him on the drive to or from work , or in front of his home . Turner had a reserved parking spot in a federal garage underneath Terry Schrunk Plaza in Portland , Oregon . In an affidavit given to the FBI , conspirator Alma Peralta described how the perpetrators decided on the federal parking garage as the location : " Shanti Bhadra [ Catherine Jane Stork ] said this seems like a good place to bump this fellow off . "
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