By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – KOMOnews.com reports their investigation found the 26-year-old autistic man who drowned in the Chehalis River last spring had been released from a three-day stay in the jail and ordered by a Centralia Municipal Court judge to have no contact with his mother, his caregiver, just days before he died.
Reporter Tracy Vedder tells of watching Centralia resident Jessy Hamilton’s video arraignment, noting he didn’t appear to know what was going on, didn’t react when the judge asked him to confirm his address and said it showed someone else’s hand take the pen from Hamilton to sign court documents.
Hamilton was found floating face down in the water at Fort Borst Park in Centralia on the morning of May 30, shortly after police were called there in response to a report he was missing. The drowning was ruled to be accidental.
Vedder’s report published yesterday includes an interview with David Carlson with Disability Rights Washington, a federally-funded agency that protects individuals with disabilities, who said everyone who touched Jessy’s case that last week had a responsibility to step in.
“From the police, to the jail, to the public defender and the judge, Carlson says anyone could have, should have just picked up a phone and called adult protective services,” Vedder said.
The KOMO news reporter said she continues to keep looking into the case.
Read more here: “No Safe Haven: ‘The system couldn’t have failed Jessy more‘” from KOMOnews.com on Tuesday Nov. 3, 2015
How much more can we take? It’s time for people to stand up to the corrupt bullies in charge of this dump. Jnet-lies, Cent PD- steroid abuse, Hunt- incompetent and arrogant. It’s time.
Thanks for the post, Slim. This little passage caught my eye:
“Ultimately, it was Judge Hunt who approved Jackie as guardian and her inmate son Corey as backup. Hunt had a prior relationship with Jackie, 13 years earlier, he was her defense attorney when she pled guilty to felony arson.”
Someone either has a lousy memory or just didn’t care. Enjoy your retirement, your honor.
KOMO – 4
KING – 5
KIRO – 7
Komo news 5 is investigating Judge Nelson Hunt. http://komonews.com/news/komo-4-investigators/accusations-of-judicial-missteps-leading-to-death-of-man-with-autism now this is local news Sharyon.
Very tragic ending for all involved. In what instance were mental health specialists/providers (this person’s case manager) called in to intervene? Oh, I forgot, there is no funding (right?) for mental health? We only have funding for DUI’s, meth, etc. Shame on me, it slipped my mind.
“Confidential matters are not dealt with over the telephone, you’d better come here in person. I cannot leave the house, Do you mean you’re ill, Yes, I’m ill, the blind man said after a pause. In that case you ought to call a doctor, a real doctor, quipped the functionary, and, delighted with his own wit, he rang off.
The man’s insolence was like a slap in the face. Only after some minutes had passed, had he regained enough composure to tell his wife how rudely he had been treated. Then, as if he had discovered something that he should have known a long time ago, he murmured sadly, This is the stuff we’re made of, half indifference and half malice.”
― José Saramago, Blindness
“Only”
As far as throwing judges off the bench they are elected. As a citizen you can work to elect other judges and remove those you do not like or you think are doing a bad job. As far as the police department I am afraid I do not have an answer as to how to change them.
Your outrage is supported by the circumstances of the case. No contact order with his mom who is his only care giver and no other alternative?
No referrals to adult services? KOMO reports another hand signed the paper work in court? IF this is proven to be true, was this done in front of the judge? Did they allow it? Who signed that form?
This poor mom seems like she was in the middle. her autistic son was assaultive and she trusted the “system” to help her and it only turned her son out on the streets.
Lewis County does have a vulnerable adult task force that brings together many agencies to try and help those adults who have been determined to be vulnerable. I wonder if they had been involved at all?
The Centralia police department should hire a professional to teach all personel effective communication skills.
Centralia Pd and their Rubber Judges need investigated. The comunity is sick of their corruption. Case after case is overturned in the supreme court. That right there tells the truth. Throw the Rubber judge off the bench and the public pretenders. FBI investigstion please. Take these clowns down Komo news.