In December 2022 we first broke the news of the tragic death of 40-year-old Whitney Mills, a troubled Scientologist who ended her life with violence. We reported that story from police reports that left a lot of questions unanswered. Today, Tracey McManus at the Tampa Bay Times describes a wrongful death lawsuit
I think the lawsuit has enough legs to be a centipede. That poor woman went through hell before she killed herself. And all that Dr Minkoff did was treat imaginary Lyme Disease. Time for that guy to lose his medical license. That poor tortured woman.....
And let her think she had cancer! Even if it turned out the cyst was benign, to have a patient with a large ovarian cyst and not try to do anything medically for the pain is abhorrent. As my gynecologist once said: Next time a male doctor tells you that an ovarian cyst is normal and not the cause of any pain tell them to stick a tennis ball up their urethra and then tell you that doesn't hurt.
I took the time to read the entire suit before commenting, and while there are many more things that outraged me, these three quotes really stood out in my mind:
“Minkoff put his beliefs in Scientology above his Hippocratic oath and above his duties as a licensed physician in Florida.” This, unfortunately is exactly how any good Scientologist should act. That does not make it right, it makes it incredibly wrong. I look forward to not only the medical malpractice suit filed against him but also reading about the civil, and hopefully criminal actions filed against him.
“Lopez lived with Mills in her one-bedroom apartment, occupying the bedroom while Mills slept on her sofa.” Wait, what? The ill person was forced to sleep on the couch in her own home while the Scientology babysitter took her bed.
“I’m at the top of the bridge and dealing with serious mental problems. This is not right!!” But it is true. It is also probably true for more OT VIII Scientologists than just her. It seems that the higher they get on the bridge, they either lose their way or they realize they need to leave. That sentence needs to be broadcast far and wide.
yes! It'd be a good sub title for a book laying out her tragedy.
Hubbard's quackery, and then the world of followers stuck in Hubbard's regulations pushing them to do all things he ordered, it's clearly correct to sue the Scientology groups too, who "hold the form of the org" governing what the caretakers think and do to Mills.
Hubbard's quackery and regulations have Minkoff too in Hubbard's grip.
"On behalf of those representing the The Church of Scientology, I would like to say that 'dropping the body' is a religious activity and not within the purview of WOG justice systems."
My apologies to those who loved and continue to love Whitney; my heartfelt condolences to you and those who ACTUALLY care/cared for Whitney. I hope Justice is done for her and on her mother's behalf. - for a change -
He is a Scientologist who treats Scientologists. They won’t report him even if he misdiagnoses them. I doubt he has any other clientele. I hope the AMA takes notice.
1. Thank you Tracey McManus and TBT for your continued willingness to report on the CoS. I am going to try to find a one-time way to support your paper as I cannot do a monthly subscription.
2. Thank you Tony for posting the whole complaint.
3. I am crying and angry. I am going to spend all day 'postulating' that justice will be served here.
4. What is it going to take for Dr. Minkoff to lose his license permanently?
5. Does anyone have the materials or memory to explain this bit: Alex responds, “Dear Nievez, This is the next approved by the SNR C/S assist pgm,” listing the following numerical assists: “289, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 46, 70, 139 (on the lime disease), 293 (find out which body part she feels is affected and run on each one), 295, 299, 309, 150 (as an assist), 314.”
Seriously, seems like suicide watch 101 to make sure she didn’t have access to a gun. Then again, they violated every other possible help for mental health, so no surprise they missed this.
I am so sorry her family is going through their own personal hell knowing all that happened and that it could have been prevented if not for Scientology’s interference.
I think the lawsuit has enough legs to be a centipede. That poor woman went through hell before she killed herself. And all that Dr Minkoff did was treat imaginary Lyme Disease. Time for that guy to lose his medical license. That poor tortured woman.....
