Spiraling Into Darkness: The Lisa McPherson Tragedy pt3

Before we delve into Part 3 , let's take a moment to recap the journey we've taken so far in uncovering this tragic story . In part one , we explored Lisa's life , from her early years to her deepening involvement with Scientology .

We painted a picture of a vibrant young woman whose search for spiritual fulfillment led her into the fold of this controversial organization . We looked at her career within the church , her aspirations and the close relationships she formed along the way . Through all of it , we aimed to understand what drove Lisa to dedicate herself so completely to Scientology .

Part two took a darker turn as we examined the car accident that marked the beginning of Lisa's final chapter . This seemingly minor incident set off a chain of events that spiraled out of control . We detailed the immediate aftermath of the accident , lisa's erratic behavior and the decision to take her to the Fort Harrison Hotel rather than a medical facility .

This pivotal moment became the catalyst for the intense and secretive care that Lisa would receive during the last 17 days . With these crucial pieces of Lisa's story in place , in part three we turn our attention to the sworn testimonies of the Scientologists who were responsible for Lisa's care during her final , harrowing 17 days .

What really happened behind the closed doors of the Fort Harrison Hotel ? Who were these individuals tasked with watching over her , and what secrets do their testimonies reveal ? Their accounts will bring us closer to understanding Lisa McPherson's final tragic days .

Stay tuned as we continue to unravel this intricate web of statements and contradictions , painting a picture of Lisa's last days that are as mysterious as they are unsettling . This episode promises to shed new light on the shadowy practices that led to Lisa's untimely demise . So tune in , stay curious and prepare to be intrigued .

The truth is out there and we're here to uncover it .

Boykin , who the state attorney's office has subpoenaed , provided an in-depth account of the events and conditions surrounding McPherson's final days . Rita Boykin moved to Clearwater in 1995 for additional training with the Church of Scientology . She had been involved with the church since 1985 , starting in California and then working in New York .

She came to Clearwater , florida , on Thanksgiving of 1995 . Boykin was enlisted to care for Lisa McPherson shortly after Thanksgiving by Oliver Jarrett , an HC Cope officer at Flagg . She was briefed by Arthur Baxter who was the head of security at the time .

He described McPherson as an ordinary nice person who was currently extremely violent and needed careful watching to prevent self-harm . Boykin's first encounter with McPherson was in a ground level room at the Fort Harrison Hotel where McPherson was surrounded by several caregivers . Mcpherson's behavior was described as psychotic .

She was non-verbal , extremely violent and self-harming . The room had been stripped of anything potentially dangerous , including the mirror , chandeliers and other sharp objects . The caregiving team included Boykin , sylvia De La Vaga , heather Pietzold , lara Arunado . Initially there were more involved , but the team settled down for these four .

They rotated in shifts to ensure McPherson was never left alone . Boykin detailed the physical and mental toll this care took on the caregivers , particularly Sylvia , who became extremely depressed . Mcpherson was not eating solid foods and often spat out what was fed to her . Boykin resorted to feeding her smashed bananas mixed with protein powder .

Mcpherson was also given herbal tea , water and protein shakes . Despite efforts to get her to sleep with natural remedies , mcpherson remained awake mostly , and restless . Boykin noted the use of sleeping aids , including chlorohydrate , which she later identified as being administered by Janice Johnson .

Boykin recounted that on December 5 , 1995 , mcpherson was unusually active , moving around and being bathed due to soiling herself . Boykin left her shift around 5 pm when Laura Arunado took over .

Later that night Boykin was summoned to a conference room and informed of McPherson's death , which was believed to be due to an infectious disease , initially thought to be meningitis . Boykin's testimony is marked by her shock and exhaustion .

She described McPherson as being up and moving just hours before her death , which made the news of her passing particularly jarring . Throughout the care period the caregivers maintained logs of McPherson's behavior and condition , although Boykin could not recall writing a report on the final day due to her extreme fatigue .

Rita Boykin's account sheds light on the chaotic and tragic circumstances leading up to Lisa McPherson's death , highlighting the challenges faced by the caregivers and the desperate attempts to manage McPherson's deteriorating condition within the confines of the church's practices .

Wenberg , a church staff member , recounted two specific periods during which she was assigned to watch over Lisa during her stay at the cabana section of the hotel in late 1995 . Wenberg first encountered Lisa four or five days after she arrived at the hotel following her release from the hospital on November 18 , 1995 .

