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Monday, March 15, 2010

Abuse of Power: One Family's Fight

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Since Michael Nicholson was suffocated and killed by a Lubbock State School worker last June, his brother has played investigator, medical examiner, detective and attorney. He has pleaded for police and prosecutors to take up the case, which they did this fall. But with each day that passes, David Nicholson fears that the man who killed his profoundly disabled brother — and the other employees who stood by and watched it — will join the ranks of state workers who are never convicted for their acts. “The physically and mentally handicapped are not equally represented under the laws of Texas,” David says ...

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Comments (5)
  • As incomprehensible as it is that justice has still not been served...we must continue to push those responsible for bringing people to the courthouse to allow for justice to be served to do their jobs. If not, they need to be removed from office, so that others can do the job.

  • Especially prevalent in the out of sight and dark corners of group homes across the country.

  • How will the millions of dollars being spent for cameras in the hallways and common rooms help prevent this abuse? Michael Nicholson was in his bedroom at the time of his death. For a state that is having budget shortfalls, this seems like an incredible waste of the tax payers money while still allowing for our dear ones to be harmed in their private rooms and baths.

  • How will the Millions of Dollars being spent installing cameras in the common areas help stop the abuse? Michael Nicholson was killed in his bedroom. Cameras are not being installed in private areas such as bedrooms and bathrooms. For a state suffering from budget shortfalls, this seems like an incredible waste of taxpayers money. Has anyone done a study about the numbers of abuses and WHERE the ABUSE OCCURED? Common vs private areas?

  • So if the local authorities won't prosecute, the police and prosecutors don't communicate, the Department of Justice does things on a more systemic level, and Texas' Attorney General, DADS and DFPS 'wont help, WHERE does the buck stop?

    AND reading the letters firing the state employees, it certainly appears there are plenty of witnesses to these horrible acts. What a travesty. A waste of lives and taxpayer dollars. If we are to believe the people that run these hellholes, 12 million dollars to film the hallways will fix this. Clearly, there is so much looking away by authorities, they have made an environment where state employees literally get away with murder and rape. Is it any wonder there are close to 100,000 people waiting for community services who cannot stomach sticking their loved ones in these wretched places?