And let her think she had cancer! Even if it turned out the cyst was benign, to have a patient with a large ovarian cyst and not try to do anything medically for the pain is abhorrent. As my gynecologist once said: Next time a male doctor tells you that an ovarian cyst is normal and not the cause of any pain tell them to stick a tennis ball up their urethra and then tell you that doesn't hurt.
I took the time to read the entire suit before commenting, and while there are many more things that outraged me, these three quotes really stood out in my mind:
“Minkoff put his beliefs in Scientology above his Hippocratic oath and above his duties as a licensed physician in Florida.” This, unfortunately is exactly how any good Scientologist should act. That does not make it right, it makes it incredibly wrong. I look forward to not only the medical malpractice suit filed against him but also reading about the civil, and hopefully criminal actions filed against him.
“Lopez lived with Mills in her one-bedroom apartment, occupying the bedroom while Mills slept on her sofa.” Wait, what? The ill person was forced to sleep on the couch in her own home while the Scientology babysitter took her bed.
“I’m at the top of the bridge and dealing with serious mental problems. This is not right!!” But it is true. It is also probably true for more OT VIII Scientologists than just her. It seems that the higher they get on the bridge, they either lose their way or they realize they need to leave. That sentence needs to be broadcast far and wide.
yes! It'd be a good sub title for a book laying out her tragedy.
Hubbard's quackery, and then the world of followers stuck in Hubbard's regulations pushing them to do all things he ordered, it's clearly correct to sue the Scientology groups too, who "hold the form of the org" governing what the caretakers think and do to Mills.
Hubbard's quackery and regulations have Minkoff too in Hubbard's grip.
This is Lisa McPherson all over again.
"No Case Change" for Hubbard's quackery outfit!
agree 100% val
"On behalf of those representing the The Church of Scientology, I would like to say that 'dropping the body' is a religious activity and not within the purview of WOG justice systems."
My apologies to those who loved and continue to love Whitney; my heartfelt condolences to you and those who ACTUALLY care/cared for Whitney. I hope Justice is done for her and on her mother's behalf. - for a change -
Don't forget to add, before or after, something like 'But we still flatly deny that any such activity of 'dropping the body' exists.'
Jeebus. How is Minkoff allowed to act in any medical capacity whatsoever? It's unreal.
It's a stereotype, but I want to say "Because it's Florida".
He is a Scientologist who treats Scientologists. They won’t report him even if he misdiagnoses them. I doubt he has any other clientele. I hope the AMA takes notice.
Each one is always one too many. Good luck to the plaintiffs and to their legal teams.
1. Thank you Tracey McManus and TBT for your continued willingness to report on the CoS. I am going to try to find a one-time way to support your paper as I cannot do a monthly subscription.
2. Thank you Tony for posting the whole complaint.
3. I am crying and angry. I am going to spend all day 'postulating' that justice will be served here.
4. What is it going to take for Dr. Minkoff to lose his license permanently?
5. Does anyone have the materials or memory to explain this bit: Alex responds, “Dear Nievez, This is the next approved by the SNR C/S assist pgm,” listing the following numerical assists: “289, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 46, 70, 139 (on the lime disease), 293 (find out which body part she feels is affected and run on each one), 295, 299, 309, 150 (as an assist), 314.”
Practicing medicine without a clue.
I sure hope the estate is filing a separate lawsuit against Minkoff.
Whitney Mills and Lisa McPherson are just the ones we know about.
Tony: Is there any information on who owned the gun and when/how it was bought?
Seriously, seems like suicide watch 101 to make sure she didn’t have access to a gun. Then again, they violated every other possible help for mental health, so no surprise they missed this.
I am so sorry her family is going through their own personal hell knowing all that happened and that it could have been prevented if not for Scientology’s interference.
Scientology is set up only to make “the able more able”. I’ve finally figured out the end of that phrase.
“Scientology makes the able more able to be brainwashed, controlled and duped.” The end result is disability that in many cases leads to death.
This is a good lawsuit that further exposes the toxicity of the Scientology organizations.