Her initial watch over Lisa occurred in the afternoon and extended into the evening , during which she observed Lisa pacing and displaying restlessness . Lisa did not exhibit violent behavior during this period . Wenberg was tasked with ensuring Lisa did not harm herself or others and stayed overnight sleeping in the same room as Lisa but on a separate bed .

A security guard named Sam was stationed outside the room and Wenberg did not converse with Lisa , adhering to the no-communication practice . The second watch took place approximately a week later , starting early in the morning . Around 7 am Someone from security called in Wenberg and relieved Joan Stevens .

This time Lisa exhibited more violent behavior , attempting to slap Wenberg and poke Stevens in the eye . Wenberg and Stevens and another staff member restrained Lisa and security was called in to assist During the second watch . Dr Houghton , a dentist , arrived around lunchtime . A dentist arrived around lunchtime .

Dr Houghton attempted to feed McPherson and attempted a mild sedative composed of aspirin and antihistamine . According to Wenberg , lisa threw food against the wall and exhibited difficulty eating . Despite her erratic behavior , wenberg observed that Lisa calmed down after Houghton's intervention and attempted to sleep .

Wenberg provided a written report after her second watch documenting Lisa's behavior and the care she provided . She submitted this report to the church security personnel . Wenberg later attended a meeting called by Paul Kellerhaus , where she and other staff members who cared for Lisa were instructed to write up their accounts of what had happened .

Throughout her testimony , wenberg noted that she had only direct medical training in her experience as a dental assistant in Sweden . She acknowledged that Dr Houghton was not a medical doctor but a dentist who was called upon to assist Lisa due to his position with the church .

Wenberg also revealed that she had participated in similar watches before describing them as standard procedure within the church for handling individuals experiencing mental distress . In her final comments , wenberg stated that she did not see Lisa again after the second watch and had not been involved with Lisa's care during her final days .

She expressed uncertainty about the specifics of Lisa's health decline , but affirmed that medical help should have been sought if her condition worsened .

She also spent a lot of time in the bathroom turning the water on and off and banging the shower hose around . She then got herself drenched and sprayed water all over the room when the floor got wet . At this point Joan arrived and Leslie went out to get dry clothes for Lisa . Joan Stevens on caring for Lisa McPherson .

Joan Stevens provided detailed testimony about her involvement in the care of Lisa McPherson during the critical period leading up to Lisa's death . Here's a comprehensive summary of the key points she shared . Joan Stevens , born on June 11 , 1948 in Virginia , had been a member of the Church of Scientology since 1975 .

She moved to Clearwater in 1983 to continue her work with the church , primarily focusing on staff personnel and training . Joan's initial contact with Lisa McPherson was on a holiday night , likely Thanksgiving , in November 1995 .

Joan was called by her senior , leslie Woodcraft , to relieve her and take over Lisa's care , who was staying in a room at the Fort Harrison Hotel . When Joan arrived , lisa was not coherent and exhibited unusual behavior . She was constantly talking nonsensical and moving without direction . Lisa appeared to be in a state of severe mental distress .

Joan was informed by Janice Johnson , who was also present initially , that Lisa would sometimes run the water to calm herself and had been given chamomile tea . The room was a typical hotel setup with a double bed , a dresser , a chair and a potted plant . There was no key to enter and Sam Guiarna , a church staff member , was stationed outside the door .

Joan spent approximately 12 hours with Lisa , from late night until around 10 or 11 am the next day . During this period , lisa displayed continuous erratic behavior , including talking incessantly , moving around and engaging in self-destructive actions . Lisa slapped Joan multiple times and tried to use a potted plant to attack her .

At one point , lisa stood naked in front of the window and attempted to leave the room . Joan had to call for assistance from Sam Guiana and later from Paul Kellerhaus when Lisa's behavior became too challenging to manage alone . She then became more and more violent and broke more glass in the bathroom .

She then went and got back on her bed and then jumped off , landed on the wet floor and then hit her head on the floor .

She was assigned from Los Angeles where she was involved in communication duties within the church .

Valerie first encountered Lisa McPherson on November 21 , 1995 , at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel , where Lisa was kept under a watch after an incident where she had stripped and wandered into traffic , leading to a hospitalization and a subsequent release to the church's custody . Valerie was tasked with ensuring Lisa ate , slept and did not harm herself .

