Unfortunate coincidence or negligent homicide? You be the judge.
By babytaffster
@babytaffster (2232)
Chatsworth, California
April 22, 2012 6:31pm CST
My friend belonged to a program for adults with "learning disabilities" (in other words "special people") anyway this place has a very dark side to it which includes crimminal activity and abuse (things that they do because they can, like throwing away everything a person owns without there permission, or sometimes knowledge) their punishments or "citations" for doing something wrong (like standing up for themselves.)
These citations, which are occasionally fair are normally unreasonable, unfair, humiliating, odd, or just plain cruel.
One of the councilors named Russ was known to essentially torture the "residents" his punishment was to go to the gym where he would make them workout harder and longer than the person could or should workout. Even if a person was asthmatic and/or out of shape he would make them run (no warm up, just run) on the treadmill at very high speeds for a very long time until they were visably in pain, and if the person complained they had to go faster. No matter how weak they where or how much they were hurting he would have most of them lift weights often heavier than they could handle.
People went to the program director to report it. The directors responce? Make it the common punishment.
Russ was constantly warned "If you keep doing this one day you will go to far and kill someone." Russ of course didn't care, because he was so sure what he was doing was not dangerous enough to kill.
Back in April 2010 my friend was sent to the gym with Russ after a dispute over something involving a bill. As usual Russ made him work out harder than he could and my friend complained that his heart hurt. He said it over and over and Russ made him run faster. At some point after he pleaded to stop Russ said "keep complaining and I will take your computer." he shut up for a little while then started crying again when he was made to lift weights and Russ would still not let him stop. An hour later he colapses on the basketball court and dies. People started seeing Russ as responsible. Now the favorite of the directors councilors had become a liability. He was finally fired. Everyone was told it was just some sort of random accident that happens to people when God all of a sudden takes some unknown reason. Somehow news leaked that autopsy reports said heart attack. Something about a burst attery. I have heard he had heart problems (though I'm not sure if the program knew it or not.) Somehow this was not investigated at all. They just took the directors word for it. I'm not saying that Russ is the cause. It is possible this is just a unfortunate coincidence. And "Correlation does not imply causation." But even if that is the case, Russ had known better than to do things like this, he knew what could happen. And did it for that reason (torture not death.) Still, guy goes to the gym- heart hurts -works out to hard -plays basketball -feels sick -heart attack -death they do seem like they could be linked. I don't think Russ intended to kill him, he deffinatly went to far. Still, while his intent was not death, he knew very well what he was doing waas dangerous enough to cause death and chose to ignore it. Neglegent homicide?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@sparky3dfan (599)
•
23 Apr 12
Why has no patients families or friends did something more about 'Russ / his boss' is what im wondering. Surely there is some law / committee of sorts that stands watch over these places for times of complaints, inquiries and so on. He should of known about a heart issue (or any physical and mental condition) a patient has. Even if the patient doesn't tell them at the beginning of a 'program' surely they do some sort of medical for physical and mental state? Even if he didn't know when a person is able to say 'stop I have a pain in my heart' and be able to consciously point that out for a specific place in the body, Russ should have stopped the machine and if hes not medically trained got someone who is trained and had the patient examined.
As for his 'punishing' of patients, is it right to punish those that may not completely understand what they are doing or saying is right or wrong? Although you said its for learning disabilities that can cover a whole range of mental problems some of which can cause people to not realize doing a certain thing is wrong.
As for his boss, he sounds more like the kinda guy he couldn't care less. So long as he gets his pay check at the end of his month or whatever his staff can do whatever they wish.
How do you know the details though? What I mean is who said the guy was pleading with 'russ' to stop he was in pain?
As for if I personally think it could be negligent homicide, its a tough one to call really. I don't think its a coincidence as we don't know (or you didn't say) if he was still in pain and just tossed out to play basketball and 'warned' by big bad russ if he didnt play he would go back to the gym for example.
As for Russ and his boss I think they should both be fired and a full investigation as to just what was going on at the home / care center or whatever the place was. If the police or investigators feel a case exists then I'd like to think they would follow it through completely.
@babytaffster (2232)
• Chatsworth, California
23 Apr 12
No one listens to anyone who is there.
Russ claimed to be a fittness expert or something like that. Which actually makes it a little worse.
I heard it through someone who was in the gym with him (they are in an apartment complex with "normal" people)
The director loved Russ. She would not have fired him under any other circumstances. However, when it was her a** on the line she needed to let him go.
But I wouldn't blaim them for trying to cover it up. If I killed someone I would do what ever it took to cover my tracks.
@sparky3dfan (599)
•
24 Apr 12
Well if it was me I would push hard and expose them to the full extent. I wouldn't even think twice of going to a media outlet about it. They will usually eat up controversial stories like that. Hard to hide from it then.
If he was a 'fitness expert' he should of been certified to say so. That again will give you and others a little bit to work with if people decide enough is enough with that treatment (which I think needs to be done).
Such a sad story though and I hope you and others decide and figure out a way to put an end to the cruelty, as that is what it is if you ask me. By turning a blind eye its as bad as doing it, the director should be held 100% accountable for it also.
@bing28 (3795)
• Philippines
22 Apr 12
That Russ has no consideration, no concience and doesn't have a heart. He should be in jail. it's not unfortunate incident, not a negligent homecide but an intentional crime...sorry first time for me to post a negative comment...first time for me to get upset...
