Posts Tagged ‘Juvenile court’
Lou Pelletier: Justina dying under care of Massachusetts
http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/25070872/permanent-custody-of-justina-pelletier-awarded-to-mass
BOSTON, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) –Lou Pelletier, the father of 15-year-old teenager Justina Pelletier is speaking out against a Tuesday ruling in which a judge gave permanent custody to Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
A juvenile court judge ruled that the Department of Children and Families has “permanent” custody of Justina, until May 25, according to the Pelletier family’s attorney, Matt Staver.
“She needs to be home,” Lou told FOX 25’s Maria Stephanos. “She is mentally, and more importantly physically, dying under the care of the state of Massachusetts.”
On May 25, the judge will then revisit the issue of who is granted custody of Justina in another follow-up court hearing.
Staver said the Pelletier family will now pursue an appeal to send the case to a higher court.
“This is not justice for Justina, or the family,” Staver said.
The Connecticut teen was treated at Children’s Hospital in Boston for almost a year and was previously in Children’s locked psychiatric unit for treatment.
Pelletier was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease years ago – a condition causing muscle pain and weakness. Then, almost a year ago, she was admitted to Children’s with the flu.
At the hospital, her parents say a different set of doctors diagnosed her with “somatoform disorder,” in short, saying she suffered from a mental illness, not mitochondrial disease, and that her symptoms were psychologically induced. The hospital took her off all of her medications, Lou Pelletier said.
When her parents reportedly disagreed and asked for a second opinion, they lost custody of their daughter. DCF was called in after just four days. The parents haven’t had custody since last February.
“Based on credible psychiatric and medical evidence this court has found that Justina suffers from a persistent and severe Somatic Symptom Disorder,” the judge stated.
In December, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families determined that Justina’s parents, Linda and Lou, neglected Justina, and that “return of custody of Justina to her parents was not in her best interest.”
Justina’s parents, the judge continued, “engage in very concerning conduct that does not give this court any confidence they will comply with conditions of custody.”
The decision finished by stating that the judge is ready to help return Justina to her “home state of Connecticut,” but did not specify whether that meant her home, or a placement in a Conn. DCF facility.
The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families released a statement on the judge’s ruling on Tuesday evening.
“DCF’s primary goal has always been the health and well being of Justina, and finding a solution that would allow her to return to Connecticut. That has not changed in the face of this ruling,” the statement read. “The Department is exploring all options that will allow Justina to return to her home state where she has the support of her friends, family, school and community.”
UNSTOPPABLE MOTHERS
Welcome to PMA International’s Unstoppable Mothers
Protective Mothers Alliance International (PMA) has launched Unstoppable Mothers, a powerful photo and essay project to give voice to Protective Mothers and their Children.
The photos depict the loss and grief a Protective Mother experiences when she is forcibly separated from her child(ren) due to family court injustice, the events she missed in the life of her child or abuser quotes.
The essays, in Protective Moms’ own words, are common real life family court situations. Protective Mothers reveal the most outrageous action a judge took in their case.and/ OR, the Protective Mom shares what she has missed most about not being in her child’s life and/or the Protective Mom shares her abuser’s quotes.
How Can You Participate?
Protective mothers may send their quotes to the comment section of our new Unstoppable Mothers blog devoted specifically to this Unstoppable Mothers Campaign.
https://unstoppablemothers.wordpress.com
Protective mothers may also read some earlier quotes on this site at-
https://protectivemothersalliance.wordpress.com/unstoppable-mothers/
All signs, quotes, and pictures will be posted on our new Unstoppable Mothers” blog devoted specifically to this Unstoppable Mothers’ campaign
https://unstoppablemothers.wordpress.com
PMA International will put the Unstoppable Mother’s quote on a sign , an appropriate picture or an image for the project.
Some signs with quotes will be combined with missed milestone pictures taken by PMA International’s talented protective mothers, highlighting their creativity and photography skills.
Some feedback about “Unstoppable Mothers'” photo and essay project;
“Beautiful photography by talented PMA protective mothers, coupled with heartbreaking real life stories of loss in the mothers’ own words. Another stunning PMA Intl. project to raise awareness. TY Janice, Lundy and all the PMA moms!!”
G.S
“Participating in this project was very empowering and gave me hope”
S.C
“Thank you for capturing a protective mother’s powerful story through her own words and beautiful pictures .”
M.J
“Thank you for giving us moms a voice along with gorgeous visuals from talented protective mothers.”
K.R
” Powerful”
J.S
Now that we all understand how to participate and what the ground rules are for this project, Protective Mothers’ Alliance International invites you into our project; a window to our world. We ask you to brace yourselves, step slowly into our shoes, carefully take a step , steal a tiny glimpse , and taste a tiny bite of what life is like as a protective mother. An unstoppable protective mother, enduring one of the darkest atrocities known in the history of our civilization.
Enter:
https://protectivemothersalliance.wordpress.com/unstoppable-mothers/
Local attorney charged in world wide pedophile ring – WFTX-TV Fort Myers/Naples, FL
See on Scoop.it – The War Against Mothers
Investigators from several places around the world say former Cape Coral attorney Rex Powell was the leader of a ring which had a chat room called BoyLover.net which had 70,000 members until it was shut down.
