Forensics Talk

Michael Jackson's Hired Physician Says MJ had a Pulse . . . Oh, Really?

  Point of View                                                                         

     According to Fox News today, "Michael Jackson still had a faint pulse and his body was warm when his doctor found him in bed and not breathing, a lawyer for the doctor told The Associated Press on Sunday. . . Chernoff told the AP that Murray was at the pop icon's rented mansion on Thursday afternoon when he discovered Jackson in bed and not breathing. The doctor immediately began administering CPR, Chernoff said."

      OK, I have a slight problem with this info . . . and more than a few questions. First off, if the physician was the one who found Michael Jackson, why wasn't he the one who called 911? Was someone else in the room when the physician found him and was that person asked to call 911? 

   If so, how many minutes passed between the time the physician found him, "warm and with a slight pulse," and the unidentified person called 911 saying that he had no pulse, wasn't breathing, and that the physician was performing CPR? 

  What did his pupils look like? The classic sign of an overdose with narcotics is pin point pupils. After checking a patient's breathing and heart rate, the next thing would be checking the pupils. It can all be done in a matter of seconds.

  And why in the world would a cardiologist not know what any first time CPR trainee is taught - that you have to have a hard surface beneath the patient or CPR won't work? A bed is way too soft.

  I once arrived to visit a home health care patient, only to find him in complete arrest (after a "night of partying"). The first thing I did, after assessing his respiratory, cardiac and pupil status, and asking the family to call 911, was pull him to the floor and begin CPR. Geezz, how long has it been since this guy renewed his CPR certification? We're required to renew every year. 

  According to Fox news, "Dr. Murray has never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson," Chernoff said. "Not ever. Not that day. ... Not Oxycontin (either) for that matter."

  Well, that's all fine and good. But did the good doctor know about the drugs? It's one thing to practice in an office, and the patient not tell you they are taking drugs, quite another to be living in residence with that patient and not know what was going on.

   Whether he actually wrote any prescriptions, or actually gave any narcotics, or any other drugs, to Michael Jackson or not, it was still that physician's responsibility to know what was going on with his patient and what drugs that patient was taking.

Did he give any to Michael Jackson at any time? Sometimes drugs can react negatively with each other and increase the effects of other drugs, especially if there are other conditions, like kidney or liver disease, whereby the drugs couldn't be cleared properly from the body. This could possibly cause a build up of drugs in his system.

   In other words, Demerol, being a respiratory depressant, could increase the effects of any other meds, built up in his system, which would also have a respiratory depressive effect. Together, they could severely depress the respiratory system by acting on the respiratory center of the brain which controls breathing. The combined effect could also decrease the patient's heart rate, blood pressure, and circulation, potentially causing a cardiac arrest.

   Whether Dr. Murray prescribed Demerol or not, if he was aware that Michael Jackson was taking it, long term, he should also have been aware that Demerol, or any other narcotic, is not an appropriate treatment for chronic back pain and, most definitely, not appropriate treatment for a fractured leg that reportedly had occurred years before. It was his job to know these things. I did check his name and license out on the CA Medical Board website. It stated, "No records returned." Although it's possible to obtain a temporary licensure, according to the research, it's usually reserved for visiting professors or to complete continuing educational requirements in a different state from which the original license was obtained.

   Narcotics are Schedule II drugs used for pain relief of acute injury only and its use is severely restricted by law under the Control Substances Act. NSAIDS (Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs) are usually the appropriate choice for chronic back pain, not narcotics.

   If Michael Jackson was actually being given Demerol, or any other narcotic, long term, as reported, then the investigation should determine who prescribed the narcotic, who obtained it, and who gave it. Someone had to have done so. IMO, the facts, as they are coming out, just don't pass the smell test at the moment.