She documented her observations and activities in reports directed to Elaine Kordosunski , the senior case supervisor overseeing Lisa's condition . Valerie's testimony revealed that Lisa was highly agitated , erratic and sometimes violent , requiring constant supervision by church staff , including Valerie and others like Sylvia D La Vega and Emma Shamehorn .

Valerie described several incidents where Lisa's behavior was concerning , such as trying to break windows and attacking staff . Despite these behaviors , valerie was not provided with medical training to deal with such situations . Relying on her brief nursing education , she never finished or became a nurse .

In Valerie's testimony she said during her watch church staff gave Lisa vitamins and other supplements , but no prescription medication . On one occasion , janice Johnson , the medical liaison officer , administered a magnesium injection to help Lisa relax .

Valerie expressed that Lisa's condition deteriorated over time , losing weight and showing signs of physical exhaustion and bruising from self-harm .

A day or so later Lisa mentioned meeting someone at the pool , but it was nonsensical babble rather than a specific request . Emma was not informed why Lisa was staying at at the pool , but it was nonsensical babble rather than a specific request . Emma was not informed why Lisa was staying at the cabana , nor did Emma ask Lisa about it .

Emma described the room Lisa was in , which had two beds , a bathroom , a plate glass window and an open closet in the hallway . Emma had first watched over Lisa , accompanied by Zuzan Schudenberger . The watch schedule was initially unstructured , relying on whoever was available . Barbara Wenberg later relieved Emma .

Emma met Mr Karduzinski once around November 25th to discuss Lisa's sleep issues . Karduzinski recommended aspirin and Benadryl . Emma stayed with Lisa until 1 am , noticing Lisa was nervous , agitated and engaged in strange behavior like dancing and jumping back into the bed . Lisa ate a little , playing games with her food and pretending to drink without swallowing .

Emma stopped participating in the watch after the first week due to her workload and age . She did not see Janice Johnson or other doctors , except Dr Hutton , who visited on the 25th . Lisa's mental state worsened over time . Emma described Lisa's behavior , such as staring at her fingers frequently , changing her clothes and brief shower .

Emma was concerned about Lisa's lack of nourishment and sleep . She attempted to take Lisa's temperature using a plastic strip but had to restrain Lisa , who resisted . Emma noted that Lisa's temperature was slightly elevated . She stopped her involvement around the 25th , continuing to check on Lisa through others .

She wrote reports on Lisa's condition , the first of which she gave to security . Emma did not see any injections or other medication administered to Lisa other than vitamins , aspirin and Benadryl . Emma believed that Ellen Karnaszynski was in charge of the spiritual side of her treatment , while physical care was more loosely managed .

Lisa's mental state was described as a type 3 situation , indicating mental problems . Emma attended a meeting on December 5th where she was asked to write a comprehensive report on Lisa . Emma later found out that Lisa had passed . She and other caretakers were quarantined briefly due to concerns about a contagious disease Lisa may have had .

Emma noted that many high-profile Scientologists who were involved in Lisa's care , which was not unusual for the church . She was not aware of any specific medical training that Ellen Kertzinski had . Emma emphasized that any decision regarding Lisa's care , including giving Benadryl , required Kertzinski's approval based on L Ron Hubbard's methods .

Emma concluded by confirming she discussed her testimony with attorneys from the church a week prior , but did not review her reports .

Earlier , in 1995 , teresa had participated in a similar watch to that of Lisa McPherson for another person who had been in a similar mental state . Teresa was assigned to watch Lisa McPherson from 3 pm on November 24th until 9.30 am on November 25th . Oliver Gillott , the COPE officer , informed Teresa that Lisa needed care due to being type 3 psychotic .

Teresa that Lisa needed care due to being type 3 psychotic . Her instructions included not talking to Lisa , ensuring she ate and slept and guiding her back if she tried to leave the room . Security guard Alfonso Barsinas was posted outside Lisa's room and opened the door for Teresa . Lisa did not eat , drink or take vitamins during this watch .

She attempted to leave the room multiple times saying , but was stopped and guided back by Teresa and another person , possibly Sylvia or Anna Benzini . Janice Johnson did not come to see Lisa while Teresa was there . Lisa became aggressive and tried to harm herself .

