Northpinellas: Banner plane used to mark death of a Scientologist

There have been candlelight vigils and sidewalk pickets, but this year a small group of Scientology critics took their annual protest to the air, hiring a plane to fly over downtown Clearwater at lunchtime Tuesday with a banner that read: "Clerwater- Rember Lisa McPherson (sic)."

McPherson was a 36-year-old Scientologist who died in 1995 in the care of church staff members. Jeff Jacobsen, who never knew McPherson, helps organize an annual protest and vigil on the anniversary of her death. Jacobsen, who lives in Arizona, said the banner cost $500.

He said he wants to "keep her memory alive and to let people know that Clearwater has a little blight, something in the downtown that they shouldn't ignore. Lisa's death is just an example of the things that are happening with Scientology." Church spokesman Ben Shaw said he didn't see the banner and declined comment, saying, "It's over."

Comments on this article

by POPE	07/09/07 07:38 PM
They are Evil. I represent them.

by joe	07/09/07 07:37 PM
"The fact of the matter is the grand jury said they [Scientologists] sent people to this courthouse: they broke in; they burglarized offices in the Justice Department and IRS: they stole documents, they bugged meetings; they lied to the grand jury.

by maria	06/14/07 02:15 PM
scientology is the biggest bull i've ever heard.

by Diana	05/21/07 09:06 PM
I lost my best friend to this "religion." It's not a small threat, not an untouching one. It is very real.

by john	01/16/07 09:11 AM
this is a cult - not a 'church',and people should beware - this is why clearwater has become a ghost town over the last few years.thanks to out stupid elected officials,your property will be next.............

by ema	12/14/06 09:32 PM
Isn't this the case where the coroner confessed to doctoring the evidence? And lost her job over this? Such a small detail to overlook....

by D	12/09/06 09:13 PM
Thank you, Thank you. This unique event is needed to battle the occult ongoings of people ill treated and manipulated by scientology.

by Topher	12/07/06 04:58 PM
I wonder what will happen to Katie Holmes in the next phase of her life ... Poor Lisa may she rest in peace.

by lucy	12/07/06 03:31 PM
Oh Scientology in your dreams its over! NOT! It is more than pathetic that a insidious cult like Scientology exists in this day in age! It is further dispicable that this cult killed Lisa McPherson due to their insane tactics and beliefs!

by Feisty	12/07/06 01:17 PM
Scientology compounds in CW use a phone system whereby 911 does not reach outside help. How does this help other members that need medical or psychiatric intervention in a bad UFO cult using hypnosis and counteintelligence and forgets those who die?

by FredricRice	12/07/06 11:17 AM
It's great that there are people out there who refuse to just let gruesom murders be forgotten -- as if time absolves the crime. Thanks, Jeff, for your human rights committments. Stacy Moxon, though, remains unremembered.

by Sponge	12/07/06 10:38 AM
"She died. People die" - this was the heartless quote from Mike Rinder, Scientology PR, when questioned about the death of Lisa McPherson. Great "church" uh.

by LCP	12/07/06 08:26 AM
Lisa's life is over, thanks to scientology. This is what I believe Shaw was referring to.

by Jamie	12/07/06 02:40 AM
Scientology is over. Scientology was a dirty joke.

by Robert	12/06/06 09:59 PM
The Church of Scientology is responsible for Lisa's death. She will be remembered.

by XENUTV.COM	12/06/06 09:57 PM
Now the paper needs to do a followup story of how Scientology tried to prevent the plane from leaving the ground and how they knew about the banner in advance.

by AJ	12/06/06 08:43 PM
For more information about Lisa McPherson check out http://www.whyaretheydead.net or just type her name in Google search.

by David	12/06/06 07:57 PM
Note to Mr. Shaw: it isn't over until Scientology and Scientology Inc. stop killing its customers and salespeople.

by Quaoar	12/06/06 05:29 PM
The kult of $cientology was aware of what was being done to Lisa on the Introspection Rundown. $cientology lied to the authorities, and 'disappeared' the logs of their criminal abuse of Lisa during the last two days and most of the 'caretakers' also

by Mary	12/06/06 04:38 PM
Well, of course the Scientology spokesman declined to comment. He forgot about Lisa McPherson & didn't have any carefully constructed denial of responsibility prepared in advance. Thank you Jeff Jacobson & all who made sure Clearwater didn't forget.

by Shikse	12/06/06 04:04 PM
Thank God she won't be forgotten.what happened to Lisa was a horrible horrible thing. It can never be forgotten.

by Junior	12/06/06 03:55 PM
I wonder what Shaw was referring to as "over," Lisa's death, which the cult would like to have swept under the rug, or the cult's failed bid to take over the world?

by Sandala	12/06/06 03:47 PM
Good for Jeff!! The people in the City of Clearwater need to be reminded of the "wolf in sheeps clothing" that resides in their downtown area on Ft Harrison. That wolf has big teeth, even though they may not be in plain view of the public. Beware!!

by jim	12/06/06 03:43 PM
Is it an "Honor " for Lisa to have a plane tow a banner in her rememberence of her demise which may of been prevented?

by jerald	12/06/06 02:29 PM
"It's over"? Maybe that would be true Mr. Shaw if scinetology had learned from its mistakes. But the only lesson they learned was to make all new members sign a waiver giving up their rights to scientology so they can't get sued again.

by Mike	12/06/06 01:33 PM
I love it.

by Jack	12/06/06 01:32 PM
If your a church member, you wish it were over. I'm just happy the pilot of the banner plane is OK, you never know when one of those UFO's piloted by our ancestors may come out of no where or maybe John Travolta? Yeah first amendment! Boo Cult!

by Dave	12/06/06 12:23 PM
FREE SPEECH!!!