See on www.jrn.com
PMA Intl. OCCUPY FAMILY COURT: Bringing Our Children Home !
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=232170300165242
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Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 5:00am – Monday October 24, 2011 at 5:00am
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Privacy of your home- worldwide
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Welcome! Please join Protective Mothers’ Alliance International for our ongoing PMA INL OCCUPY FAMILY COURT: BRINGING THE CHILDREN HOME!
Let’s all come together for the lighting of candles and/or praying and fasting To..
BRING OUR CHILDREN HOME!!!
LET’S JOIN TOGETHER TO SEND A MESSAGE TO FAMILY COURTS WORLDWIDE:
STOP TAKING CHILDREN AWAY FROM FIT, PROTECTIVE MOTHERS!!!!
This is a non-denominational event and all inclusive.
You may participate to the level you feel comfortable.
We welcome your participation by joining us in lighting a candle,and/or including but not limited to a full fast with active praying and/or meditating .
We welcome all participates and all beliefs.
For those joining us in a fast:
A corporate fast is when as few as three and as many as thousands of Christians join together for a period of prayer and fasting. The prayer warriors will be abstaining from all foods. You may join us in this, or a Daniel fast instead ( see below) . Staying in prayer while fasting as much as possible is crucial. Keeping our purpose for this fast while we pray is essential. Join us!!!Any questions please email : lb.jlpma@gmail.com
IMPORTANT!!!!! The Daniel Fast: The Guidelines fruits, nuts FOLLOW THE LINK. SIGN UP JOIN US!!!! xoxoxox
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Pennsylvania judge gets 28 years in ‘kids for cash’ case/ MSNBC
SCRANTON, Pa. — A longtime judge has been ordered to spend nearly three decades in prison for his role in a massive juvenile justice bribery scandal that prompted the state’s high court to toss thousands of convictions.
Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella Jr. was sentenced Thursday to 28 years in federal prison for taking $1 million in bribes from the builder of a pair of juvenile detention centers in a case that became known as “kids-for-cash.”
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court tossed about 4,000 convictions issued by Ciavarella between 2003 and 2008, saying he violated the constitutional rights of the juveniles, including the right to legal counsel and the right to intelligently enter a plea.
Ciavarella, 61, was tried and convicted of racketeering charges earlier this year. His attorneys had asked for a “reasonable” sentence in court papers, saying, in effect, that he’s already been punished enough.
“The media attention to this matter has exceeded coverage given to many and almost all capital murders, and despite protestation, he will forever be unjustly branded as the ‘Kids for Cash’ judge,” their sentencing memo said.
Story: Pa. judges accused of jailing kids for cash
Federal prosecutors accused Ciavarella and a second judge, Michael Conahan, of taking more than $2 million in bribes from the builder of the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care detention centers and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the facilities’ co-owner.
Ciavarella, known for his harsh and autocratic courtroom demeanor, filled the beds of the private lockups with children as young as 10, many of them first-time offenders convicted of petty theft and other minor crimes.
The judge remained defiant after his arrest, insisting the payments were legal and denying he incarcerated youths for money.
The jury returned a mixed verdict following a February trial, convicting him of 12 counts, including racketeering and conspiracy, and acquitting him of 27 counts, including extortion. The guilty verdicts related to a payment of $997,600 from the builder.
Conahan, meanwhile, pleaded guilty last year and awaits sentencing.
‘I was completely destroyed‘
Hillary Transue did not have an attorney, nor was she told of her right to one, when she appeared in Ciavarella’s courtroom in 2007 for building a MySpace page that lampooned her assistant principal.
Her mother, Laurene Transue, worked for 16 years in the child services department of another county and said she was certain Hillary would get a slap on the wrist. Instead, Ciavarella sentenced her to three months; she got out after a month, with help from a lawyer.
“I felt so disgraced for a while, like, what do people think of me now?’ Hillary said after being released.
Laurene Transue said Ciavarella “was playing God. And not only was he doing that, he was getting money for it. He was betraying the trust put in him to do what is best for children.”
Kurt Kruger, now 22, had never been in trouble with the law until the day police accused him of acting as a lookout while his friend shoplifted less than $200 worth of DVDs from Wal-Mart. He said he didn’t know his friend was going to steal anything.
Kruger pleaded guilty before Ciavarella and spent three days in a company-run juvenile detention center, plus four months at a youth wilderness camp run by a different operator.
“Never in a million years did I think that I would actually get sent away. I was completely destroyed,” said Kruger, who later dropped out of school.
“I got a raw deal, and yeah, it’s not fair,” he said, “but now it’s 100 times bigger than me.”
LETTING CHILDREN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
LETTING CHILDREN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Youth in Court Need Attorneys Who Represents Their Interests Fairly, Strongly
By Alanna Krause
From the San Francisco Daily Journal, Monday July 17, 2000.
Hundreds of years of legal history have lead the United States to implement a system that
ensures that every party in a legal proceeding gets a voice. We rest assured that, unlike
in other nations, we can not be incarcerated without our day in court, lawyer by our side. What a country we live in: so civilized, so well thought out. God Bless America.