Teresa had to hold Lisa's hands behind her back to prevent her from self-harming and wrote a report about the incident . Teresa's Second Watch . Teresa began her second watch at 7 pm on November 28 , 1995 . Lisa appeared worse than during the previous watch . She had violet-colored bruises and her mental state had really declined by this point .

Laura Aranuda attempted to feed Lisa , who spat out the food and water . Lisa tried to leave the room again but was stopped . Teresa had to guide her back to the chair , restraining her when she became violent . Teresa wrote another report on this occasion , noting that Lisa did not eat or drink and continued to try to harm herself .

During both watches Lisa displayed aggressive behavior , tried to leave the room and refused food , drink and vitamins . Teresa wrote a report for each watch and submitted them to the case supervisor , but did not recall the exact recipients of the reports .

Teresa mentioned that the security guard , alfonso , warned her that Lisa might try to leave the room and it was not good for Lisa to go outside . Janice Johnson again did not come to see Lisa while Teresa was there . Teresa was placed in isolation after her second watch to ensure she did not contract anything from Lisa .

No other family or friends visited during Therese's watches except for Laura Aranuda . This summary captures Therese's testimony regarding her involvement in the case of Lisa McPherson , highlighting her observations and actions during the assigned watches .

She moved from Los Angeles to Clearwater to join the Church of Scientology staff . Initially she worked in the Commodore's messenger organization , cmo , ensuring staff training and support . At the time of Lisa McPherson's incident , heather was an inspection officer tasked with ensuring adherence to organizational policies .

Heather's first contact with Lisa was on November 22 , 1995 . Paul Kellerhaus asked Heather to relieve another person who had been watching Lisa because she was violent . Heather was informed that Lisa was classified as a Type 3 , a term indicating a psychotic break . Classified as a type 3 , a term indicating a psychotic break .

Upon entering Lisa's room , heather found Lisa screaming , moving her hands and occasionally kicking the bed . Lisa acknowledged Heather by approaching her and making hand motions near Heather's face , which Heather interpreted as an attempt to intimidate . Heather managed to get Lisa to sleep using herbal sleep aids and fed her eggs , toast and vitamins .

Heather watched Lisa again on November 24 , 1995 after being requested due to Lisa's violent behavior . During this watch , heather witnessed others restraining Lisa and helped calm her down . Heather was involved in multiple watches , often being called in due to her success in managing Lisa's behavior .

She noted that Lisa's condition deteriorated , with increased difficulty in feeding and less sleep . Heather participated in the watch until Lisa's death , noting that physical condition worsened significantly in the last few days , on December 5 , 1995 , heather attempted to bathe Lisa , who was too weak to assist herself .

Heather observed that Lisa was mumbling and less active , with clear signs of dehydration and possibly labored breathing . Heather wrote reports about Lisa's condition , expressing concerns about the lack of improvement in suggesting change in care .

Despite her reports , heather received no direct feedback or actions from the church executives , including Elaine Kurdyzinski who was in charge . Heather expressed regret for not being more forceful in advocating for Lisa's medical attention . She confirmed that no medical professionals consistently checked Lisa's vital signs during her watch .

She described seeing physical signs of Lisa's decline , such as bruises and scratches , but could not definitely explain their cause . Heather emphasized that the church's approach to handling Lisa's situation was inadequate and acknowledged that more assertive actions may have saved Lisa's life .

Heather concluded by expressing her willingness to answer any further questions and acknowledged the complexity and emotional weight of the situation surrounding Lisa McPherson's death .

She knew Lisa's accident involved in her walking down the street naked , after which the police took her I assume she meant paramedics . Suzanne learned about Lisa staying at the cabana and being type 3 , possibly from Vic Fazio , elaine or Suzanne Justice . Suzanne watched Lisa at the cabana writing a report in the morning after spending the night there .

She could not recall who instructed her to write the report , but Elaine needed to know what was happening during the night . Suzanne recalled instances of Lisa's behaving erratically , including rolling out of bed and spitting out food .

During her watch , suzanne ensured the room was free of items that could hurt Lisa and positioned herself by the door to prevent Lisa from leaving . She confirmed Elaine Kordosinski was the senior case supervisor to whom reports were directed .

Suzanne identified her handwriting on some reports but stated that most details , including the medical treatments like CalMag and B1 , would come from the case supervisor or medical liaison officer . The decision-making between the case supervisor , elaine Kordosunsky , and the medical liaison officer , janice Johnson depended on whether the issue was spiritual or medical .

