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Press in the News

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December 20, 1998 Job-Bias Suit Alleges Dentist Promoted Religion In Workplace In 1991, dentist Roger N. Carlsten told his receptionist, Susan Elizabeth Morgan, that he wanted to promote her to office manager and boost her salary. But first, he insisted she take a special statistics course in "Hubbard Management Technology" written by the late science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. Because she knew Hubbard had founded a controversial religion known as Scientology, and because she also knew that Carlsten was a Scientologist, Morgan worried that the course amounted to religion in disguise. Press, Providence, Scientology in the Workplace, WISE
December 6, 1998 Washington Post: The Life and Death of a Scientologist After 13 years and thousands of dollars, Lisa McPherson finally went 'clear.' Then she went insane. Lisa McPherson, Press
December 6, 1998 The Life and Death of a Scientologist Within 17 days, McPherson - who'd spent most of her adult life and tens of thousands of dollars as a devotee of Hubbard's teachings - would be dead. The once-voluptuous 36-year-old - she stood 5 feet 9 and wore a size 12 dress - lost an estimated 40 to 50 pounds during the ordeal, dropping to 108, her bruised body pocked by insect bites and scabs. She was never seen by a licensed physician during that time. Clearwater, crimes, Lisa McPherson, Press
December 6, 1998 McPherson Relatives Lead Protest Relatives of Lisa McPherson made a tear-filled trip Saturday night to the Scientology hotel where she spent her final days under guard and in the grips of a mental breakdown. Her aunt and uncle, Dell and Art Liebreich, and her cousin Kim Krenek led a group of about 60 anti-Scientology protesters who held candles and laid a wreath outside a privacy wall at Scientology's Fort Harrison Hotel. A few feet away, just beyond the wall, was Room 174, where McPherson is said to have spent 17 days under the care of fellow Scientologists. She died at 36 on Dec. 5, 1995, and the Church of Scientology was criminally charged last month with abuse and practicing medicine without a license. Clearwater, Lisa McPherson, Press
December 5, 1998 Ex-Scientologist Shares Familiar Tale of Force-Feeding A former Scientologist from Denmark said Friday that he helped force bread, fruit and liquids into the throat of an unconscious woman as part of an effort help her recover from a mental breakdown. Karsten Lorenzen's detailed account at a news conference held by a group of Scientology critics resembles the experience of Lisa McPherson, as documented by state investigators and Clearwater police. McPherson was the 36-year-old Scientologist whose 1995 death has resulted in criminal charges of abuse and practicing medicine without a license against the Church of Scientology in Clearwater. Clearwater, Lisa McPherson, Press
December 1, 1998 Scientology Pleads Not Guilty in 1995 Death The Church of Scientology pleaded not guilty today to criminal charges in connection with the 1995 death of a member whose family maintained that she had been held against her will by the church for 17 days. The church's Flag Service Organization, its chief operating arm here, was charged in the case this month with abuse or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license, both felonies. No individuals were charged. Clearwater, crimes, Lisa McPherson, Press
November 26, 1998 Parents Claim French School Infiltrated By Scientologists A private school in Vincennes, on the outskirts of Paris, has been closed after parents complained it had been infiltrated by scientologists. The school will remain closed until further notice, pending an investigation ordered by the public prosecutor's office, the TV said. Paris, Press
November 23, 1998 Death in the Sunshine State Scientologists share at least one strongly-held belief with mainstream sceptics: they will have no truck with psychiatry. So McPherson was taken instead to the Fort Harrison hotel, owned by the organistion. Seventeen days later, she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at HCA hospital, New Port Richey. Her family blames Scientology for her death, for her dehydration, the bruises on her arms and legs, the abrasions and lesions, the apparent bug or animal bites. A medical examiner said she had died of a blood clot complicated by dehydration. She also had an infection, which the church blames for all her symptoms. Clearwater, Lisa McPherson, Press
November 23, 1998 State Takes Middle Road Against Scientology The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization Inc. was charged with abuse and/or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license. Though serious, the lawyers said, the charges carry less emotion than manslaughter and less of a stigma for Scientology than if church members faced individual charges that could put them in prison. Because the Scientology entity was charged corporately, no single person faces prosecution or punishment. "They probably determined that this is the charge that can be best proved, most easily proved, as opposed to manslaughter," said Michael Cheek, a veteran criminal defense lawyer in Clearwater. Clearwater, crimes, Lisa McPherson, Press
November 22, 1998 Of Right, Wrong And A So-Called Church With Thanksgiving coming up later this week, I'd like to suggest that as you baste your turkey with your handy-dandy turkey baster, you imagine for a moment what it would be like if somebody tried to stick one of those gizmos down your throat. While you were being held down, of course. I speak not on behalf of the rights of some noisy, plump bird from Frank Perdue but on behalf of a starved, severely disturbed woman, Lisa McPherson, now quite dead. Lisa McPherson, Press

Press in the News

Date Titlesort icon Blurb Tags
May 12, 2006 Polish Scientologists Ordered to Remove Tents When Scientology erected tents in Warsaw's city center to attract new members, city officials ordered them taken down. Press
September 30, 1996 Patrice Vic Trial Begins - Scientology Executive Charged with Manslaughter Trial begins in the death of Patrice Vic. Scientology executive Jean-Jacques Mazier is charged with manslaughter, and 22 other Scientologists also face charges. crimes, deaths, France, Patrice Vic, Press