The Church of Scientology has asked a judge to move to
another county a civil trial stemming from the death of one of its members,
claiming local residents are biased against it and call the church a cult.
Earlier this year, pollsters hired by the church interviewed 300 people at a
St. Petersburg shopping mall and found that four out of five had unfavorable
things to say about Scientology, court documents filed this week showed.
The church concluded that the negative opinions Pinellas residents hold toward
Scientology are so deep and widespread, it could not get a fair trial here.
The church is facing trial in the death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson, who
died in 1995 after being cared for by church staffers.
The motion for a change of venue comes in a related matter, a countersuit
against the McPherson estate and its attorney Ken Dandar that goes to trial
July 7. The church alleges that Dandar improperly attempted to add Scientology
leader David Miscavige as a defendant in the wrongful-death suit.
Church lawyers have not decided whether to seek a change of venue in the
wrongful death case brought by McPherson's estate; no trial date has been set.
The church blamed coverage by the St. Petersburg Times and local television
stations for the community's attitude.
Times editor and president Paul C. Tash defended the paper's coverage.
"The Church of Scientology remains a big and important institution in the
Tampa Bay area and we're going to continue our coverage, fully and fairly, even
if sometimes the church officials object to that coverage," Tash said.
Dandar called the allegation "a bunch of baloney" and another tactic
by the church's legal team.
Ben Shaw, the church's head of public relations in Clearwater, said the
research findings do not undercut the church's belief it has made headway in
recent years improving its image in the community.
The Los Angeles-based church was founded in 1954 by science fiction writer L.
Ron Hubbard. It teaches that technology can expand the mind and help solve
problems.