Suzanne said she and the others were told to write reports about their knowledge and not to discuss it . Suzanne confirmed talking to Judy Johnson and trying to find out about Lisa's condition , but received no information . She was later placed in isolation briefly due to a sore throat .

Barsenas moved to Clearwater in September 1995 and began working in renovations and treasury before transitioning to security training . Initially , barsenas was involved in renovations , managing funds and supplies . He began training for security role in Clearwater shortly before Lisa McPherson's case .

Despite being referred to as a security guard , he was not yet fully trained or assigned as one during the events in question , yet fully trained or assigned as one during the events in question . Barsenas was assigned by Paul Kellerhaus , his senior , to assist with McPherson , who had been involved in an accident and was mentally disturbed .

His main responsibilities included preventing McPherson from harming herself or others and ensuring no external disturbances . He stood outside her room , occasionally interacting with other staff members who were directly taking care of her .

Barsenes described multiple incidents where McPherson exhibited violent behavior , such as breaking a lamp and hitting her head against the bed's headrest . He entered the room four to five times to address these issues , including removing potentially harmful objects .

Barsenas did not have extensive interaction with McPherson , adhering to church policies of not speaking to individuals in such conditions . Alfonso observed McPherson's care by female staff members who managed her hygiene and basic needs . He facilitated by providing clean linens and food , although he did not monitor her consumption closely .

Although he did not monitor her consumption closely , mcpherson appeared thinner and had a rash , but no significant bruises or injuries . Barsena was relieved from his assignment about four days before McPherson was taken to the hospital , believing she had since calmed down .

He was not present during her departure and did not know the details of how or why she was moved . Barsenas reported to Paul Kellerhouse and interacted with other staff members like Arthur Baxter and Sam Giora . He did not write reports himself , but was aware that some caregivers did .

Alfonso Barsena's testimony highlights his limited but crucial role in the secrecy and care of Lisa McPherson during her stay at the Fort Harrison Hotel . His observations and actions were directed by his superiors and he maintained the church's policies throughout the assignment .

Her name changed again to Janice K Johnson on May 5th in 1980 in Michigan , but there's no explanation why . She married Michael Joseph Fitzgerald on July 14th in 1981 , then becoming Janice K Fitzgerald . She graduated from Wayne State University of Medicine in Detroit , michigan , on June 8th in 1983 .

She completed a three-year residency in anesthesiology at Sinai Hospital in Detroit on August 27 , 1986 . She joined the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Albuquerque , new Mexico , from 1986 through 87 . She was licensed in Arizona as Dr Janice K Fitzgerald on September 4 , 1987 .

She worked at Southern Arizona Anesthesia Services in Tucson and had practicing privileges at Tucson Medical Center , carindolet , st Joseph Hospital , columbia , el Dorado Hospital , carindolet , st Mary's Hospital , northwest Hospital and Sutter Surgical Center .

In October 1982 , dr Fitzgerald , aka Janice Johnson , was involved in multiple discrepancies related to the administration of Cefenta at Northwest Hospital . Cefentanil is an opioid used to induce and maintain anesthesia , to act as an analgesic in labor and delivery and to treat severe acute pain .

In November 1992 , additional issues were reported , including unauthorized possession and administration of Versed and liquid cocaine . Versed is an injection that helps you to relax or sleep before surgical procedures . It can also block your memory of the procedure . On October 30 , 1992 , dr Fitzgerald signed out 15 cc's of Cefenta under false pretenses .

On November 10 , 1992 , she attempted to bypass proper procedures to obtain Cefenta again , which was refused by the RN . Over the month several syringes of fentanyl were observed being pocketed and replaced with different syringes during procedures . Repeated bypassing of proper procedures was reported . There was suspicion of impaired practice due to possible drug use .

Janice Fitzgerald agreed to cease practicing clinical medicine , surrender DEA license and undergo random drug testing . Several instances of drugs were found in her system . Some had valid prescriptions . She underwent a physical at the Mayo Clinic revealing numerous medical problems .

It is reported she suffered from severe pain due to Morton's neuroma and had her back fused in December of 1992 . Her license was never revoked but she agreed not to practice clinical medicine . It was stipulated that she undergo treatment and random drug testing , but later she decided not to seek reinstatement of her DEA license .

