Isabella Brooke Knightly and Austin Gamez-Knightly
In Memory of my Loving Husband, William F. Knightly Jr. Murdered by ILLEGAL Palliative Care at a Nashua, NH Hospital
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Jury in Olympia awards $600,000 in DSHS civil suit
Jury in Olympia awards $600,000 in DSHS civil suit | Northwest Partners - The News Tribune
Jury in Olympia awards $600,000 in DSHS civil suit
A Thurston County jury awarded $600,000 on Monday to a former foster child at the center of an investigation into allegations of ritual sex abuse in Wenatchee in the mid-1990s.
JEREMY PAWLOSKI; STAFF WRITER
Published: 03/07/1111:19 pm
Olympia — A Thurston County jury has awarded $600,000 to a former foster child at the center of an investigation into allegations of ritual sex abuse in Wenatchee in the mid-1990s.
The jury on Monday found that the state Department of Social and Health Services and a former DSHS counselor, Connie Saracino, were negligent in failing to act more quickly to remove the then-11-year-old girl from the home of a former Wenatchee police detective after allegations of neglect came to light.
Melinda Everett, now 28, a plaintiff in the sex-abuse case, lived for a brief time in the home of detective, Robert Perez, while he investigated the case.
Many of the adults arrested as a result of Perez’s investigation were later cleared of wrongdoing. Tyler Firkins, Everett’s attorney in the civil trial, which lasted six weeks in Thurston County Superior Court, reminded the jury during closing arguments that flawed interviewing methods by Perez and others resulted in false allegations by Everett and the other children who were involved in the case.
In his closing argument, Firkins cited the trial testimony of experts that “when allegations of sexual abuse become more ritualistic and bizarre, the more likely that they were the result of improper questioning.”
However, the allegations of negligence in Everett’s civil suit did not ask the jury to settle questions about the veracity of the mid-’90s allegations. Rather, the jury was asked to decide whether DSHS was negligent in allowing Everett to be placed in the Perez home while he was investigating the sex-abuse case against her parents.
The jury was also asked to find DSHS negligent in forcing her to be separated from her brother and in allowing her to be institutionalized for a period that lasted until she aged out of DSHS’ jurisdiction.
Firkins suggested that Everett was entitled to about $4.5 million in damages from DSHS, about $1 million for each year she spent in its care.
However, after four full days of deliberation, the jury failed to find that Everett was entitled to damages except for about a three-month period in late 1995, when she lived in the Perez home.
The jury did not find that DSHS was negligent for placing Everett in the Perez home and did not find that placing her there violated her constitutional right to be free from an unreasonable risk of harm. The jury did rule that DSHS was negligent in not acting on a Sept. 20, 1995, report in which Everett alleged neglect in the Perez home. The jury also found that after DSHS received the September 1995 report from Everett’s mental health counselor, the agency was negligent in allowing Everett to remain there.
Saracino violated Everett’s “constitutional right to be free from unreasonable risk of harm,” the jury decided.
The alleged neglect was that Everett was ordered off the property while wearing pajamas. This information was passed from Everett’s mental health counselor to Saracino on Sept. 20, 1995.
The jury also found that DSHS negligently replaced Everett’s mental health counselor. Firkins had argued during closing arguments that DSHS changed the mental health counselor at Perez’s request because the counselor “dared question his dual role” as foster parent and criminal investigator. However, the jury found that Everett was not damaged by the change of counselors.
“The jury didn’t award huge damages against the state because the work of the social workers was on balance very good,” said Assistant Attorney General Paul James after Monday’s verdict came in shortly after 5 p.m.
James said no decision has been made on whether the Attorney General’s Office will appeal the jury’s verdict.
Everett’s co-counsel, Michael Kelly, did not immediately comment after the verdict.
DSHS is responsible for paying $595,000 of the award, and Saracino is responsible for $5,000.
Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/07/1574634/jury-in-olympia-awards-600000.html#ixzz1G0rK8MTY
Jury in Olympia awards $600,000 in DSHS civil suit
A Thurston County jury awarded $600,000 on Monday to a former foster child at the center of an investigation into allegations of ritual sex abuse in Wenatchee in the mid-1990s.
JEREMY PAWLOSKI; STAFF WRITER
Published: 03/07/1111:19 pm
Olympia — A Thurston County jury has awarded $600,000 to a former foster child at the center of an investigation into allegations of ritual sex abuse in Wenatchee in the mid-1990s.
The jury on Monday found that the state Department of Social and Health Services and a former DSHS counselor, Connie Saracino, were negligent in failing to act more quickly to remove the then-11-year-old girl from the home of a former Wenatchee police detective after allegations of neglect came to light.
