lisa.whyaretheydead.net | last updated on 05 December 2006 |
Fort Harrison Hotel - Room 174
Death of scientologist Lisa McPherson
Today, 5 December 2006 is the 11th anniversary of Lisa McPherson's death at the hands of Scientology
Date of Birth 2/10/59 -- Scientology Isolation 11/18/95 -- Dead on Arrival 5/12/95 Lisa McPherson memorial brick defaced
When the brick after mysterious protestation finally was approved for inclusion in a beautifying attempt of a Clearwater alley mainly used by scientologists, it looked like this. As of December 2004 it is defaced. In my mind it is very clear who wouldn't like to be reminded to the needless death of Lisa. After this was discovered a small online collection was held by Jeff Jacobsen and a new brick is placed. Pictures one and two.
Lisa's family say 'Thank you' to some
Dell Liebreich, 20 September 2004: The court forced us to go to the fifth and final mediation as demanded by Scientology. I decided to settle the case. It was time to move on. There is plenty of information on the Internet and in magazines and newspapers that will forever tell the story of how our niece died while in the "care" of Scientology. Scientology settlement
SP Times editorial 15 June 2004: The McPherson lawsuit created numerous side issues that had to be handled by the court. As the years
rolled by, the costs mounted and both sides grew weary of the bitter battle. Yet it is unclear
whether an out-of-court settlement would have been reached without pressure from retired Senior
Circuit Judge Robert Beach, who was assigned to the case last year.
Scientologists settle death suit
SP Times 29 May 2004: Terms of
the unexpected settlement are confidential in the wrongful death suit brought by the estate of Lisa
McPherson. A 7-year-old wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of Lisa McPherson against the
Church of Scientology reached a surprise settlement this week, ending one of the most fiercely
contested and enduring legal battles in Pinellas County history.
Scientology still claims it can cure mental illness
In a promotional piece copyrighted in
2003, they write: "A Flag Ship Class XII [auditor] could turn a severe mental case from raving
lunacy to not only sane but bright and normal in about 8 or 9 hours..."
Strange then Scientology didn't do the same with a psychotic Lisa McPherson, who had conversations with people who were not there, claimed to be people she was not, sang and danced around the room as if giving a performance, crawled around on the floor, stood on the toilet, got in the shower fully clothed, tried to walk out of the room in a state of undress and on at least one occasion drank her own urine. (NY Times, November 14, 1998)
No Settlement!As it turns out the case is being stalled by Scientology and the family hasn't received a dime. More on the legal page. |
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Attorney Ken Dandar in the Tampa Tribune
They claim to have cures for medical and mental illnesses ... Lisa McPherson is the prime example that they don't know what they're doing.
Short overview of Lisa's tragic deathAfter spending half her life as a member of the Church of Scientology, Lisa McPherson told friends she was ready to get out. At 36, she yearned to reunite with her mom and old friends and start a new life in Dallas. She hoped to visit them at Thanksgiving and vowed to be home for good by last Christmas. (Tampa Tribune, December 15, 1996)
A woman involved in a minor traffic accident sheds her clothes and walks nude down the street. Police take her to the hospital to see a psychiatric nurse, and against medical advice she leaves with friends. Those friends take her to their church. Seventeen days later, they drive her to a hospital more than 20 miles away in another county. The woman is dead on arrival. . . (SP Times, December 18, 1996)
A lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges that the Church of Scientology is responsible for the death of Lisa McPherson, who died in 1995 while in the care of church members... The lawsuit was filed in Hillsborough Circuit Court by Tampa lawyer Ken Dandar, an attorney representing McPherson's estate. It promises to seek "substantial" punitive and compensatory damages against the church. (SP Times February 20, 1997)
Police say McPherson, 36, entered the Fort Harrison Hotel, Scientology's Clearwater headquarters, in November 1995. They say she was physically healthy but psychologically disturbed. Seventeen days later she died. An autopsy determined her death was due to a blood clot brought on by ``severe dehydration'' and ``bed rest.'' Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner Joan Wood has said the medical evidence indicates McPherson went without fluids for five to 10 days, possibly longer, and was comatose for at least 24 hours before she died. Bites on her hands were most likely made by cockroaches, Wood has said. (Tampa Tribune, June 1, 1997)
McPherson began suffering psychotic episodes. (Or maybe she just wasn't "clear.") She soiled herself, broke a glass in the bathroom, punched and scratched people, and jumped off the bed and hit her head, according to staff notes . Her weight, which a paramedic estimated at 155 pounds before she checked in, slipped to 108 at her death. (SP Times August, 16, 1997)