She quit medicine in 1993 , and she moved to Clearwater , florida , in early 1995 to join the Church of Scientology staff in early 1995 to join the Church of Scientology staff .

Then Judy said fine , she wants to leave . Dr Lovis said well , are you willing to take care of her ? Judy responded yes , we'll take care of her . We'll make sure , but is there any physical reason for her to be here ? Dr Lovis said no . So Judy said fine , can you please start the paperwork to discharge her ? Again , judy said she was willing to take her .

Are you telling me there's no physical reason for her to stay , but you still want her under observation ? Yet you've worked with me on many other people . How about if I take responsibility to stay with her ? Take care of her ? Are you willing to let her go ?

At that point he backed off and kind of said well , I guess Are you willing to let her come if I take care of her ? At this point he conceded . So they went back and advised Lisa that they were going to start the paperwork and that we would get her to where she could leave the hospital as soon as they had finished it .

Fast forward a few days later Judy asked Janice how Lisa was doing . She told her she had picked up some sedatives for Lisa and asked her what was happening with her . She told Janice she'd love to know , needed to know in case she ran into Lovett . And Janice kept telling Judy she didn't have to worry about Dr Lovett .

Janice said forget that , I am in charge and you don't need to know anything . It's none of your concern . Butt out . Judy said she was not willing to butt out and she got angry and raised her voice . They got into a screaming match . Judy told Janice she didn't think this was right .

All she was asking was for information and she wouldn't give her the information she needed . Judy had been responsible for Lisa's person and didn't like what she was seeing and she wanted to know in case somebody asked so who and what was going on in the MLO .

In her role as medical liaison officer , janice Johnson acted as a bridge between the staff and local medical services , provided basic first aid vitamins and facilitated medical referrals and transportation . She had direct contact with Lisa for the first time at the end of November 1995 . Janice learned about Lisa's issues secondhand from Suzanne Green .

Lisa had trouble sleeping , which led to not eating and becoming increasingly distressed . Janice observed that Lisa was very thin and seemed to lose more weight in a short period . Suzanne Green , formerly Schuttenberger position medical office manager . Role supervised the medical office , including handling public non-staff seeking medical referrals . Involvement with Lisa McPherson .

She knew Lisa personally and communicated Lisa's health issues to Janice . Suzanne informed Janice about Lisa's insomnia and occasional refusal to eat , which led her to get him quote-unquote pretty weird when she hadn't slept . Oddly enough , suzanne did not have a medical background , but managed a medical office . Laura Arunata position assistant office manager .

Technically under Suzanne Green . Role assisted with various tasks in the medical office , helping with whatever needed to be done , despite her limited English proficiency . Involvement with Lisa McPherson Not directly mentioned in the context of Lisa McPherson's care . Laura's role was more supportive within the office's administrative structure .

Lisa had round-the-clock caretakers consisting of church medical officers , clerks , guards , librarians and administrators who never spoke to her , force-fed her with something akin to a turkey baster and provided her with fluids , bits of food , vitamins , sedatives , supplements and herbal remedies . They held her nose , attempting to force her to swallow .

In the days leading up to December 5th , lisa was regressing . She lost weight and by day 14 , she was so weak she couldn't stand . She was incontinent . She had pressure sores . Her jaw was swollen . Janice Johnson gave Lisa herbs and chloral hydrate to help her sleep , which she appeared to have done during the last three days in room 174 .

On December 5th , janice Johnson was given a message when she arrived at her office at 7 pm from caretaker Laura Aranunda saying she needed her . Laura arrived at Lisa's room at 5 pm . Lisa was septic and had bruises on her body which looked like they were infected and were not healing properly .

She ran and talked to Alain Karduzinski and discussed with him what they could do . They both called Dr Minkoff and told him that Lisa was septic and she needed antibiotics . Dr Minkoff and told him that Lisa was septic and she needed antibiotics .

Dr Minkoff said that he would have to see Lisa before giving her antibiotics and that they should bring Lisa to see him at the Newport Ritchie Hospital , but he would only be there until 10 pm . Janice got directions to the hospital from Emma and arranged for Paul Greenwood to come and help .

She then went back to the cabana and helped Laura get Lisa ready to go . Lisa had diarrhea so Janice helped Laura change her . Janice noticed that Lisa had lost a lot of weight . Janice told Lisa they were going to take her to Dr Minkoff .

