Federal suit: Scientologist spent $30 mil to cover up death of Lisa McPherson
Tampa, Florida -- Blockbuster charges in a Federal Suit involving the Church of Scientology. It involves accusations of impropriety and some of the most respected members of the judiciary and legal profession.
The allegations are coming from the former number-two man in the organization, and involve what he says is a multi-million dollar cover up of the death of a woman in Scientology care.
The woman at the center of it all is Lisa McPherson, who died in 1995 after being involved in a minor traffic accident.
At the time of the accident, McPherson who was a Church of Scientology member, said she needed psychiatric help. Instead, the church members took her to the Ft. Harrison Hotel to care for her.
Just 17 days later, Lisa McPherson was dead.
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In the suit, Rathbun contends the Church of Scientology spent at least $30 million to get the charges dropped, and mitigates the damages in the civil suit.
Jeff Goodis denies the charges and Attorney Lee Fugate says he can't comment on a federal suit, but it would be shocking to believe that some of Pinellas' top judges could be involved in illegal activity like this.
However Ken Dandar, the attorney who represented McPherson's family against the church, says, "Maybe Mr. Rathbun doesn't know what he is talking about, and maybe it's all his imagination. I don't think so..."
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But, late Friday, Pope filed a lawsuit on behalf of Scientology to have all of Marty Rathbun's testimony thrown out.
There is an emergency in Federal Court Monday.