Melinda Everett, now 28, a plaintiff in the sex-abuse case, lived for a brief time in the home of detective, Robert Perez, while he investigated the case.
Many of the adults arrested as a result of Perez’s investigation were later cleared of wrongdoing. Tyler Firkins, Everett’s attorney in the civil trial, which lasted six weeks in Thurston County Superior Court, reminded the jury during closing arguments that flawed interviewing methods by Perez and others resulted in false allegations by Everett and the other children who were involved in the case.
In his closing argument, Firkins cited the trial testimony of experts that “when allegations of sexual abuse become more ritualistic and bizarre, the more likely that they were the result of improper questioning.”
However, the allegations of negligence in Everett’s civil suit did not ask the jury to settle questions about the veracity of the mid-’90s allegations. Rather, the jury was asked to decide whether DSHS was negligent in allowing Everett to be placed in the Perez home while he was investigating the sex-abuse case against her parents.
The jury was also asked to find DSHS negligent in forcing her to be separated from her brother and in allowing her to be institutionalized for a period that lasted until she aged out of DSHS’ jurisdiction.
Firkins suggested that Everett was entitled to about $4.5 million in damages from DSHS, about $1 million for each year she spent in its care.
However, after four full days of deliberation, the jury failed to find that Everett was entitled to damages except for about a three-month period in late 1995, when she lived in the Perez home.
The jury did not find that DSHS was negligent for placing Everett in the Perez home and did not find that placing her there violated her constitutional right to be free from an unreasonable risk of harm. The jury did rule that DSHS was negligent in not acting on a Sept. 20, 1995, report in which Everett alleged neglect in the Perez home. The jury also found that after DSHS received the September 1995 report from Everett’s mental health counselor, the agency was negligent in allowing Everett to remain there.
Saracino violated Everett’s “constitutional right to be free from unreasonable risk of harm,” the jury decided.
The alleged neglect was that Everett was ordered off the property while wearing pajamas. This information was passed from Everett’s mental health counselor to Saracino on Sept. 20, 1995.
The jury also found that DSHS negligently replaced Everett’s mental health counselor. Firkins had argued during closing arguments that DSHS changed the mental health counselor at Perez’s request because the counselor “dared question his dual role” as foster parent and criminal investigator. However, the jury found that Everett was not damaged by the change of counselors.
“The jury didn’t award huge damages against the state because the work of the social workers was on balance very good,” said Assistant Attorney General Paul James after Monday’s verdict came in shortly after 5 p.m.
James said no decision has been made on whether the Attorney General’s Office will appeal the jury’s verdict.
Everett’s co-counsel, Michael Kelly, did not immediately comment after the verdict.
DSHS is responsible for paying $595,000 of the award, and Saracino is responsible for $5,000.
Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/07/1574634/jury-in-olympia-awards-600000.html#ixzz1G0rK8MTY
Police station video leads to DHHS parole officer's arrest -Milford, NH
Police station video leads to parole officer's arrest - Tuesday, Mar. 8, 2011
By NANCY BEAN FOSTER
Union Leader Correspondent
MILFORD – A state juvenile parole officer has been arrested and charged with three felonies after video surveillance cameras recorded him hitting his estranged wife with his car in the parking lot of the Milford Police Station, then driving off.
The couple, who are separated, had arranged to meet at the police station Saturday afternoon. According to court documents, Kimberly Neumann tried to hand some bills to Todd Neumann, 39, as he was sitting in his 2007 Nissan Maxima. He threw the bills on the ground and she attempted to place them under the passenger's side windshield wiper. Court records say Todd Neumann then swung the car around, hitting his estranged wife and knocking her to the ground and coming "dangerously close" to a 4-year-old child in the parking lot.
Kimberly Neumann went into the police station and reported the incident. A review of the video surveillance of the parking lot corroborated her account, according to court records.
Todd Neumann, who lives in Amherst, later returned to the police station and turned himself in. The probation officer for the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Juvenile Justice was arrested and charged with one class A felony, reckless conduct; two class B felonies, second-degree assault and conduct after an accident; and a class A misdemeanor, endangering the welfare of a child.
DHHS officials would not comment on the case.
Judge Martha Crocker granted Kimberly Neumann a restraining order against her estranged husband.
Neumann was released on $10,000 cash/surety bail. His arraignment was scheduled for Monday at Milford District Court, but prosecutor Michael McCall recommended to Judge Martha Crocker that the trial be moved to another court.
"In light of his position as a juvenile parole and probation officer and the frequency with which he visits this court, I felt this may not be appropriate for this case to be heard in Milford," McCall said.