One minute Lisa McPherson was a healthy 36-year-old woman whose love of country dancing was eclipsed only by her love for her church. But the next minute she was dead. (NBC Extra, December 29, 1997)
Lisa McPherson spent her final days in isolation in Room 174 at the rear of the Fort Harrison Hotel. A church lawyer initially described her stay to a local reporter as restful, and he said she had received no medical treatment. But 33 pages of handwritten logs tell a far bleaker tale. The logs were released this summer on orders from the judge hearing the McPherson estate's lawsuit . (NY Times, December 1, 1997)
Police have recommended criminal charges in the case of a Scientologist who died in 1995 after spending 17 days at a church retreat. A prosecution summary delivered Monday to Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe recommends charges in the death of Lisa McPherson, said Clearwater Deputy Police Chief Paul Maser, who would not discuss specifics of the case. (Associated Press, December 16, 1997)
After the first week, she routinely urinated and defecated on herself and rarely slept, Strope said . She had conversations with people who were not there, claimed to be people she was not, sang and danced around the room as if giving a performance, crawled around on the floor, stood on the toilet, got in the shower fully clothed, tried to walk out of the room in a state of undress and on at least one occasion drank her own urine. (NY Times, November 14, 1998)
McPherson, 36, died in 1995 while in the care of fellow Scientologists, who isolated her in a room at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel, forced medications on her and waited too long to take her to a hospital when she became ill, according to an affidavit that accompanied the charging documents Friday in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court. (SP Times, November 15, 1998)
Attorneys for the group filed a written plea of not guilty to the charges in the 1995 death of Lisa McPherson with Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge Timothy Peters, his clerk said. The felony charges of abuse or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license in connection with McPherson's death had been filed Nov. 13 by State Attorney Bernie McCabe. (Reuters, November 30, 1998)
Medical examiner Joan Wood now is calling the 1995 death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson an " accident ," a change that is causing prosecutors to rethink their case against the Church of Scientology. Wood's original ruling called the manner of death " undetermined ." (SP Times, February 23, 2000)
Wood agreed to review her report after the church submitted tests and other material challenging her findings. Prosecutors said they were reviewing the new report to determine its impact on the case. (Reuters, February, 23, 2000)
A Florida prosecutor dropped criminal charges on Monday against the Church of Scientology's Clearwater headquarters in the 1995 death of a woman member. (Reuters, 12 June, 2000)
Prosecutors say they still believe McPherson died as the result of neglect at the hands of fellow church members. But the credibility of Pasco-Pinellas Medical Examiner Joan Wood is so poor following her decision to change McPherson's autopsy report that charges of abusing a disabled person and practicing medicine without a license cannot be sustained, State Attorney Bernie McCabe said Monday. (Tampa Tribune, 13 June, 2000)
Drop the charges, David Miscavige told State Attorney Bernie McCabe in November 1998, and the church would make a $500,000 donation to the county's EMS system. (SP Times, 14 June, 2000)
The Scientologists still are embroiled involved in a civil suit brought against them by McPherson family members in Texas. (UPI, 13 June, 2000)
``It's horrible,'' McPherson's aunt, Dell Liebriech, said Wednesday. ``Not even an animal should be treated like that.'' (Tampa Tribune 23 January 1997)
Scientology Press Statement re: amended report of 23 Feb 2000 Wood retired on 30 Sept.
2000 after she was harshly criticized for her role in the collapse of this high-profile criminal
case against the Church of Scientology, |
Scientology FLAG vs. ME Joan Wood
Partial Wood depostion 11-12 February
1997
Scientology Amicus curiae Brief in McPherson criminal case
Some of the more compelling documents is Lisa's last " Overt and Withhold "
(transgressions) write up. And if you want to know more of the person behind the autopsy pictures,
read her report to scientology about her inner thoughts and feelings. This very personal " knowledge report " is also part of the public record. Another
document which gives us a glimpse in Lisa's thinking is her "Clear" speech.
Criminal case prosecutors: |
Overview legal cases civil suit 1997 - 2003 First complaint Dandar requests Scientology to return items that belonged to Lisa
McPherson First amended complaint Confidential Agreement
Declarations by scientologists
Fifth Amended Complaint
Hillsborough Circuit Judge James S. Moody Jr. effectivly on Fri 4 August 2000 on
the request
Notice of Filing Excerpts of Robert Minton Depositions
Order Granting Minton's Oral Motion to Abate Counterclaim
Lost in all the legal documents? Use the Overview legal cases of the civil suit.
