Description of video is in italics. November 20, 1998
"Scientology - Church Charged"
Note: The name "Fort Hamilton Hotel" is actually
the "Fort Harrison Hotel"
in Clearwater, Florida
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footage of Kellie Davis (Lisa McPherson's friend)
Kellie Davis: I couldn't believe it. She told me that Lisa died
from uh, spinal meningitis, and I knew right then that, that wasn't
the case.
News Anchor Chip Moody: Three years after the mysterious death of
a former Dallas resident, a controversial church is slapped with criminal
charges.
Caption - Scientology - Church Charged
News Anchor Gloria Campos: Good evening everyone, and thank you
for joining us .The Church of Scientology is facing felony charges for
its alleged role in the death of Lisa Mc Pherson. As Channel 8's
Byron Harris reports, the case is the first criminal action against
a religious organization that has long been the target of investigators.
Kellie Davis: My first instinct is that she was murdered, That was
my very first instinct.
Pictures of Lisa McPherson
Footage of the Morton Plant Hospital
Footage of Dell Liebreich holding a picture of Lisa McPherson
Byron Harris (Voiceover): Lisa McPherson according to those who
knew her was an attractive, friendly woman who grew up in Dallas in
the 60's and 70's. When she died at age 36 in route to this hospital
in Florida, she was severely dehydrated, bruised and mentally disturbed.
Her mother died a few months later. Her aunt in a civil
lawsuit blamed the church of Scientology for Lisa's demise.
Dell Liebreich (Lisa McPherson's Aunt): You know, we felt like,
they killed Lisa. Her mother said that. You know that they starved her
to death and, tortured her. And uh, we just wanted to find out
and have them punished. And you know, and so that other people can find
out about Scientology. What they are capable of doing and what they
do, to people.
Footage of Dell Liebreich and News Anchor Byron Harris looking
at pictures of Lisa McPherson
Footage of the Fort Harrison Hotel
Picture of Lisa McPherson
Footage of news Reporter Byron Harris and Kellie Davis Footage of the Fort Harrison Hotel Picture of Lisa McPherson Footage of Kellie Davis and news reporter Byron Harris Byron Harris (Voiceover): The Church of Scientology is fighting
the civil lawsuit vigorously and says the criminal actions it now faces
in Lisa McPherson's death stem come from a fifteen year campaign to
undermine Scientology by officials in Florida. The church has been under
scrutiny by the government ever since it began as a science and
declared itself a religion. The church controls this Hotel, the Fort
Hamilton in downtown Clearwater, Florida. Lisa McPherson her family says,
was kept her for 17 days before she died against her will. One of the
last outsiders to talk to her was high school pal Kellie Davis. Lisa
called her on the phone from the Fort Hamilton about three weeks before
she died.
Kellie Davis: She said that she was getting out and coming home, and
I asked her, I told her, I said "you mean your getting out of Scientology?"
and she said "let's not talk about it over the phone," she said," I'll
tell you all about it when I get home." But she said "but I'm getting
out and coming home to stay." And she said that I'll definitely be there
before Christmas.
Picture of Lisa McPherson
Byron Harris: The next time that Kellie Davis saw Lisa McPherson
was at her funeral in Dallas. The church is now charged with two felonies
in the case of Lisa McPherson. Abuse and neglect of an adult and
practicing medicine without a license cense. The outcome of
the case may have a bearing on the way the church practices religion
in the future. Byron Harris , Channel 8 News
News Anchor Gloria Campos: And the charges stemming from McPherson's
death were filed last week in Florida.
Transcript courtesy Feisty |