 

 

 

 

Latest In Duke Child Rape Case: "New allegations . . . Stunning and Sickening"

American Thinker

     Thomas Lifson
"A new and even more scandalous rape allegation has surfaced at Duke University. Yet the usual media and campus PC crowd are keeping mighty quiet. Identity politics apparently trumps all sense of outrage. . . Of course, after the disgraceful media and university reaction to the phony allegations against Duke Lacrosse team members, it is wise avoid jumping to conclusions, but the comparative silence on the current case is nonetheless remarkable, considering how many particulars of the case were left out of the main AP account"

"Mike Adams, writing on Townhall, lays out the facts the MSM won't: Frank Lombard is the associate director of Duke's Center for Health Policy. . . accused of logging on to a chat room online and describing himself as a "perv dad for fun" . . . recently arrested by the FBI and charged with offering up his adopted 5-year-old son for sex. . . "

"It gets worse. The allegations are stunning and sickening. Adams spares us what he says is the worst. . . The Associate Press (AP) did not mention the fact that the five-year old offered up for molestation was black. Bringing that fact to light might be damaging to the political coalition that exists between blacks and gays. Nor did the AP mention that the adopted child is being raised by a homosexual couple. . . . "  Read More

 

 

Insurance Defense Blog

    Dave Stratton's Insurance Defense Blog is an excellent resource for those researching information regarding insurance cases. The following include excerpts and links:

Failure to order complete trial transcript results in dismissal of Virginia appeal of $8.3 million verdict

April 21, 2009

   "A simple clerical error -- failing to order the complete trial transcript -- resulted in the dismissal of the Virginia appeal of a $8.3 million verdict and also spawned two other lawsuits.  These events and their consequences are worth reviewing, as many lawyers will have to admit "there but for the grace of God . . . ."' Read More

 

Defamation per se in Virginia arising from summary of a judicial opinion

April 10, 2009

   "In Vaile v. Willick, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 53619 (W.D. Va. July 14, 2008), a law student's defamation action against two lawyers survived the defendants' motion for summary judgment.

The defendants practiced family law in Nevada, and represented the plaintiff law student's ex-wife.  The defendants represented the ex-wife and their children in a series of lawsuits in state and federal courts in Nevada to recover damages from Vaile's removal of the children from their mother's custody without her consent. . . " Read More

 

"New Medicare Fraud: "Spinning" Blood At HIV Clinics"

The following are excerpts and links to excellent articles on Health Care Fraud from:

FraudBlawg

New Medicare Fraud: “Spinning” Blood at HIV Clinics

June 11, 2009

"DOJ recently busted a Miami, FL-based ring who fraudulently bilked taxpayers by “spinning” patients’ blood to falsify lab results, fooling CMS into paying for otherwise unnecessary meds at HIV infusion clinics. The scheme consists of: (1) obtaining vials of blood drawn from clinic patients; (2) placing the vials in a blood centrifuge; and (3) rotating the blood in the centrifuge for about 15 minutes, causing the blood to separate into its component parts. When sent for lab analysis, the tainted blood makes it appear that otherwise healthy blood has dangerously low platelet counts, which would justify the billing of Medicare for expensive HIV treatments. More than $20M was fraudulently billed before the fraud was discovered. . . " Read More

Jury Says Lousianna Doc Performed Unneccesary Surgeries; Colleagues Say Medicare Got Bill

June 11, 2009

"Dr. Mehmood M. Patel was sentenced to 10 years in prison after a conviction for health care fraud, reports the FBI. The allegations were levied by Patel’s colleague, Dr. Christopher Mallavarapu, who has also filed a qui tam whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act, alleging that Patel fraudulently performed unnecessary surgeries and caused false claims to be submitted to the U.S. by hospitals in Lousianna. According to the FBI, “Testimony from experts in cardiology specialties revealed that the defendant deployed stents, balloons, and radiation in coronary arteries that had little or insignificant disease. . . " Read More

Hawaii Whistleblower Suits Settle; U.S. Recovers $2.5M

June 11, 2009

Queen’s Medical Center of Honolulu paid $2.5 million to settle two whistleblower lawsuits alleging that it overbilled Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. Two former pharmacy techs alleged that the private hospital fraudulently billed for services to residents without the level of supervision required by federal rules. 