Defendant Church of Scientology FLAG Service organization's Notice of
Filing Church of Scientology FLAG Service Organization's Motion to Disqualify Hearing re Scientology's Motion to Strike Punitive Damages & Plaintiff's response to defendants' motion to continue trial pending
resolution
Lost in all the legal documents? Use the Overview legal cases of the civil suit
Civil case attorney |
This was not the first watch. On 15 July 95 the first watch began.
Circuit Judge Bob Barker ruled on Thursday 27 February 1997 that autopsy photographs of the insect bites on Lisa's body are public record. First set of pictures Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Crockett Farnell ruled on Thursday 20 July 2000 that additional autopsy photos of Lisa McPherson are public record. These show her face, back, elbow and leg. Second set of autospy pictures |
Chronological listing of media coverage
Miscellaneous
Old letter of Lisa McPherson to the editors
St. Petersburg Times, 8 September 1995
Please note that Lisa was at least once told how to write a letter to the press. Other scientologist have been told what to write as well, as the LA Weekly found out by means of a misrouted fax.
Some of the Hubbard writings which could have been applied to Lisa McPherson. First is the Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin of 23 January 1974: The Introspection Rundown which Hubbard regarded as "THE TECHNICAL BREAKTHROUGH OF 1973!". Another relevant HCO Bulletin is of 24 November 1965, called: Search and Discovery . The last HCOB allows for the use of sleeping and quietening drugs which was forced on Lisa. Note the chilling ".. sometimes can't be kept alive ..".
An alleged MD gives his opinion on the death of Lisa Posting to ARS of 24 Feb 2001
Was it murder or slaughter? Roaches or abrasions? The recent Dandar Disqualification Hearings have produced hundreds of pages. Mike O'Connor found an interesting discussion about these particular questions.
Brenda Hubert OSA Report
Brenda was a long time friend of Lisa and asked by Scientology to write a report about events in Lisa's life the last few days before Lisa was incarcerated by the cult.
The Tech Runs its Course
A Commentary on the Lisa McPherson Case
The appalling death of Lisa McPherson
Captured in shockwave and animated gif
Why is Lisa McPherson a forbidden name for Scientologists?
Low life expectancy of scientologists by Alex JacksonListen to the Spirit hands song writen by Maggie Council. Kristi Wachter wrote also a song to express her feelings. Charlotte wrote a poem just as Jason Bundy did. Mike O'Connor gave her a star .
Lisa McPherson wasn't the first person to be illegally imprisoned
Scientology Policy on False ImprisonmentTwo photo Galleries: Lisa McPherson Photo Gallery and Lisa McPherson Photos by Jeff.
Lisa McPherson, employed by AMC Publishing was pronounced dead by Scientologist Dr. David Minkoff who has since settled his part of the wrongful death suit with the McPherson estate. Why is it one One Big Cluster ? Information retrieved from the Florida corporate database.
Site dedicated to bringing information about the upcoming civil trial as well as documents and transcripts about Lisa's life and her death in the care and custody of Scientology.
The Lisa McPherson Clause:
Scientology
Moving to Secure Its 'Right' to Kill Again
A new Scientology release form has surfaced that gives the cult the right to hold its members in
isolation indefinitely, and absolves it of any responsibility for a member's injury or death as a
result -- the "Lisa McPherson clause".
The Profit
The Movie Scientology Won't Let You See
Ever heard of a movie that is worldwide banned from showing because it could influence the jurors
in a Pinellas Country, Florida jury pool in the Lisa McPherson wrongful death case? Well, for
everthing is a first and so Scientology obtained an injuction by Judge Robert
Beach against The Profit .
Lisa McPherson pages in other languages
Auf Deutsch - Lisa McPherson - Tod
einer Scientologin
In Italiano - Scientology: la morte di Lisa
McPherson
En Español - Pagina en Memoria de Lisa McPherson
En Français - Index du memorial Lisa
McPherson
Nederlands: De Dood van Lisa McPherson
Em Portugues - O Caso Lisa Mc. Pherson
Dansk - Historien om Lisa McPherson
Svenska - VARFÖR DOG LISA?
And Russian
" Ken, I want you to let the whole world know what Scientology did to Lisa.
"
-- Fannie McPherson's last death-bed instructions to Ken Dandar --