Background courtesy |
Bay News 9, Tampa Bay Channel 9 News[23 February 2000]
From: Xenubat@primenet.com (Bat Child (Sue M.)) Bay News 9, Tampa Bay Channel 9, 2/23/2000 Description of video is in [brackets] [white lettering on background of various shades of blue--"Tampa--Case Against the Church of Scientology"; newscaster with screen in background with Scieno logo and title, "New development in case"] NEWSCASTER--VOICE OF AND ON CAMERA: A major development now in the state's case against the Church of Scientology's Flag Service Organization. The Pinellas medical examiner is now calling the 1995 death of Lisa McPherson an accident. Originally an autopsy report classified the manner of death as "undetermined". Bay News 9's Chris O'Connell joins us from the update desk with more on this new development. CHRIS O'CONNELL--ON CAMERA: Clearly a major victory for the Church of Scientology's Flag Service Organization. State attorneys say they are re-evaluating its criminal case against the church because of this [holding up piece of paper]. Pinellas medical examiner Joan Wood has issued an amended autopsy report on the death of Lisa McPherson. That report says McPherson's death was accidental. [picture of Lisa McPherson with title "Lisa McPherson"; Scieno building; Fort Harrison Hotel; medical examiner report--close-up on the word "Accident"; more shots of the autopsy report; court documents, State of Florida vs. Church of Scientology; picture of Lisa; Fort Harrison Hotel] CHRIS O'CONNELL--VOICE OF: She was the Clearwater woman who died after spending 17 days at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel in 1995. Now the medical examiner says McPherson died as the result of a blood clot in her lung that traveled from her leg after a minor car accident three weeks before her death. Originally the autopsy showed the blood clot was due to severe bed rest and dehydration. According to court documents, that was a major factor in charging the church with neglect and practicing medicine without a license. The medical examiner re-opened the case after church-hired experts gave her newly found medical records. The medical examiner's policy is to take another look at autopsies if new evidence is presented. [blue background, white sheet of paper, red banner with white lettering saying "Scientology statement", white scrap with black lettering saying "...dramatically affects the State's case."] CHRIS O'CONNELL--VOICE OF: Now the Church of Scientology faxed us a prepared statement. In it, they say the new evidence is extremely significant and a huge development that dramatically affects the State's case. CHRIS O'CONNELL--ON CAMERA: Now the state attorney's office tells us the new evidence is a significant development that they are reviewing. As for the civil case against the church, an attorney for the estate of Lisa McPherson says the new developments will not stop them from going through with their case. In the Pinellas County news room, Chris O'Connell, Bay News 9. [screen in background with Scieno logo and title, "New development in case"] NEWSCASTER: In light of the new information the church went to court today to stop the release of thousands of pages of documents and medical reports to the public. A judge has ruled that discovery evidence will not be released until a later date. Sue, SP4(:), listed on the Scieno Sitter list 5 times! -- http://www.primenet.com/~xenubat "It will take a *long* time to find another enemy with the combination of evil and incompetence you see in Scientology."--Keith Henson |