"Extra" segment about Lisa McPherson

[Transcript of 16.11.1998]

(Description of video is in [brackets].  VO=VOICEOVER]

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MAUREEN O’BOYLE:  Hi, everyone, I’m Maureen O’Boyle, and this is
"Extra".

[opening theme music]

[picture of Lisa McPherson with caption "Mysterious Death" on right
side of screen]

O’BOYLE:  Lisa McPherson spent half of her life in the Church of
Scientology.  And now Florida police say the church may have
contributed to her death.  It’s been three years since the 36-year-old
woman died while in their care, a death the family describes as
horrible and slow.  Now, after denying any responsibility, the Church
of Scientology will have to explain Lisa’s death in court.  Bill
Shuman with the story.

[footage of Lisa dancing; lettering "CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY" over
church doorway]

VO:  The home video is grainy, but Lisa McPherson’s zest for life
comes through, her love of country dancing eclipsed only by her love
for her church, the controversial Church of  Scientology.

KEN DANDAR (caption--"Ken Dandar, attorney):  They killed Lisa
McPherson.  She’s dead.  Her entire death was preventable.  They chose
to let her die.

[picture of Lisa; close-up of someone holding legal folder; door of
State Attorney’s office; aerial shot of Big Blue Scn building in Los
Angeles; picture of Lisa]

VO:  Incredible claims by McPherson family attorney Ken Dandar.  And
now the Clearwater, FL Police say there’s evidence to support those
claims.  In this 18-page document, the State’s Attorney filed two
criminal charges Friday against the Church of Scientology in the
17-day ordeal that ended in the death of Lisa McPherson.

WAYNE SHELOR (caption--"Wayne Shelor, Clearwater Police Dept.):  We
got involved in what, in retrospect, has become the most expansive and
one of the most expensive investigations in this department’s history.

[footage of Wayne Shelor in his office; picture of Lisa; re-enactment
of accident scene showing woman from the knees down walking down the
street with clothing scattered on the ground; entrance to Morton Plant
Hospital; Fort Harrison Hotel]

VO:  As Clearwater Police spokesperson Wayne Shelor explains, this
bizarre story began November 18, 1995.  Lisa was involved in a minor
traffic accident.  She suddenly stripped off her clothes and ran naked
down the street.  Psychiatric care was recommended; but after church
members arrived at the hospital, Lisa had been taken to them.  She
discharged herself and was taken to Scientology’s Fort Harrison Hotel.

[picture of Lisa; court documents with the phrase "...hyperactive,
delusional and hallucinating.  She further tried to harm herself and
others..." enlarged; another picture of Lisa]

VO:  Prosecutors say she was held against her will and placed under
the care of a doctor not licensed in Florida.  According to a Florida
law enforcement investigator, Lisa was, quote, hyperactive, delusional
and hallucinating.  She further tried to harm herself and others.
Lisa died after 17 days.  She’d lost 40 pounds.  She was covered with
bedsores.

[outside of Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office; outside Scn
church; court documents with phrase "ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT OF A
DISABLED ADULT," and "UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF MEDICINE," enlarged]

VO:  The coroner said the cause of death:  A blood clot brought on by
severe dehydration.  So now prosecutors have charged the church with
abuse and/or neglect of a disabled adult and unauthorized practice of
medicine.

DELL LIEBREICH (caption--"Dell Liebreich, Lisa’s aunt):  They, um,
isolated her and did not get her medical help when it was needed, they
starved her, tortured her to death.

[Dell Liebreich outside her home; picture of Lisa]

VO:  That’s Dell Liebreich, Lisa’s aunt, her closest living relative.
In an interview with "Extra" last year, Liebreich said the real reason
Lisa was treated the way she was, was because she wanted out of the
church.

[outside Scn org; title "Church statement" Scientology’s logo (the
word "Scientology" with the "I" in the shape of their trademarked
cross; the phrases "There are no allegations that anyone intentionally
harmed Lisa McPherson. " and "...make sure a similar situation would
never happen again." enlarged]

VO:  In response to Friday’s criminal charges in Lisa’s death, a
Scientology spokesperson released this statement, quote:  There are no
allegations that anyone intentionally harmed Lisa McPherson, and the
church will make sure a similar situation would never happen again.

[Laura Vaughn walking down hallway; outside Scn church]

VO:  And in another interview done with "Extra" last year, church
attorney Laura Vaughn blamed an anti-Scientology mentality for this
Clearwater Police investigation.

LAURA VAUGHN (caption--"Laura Vaughn, church attorney":  The reason
that we’re having this discussion, the reason that all of this is
happening, is because it’s the Church of Scientology.

[Gabriel Cazares walking down street; Cazares at desk looking at
clippings from newspapers, holding one clipping from the Tampa Tribune
with the headline, "Doctor details Scientologist’s death"]

VO:  And much of that anti-Scientology feeling comes from community
leaders like Gabriel Cazares.  He’s a former mayor of Clearwater and a
long-time critic of the church.

GABRIEL CAZARES (caption--Gabriel Cazares, former Clearwater mayor):
I think this ought to be pursued to the fullest extent, and I think it
will lead to other crimes of Scientology.

[picture of Lisa]

MAUREEN O’BOYLE:  Meanwhile, Lisa McPherson’s aunt Dell Liebreich is
continuing to pursue an $80 million wrongful death lawsuit against the
church.


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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