Scientologist Death Said Accidental
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Four years after a Scientologist
died while being treated by church members following a traffic
accident, a medical examiner ruled the woman's death was
accidental.
The decision by Pasco-Pinellas Medical Examiner Joan Wood to
change the cause of Lisa McPherson's death from "undetermined"
could have a major impact on the state's prosecution of the
Clearwater-based church.
Prosecutors have charged the church with practicing medicine
without a license and abusing a disabled adult for its treatment
of McPherson. Now, prosecutors have to decide whether to drop,
amend or pursue the charges.
"We need to review (Wood's decision)," said Assistant State Doug
Crow said Wednesday. "I wouldn't want to speculate about what
effect it may have."
Church attorney Sandy Weinberg predicted that if prosecutors do
not dismiss the charges, a judge will.
Wood, who was unavailable for comment, filed the amended autopsy
Friday after reviewing new medical evidence and test results,
most of them provided by church-hired experts, said her attorney,
Jeff Goodis.
Wood originally said McPherson died of a blood clot in her lungs
caused by bed rest and severe dehydration, but the new report
drops the references to bed rest and dehydration and lists
psychosis and the auto accident as contributing factors.
McPherson, 36, died in December 1995, 17 days after being
involved in a minor traffic accident. She took off her clothes
and began walking down the street. Police took her to a hospital,
but she left with Scientology officials, who wanted her to avoid
psychiatric treatment, which is against church teachings.
Prosecutors say she was given unprescribed medicine and forcibly
restrained by church officials. McPherson eventually was taken to
a hospital, but was pronounced dead.
Church officials have denied the charges.
The Church of Scientology, based in Los Angeles, was founded in
1954 by the late science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. His book
"Dianetics" formed the basis of his philosophy that traumatic
memories in past lives could be cleared through church
counseling.
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