According to the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii: (1) QMC submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE for anti-psychotic drugs ordered by a psychiatrist which were really ordered by non-psychiatrist physicians without the prior knowledge of a psychiatrist . . . " Read More

"Perception Of Unsafe Neighborhoods Disables The Elderly"

Medical News Today

Article Date: 29 May 2009 - 0:00 PDT

     "Elderly people who live below the poverty line and perceive their neighborhoods to be dangerous are more likely to have a mobility disability. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health suggest that even perceiving one's neighborhood as unsafe can 'get into the body' and, ultimately, prove hazardous for elder health.

Cheryl Clark MD, ScD, from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, led a team of researchers who studied 1,884 people aged 65 and older. They measured both the individuals' perceptions of danger and the levels of violent crime actually reported in the areas where they lived. Although these measures correlated quite well, it was the elder's sense that the neighborhood was unsafe that was most strongly associated with the development of a disability. Clark said, "Our results suggest that dangerous neighborhoods get from the mind into the body and engender mobility disability through psychosocial or psychological processes". . . " Read More

"A Psychological Assessment of Crime Profiling"

 All About Forensic Psychology

 

Richard L. Ault, JR. & James T. Reese

Originally Published In The:

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (March 1980)

  

FOREWARD

Inside the Criminal Mind: A Forensic Psychology eBook Collection Special

   "In the early 1970s, Special Agent Howard Teten and others in the FBI began to apply the insights of psychological science to violent criminal behavior. In 1972, the FBI Academy launched a Behavioral Science Unit—later called the Behavioral Analysis Unit—which began looking for patterns in the behavior of serial rapists and killers. Agents John Douglas and Robert Ressler conducted systematic interviews of serial killers like John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer to gain insight into their modus operandi, motivations, and backgrounds. This collected information helped agents draw up profiles of violent criminals eluding law enforcement. . " Read More

"Medical Problems Could Include Identity Theft "

New York Times                                                                                          

 WALECIA   KONRAD                                                                                           

Published: June 12, 2009

 

     " Brandon Sharp, a 37-year-old manager at an oil and gas company in Houston, has never had any real health problems and, luckily, he has never stepped foot in an emergency room. So imagine his surprise a few years ago when he learned he owed thousands of dollars worth of emergency-service medical bills.

Mr. Sharp, as it turned out, was a victim of a fast-growing crime known as medical identity theft 

At the time, Mr. Sharp was about to get married and buy his first home. Before applying for a mortgage he requested a copy of his credit report. That is when he found he had several collection notices under his name for emergency room visits throughout the country.

“There was even a $19,000 bill for a Life Flight air ambulance service in some remote location I’d never heard of,” said Mr. Sharp. . . " Read More

"Asking the Tough Questions: How to Examine a Child Witness in Sexual Abuse Cases"

  The articles excerpted below are from an excellent on-line resource called, The Jury Expert. The site offers free full articles on a wide range of relevant topics.

The Jury Expert                                                                              

The Art & Science of Litigation Advocacy

Asking the Tough Questions: How to Examine a Child Witness in Sexual Abuse Cases
by Roger Arnold, Renee Fields

" If all the world’s a stage, then surely the most important stage in this world is the courtroom!  Lives hang in the balance, people are sent to jail or made to pay restitution, and people are vindicated.  Who needs Reality TV?  There is nothing more exciting than to be in a courtroom trying a case.  We feel good when we are able to wrench a confession or evidence from a witness who was not forthcoming.  But it is a case of a different order when faced with a case of the alleged abuse of a child.

