CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
	     -put Cof$ symbol here-



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information:						December 2, 1997
Contact:  Mike Bradford
Phone:  (213)  960-3500



CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL

Re:  New York Times story of December 1, 1997


	It must be the first time in the long history of the New York Times that
this newspaper created a front page, color photo, top of center lead story
about an event that happened two years earlier and had no newsworthy new
developments.  This is even more bewildering given that there is no
shortage of stories about events which affect millions - the bailout of
South Korea by the IMF; the economic turmoil in the Czech Republic; the
dangerous instability of Japan's financial market.

	The event which overshadowed all those others?  The unfortunate death of
one Scientologist -- two years ago.

	The burning question is:  Why doesn't the death of a Catholic, Jew or
Protestant receive the same prominence?  Apparently, there is only one way
for the Church of Scientology to avoid a front page assault in the New York
Times:  ownership of the Fountain of Eternal Youth.  That's the standard
that the Times seems to expect of us -- in their eyes, Scientologists
aren't allowed to die.

	Everything that ran in the New York Times already ran in the St.
Petersburg Times in more than 40 stories, months ago.  So what makes it
front page news in the New York Times now?

	It is this:  The New York Times knew that this week attorneys for the
Church were going to the State Attorney concerning crucial medical
evidence, especially such evidence which showed her death due to a
Pulmonary Embolism was very sudden, unfortunate and unpredictable.  A
significant part of this evidence had been withheld from the Church by the
Medical Examiner and was, therefore, brand new.

	The new evidence shows this whole case to be a complete sham, fabricated
and kept alive by the St. Petersburg Times in collusion with the Clearwater
Police Department and the Medical Examiner's Office.

	Obviously, we are guilty until proven innocent.  But even when we offer
the evidence of that innocence, it's ignored.

	It is not the first time the New York Times have pulled a stunt of this
kind.  In 1984, they ran a front page story claiming that an IRS
investigation was under way into the Church.  There was none, but the story
provoked one -- as the Times had intended.  Two and half years later, the
Department of Justice threw it out on the basis of no facts and no
evidence.  Then this year, the Church had to pay $80,000 for a full page ad
to correct a completely false story about an alleged meeting with a former
IRS Commissioner.  Only problem is, the meeting never happened.

	The outcome will be the same here -- after a great deal of money 
and time is expended by the Church, we will be vindicated once again.

	Why didn't the New York Times get it right in the first place?  The answer
is probably best understood by this:  Media protects the media.

	How did this come about?  In an unprecedented maneuver, the St. Petersburg
Times ran sensational story after sensational story, more than forty in
all.  At the same time, they retained their attorney to represent the
coroner in opposing our attempt to obtain copies of medical evidence that
would uncover what actually happened to our dear friend and parishioner.

	They lost the motion.  Now we find out that the nineteen slides we were
given, which the Medical Examiner assured us were all there was, were not
all.  Twenty-one slides existed and those additional two are the conclusive
evidence.

	Then suddenly into town came the New York Times' Scientology attacker. 
The next thing we learn is that the New York Times is now represented by
that same St. Petersburg Times/coroner attorney.

	Too coincidental.  And a story the media should investigate.  But...it's
one of their own, so they don't.

	The only medical authority that supported the incorrect conclusions of the
coroner appeared, as she did, on tabloid TV.  And where is he now? 
Convicted for tampereing with evidence as a Coroner -- tampering that
included breaking the legs of corpses to collect the insurance.

	By contrast, the authorities we reatined to examine the medical evidence
are the foremost experts in the United States.

	Scientologists believe they have a right to know the cause of a natural
death of one of their own.  That this information was withheld, while lies
were spread on tabloid TV, is not just a travesty -- it's cruel.

	And by the say, not mentioned in the entire front page New York Times
story is that the Church has never been a target of this investigation.

	We ask the New York Times this:  Can't you at least put aside your agenda
so a Scientologist can die in peace?  Or do you know no limits?


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