The judge agreed to transfer the case; it is not yet known where it will be heard, McCall said.
By NANCY BEAN FOSTER
Union Leader Correspondent
MILFORD – A state juvenile parole officer has been arrested and charged with three felonies after video surveillance cameras recorded him hitting his estranged wife with his car in the parking lot of the Milford Police Station, then driving off.
The couple, who are separated, had arranged to meet at the police station Saturday afternoon. According to court documents, Kimberly Neumann tried to hand some bills to Todd Neumann, 39, as he was sitting in his 2007 Nissan Maxima. He threw the bills on the ground and she attempted to place them under the passenger's side windshield wiper. Court records say Todd Neumann then swung the car around, hitting his estranged wife and knocking her to the ground and coming "dangerously close" to a 4-year-old child in the parking lot.
Kimberly Neumann went into the police station and reported the incident. A review of the video surveillance of the parking lot corroborated her account, according to court records.
Todd Neumann, who lives in Amherst, later returned to the police station and turned himself in. The probation officer for the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Juvenile Justice was arrested and charged with one class A felony, reckless conduct; two class B felonies, second-degree assault and conduct after an accident; and a class A misdemeanor, endangering the welfare of a child.
DHHS officials would not comment on the case.
Judge Martha Crocker granted Kimberly Neumann a restraining order against her estranged husband.
Neumann was released on $10,000 cash/surety bail. His arraignment was scheduled for Monday at Milford District Court, but prosecutor Michael McCall recommended to Judge Martha Crocker that the trial be moved to another court.
"In light of his position as a juvenile parole and probation officer and the frequency with which he visits this court, I felt this may not be appropriate for this case to be heard in Milford," McCall said.
The judge agreed to transfer the case; it is not yet known where it will be heard, McCall said.
BREAKING NEWS: Protestors 'arrest' county court judge
BREAKING NEWS: Protestors 'arrest' county court judge (From Wirral Globe)
Protestors have "civilly arrested" a judge at Birkenhead county court.
A crowd of several hundred people has massed around the court.
Police have begun forcibly ejecting protestors from the court in chaotic scenes.
Made up of people from across the UK, the marchers say they are excerting their "ancient right to lawful Rebellion under Article 16 of Magna Carta."
Around 20 police vehicles are now in attendance and several dozen officers are at the scene, some with dogs.
The crowd, although largely peaceful, is chanting "freedom" and "arrest that judge."
Some have sat down in the road blocking in a police van and are refusing to let it pass.
The area around the county court at Hamilton Street and Market Street is now closed to vehicles by police cordon.
The protestors are handing out leaflets from the "British Constitution Group."
The demonstration was apparently sparked when one of the prominent voices in the BCG, Wirral man Roger Hayes, faced a bankruptcy hearing for non-payment of his council tax.
The BCG's main aim is a rallying call for "lawful rebellion."
In 1997, Mr Hayes stood for election in Wallasey representing the Referendum Party against sitting MP Angela Eagle. He polled 1,490 votes and finished fourth.
The Referendum Party was a single-issue party that emerged in the 90s calling for a vote on the UK's relationship with the European Union.
One of the protestors who had travelled up for the demonstration from Coventry said: "The purpose of today is to generally to get a feel of how unsatisfied people are with the governing of the country.
"I wouldn’t say I was angry, just dissatisfied. I believe that the power is distributed unfairly at this point in time.
“I believe that the people who are in control are morally defunct.
"I don't think they are serving the interests of those they are supposed to be serving."
The BCG website says: "We, the British People have a right to govern ourselves.
"That right has been subjugated as a consequence of acts of treason having been committed by the collective political establishment, aided and abetted by corrupt segments of the judiciary, the police, the Church and the civil service."
Protestors have "civilly arrested" a judge at Birkenhead county court.
A crowd of several hundred people has massed around the court.
Police have begun forcibly ejecting protestors from the court in chaotic scenes.
Made up of people from across the UK, the marchers say they are excerting their "ancient right to lawful Rebellion under Article 16 of Magna Carta."
Around 20 police vehicles are now in attendance and several dozen officers are at the scene, some with dogs.
The crowd, although largely peaceful, is chanting "freedom" and "arrest that judge."
Some have sat down in the road blocking in a police van and are refusing to let it pass.
The area around the county court at Hamilton Street and Market Street is now closed to vehicles by police cordon.
The protestors are handing out leaflets from the "British Constitution Group."
The demonstration was apparently sparked when one of the prominent voices in the BCG, Wirral man Roger Hayes, faced a bankruptcy hearing for non-payment of his council tax.