There are several valid concerns in making sure the questioning of a child is done properly.  The most obvious is to make sure no harm is done to a traumatized child. . . " Read More

 

Narcissism in Gen Y: Is it Increasing or Not? Two opposing perspectives
             by Jean Twenge, Keith Campbell, Kali Trzesniewski, Brent Donnellan

"A group of strangers sits in front of you in the courtroom. Who are these people? What are their individual experiences? How will those experiences influence their decisions in your case? Some might start to answer these questions by putting jurors into categories – how many are male, how many are female, how many of each race or ethnicity. Most would also notice age, and would wonder how that will affect jurors’ perceptions. But age is actually two variables – age itself, or how experiencing more years of life affects one’s perspective – and generation, or how one’s attitudes and personality have been shaped by the culture of the times. . . In short, everyone agrees narcissism has been rising the last five years. . . " Read More

 

Redefining Credibility: Turning Expert Witnesses into Teachers

By Richard Gabriel

   " The New York Times published an article last year, decrying the American advocacy system that creates a partisan atmosphere for expert witnesses as opposed to more neutral use of experts in European and Australian courts. In the recent Phillip Spector trial, a prosecutor’s closing remarks about “pay to say” expert witnesses for the defense could serve to undercut experts that his own and other local law enforcement offices have used in the past or may use in the future. Other recent articles in national newspapers and editorials echo the general public’s skepticism about the objectivity of expert witnesses. Assuming that the expert can pass the Frye, Daubert and Kumho Tire tests, judges and juries routinely dismiss expert testimony for credibility concerns, incomprehensibility, or simply by being cancelled by another expert’s testimony. All of these issues make for difficult testifying conditions for an expert witness, to say the least. . . " Read More

 

 

 

Teen Arrested In Cat Mutilation Case

MSNBC

Associated Press

MIAMI - "A South Florida teenager was arrested early Sunday and accused of killing and mutilating the cats of his neighbors — a disturbing string of deaths that has horrified residents and shaken animal lovers in two Miami-area communities.

Tyler Hayes Weinman, 18, was taken into custody at a party, police said. He was still being questioned at Miami-Dade police headquarters while authorities praised the arrest at a press conference Sunday morning.

   '"I understand that pet owners feel very strongly about their little family members," Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson said. "Animals bring happiness and comfort to our lives. So, to see them so violated and mutilated just defies all common sense and it's painful for everyone involved. Thankfully, for this community, the terror has come to an end .. . '" Read More

"Restorative Justice and Child Sex Offences: The Theory and the Practice"

Sentencing Law & Policy

     June 3, 2009

    

"The title of this posts is the title of this recent article from the British Journal of Criminology, which is now available here via SSRN.  Here is the abstract:

Restorative justice advocates have made a number of claims about the effectiveness of restorative justice in relation to sexual assault crimes, such as its ability to defuse power relations between the parties and heal the harm.  This article examines whether or not restorative justice is one of the ways forward in the difficult area of prosecuting child sex offences by re-analysing some of the data reported in Daly (2006) and comparing restorative justice with other reforms to the sexual assault trial.  It concludes that there is insufficient evidence to support the view that there are inherent benefits in the restorative justice process that provide victims of sexual assault with a superior form of justice. "

"Elder Abuse Information Guide"

All About Forensic Science.com

     "What is Elder Abuse? "

"According to the National Center on Elder Abuse definitions in state law vary considerably from state to state in terms of what constitutes abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the elderly. However, broadly speaking it can involve physical violence, psychological abuse, isolation, abandonment, abduction, false imprisonment or a caregiver’s neglect.

Domestic elder abuse generally refers to any of several forms of maltreatment of an older person by someone who has a special relationship with the elder (a spouse, a sibling, a child, a friend, or a caregiver), that occur in the elder’s home, or in the home of a caregiver.

