NBC WFLA-TV Newschannel 8 daily news scripts

[30 November 1998]

I hope someone is videotaping all these reports.
        Bob, just wog
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NBC WFLA-TV Newschannel 8 daily news scripts.

11 PM News

[snip]

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 Tonight, attorneys for the church of scientology aren't commenting
about today's appearance in court. The church plead not guilty in a
case involving the death of one of it's members. Lisa mcpherson died
three years ago after spending 17 days in the care of scientologists
in Clearwater. Prosecutors have charged the church with abuse or
neglect of a disabled person and practicing medicine without a
license. Today, protesters gathered at the courthouse to criticize the
church:

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((Bob minton/anti-scientology activist:"There was no accident involved
here. This was a very standardly prescribed procedure which the church
followed to the letter and according to hubbard, sometimes people
don't make it, they die and that's what happened to lisa.")) Church
lawyers who entered a plea of not guilty today declined further
comment on the case..They say the not-guilty plea speaks for
itself.[tape=2167]

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The church of scientology also faces a civil suit filed by the family
of lisa mcpherson.. The family's attorney says he's prepared to depose
dozens of former scientologists about church practices. Newschannel
8's Marcia crawley found a couple of those people coming off a plane
from Denmark tonight.

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Karsten lorenzen left the church of scientology in Denmark in July of
1996 after caring for a woman named gitte mogensen. Lorenzen didn't
wish to be interviewed after his long flight this evening.. But lawyer
ken dander says lorenzon will describe how the case of gitte mogensen
is very similar to the case of lisa mcpherson. (( "She was almost like
described as a catatonic state, where her eyes were open and she was
barely breathing. No one was calling for an ambulance just like in
lisa's case. But fortunately for this one particular female, she was
able to get to her parents and they took her to the hospital and she's
alive.")) Dandar says mogenson was at the fort Harrison hotel in
Clearwater five months after mcpherson spent her final days here, sick
and dehydrated. He plans to prove scientology's doctrine calls for
members to be held in isolation. Dandar is prepared to depose 35
former church members like kursten lorenzon who say they either
witnessed or were victims of such isolation. "These depositions will
show a pattern of conduct, of criminal conduct that is sponsored by
the church of scientology." "But the church of scientology argues the
people dandar is trying to depose have nothing to do with lisa
mcpherson's case. Dandar found kurston lorenzon on the Internet where
many former scientologists post their experiences in the church."
Church lawyer Laura vaughan wouldn't comment on details of the
mogensen case, but says of lorenzon.. "I think he's coming here to
protest the church and it's inappropriate to use the discovery process
for his protest." A judge will decide Tuesday morning whether the
testimony of kurston lorenzen or any other former church member can be
heard. Marcia crawley, Newschannel 8.

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(**Mike**) Kartsten lorenzen and other former scientologists plan to
participate in a protest at the church in Clearwater this weekend. 

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