Letters to the Editors

St. Petersburg Times, published March 10, 2000

Mistreatment should result in charges
Re: A cry for justice.

Notwithstanding the specific pathological circumstances which contributed to the death of Lisa McPherson, that she did not get proper and timely professional medical attention is an irrefutable fact.

A further fact is that during her 17 days of physical agony, she was attended by persons with medical training sufficient for them to conclude that continued neglect could very well cause death.

Why Dr. Joan Wood believes it is possible to torture the English meaning of the word "accident" to mean "died due to lack of proper medical attention" is an absurdity. Had the people ministering to McPherson been totally medically ignorant and thus not able to possibly gauge the imperilment in which they placed her, it might be reasonable to stretch the manner of death to casualty by misadventure.

We know, however, that those who were present were trained. Attending were a physician without a proper license, a dentist and a licensed physician who limited his treatment to telephone consultation.

Those responsible at bedside, as well as those supervising, and all others abetting this gross and depraved mistreatment of this young woman should be held criminally responsible for causing the death of a human being. No amount of distortion of the lexicon by Dr. Wood will change that fact. -- James A. O'Connor, Hudson

Clearwater will suffer

The Church of Scientology is continuing to buy property and removing same from the tax rolls. I pray for the same tax breaks that this cult gets. It got to medical examiner Joan Wood the same way that it got to the IRS. Why are the Scientology people who are alleged to have committed crimes against the body of Lisa McPherson walking around uncharged? As Lisa was dying in a van less than a mile from a hospital, she was driven to a hospital one hour away.

Downtown Clearwater will continue to die, in part, because visitors see the automatons filling the sidewalks and go elsewhere. City plans to develop downtown will be much appreciated by the Church of Scientology. -- Al Simard, Clearwater

Group is frightening

I am so glad that your newspaper continues to fight and shine the light of truth on the sci-fi group at the downtown Clearwater hotel. The group is so powerful it makes one sick and frankly afraid.

I hope that France follows in the footsteps of Germany and that Tom Cruise and John Travolta stay away from our home as well. Keep up the good work and thanks. -- Dan Mettee, Harbor Bluffs