Institutional abuse, on the other hand, generally refers to any of the above-mentioned forms of abuse that occur in residential facilities for older persons (e.g., nursing homes, foster homes, group homes, board and care facilities). Perpetrators of institutional abuse usually are persons who have a legal or contractual obligation to provide elder victims with care and protection (e.g., paid caregivers, staff, professionals). . ."  Read More

"Psychopathy: A View from the Past"

 Crime & Consequence

 June 11, 2009 10:51 AM | Posted by Steve Erickson

     " Sometimes doing research brings one across an old case that overflows with wisdom.  From Flanders v. State, 156 P. 39 (1916) the Supreme Court of Wyoming Judge Beard:

And here, too, we should distinguish moral insanity, so-called, which is not insanity at all--at least not in the legal sense. It is well known that there are many depraved persons who, by continued indulgence in vice and crime, have so debased and debauched their moral sense and blunted their susceptibilities that the 'still small voice' of conscience no longer responds to the dictates of human or divine law, and fails to utter warning against the impulse of greed or passion. Sometimes the degradation is so complete that the most vile and detestible acts fail to bring the faintest shame or remorse to the perpetrator. This may be moral insanity, so-called, but, such depravity being induced by the voluntary maintenance of a conscious course of vicious indulgence on the part of the person concerned, and not by disease, there is manifest reason why such person should not be excused on the ground that his conscience fails longer to give a correct report of right and wrong. Moreover, though the man's conscience may break down in its proper function, such person cannot fail, if sane, to know how society and the laws of the state regard the act. For example, the most confirmed thief will hardly be heard to say that his conscience did not reprove him for the theft, so long as the defect in conscience is not the result of disease, but of his own willful pursuance of a course of dishonest conduct. Thus it is important to notice that the insanity which will excuse in law is the product of disease, and not of the defendant's own misconduct."

 

"Ancient Mass Grave Found in Britain"

AOL News

By Stefano Ambrogi,

Reuters

posted: 3 HOURS 37 MINUTES AGO

comments: 294

filed under: Science News, World News

 

    

LONDON (June 12) - "An ancient burial pit containing 45 severed skulls, which could be a mass war grave dating back to Roman times, has been found under a road being built for the 2012 British Olympics.

Dig leader David Score, of Oxford Archaeology said archaeologists are "trying to piece together the extraordinary story behind these remains." They've only just begun excavating the site.

 

  

"At the moment we don't fully understand how or why the remains have come to be deposited in the pit but it seems highly likely that some kind of catastrophic event such as war, disease or execution has occurred," Score told the Guardian newspaper. . . " Read More

"Who Says You Can't Do That?: DNA Collection and "

Forensics Magazine

By: Dick Warrington  
Issue: April/May 2009

     
     "When processing crime scenes, you will encounter many different types of evidence. Often, the most useful evidence will be DNA evidence. In order to make the most of this evidence, you need to know where to look for it, how to collect it, and how to package it. If you put in the effort to do the job right, you will be rewarded with an even stronger case. . . " Read More

"Charges Dropped in Texas Dragging Death"

Charles' Crime / Punishment Blog

     Friday June5, 2009

     "Murder charges have been dropped against two white men who were accused in the dragging death of a black man, a long-time friend. At the request of the special prosecutor in the case, Shannon Finley and Charles Crostley were released from jail.

Brandon McClelland, 24, died Sept. 16, 2008 after a late-night beer run the three friends made from Paris, Texas to Oklahoma.

It appeared that McClelland's body had been dragged about 70 feet under a vehicle, but there was no eyewitnesses and little or no physical evidence linking Finley's truck to McClelland's death. . ." Read More

Autoerotic Asphyxia A Dangerous Game

     Much has been made by the media over the tragic death of David Carradine who was found hanging in his Bangkok hotel room. The initial report, indicating a suicide, was later replaced with the news that he died of possible autoerotic asphyxia; meaning, possibly an accidental death, rather than intentional suicide.

     Either way, it's still a tragedy for Mr. Carradine's family, made much worse by the intense scrutiny of the news media. My heart goes out to them. While David Carradine was a well known celebrity, he was still a human being, with a family who loved him, and they should be afforded a certain amount privacy.