But there is a forgotten minority that is not afforded these basic rights. They are not criminals
or foreign aliens. In contrast, they are a group we all hold dear – one innocent and well meaning, with no hidden agendas or twisted motives – children.
Instead of actually being represented, children get their “best interests” represented by adults.
We children have no choice and no recourse when those adults have their own agendas.
A case in point? Mine.
My parents separated when I was 5 years old, sparking a custody battle that lasted nine years.
I never doubted that I wanted to be with my mother. My father Marshall Krause, is an abuser,
and living with him was a mental and physical hell and definitely not in my best interests.
Yet, in Marin Family Court, that seemed to be irrelevant. My family court experience consisted
of lawyers, judges, evaluators and social workers who turned their backs on their consciences and their professional oaths. They’re worked contrary to not only my best interests, but to my health and safety.
My father, a wealthy and well-connected lawyer, used his influence and money to manipulate
the system. And he didn’t work alone. The court-appointed evaluator, Edward Oklan, M.D.,
fell under his spell and ignored my reports of my father’s abuse of drugs and of me.
The lawyer appointed to represent my “best interests” Sandra Acevedo, spent her
allotted time with me parroting my father’s words, attempting to convince me that
I really wanted to live with him. She ignored my reports of abuse. And the therapist
my father made me see, Lana Clark, LCSW, was far from objective – she was sleeping with him.
The judge, Sylvia Shapiro-Pritchard, an admitted long-time friend of my father’s,
rubberstamped any order my father requested. I wrote the judge letters, called her
office and did everything I could to make myself heard. She ignored my pleas. I had no rights.
I couldn’t replace my lawyer with one who would speak for me nor could I speak for
myself in court. I couldn’t cross-examine the court evaluators or therapists and
their claims were thus untouchable. I felt like I was witnessing the proceedings from the wrong side of soundproof glass.
My mother tried her best, but she was a David facing Goliath – except in my story,
she didn’t even have a sling. After years of valiant struggle gaining nothing but legal fees,
she had to let go and put her life back together in the hopes that someday I could get out on my own.
While living with my father, I did what I could to survive. I made nine reports to
Child Protective Services and several calls to the police over the years, to no avail. They would always tell me that unless I had witnesses or bruises, they couldn’t substantiate my claims of abuse. Finally, one day my father threw me into a stone wall at school and a teacher called Child Protective Services.
He’s never said as much, but my father panicked. He had worked so hard to build a delicate set of lies and twisted truths to present himself as the well-meaning parent whose “unstable” ex-wife had given his troubled daughter “alienating parent syndrome,” resulting in abuse “delusions.” The truth was his worst fear.
Acting quickly, he had my therapist, his lover, suddenly decide I was dangerously
troubled and needed to be locked up. So I, an 11-year-old straight-A student who
had never tried sex, drugs or alcohol, nor ever been in a fight, found myself in an
out-of-state lockdown facility with 17-year-old drug-dealing gang-banging street kids. I was beaten up, taunted and was blocked from communicating with the outside world. I was forced into therapy where they tried to brainwash me into believing my mother was insane, that my father’s drug use didn’t exist and that the abuse my father inflicted on me was all in my head.
When I realized the truth was getting me nowhere, I lied and parroted back their words. It took me 6 months to convince them I was “cured.” Holding onto the truth was the hardest thing I have ever done.
After my release, my father, thankfully, shipped me out to a nice boarding school. My two years there were my best years since my mother and I were separated. When I went back to live with him at age 13, I couldn’t take it anymore. Knowing I’d never find justice in Marin, I ran away, hoping to find a judicious jurisdiction elsewhere. I ended up in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Juvenile Court took my case and placed me in a safe home. Court investigators and evaluators found my mother to be a fit parent and my father to be dangerous. My father hired an expensive lawyer and tried to play his old tricks, but the judge had none of it. Full custody was awarded to my mother, and visitation with my father was left at my discretion.
In Los Angeles, I was a party in my case, whereas in Marin, I was only leverage in my parent’s battle. Los Angeles was heaven.
The practice of trying to ascertain what is in a child’s best interest exists because minors supposedly cannot speak for themselves. Yet at 11, I could speak for myself. I had a mind and a set of opinions, but no one seemed to care. The judge denied my right to legal representation, especially when the court-appointed lawyer wouldn’t speak my truth. Granted, there is no guarantee that hearing me would have inspired the judge to untwist her motives and unclench her hold on personal allegiances and biases, but who knows? At least it would have been in the court record.
My right as an American is to have legal representation in court proceedings, but when my lawyer wouldn’t speak for me, I was allowed no voice.
No American should be locked up without a trial in front of a jury of peers, or some sort of legal equivalent, but it happens to minors all the time. We have an elaborate system to keep innocent adults out of jail, but no system to prevent the false imprisonment of youth in mental hospitals and discipline institutions.
Children are not parties in divorce proceedings – we are property to be divided. Yet children are people too. As citizens, we must be afforded our human and legal rights. And when those adults who are supposed to speak for us fail, we need some recourse.
Protective Mothers' Alliance International 