Many state legislators including those from Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland are considering opening up the civil statute of limitations regarding sexual abuse. However, they are all too often doing so in a very restrictive manner. In Colorado, for instance, legislators are considering opening up the statute for those victimized after 1982 when all the evidence points to the fact that many of those abused suffered in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Such proposals don’t help victims. I have to presume the legislators are trying to do something without offending the powerful Catholic hierarchies in their respective states. It is no secret that local bishops have become powerful lobbyists in state capitols and are pressuring legislators to protect the institution of the church. This is entirely unjust and re-victimizes the victims!
All posts by Joseph H. Saunders
Elimination of Joint and Several Liability is not Good for the Consumer
The Florida Legislature seems bent on acquiescing to Governor Bush’s agenda to protect large corporations at the expense of the family and the average consumer. An unfortunate example of this is the current legislation seeking to ban Joint and Several Liabilty. Joint & Several Liability provides a Common Sense approach by which victims’ medical bills are paid when two or more offenders cause an injury. Joint & Several only applies if no injury would have occurred but for the fault of each offender. In such cases, Joint & Several allows each offender to be held responsible for the victim’s full medical bills and lost wages in order to ensure that a victim’s full medical bills are paid. Victims & taxpayers should NEVER be forced to pay for the careless behavior of the guilty. But that precise injustice will occur if Joint & Several Liability is eliminated.
Amnesty International Renews Its Taser Warnings
As the death toll from Taser use continues to mount across the country, Amnesty International has renewed its call to halt the use of the controversial stun gun. According to the watchdog group, 61 people died after being tasered in the last year. In spite of this, Taser use has increased since 2001. According to the GAO, police officers used the stun gun 70,000 times last year alone.
Colorado Sex Abuse Crime Bill Heads to Governor
HB 1088 passed the Colorado Senate on Friday and is now headed to Colorado Governor Bill Owens for his signature. If the Governor signs the bill into law, it would eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse crimes that happened 10-20 years ago.
Guidant’s Own Commission Critical of Flaws
An expert panel commissioned by Guidant Corporation to assess its handling of problems with cardiac medical devices cited the company for failure to properly assess patient safety. The commission noted that Guidant’s decisions were guided by statistical projections provided by engineers rather than medical data provided by doctors. The group urged Guidant to create an outside panel of physicians and others who would regularly monitor the safety of its devices and advise the company about when and how to notify doctors and patients about problems.
Suppressed Society of St. John Resurfaces in South America
The controversial Society of St. John which had been functioning in the Diocese of Scranton until its suppression in 2004, has resurfaced in Paraguay with two priests who’ve been accused of sexual abuse of minors. The Society which had been the subject of an abuse lawsuit in Scranton had been invited to function in the Diocese of Scranton by former Bishop James Timlin. The two priests, Rev. Carlos Urrutigoity and Rev. Eric Ensey, who were forbidden from exercising their priestly duties, are now with the society in Paraguay.
Company Draws Fire for Using Blood Substitute Without Patients’ Consent
Northfield Laboratories has come under heavy criticism for the unorthodox manner in which it is testing its new blood substitute PolyHeme. However, it’s not the substitute itself that has caused the uproar. It’s the fact that the 31 hospitals around the country participating in the study have failed to inform the patients of the substitute’s use. The subjects of the study, badly hemorrhaging trauma patients, never gave their consent to the blood substitute. Moreover, the FDA approved the manner in which the study would be conducted.
Mandatory Taser Training for Cops Passes Florida House Committee
Florida police officers would be required to take four hours of training before using the Taser stun gun under HB 303 which was unanimously approved by the Florida House Criminal Justice Appropriations Committee. Presently, no training is required. The training requirement bill surfaced after many people have been seriously injured or killed after being hit by the Taser. Republican Dick Kravitz of Jacksonville is sponsoring the bill.
Jackson Mississippi Diocese Settles Abuse Claims
In spite of claiming protection under the First Amendment, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson, MI has settled 19 claims of sexual abuse brought against it. The Diocese had strenuously argued for the separation of church and state during the lengthy litigation. The church’s position that it is autonomous from civil law has been asserted by other diocese across the country as they sought to protect themselves from civil exposure and the damaging revelations internal church documents might uncover.
Tampa VA Doc Uses Unsterilized Implant
In a hastily called briefing for Congressional staffers, authorities at the James A. Haley VA Center in Tampa announced that an unsterilized cranial implant was placed into a patient last month. The mistake was nearly duplicated a few weeks later at the same hospital. The hosptial officials waited nearly two weeks before notifying anyone of the error!
Of course, the usual political recriminations followed. The question remains-are the errors being addressed and fixed or will we see more political posturing?