    Having said that, because of that intense scrutiny, I feel it's important to post some facts about this unusual manner of death in order to get the word out to the public and, hopefully, prevent copy cat deaths from occurring.

    Although, according to Dr. Park Dietz, co-author of Autoerotic Fatalities ( Dietz, et al., 1983), the media is "not a suitable medium to discuss this syndrome", due to copy cat behavior. It's for that very reason that I feel it's appropriate to discuss it in this blog. In fact, according to the above cited article, two fatal incidents occurred following the viewing, against Dr. Dietz' advice, of a show on autoerotic asphyxia, by persons who had viewed the show.

     Autoerotic asphyxia is an unusual, though not unheard of, manner of death. It has been documented since the 1600's, for treatment of erectile dysfunction and impotence, and is described as being among the most bizarre of the "paraphilias," or abnormal sexual behaviors. It occurs primarily among adolescents and young adult males.  

     In the book, Autoerotic Fatalities by Hazelwood et al. (1983), the authors suggest that the most common psychological processes underlying autoerotic asphyxia ". . . are the desire for the subjective experience of hypoxia, the acting out of a masochistic fantasy that includes being abused, tortured, or executed, and the desire to be sexually aroused through risk-taking."

Autoerotic asphyxia typically begins in adolescence and most fatalities occur in this age group. According to the paper, The Autoerotic Asphyxiation Syndrome in Adolescents and Young Adult Males, "A study of five teen survivors showed "a history of choking, physical abuse, sexual abuse, other risk-taking behaviors, and pairing of sexual arousal with the choking experience.

   Their behavior was found to be ritualistic and compulsive . . .  physical and sexual abuse can be precursors to the abnormal sexual behavior." This behavior is often seen in introverted male teens engaging in increased sexual fantasies. The adult practice has been named "terminal sex" or "scarving". Most victims are heterosexual and there's usually no known history of deviant sexual behavior. Unfortunately, since there are few survivors, there is still too little information to determine the exact causes.

    Of course, from a death investigation stand point, the first question is whether it was an intentional suicide or an accidental death? Two elements are required to conclude suicide:

(1) The intent of the victim to commit suicide

(2) A specific act which carries out the suicide. The scene of death, if left undisturbed, will usually reveal the clues.

     The obvious question is what was the intent of the victim? Was it an intentional suicide or the acting out of sexual fantasies? And how do we tell? According to Dr. Mary H Dudley, Chief Medical Examiner for Sedgwick County, Wichita, KA, from whom I took my death investigator training, those investigating the death scene, "should not jump to conclusions . . . examine the scene very closely, listen to the family, and check that nothing has been moved."

   This last part is very important, as family members often conceal or destroy evidence at the scene, or alter the body. "The visual memory of the death scene becomes imprinted in the family member's mind forever." It can be done for any number of reasons, including embarrassment, financial gain, religious beliefs, or the social stigma involved with suicides. In a hanging death, the knot of the ligature is the most valuable piece of evidence. It should never be altered. If the ligature has to be cut off the body, it should be cut away from the knot.

   According to the media reports, David Carradine was found hanging with his hands tied behind his back. However, photographic evidence from the scene, published by Thai Rath newspaper, showed "hands apparently bound together above the head" [Carradine family upset by Thailand By: Bangkokpost.com and Agencies], which would indicate an accidental autoerotic asphyxiation death, rather than an intentional suicide.

Suicide

A death investigation of suicide begins with interviewing family and friends in order to create a "psychological autopsy," followed by reviewing the victim's past medical and mental history. The medical examiner will search the body for signs of previous attempts, such as "hesitation marks". These are marks and scars along the wrists, arms, or neck, made by someone who starts to cut, then changes their minds.  Multiple old scars, from such attempts, are often seen. In my work I've seen this on several females, from a few old, healed, superficial cuts along the wrist areas, to multiple scars all over their bodies.

