Bennetta Slaughter

Bennetta Slaughter is the owner of 24Seven Media group, an advertising and marketing company based in Memphis TN.[1]

Career

Slaughter was the CEO and a partner of Agent Media Corporation. In 2004, the owners of AMC sold the company to Post Capital Partners LLC, a New York-based private investment firm, and Roscoe C. Smith III, a publishing industry veteran.[2]

Controversy

In 1995, Slaughter, an influential Scientologist, was caught up in controversy surrounding the death of an employee and friend, Lisa McPherson, in Clearwater, Fla.

McPherson was a long-time Scientologist who moved in 1994 from Dallas to Clearwater with her employer, AMC Publishing.[3] The company is operated and staffed largely by Scientologists who want to be close to the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in downtown.[3] Bennetta Slaughter was her supervisor and friend for 12 years.[4] In 1995 Lisa McPherson died of a pulmonary embolism, weeks after leaving the hospital against medical advice with a group of Scientologists, while under the care of the Flag Service Organization (FSO), a branch of the Church of Scientology.[5] Following her death the Church of Scientology was indicted on two felony charges "abuse and/or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license",[6] putting under trial the nature of Scientology beliefs and practices.[7] According to Slaughter's own court testimony, McPherson officially listed Slaughter as "next of kin" on her medical record, and Slaughter was the only person Lisa identified to be contacted in case of an emergency.[8]

Of Lisa's death, Slaughter was quoted as saying: "I think she got sick and she died. There's nothing else there."[9] She later took an active role in defending Scientology from the wrongful death lawsuit for the death of Lisa McPherson, and she explained her role as such: "I will, in fact, counter any hate that will come from them and I will handle that"[10][11][12] Slaughter also tried to counter the efforts of prominent Scientology critic Bob Minton to set up a foundation to help Scientology victims. After Minton announced plans to name his group after Lisa McPherson, Slaughter quickly registered and became the head of the Lisa McPherson Foundation[13] (with 300 members according to Slaughter[10]), the Lisa Foundation,[14] the Friends of Lisa McPherson Foundation,[15] and the Lisa McPherson Educational Foundation. All these organisations were dissolved in September 2003 for failing to file the annual report.[16] Her actions were against the wishes of Lisa's family, who support Minton's organization, the Lisa McPherson trust. In December 1997, Bennetta Slaughter and AMC Publishing were added to the wrongful death lawsuit.[17] The charges were dropped on June 13, 2000, when the state's medical examiner changed the cause of death from "undetermined" to an "accident". A civil suit brought by McPherson's family against the Church was settled on May 28, 2004.[18]

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2009-12-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. Post Capital Partners acquires Agent Media, Tampa Bay Business Journal, September 14, 2004
  3. The case of Lisa PcHerson Time Line St. Petersburg Times, June 13, 2000
  4. When can a church be accused of a crime?, HOWARD TROXLER, St. Petersburg Times, December 8, 1999
  5. Church member's death now called accident, St. Petersburg Times, February 23, 2000
  6. State takes middle road against Scientology, Thomas C. Tobin, St. Petersburg Times, November 23, 1998
  7. Scientologists clash with protesters, Thomas C. Tobin, St. Petersburg Times, March 9, 1997
  8. AFFIDAVIT OF BENNETTA SLAUGHTER, November 18, 2002
  9. Scientologists crash protesters' line Archived September 23, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, Tampa Tribune, March 9, 1997
  10. Scientology answers foe with its own group THOMAS C. TOBIN, St. Petersburg Times, December 21, 1999
  11. Scientologists, critics sharing woman's name THOMAS C. TOBIN, St. Petersburg Times, December 20, 1999
  12. Church members, critic spar over name THOMAS C. TOBIN, St. Petersburg Times, October 26, 1999
  13. Sunbiz.org about LISA MCPHERSON FOUNDATION, INC.
  14. Sunbiz.org about LISA FOUNDATION, INC.
  15. Sunbiz.org about FRIENDS OF LISA MCPHERSON FOUNDATION, INC.
  16. Sunbiz.org about LISA MCPHERSON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.
  17. Scientology suit grows Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Tampa Tribune, December 9, 1997
  18. Farley, Robert (2004-05-29). "Scientologists settle death suit". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2008-09-14.

See also
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