Summary of interview with Dr. Donald J. Carrow, M.D.

Author:

Det. Sgt. Wayne Andrews

Date:July 21, 1998
Pages:4

SUPPLEMENT/CONTINUATION

FL0520300/Clearwater Police Department Report No. 95-29158
Offense Death Investigation Date of Report 7/21/98

Location 644 Pierce Street Orig Incident Date 12/6/95
Victim Lisa McPherson VI Prosecute Yes No
Investigator Det. Sgt. Wayne Andrews
Previous Status Active
Subject None
Impound Inventory None

NARRATIVE: During a prior. interview with Judy Goldsberry-Weber, she brought up the name of Dr. Donald J. Carrow. Agent Lee Strope and I, along with Executive Assistant State Attorney Crow, agreed that Dr. Carrow should be interviewed in reference to any connection he might have had with Lisa McPherson and/or Janis Johnson.

On 7/20/98, at 1300 hours, Det. John Diebel and I responded to the office of Donald J. Carrow, M.D., Medical Director, Florida Institute of Health in Tampa, Pinellas County address of XXX XXXXXXX XXX, Clearwater, Florida 33760, Pinellas phone 573-3775, Hillsborough phone XXX-XXXX, fax XXX-XXXX. Upon our arrival, I spoke with an office employee named Danielle, who looked up the medical records upon our request and found that Lisa McPherson was not listed as ever being Dr. Carrow's patient.

We spoke with Dr. Carrow and I requested that he provide some background information regarding how he and his medical practice became involved with the Church of Scientology. He gave the following statement: He practices alternative medicine, which promotes natural herbs and vitamins. Years ago when he was practicing in Tampa, he was sought out by the Church of Scientology to treat their members because they also believed in alternative medicine. Scientology patients always came to his office with someone else and he would often spend a lot of time answering the questions of the per son that Came with the patient. He was familiar with Dr. David Minkoff, a Scientologist with a lot of influence in the Church of


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SUPPLEMENT/CONTINUATION

FL0520300/Clearwater Police Department Report No. 95-29158
Offense Death Investigation Date of Report 7/21/98

Scientology. He (Dr. Carrow) suggested years ago that they form a medical office at the Church of Scientology to better deal with their members.

I asked Dr. Carrow if he was familiar with Lisa McPherson's death at the Church of Scientology. He stated that his only knowledge of it was what he had read in the papers. I asked if he had ever seen Lisa or treated her as a patient and he stated no, but that he had heard there was a Scientologist doctor taking care ofher. I asked if he knew the name of the doctor and he stated it was Dr. Johnson. I asked if he meant Dr. Jackson from Clearwater. He stated that he knew Dr. Jackson, but that he had heard it was Dr. Johnson that took care of Lisa. I asked if he knew Dr. Johnson and he stated yes, that the Church had taken his suggestion of setting up a medical practice at the Church and introduced her as the doctor that would be in charge of it. He stated that, although she 'was introduced as a doctor, he was not sure -she was licensed at that time to practice in Florida. However, he felt that she would be getting her license to practice in Florida and was most likely licensed in some state. He agreed to give her some type of refresher course and allow her to have access to his office but was not training her to take over an office. From talking to her and watching her, he felt that her medical skills were a little rusty and her knowledge was out of date. He believed that she came to his office at least a dozen times to work but not for pay. I asked if he was ever asked by her to be a consultant on the Lisa McPherson case and he stated no. I asked if she was working for him while she was taking care of Lisa. He stated no, that she was never working for him and he was not giving her any guidance in reference to treating Lisa.

I asked if he had ever written any prescriptions for Lisa or Dr. Johnson and he stated no. I asked him about MagnesiumChloride and he described it as a very beneficial metal for the body. He stated'that he has Magnesium Chloride available in liquid form in his office, and that it is often used in I.V. solutions. I asked if he had given any Magnesium Chloride to Dr. Johnson and he stated that he did not


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SUPPLEMENT/CONTINUATION

FL0520300/Clearwater Police Department Report No. 95-29158
Offense Death Investigation Date of Report 7/21/98

remember doing it but might have. However, he stated that he did not know where or what to check to see if he had. He described Magnesium Chloride as a nonprescription substance that was readil available. I advised him that records we y received from the Church of Scientology indicated that Dr. Johnson had given Lisa an injection of Magnesium Chloride, but that we had been unable to find out where it came from. He stated that he read in the paper that Lisa was severely dehydrated, and that it did not take a rocket scientist to recognize when someone was becoming dehydrated. - He indicated that he personally would not recommend giving the Magnesium Chloride injection to someone that was dehydrated. I asked how someone other than a doctor could obtain the Magnesium Chloride. He stated that he sometimes recommends the Magnesium Chloride to his patients, and that it comes in an intravenous solution. When he recommends it to a patient, he stated that he simply calls up Home Health Works, which is owned by Sue Minkoff and her husband Dr. David Minkoff, and has Sue administer the solution and bill him so he can fill out the paperwork. I asked if this was the same Dr. Minkoff that was involved in the Lisa McPherson case and he stated yes.

I asked if he knew of any other doctors in the area that had treated Scientologists. He stated that Dr. Finkelstein, who has an office somewhere in the area, and Dr. Jackson, who has an office on Gulf to Bay in Clearwater, have treated Scientologists. However, he stated that most of the Scientology beliefs on herbal medicine and vitamins come from a doctor in Los Angeles. He could not remember the doctor's name but stated that he would look it up in one of his journals. He then provided me with the name of Dr. Megan Shields, who he stated often comes to Clearwater when they have officials from the Church of Scientology in the area. He described her as being a W/F, approximately 40 years of age, whose specialty is detoxification. He stated that she speaks on a lecture circuit, and that she was accompanied by Sue Minkoff at some of the lectures he attended.


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SUPPLEMENT/CONTINUATION

FL0520300/Clearwater Police Department Report No. 95-29158
Offense Death Investigation Date of Report 7/21/98

My interview with Dr. Carrow was concluded at app~oximately 1345 hours.

Case status remains Active.


Ofc.Reporting Det. Sgt. Wayne Andrews/ elg ID No. 603
Case Status Active Date Cleared
Clearance Type
1. Arrest
Adult Juvenile
2. Exceptional
3. Unfounded
4. Other
Exception Type

1. Extradition declined
2. AR of primary offense,
secondary offense,
w/o prosecution


3. Death of Offender
4. V/W refused to cooperate
5. Prosecution declined
6. Juv/No Custody

Ofc. Reviewing Date SAO Info

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