   Past history of depression is also a strong indicator. Prior attempts are seen in as much as 20-60 percent of successful suicides. While the CDC states that teen suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death among young adults and adolescents, 15 to 24 years of age, peak age for suicide by males is 55-65 and females is 60-70.

Suicide Risk Signs

 Sudden, unexpected mood changes - especially going from an extremely agitated state to one of "calm deliberation"

 Increased depression or exalted mood

 Increased fatigue and sleeping

 Suddenly giving away personal belongings

 Making peace with others

Suicide Death Scene Signs

A suicide note

A tape/video recording

The body is found in a locked room

Firearm residue on the hands

Evidence of prior rehearsal

Presence of the book, Final Exit or a recent membership in the Hemlock Society

Recent grief over loss or threat of losses

Recent purchase of weapons

Prior suicide attempt

Autoerotic Death Scene

The victim:

 Usually male, between the ages of 12-25

Is found dead of asphyxia by hanging, a plastic bag over his head, or by gas.

He is either naked or is wearing female clothing

 There is usually pornographic material and a mirror found close by

He's usually found by a family member in his bedroom or other private area of the home

Appearance of solo sexual activity in conjunction with the Asphyxia

 Suicide Intent

Victims often found alone or in a secluded location

Signs of suicide (see above)

Ligature will have no release mechanism

No pornographic material or mirror

Usually a note or video left behind

Accidental Autoerotic Suicide

Victims often found alone or in secluded location

No apparent suicide attempt

No obvious intent

Evidence of a physical mechanism for enhancing sexual gratification

Evidence of a safeguard mechanism

Evidence of sexual fantasy aides

May have bondage items

Evidence of prior dangerous autoerotic practice

Caution

  Parents, it's important that you monitor your teen's activities both online and off. Studies have shown that many learned of this behavior through word of mouth, detective magazines, sex manuals, and pornographic literature and media - easily available on line.

    Counseling, education, law enforcement, and clergy should all be used to help family and friends cope with such an extremely traumatic event. In addition, in my opinion, while they should be offered strong emotional support, they should also be allowed their privacy in which to grieve for their loved one.

 

"FBI Hunts Child Killer Who Leaves Notes"

Aol News

By Ashley Broughton,

CNN

posted: 6 HOURS 29 MINUTES AGO

comments: 417

filed under: Crime News, National News

 

   (June 3) -- "The 5-year-old girl found the note tucked inside a plastic bag and left in a basket used as a flower pot.

 

"Hi Honey I Been watching you," it said. "I am the same person that kidnapped an Rape an kill Aproil tinsely here is a present foR yo you are my next vitem."

A used condom was stuffed in the bag alongside the note. . . "  Read More

Forensics Talk Gold Mine?

http://morvashepley.livejournal.com/friends/

   Found this recently on a writing blog. Thanks, Mora!

     "Forensics Talk is a blog written by a forensics nurse, intended to explain various legal and medical concepts, issues, and incidents to the reasonably intelligent layperson . . .  it does look like a gold mine for writers of mystery or other genres that benefit from precision in this field. Other folks interested in law or medicine might also enjoy taking a look.

Tags: networking, reading, writing"

"Largest Hospice Fraud in U.S. History"

FraudBlawg

May4, 2009

     "On January 15, 2009, Frohsin & Barger announced the country’s largest civil settlement involving allegations of Medicare Hospice fraud and the largest whistleblower settlement in Alabama history, recovering $24.7 million of taxpayer funds through cooperation with the Department of Justice, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, and the Department of Health and Human Services.  For more information regarding this settlement or whistleblower litigation in general, contact Frohsin & Barger at 205.933.4006.  Read the full press release."

To report Medicare Hospice fraud, contact Frohsin & Barger.

Posted in Government Fraud & Abuse, Hospice Fraud, Medicare Fraud, Whistle Blower Litigation | No Comments »
Tags: Cases, healthcare fraud, Medicare Fraud, qui-tam