The BCG's main aim is a rallying call for "lawful rebellion."
In 1997, Mr Hayes stood for election in Wallasey representing the Referendum Party against sitting MP Angela Eagle. He polled 1,490 votes and finished fourth.
The Referendum Party was a single-issue party that emerged in the 90s calling for a vote on the UK's relationship with the European Union.
One of the protestors who had travelled up for the demonstration from Coventry said: "The purpose of today is to generally to get a feel of how unsatisfied people are with the governing of the country.
"I wouldn’t say I was angry, just dissatisfied. I believe that the power is distributed unfairly at this point in time.
“I believe that the people who are in control are morally defunct.
"I don't think they are serving the interests of those they are supposed to be serving."
The BCG website says: "We, the British People have a right to govern ourselves.
"That right has been subjugated as a consequence of acts of treason having been committed by the collective political establishment, aided and abetted by corrupt segments of the judiciary, the police, the Church and the civil service."
Monday, March 7, 2011
Frustrations evident at CPS meeting-North Platte Nebraska's newspaper -
North Platte Nebraska's newspaper - The North Platte Telegraph. > News
The North Platte Telegraph
Emotions ran high at the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation on Saturday. Representatives from the Family Advocacy Movement hosted a public meeting attended by people whose lives have been negatively affected by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Posters labeled "HHS - Not A Friend To Children" and "Children's Rights Should Include The 4th Amendment" hung throughout the room. Families were encouraged to band together, share their stories and fight for their rights. Topics ranged from how to survive the confiscation process to parental rights after children have been seized.
Melanie Williams-Smotherman, FAM executive director, said she's heard that Nebraska is on the cusp of changing something that hasn't been changed before.
"Things are happening differently than in the past because we're unifying families," she said. "We can move mountains. HHS is a mountain and an incredibly damaging one. Together, our collective commitment will make this change. When we show what we can do together, it will radiate throughout the country."
Williams-Smotherman said HHS is supposed to help keep children safe and support families, but she said the system is broken. She said senators often won't put themselves on the line to try to change a system until public opinion begins to sway.
"The answer is not about changing senators or judges," she said. "The answer is what's happening in this room. Sharing the information in this room is helpful. The only way the system stays intact is by keeping us all isolated. We've got to have families fighting for each other."
The meeting was videotaped. FAM is working on a series of documentaries both for its website, and so senators can put faces with stories.
Myla Sheppard of Lincoln talked about her family's experience with HHS and said she was at the meeting to share hope.
"What helped me the most was not hearing what I couldn't do," she said. "It was hearing what I could do. Anything you can find to do is positive. Blow it up in their face. Their mission is to beat you down mentally."
James Holt is a mental health practitioner in Lincoln and Omaha. He said every time a child is taken out of a home, the child's development is interrupted.
"This disease doesn't have a color," said Holt. "It picks on everyone."
He said there are a lot of therapists within the system who are not advocates for the parents, and several in the room echoed his comments by saying North Platte has a "good ol' boys" club.
"Empowerment is key," said Holt. "They want control of your life. They don't want you to be empowered because that threatens them."
James Russell has been a ward of the state since he was 12. He's now 18. He said that when he was 15, he lived in Scottsbluff and his caseworker told him to find an apartment near the school so he could wake up and go to class on time.
He said his current caseworker is his guardian. Russell listed several disorders he has been diagnosed with since entering the system, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and paranoia.
Russell said his ultimate goal is independent living, but said he's required to contact his caseworker before he does anything, including apply for a job. He said his caseworker has told him that he will be a failure, and said she's trying to get an extension so that he will age out of the system at 21 instead of 19.
Russell said he tried to get out from under her control, but she had him jailed for a month for making terroristic threats.
Holt asked Russell what kind of medication he is taking for his alleged illnesses and when Russell told him, Holt said not only had Russell been misdiagnosed, he is taking a medicine that can affect his liver.
Russell admitted that test results have shown his liver is compromised. He said he asked his doctor to take him off the medicine, but his doctor refused.
Williams-Smotherman said she is trying to put a delegation together that can travel to the state capitol and address senators. She asked Russell to be a part of the delegation.
"We are powerful people," said Williams-Smotherman. "We know the true stories behind our cases. When we're thrust into unjust situations, we have to step forward. HHS does not back up and does not apologize. We have this opening; we can't let it get swept under the rug."
Click on this story at nptelegraph.com to post your comments, or e-mail heather.johnson@nptelegraph.com.
