There is no coverage of Lisa's story until December of 1996 because the church had successfully persuaded Lisa's family that she died of a disease, and the Clearwater police had been stymied in their investigation of Lisa's death. It was not until the Clearwater police put up a request for help concerning Lisa's death on their internet web page that her story came to light.

Tampa Tribune 12/15/96 Mystery surrounds Scientologist's death - First public story of Lisa McPherson's death. Lisa's mom told Lisa was on babywatch at Ft. Harrison. Dr. Minkoff says the medical examiner's report is incomplete.

Tampa Tribune 12/17/96 Church: Cops planted false story - church says Tampa Tribune story is false and is planted by Clearwater police.

St. Petersburg Times 12/17/96 Cause of death in dispute- Abelson says Lisa's skin had turned yellow, but not a problem. Lisa had $11 in savings at her death.

St. Petersburg Times 12/18/96 editorial calling for a thorough investigation.

Tampa Tribune 12/19/96 - editorial calling for a thorough investigation.

Tampa Tribune 12/22/96 Scientolgist's death: A family searches for answers - personal information on Lisa, donations she made. Family finds others taking Lisa's stuff when they go for her belongings.

Tampa Tribune 12/22/96 Diaries offer vignettes of Scientologist's passion - diary entries from Lisa.

Tampa Tribune 01/11/97 Scientologists promised to care for woman who later died - Abelson says Lisa was not ill until the day she died.

Inside Edition January 21, 1997- Abelson says Lisa was hitting the walls with her fist. Medical Examiner Woods says Lisa was without liquids at least 5 days, in coma last 24 hours.

St. Petersburg Times 1/23/97 Dispute over Scientologist's death - CoS says Lisa conscious when taken to van. Wood says worst case of dehydration she's ever seen.

Tampa Tribune 01/23/97 Doctor details Scientologist's death - Abelson calls Wood a Liar, Liar, Hateful Liar.

St. Petersburg Times 1/25/97 Scientology's Bullying - summarizes the case, bad PR for church.

Tampa Tribune 01/29/97 Scientology suit seeks access to records - church sues to get all records of Lisa's case from medical examiner.

St. Petersburg Times 1/29/97 Church sues medical examiner - church wants to conduct independent analysis of medical examiner's evidence.

Tampa Tribune 02/11/97 Attorneys say suit aims to derail inquiry - medical examiner's attorney says this suit is designed to abort a criminal investigation.

St. Petersburg Times 2/14/97 Official, Scientology Take Battle to court- similar to above.

Tampa Tribune 02/14/97 Scientologists argue for access - church argues that Lisa's autopsy report and even tissue samples are public records.

St. Petersburg Times 2/20/97 Family sues Scientology in '95 death of woman- Ken Dandar of Tampa files a wrongful death suit against Scientology in behalf of Lisa's estate. Abelson calls the suit an extortion attempt. Abelson admits the Introspection Rundown is a part of church services.

Tampa Tribune 02/20/97 Suit accuses Scientologists of negligence in death - Dandar says he doesn't care whether it was even the Boy Scouts who hurt Lisa, she was in the church's exclusive care and she died.

Tampa Tribune 02/21/97 Scientology magazine investigates police - all three Scientoligists the Clearwater police are searching for have attorneys representing them in Tampa now.

St. Petersburg Times, 2/21/97 church had woman in isolation- Abelson says Lisa entered a self-destructive mode while at the Ft. Harrison, but Lisa was not on the Introspection Rundown. Stacy Young and Monica Pignottie tell of isolation as a church practice. Janis Johnson was in the van that took Lisa to the hospital.

St. Petersburg Times 2/26/97 Scientology magazine targets police 'racism' - church attempts to 'dead agent' Clearwater police department.

Tampa Tribune 02/28/97 Scientologists can see some, not all, evidence - Circuit judge Bob Barker allows *some* evidence to be made public in Lisa's case. This includes autopsy photos of her arms.

St. Petersburg Times 2/28/97 Church can see some records - judge makes some medical examiner's files open to public, along with some autopsy photos. Wood says this won't hurt the investigation.

St. Petersburg Times 3/1/97 Examiner lied, Scientology lawyer says - Abelson says roaches don't bite humans; entemologist says they do.

Tampa Tribune 03/02/97 Church critics plan night vigil in memory of - Brian Anderson says picketers are in cahoots with Clearwater police to smear the church.

St. Petersburg Times 3/2/97 Scientologist hospitalized after jump into harbor - shoeless Scientologist sprints from Ft. Harrison to harbor at 5:40am.

