Lisa McPherson

Lisa McPherson was a Scientologist who died after 17 days in the custody of the Church of Scientology.

More about Lisa McPherson

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

November 25, 1995: Scientologists watch over Lisa McPherson, held captive at the Fort Harrison hotel; no logs exist for this day.

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

November 26, 1995: The Scientologists watching Lisa McPherson write logs summarizing events during their watch. Rita Boykin and Valerie Demange describe difficulties getting Lisa to eat; Valerie says "she was very nervous and violent."

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

November 27, 1995: Scientologists watch over Lisa McPherson, held captive at the Fort Harrison hotel; no logs exist for this day.

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

November 28, 1995: The Scientologists watching Lisa McPherson write logs summarizing events during their watch. Rita Boykin notes "Valeri & I gave her 2 valerian root capsules 2 of the little gel tablets & 2 white tablets ... 1/3 of a bannna shake with five more of the small white tablets. ... the rest of the bananna shake with the 5 white tablets & 2 more valarian root capsules" and says Dr. Johnson was called about Lisa's lack of sleep.

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

November 29, 1995: The Scientologists watching Lisa McPherson write logs summarizing events during their watch. Valerie Demange says that "She was violent for about 2 hours yesterday night, the rest of the time she was calmer and looks very tired." A later watcher says "The 'watch' said she was quieter, but suspects its because she's weak."

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

November 30, 1995: The Scientologists watching Lisa McPherson write logs summarizing events during their watch. Excerpts: "Dr Johnson just visited. Not possible for her to have any more chloralhydrate. I need to get 4 more valarian root capsules into her & a quart of fluid. ... She is using her legs to kick again. Yesterday it wasn't much of a threat. ... This AM she is deliberate & nasty -- even evil. ... She's asleep! Dr Johnson was here & gave her 2 chloralhydrates. I believe she got the entire amount in each capsule. ... She became very restless & almost awakened. I used 2 chloralhydrates & got approx 1 in her."

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

December 1, 1995: Scientology Medical Officer Janis Johnson writes a report on Lisa McPherson: "...Given 2 gm MgCl2 IM at 1030 + 2 - 500mg Chloral Hydrate (capsule pierced and as much possible squirted into her mouth). She swallowed and fell asleep in the middle of a sentence. ... Needs 2L fluids when awake and attempt to feed..."

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

December 2, 1995: The Scientologists watching Lisa McPherson write logs summarizing events during their watch. Excerpts: "I gave her 4 Valarian root capsules, 4 Orinthane (not positive of the name -- haven't seen the bottle, but it is one of the herbal sleeping preparations) ... She has scratches and abrasions all over her body & on elbows & knees has pressure sores. ... The finances for her protein drinks ran out last night. I was in comm a security guard who said the source of the money was Lisa's employer & he thought he could get more this morning. ... She has tried to stand several times but is not strong enough yet. ... She feels the pain of the bruises on her body and comments on it when she is moved or bumps herself. ... When she awakened this AM she was very confused & combative ... At 5 AM she got 2 more chloralhydrates & has slept very well since then."

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

December 3, 1995: Scientologists watch over Lisa McPherson, held captive at the Fort Harrison hotel; no logs exist for this day.

Log of Lisa McPherson Watch

December 5, 1995: The Scientologists who had been watching Lisa McPherson are debriefed. Excerpts: "yesterday she was refusing the protein shake and when Laura arrived today she was looking bad, she was not moving her body. ... Laura told Janis, that Lisa was not eating and maybe needed an IV."