The North Platte Telegraph
Emotions ran high at the North Platte Area Chamber and Development Corporation on Saturday. Representatives from the Family Advocacy Movement hosted a public meeting attended by people whose lives have been negatively affected by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Posters labeled "HHS - Not A Friend To Children" and "Children's Rights Should Include The 4th Amendment" hung throughout the room. Families were encouraged to band together, share their stories and fight for their rights. Topics ranged from how to survive the confiscation process to parental rights after children have been seized.
Melanie Williams-Smotherman, FAM executive director, said she's heard that Nebraska is on the cusp of changing something that hasn't been changed before.
"Things are happening differently than in the past because we're unifying families," she said. "We can move mountains. HHS is a mountain and an incredibly damaging one. Together, our collective commitment will make this change. When we show what we can do together, it will radiate throughout the country."
Williams-Smotherman said HHS is supposed to help keep children safe and support families, but she said the system is broken. She said senators often won't put themselves on the line to try to change a system until public opinion begins to sway.
"The answer is not about changing senators or judges," she said. "The answer is what's happening in this room. Sharing the information in this room is helpful. The only way the system stays intact is by keeping us all isolated. We've got to have families fighting for each other."
The meeting was videotaped. FAM is working on a series of documentaries both for its website, and so senators can put faces with stories.
Myla Sheppard of Lincoln talked about her family's experience with HHS and said she was at the meeting to share hope.
"What helped me the most was not hearing what I couldn't do," she said. "It was hearing what I could do. Anything you can find to do is positive. Blow it up in their face. Their mission is to beat you down mentally."
James Holt is a mental health practitioner in Lincoln and Omaha. He said every time a child is taken out of a home, the child's development is interrupted.
"This disease doesn't have a color," said Holt. "It picks on everyone."
He said there are a lot of therapists within the system who are not advocates for the parents, and several in the room echoed his comments by saying North Platte has a "good ol' boys" club.
"Empowerment is key," said Holt. "They want control of your life. They don't want you to be empowered because that threatens them."
James Russell has been a ward of the state since he was 12. He's now 18. He said that when he was 15, he lived in Scottsbluff and his caseworker told him to find an apartment near the school so he could wake up and go to class on time.
He said his current caseworker is his guardian. Russell listed several disorders he has been diagnosed with since entering the system, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and paranoia.
Russell said his ultimate goal is independent living, but said he's required to contact his caseworker before he does anything, including apply for a job. He said his caseworker has told him that he will be a failure, and said she's trying to get an extension so that he will age out of the system at 21 instead of 19.
Russell said he tried to get out from under her control, but she had him jailed for a month for making terroristic threats.
Holt asked Russell what kind of medication he is taking for his alleged illnesses and when Russell told him, Holt said not only had Russell been misdiagnosed, he is taking a medicine that can affect his liver.
Russell admitted that test results have shown his liver is compromised. He said he asked his doctor to take him off the medicine, but his doctor refused.
Williams-Smotherman said she is trying to put a delegation together that can travel to the state capitol and address senators. She asked Russell to be a part of the delegation.
"We are powerful people," said Williams-Smotherman. "We know the true stories behind our cases. When we're thrust into unjust situations, we have to step forward. HHS does not back up and does not apologize. We have this opening; we can't let it get swept under the rug."
Click on this story at nptelegraph.com to post your comments, or e-mail heather.johnson@nptelegraph.com.
Why does Channel 5 protect CPS when they kill children? - Target 5 Investigates
Why does Channel 5 protect CPS when they kill children? - Target 5 Investigates - WLWT's u local Message Board - u local, Your Cincinnati Photos & Videos
I want to know why Channel 5 has disabled the chat section under the 7-month old foster child that was killed under CPS and foster care. Its amazing they love posting and allowing comments on bio-parents, but when the government kills a child, we wont allow people to speak? Why protect the crooked organization that CPS is Channel 5? Why report the death of the baby over a week later?
I want to know why Channel 5 has disabled the chat section under the 7-month old foster child that was killed under CPS and foster care. Its amazing they love posting and allowing comments on bio-parents, but when the government kills a child, we wont allow people to speak? Why protect the crooked organization that CPS is Channel 5? Why report the death of the baby over a week later?
A good Judge at last! City judge's defense of troubled families offends many caseworkers
City judge's defense of troubled families offends many caseworkers
ST. LOUIS • To Judge Jimmie Edwards, the 800 St. Louis foster children technically in his legal guardianship are all "children" — be they babies with pacifiers or runaways with tattoos.
Sometimes he even calls them "my" children.
ST. LOUIS • To Judge Jimmie Edwards, the 800 St. Louis foster children technically in his legal guardianship are all "children" — be they babies with pacifiers or runaways with tattoos.
Sometimes he even calls them "my" children.
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