Lisa acted like she heard everywhere but she was not hostile and , according to Janice , acknowledged her in a friendly way . Senior Security Officer Paul Greenwood was called to assist Janice Johnson to take someone to the hospital who was sick . He went to the cabana , number 174 , saw Lisa there with Laura . Janice had gone to get the car .

When he saw Lisa she was awake but looked very sick and was breathing heavily . He asked Laura what they were going to do and she said they were going to take Lisa to the hospital . He and Laura tried to have Lisa walk between them , but she was too sick and he carried her to the car . He sat in the back with Lisa and Laura and Janice drove .

Paul did not know which hospital they were going to . It took about 45 minutes to get there . On the way to the hospital Lisa's breathing became very labored and then it got fainter and fainter just before they arrived . When they got to the hospital , janice opened the door to the van and saw Lisa .

She thought that she still had some circulation from the way her skin looked . She got an orderly and a nurse to come get her . Then they put her in a wheelchair . That was the last Paul saw of her . Janice could see that Lisa's blood pressure was very low . Her skin had color and she thought she saw Lisa breathing .

Pemberton overheard Dr Minkoff's side of a phone call where Minkoff mentioned bringing a patient in to be examined . The call lacked urgency and Pemberton was instructed to notify Minkoff upon patient's arrival . The patient arrived in a blue minivan around 8 or 9 pm . Pemberton and technician Willie Burdette assisted in bringing Lisa McPherson out of the van .

She appeared very pale , had hazy eyes and wasn't breathing , leading Pemberton to suspect she was dead . Lisa was rushed to room 2 , the CPR room and CPR was initiated . She had no pulse or respiration and was cool to the touch , confirming to Pemberton that she was dead .

He briefly left the room to triage other patients but noted that the medical team did not obtain a pulse . Lisa was DOA . Lisa McPherson appeared to be emaciated , with sunken cheeks and had small hemorrhages on her body , particularly on her back and arms . No bruises were noted on her face .

Her appearance suggested she had been dead for a while , possibly at least half an hour . Three female accompanied McPherson one may have been a foreign trained physician . They briefly spoke with Dr Minkoff and Barbara Schmidt , the charge nurse .

The individuals seemed nonchalant about McPherson's condition , which Pemberton found unusual , especially if one was indeed a physician . Dr Minkoff appeared shocked by MacPherson's condition , indicating he was not fully informed about her severe state .

Pemberton believed Minkoff expected a less critical case and would have advised immediate medical attention had he known the severity . Barbara Schmidt , roxanne Kelpen , angela Williams and Teresa , who work in a shift from 11 am to 11 pm , were mentioned as part of the team . Dr Niles also worked that night as Dr Minkoff left at 10 or 11 pm .

Pemberton emphasized that better communication about McPherson's condition could have led to different actions , such as calling 911 or taking her to a closer facility like Morton Plant Hospital .

Rick Pemberton's testimony highlights the sequence of events from receiving the call about Lisa McPherson to her arrival in the subsequent medical response , emphasizing the apparent lack of urgency in the initial call and Dr Minkoff's shock upon seeing her condition .

Dr Minkoff said it appeared that she had been overwhelmed by an infection , one which she could not fight off . Dr Minkoff asked Janice why she hadn't brought Lisa in earlier , and Janice said that Lisa did not look that sick before today . Janice spoke to the hospital staff but didn't know Lisa's address , phone number , next of kin , social security number , etc .

And explained that she had just been the one to drive Lisa to the hospital and had forgotten to grab Lisa's purse and her ID because she was in a hurry .

We reflect on the haunting details that have emerged about Lisa McPherson's final days through the accounts of those involved in her care , revealing a system ill-equipped to handle her deteriorating condition , where misguided practices took precedence over proper medical intervention .

These discrepancies highlight the chaotic and uncoordinated nature of Lisa McPherson's care , contributing to the tragic outcome of her situation .

Well , quite frankly , everybody did something wrong because the whole thing was done wrong . I mean you don't have 15 different people rotating in and out of a room with somebody who's psychotic . The whole idea of this isolation is you don't have any external stimuli restimulating the person and getting them to set off again .