Lisa McPherson in the News

Date Titlesort icon Blurb Tags
January 18, 2003 Lawsuit Grinds To Another Delay After six years, it finally appeared the wrongful death suit against the Church of Scientology was headed for trial, but a clearly frustrated judge postponed the highly publicized case once again, probably for at least several months. Schaeffer granted the delay so the church could appeal her earlier ruling that Ken Dandar should not be disqualified as attorney for the estate of Lisa McPherson, the church member who died in 1995 after 17 days in the care of Scientologists in Clearwater. Clearwater, crimes, lawsuits, Lisa McPherson, Press
December 9, 2001 Church Loads Up For One Last Fight A civil wrongful-death lawsuit, itself now almost 5 years old, alleges church workers let McPherson die Dec. 5, 1995, in the Fort Harrison Hotel, where she spent the last 17 days of her life being cared for by fellow Scientologists. The lawsuit contends that church staffers allowed McPherson, 36, to become so dehydrated she was too weak even to stop cockroaches from biting her. Paperwork alone has swelled to near epic proportions. The case now sports 194 volumes - stacked up, they're as tall as a two-story building. Clearwater, lawsuits, Lisa McPherson, Press
August 4, 2001 Doctor in Lisa McPherson case suspended St. Petersburg Times: Doctor in Lisa McPherson case suspended Lisa McPherson
June 22, 2001 A judge dismisses the allegation that Lisa McPherson was falsely imprisoned St. Petersburg Times: A judge dismisses the allegation that Lisa McPherson was falsely imprisoned lawsuits, Lisa McPherson
July 21, 2000 Judge releases McPherson autopsy photos St. Petersburg Times: Judge releases McPherson autopsy photos lawsuits, Lisa McPherson
July 21, 2000 Judge releases McPherson photos Tampa Tribune: Judge releases McPherson photos lawsuits, Lisa McPherson
June 16, 2000 Photos of McPherson autopsy stir new conflict St. Petersburg Times: Photos of McPherson autopsy stir new conflict Lisa McPherson
June 13, 2000 McPherson case expected to haunt medical examiner St. Petersburg Times: McPherson case expected to haunt medical examiner Lisa McPherson
April 9, 2000 2 Judges, 2 Counties, and a Lot of Baloney How to explain the mental nose dives of the medical examiner and the chief circuit judge when they were confronted with the story of the slow, miserable death in 1995 of Scientologist Lisa McPherson at the Fort Harrison Hotel? This is the part I gag on: The Internal Revenue Service gave Scientology the tax-exempt protection of a religion. If what they do at Scientology headquarters in Clearwater is a religion, then I'm a planet. Saturn, say, rings and all. deaths, lawsuits, Lisa McPherson, Press, Scientology and Society
April 8, 2000 Judge Rejects Church Argument In a ruling that stunned the Church of Scientology and its lawyers, a Hillsborough County judge said Friday that religious rights are not a central issue in the 1995 death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson. Hea also said it is not clear whether McPherson consented to her treatment by Scientology staffers before she died in their care. That question should be left to a jury, the judge said. deaths, false imprisonment, lawsuits, Lisa McPherson, Press

Lisa McPherson in the News

Date Titlesort icon Blurb Tags
February 16, 1987 Job Endangerment Chit Lisa Skonetski (later Lisa McPherson) writes a Job Endangerment Chit on a fellow Scientologist. Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 13, 1987 Battle Plan Lisa Skonetski (later Lisa McPherson) writes a Battle Plan Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 7, 1987 Dev-T Carol Chamberlain writes a Dev-T on Lisa McPherson. Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 6, 1987 Dev-T Force Chamberlain writes a Dev-T on Lisa McPherson. Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 5, 1987 Battle Plan Lisa Skonetski (later Lisa McPherson) writes a Battle Plan Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 5, 1987 Battle Plan Lisa Skonetski (later Lisa McPherson) writes a Battle Plan Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 2, 1987 Dev-T Force Chamberlain writes a Dev-T on Lisa McPherson. Lisa McPherson, Scientology
February 1, 1987 Late Report Carol Chamberlain writes a Late Report on Lisa McPherson. Lisa McPherson, Scientology
July 31, 1986 No Report Report No Report Report written by Paco Casales about Lisa Skonetski [McPherson]. Lisa McPherson, Scientology
July 30, 1986 No Report No Report written about Lisa Skonetski [McPherson]. Lisa McPherson, Scientology