Tampa Tribune 03/03/97 Baker-acted Scientologist released - 5:40 am 3/1 a woman sprints from the Ft. Harrison to the Sandcastle hotel, then out into the bay. Her behavior is so strange she is taken for psychological evaluation and is not simply handed back to the church.

Tampa Tribune 03/08/97 Church plans event during the protest - Police are told Thursday at 2pm of church plans to interfere with a picket of the Ft. Harrison hotel by holding an anti-drug awareness rally. The picket slogan is 'stop hurting people Scientology.'

Tampa Tribune 03/09/97 Scientologists crash protesters' line - 'friends' of Lisa interviewed, signs at picket listed.

St. Petersburg Times 3/9/97 Five doctors agree with examiner in Scientology death- explains the medical examiner's procedures on deciding when Lisa last had liquids. The church claims a staph infection killed Lisa.

Tampa Tribune 03/12/97 Organizers thank police for vigil help - picketers thank police for keeping them safe from the surrounding hordes of Scientologists.

Tampa Tribune 03/14/97 Church of Scientology denies allegations - response to estate lawsuit. church denies everything, says church attorney Morris Weinberg.

St. Petersburg Times 3/19/97 Abelson letter to editor - says SP Times manufactures evidence against church, disputes article on Lisa being without liquids

Inside Edition 3/21/97 - Abelson caught in a lie, said in IE 1 that there were no medical personnel at the Ft. Harrison, but IE finds Janis Johnson and tries to interview her.

St. Petersburg Times 3/22/97 - Troubles dogged medical liaison - Janis Johnson was the non-accredited medical liaision officer at the Ft. Harrison. She has a troubled past.

Tampa Tribune 03/29/97 Former physician linked to dead woman - Janis Johnson-Fitzgerald was Flag medical liaison officer during Lisa's stay. She had her Arizona medical license revoked before she moved to Clearwater.

ARD, German TV 4/2/97, airs a program about Scientology that includes Lisa McPherson as well as several other Scientology-related deaths in Clearwater Florida.

St. Petersburg Times 4/28/97 - police almost done with investigation

St. Petersburg Times 5/9/97 - Mike Rinder says Lisa died at the Ft. Harrison, Abelson nods agreement

St. Petersburg Times 5/10/97 - editorial again calling for a thorough investigation into Lisa's death.

St. Petersburg Times 5/16/97 - Police now have church records of Lisa's last stay at the Ft. Harrison.

Tampa Tribune 6/1/97 - Lisa's Story is Internationally known.

Star tabloid story on Lisa Marie Presley mentions Lisa McPherson and has a photo of McPherson.

Tampa Tribune 7/2/97 - Scientology rejects blame for Lisa's death.

St. Petersburg Times 7/2/97 - Division in the M.E.'s office. Dr. Davis, who did the autopsy of Lisa, is not willing to make the same conclusions as Dr. Wood.

St. Petersburg Times 7/2/97 - A "psychotic" decline. The church admits that Lisa was "psychotic" and having a very rough time of it in her stay at the Ft. Harrison Hotel. They admit medical help was given her.

Tampa Tribune 7/8/97 editorial. Be careful that you don't wind up like Lisa.

Tampa Tribune 7/10/97 church records of Lisa's treatment at the Ft. Harrison released. She was watched around the clock and in bad shape.

St. Petersburg Times 7/10/97 Minkoff asks Johnson why she waited so long to bring Lisa to the hospital.

Newsweek magazine 7/21/97 "A Death In Clearwater", page 77. Good summary of the case so far.

Inside Edition 7/23/97 part 3, explains the church records of Lisa's stay at Ft. Harrison (or in realaudio).

St. Petersburg Times, 8/16/97 would *you* want the Ft. Harrison staff taking care of you?

St. Petersburg Times, 9/4/97 Scientology can't seem to keep it's story straight.

St. Petersburg Times, 9/11/97 Abelson's letter to the editor. fails to explain the discrepancy between his and Laura Vaughn's differing versions of Lisa's stay at the Ft. Harrison.

Channel 28, Tampa, 10/14/97 Lisa's Scientologist roommate allegedly wrote checks on Lisa's account after Lisa died.

St. Petersburg Times, 10/31/97 Lisa's contributions to Scientology raise questions.

New York Times front page, 12/1/97 Great summary of case so far.

St. Petersburg Times, 12/7/97 Other mysterious deaths of Scientologists in Clearwater.

St. Petersburg Times, 12/11/97 Scientologist Mike Rinder's letter to the editor, angry at article about deaths at Flag.

St. Petersburg Times, 12/16/97 Clearwater police recommend criminal charges in Lisa's death.

Cable Court TV, 12/18/97 with Ken Dandar and Laura Vaughn facing off.