Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 00:55:24 -0500
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Subject: [COSM] Tampa Tribune 17-Dec -- Scientologists say lawsuit is a crusade X-Mailer: Mutt 0.89.1i
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The Tampa Tribune

December 17, 1999, Friday, FINAL EDITION

FLORIDA/METRO, Pg. 4

Scientologists say lawsuit is a crusade

By GARY SPROTT, of The Tampa Tribune;

CLEARWATER - The Church of Scientology tried to convince a judge
Thursday that the woman  representing the estate of Scientologist Lisa
McPherson is abusing her position.

Church lawyers said Dell Liebreich committed forgery to become personal
representative and is  allowing the estate to be used in an
anti-Scientology crusade.

The attorney for the estate, however, denied the forgery allegation and
said the church is  maliciously trying to derail a wrongful death
lawsuit.

McPherson died in 1995 after 17 days at the church's Clearwater
headquarters. An autopsy found  she died of a blood clot brought on, in
part, by severe dehydration.

Her estate sued the church in 1997 in Hillsborough County, saying
McPherson was held against her  will.

McPherson's estate was filed in Pinellas County probate court with
Liebreich, her aunt, as  representative. Just before McPherson's mother
died of cancer in 1997, she waived her rights as  representative in
favor of Liebreich.

The church says Liebreich forged Fannie McPherson's signature on the
waiver. It wants her  replaced by a neutral party.

Tampa lawyer Steven Hearn told Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer that
antireligion factions  are "effectively hijacking" the lawsuit. He said
New Hampshire millionaire and Scientology foe Robert  Minton has given $
400,000 to help finance the case.

Such influences, said Hearn, have led the estate to make outrageous
settlement demands.

Thursday's six-hour hearing was on the church's emergency request to
suspend Liebreich's powers  pending a decision on its petition for her
removal. Much of the testimony focused on the disputed  signature.

A hospice care worker and a notary public said they saw Fannie McPherson
sign documents at her  Texas home two days before her death. But neither
could swear the waiver filed in probate court was  one of the documents.

A handwriting expert hired by the church said the signature was "a very
carefully drawn  imitation."

The hearing resumes today.  Gary Sprott can be reached at (813)
259-7837.
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