If you have utter stillness and utter quiet , they tend to calm down enough that they can then communicate and you can do some auditing and then you can help bring them up and pull them out of the thing . Tom , I've seen this work on a number of people over the years , all the way from my beginning days in Scientology . It's really quite simple .

They have 15 people rotating in and out . She's getting a different new stranger in the room every other day . They've got people in there bawling their eyes out . You're not supposed to say a word . In fact , you're not even supposed to be in the room .

Okay , I mean , I can't describe to you how 180 degrees diametrically opposed the handling of her was to what the scripture says is the way you're supposed to handle something like that . I do have a phrase for how it was handled A perfect storm . I thought it was a perfect storm of incompetence and irresponsibility .

And I say the irresponsibility and incompetence because the writings say that you've got to have a complete , full medical examination . You've got to rule out that this person isn't in some kind of hidden pain , and that's the source of all this .

Okay , you're not going to pull a person out of a wild area of spiritual , mental distraught if they're in in excruciating pain . So a complete , thorough medical examination is required . Okay , never had it .

They had a woman in there who was on staff , who was a doctor , who you later uncovered didn't even have a license , had lost her license for abusing medical prescription drugs . Uh , who ? Who the cs ? Who's the really the person directing the whole thing ? He's assuming that she's done such , but there's no evidence she's ever done done such and it's .

But it's a . It's a dueling match between elaine kardazinski , the cs , and janice johnson , the doctor . Janice johnson thinks , boy , I'm under the direct supervision of a class 12 , the top cs at the mecca of technical perfection , and he ain't telling me to do anything , so I must be doing everything right , you understand .

And on the other hand , you got elaine thinking well , nothing serious can actually happen here because I've got a bona fide doctor who's going in to see her every single day . So each of them are pointing the finger in the other direction . Of all the people in the entire place .

I mean , we had maids who were from Central America , who couldn't even speak English , who spent an afternoon in there To a one . Each one of them felt fully responsible for the result of that . The only ones that didn't were Elaine and Janice . Now , elaine ultimately did , but I don't know if Janice ever did .

These questions aim to probe deeper into the circumstances surrounding Lisa McPherson's care , highlighting the critical points where her well-being was compromised and raising broader concerns about the practices within the Church of Scientology . The story of Lisa McPherson doesn't end here . In fact , it's only the beginning .

Here is a soundbite from Marty Rathbun talking about what happened in the aftermath of Lisa's death .

I get the call and he says to me why aren't you all over this thing ? Why is Tom DeVock handling the police and why is Tom DeVock arranging interviews ? Where are you in all this ? Why are you ?

You know , and I'm not going to by the nature of the whole relationship , you don't say , well , sure , but you know , three months ago you told me to shut my mouth and when somebody says jump , you know I say how high . You don't do that . You listen to , you take it and you know whatever . But he's now saying get on it .

So that's the , that's the hand I'm dealt . I got two false , sworn statements to law enforcement agents . I've got , uh , the worst , possible , perfect storm of incompetency and responsibility in terms of what actually went down . Okay , um and that's how it begins .

We especially mourn the inhumane nature of her death at the hands of her so-called friends who chose Scientology over common sense and watched her life slip slip away before their eyes without seeking desperately needed medical attention , medical attention . We remember Lisa and others who have been hurt and wounded by Scientology .

That includes Noah Lottick , roxanne Friend , patry Spick and too many more to list at this time . We will remember them always and let our remembrance stir us to help those who this day are now in their situations . Grant us the wisdom and the strength to honor Lisa's memory through action , to see to it that no one else has to needlessly suffer as she did .

Help us to have that ready smile , that helping hand and that friendly spirit so that we can continue the good that was in Lisa and , like her , try to make the world a better place .

The stark difference in these accounts underscore the chaotic environment within the Fort Harrison Hotel and raise serious concerns about the accountability and practices of those involved . Lisa's story is a haunting reminder of the potential dangers when ideology supersedes common sense and medical expertise .

Her final days , filled with confusion and suffering , should never be forgotten . It is our hope that by shining a light on these dark corners , we can honor Lisa's memory and advocate for justice and reform . Thank you for joining us on this difficult journey . We encourage you to stay engaged , ask questions and demand transparency .

If you found this episode insightful , please share with others , and don't forget to subscribe to Sins of Scientology for more deep dives into the hidden truth of this controversial organization . As always , keep questioning , keep seeking , and may your journey be as rich and enlightening as the stories you encounter .