Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Public Sector Gulags

The world will never know how Eric Perez died

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Ursus:
Comments left for the above article, "Florida finance chief won't pay for funeral of teen who died in lockup" (by Carol Marbin Miller, 07.29.11, Miami Herald), #s 21-32:


Richard Nixon 2012 · 07/30/2011 12:00 AM
Where was this concerned mother when her thug offspring was out committing multiple felonies?  Maybe if she cared then, he'd still be alive.charleo1 · 07/30/2011 08:29 AM in reply to Richard Nixon 2012
You're a dolt, you know that? It was a simple possession charge. The state locks up
people, the state takes responsibility for that person. Period. Paying funeral expenses
would perhaps mitigate the amount of eventual state payout, after the Mother appropriately
sues the crap out of the system. Then, the CFO's office will cut the check. I hope she
gets 50 million! It might change a few things.[/list]
DENALI1 · 07/30/2011 12:07 AM
Once more, your Republicans in action.  Happy that you voted for them???Venita Peyton · 07/30/2011 04:48 AM
So does the State feel that paying funeral expenses now may be used in court to suggest that they were wrong and will have to pony up even more later?studd · 07/30/2011 05:54 AM
Applaud this action, Hon Gov Scott (R) and Hon. CFO Atwater are doing a great job of saving the state money and privatizing state services.  These woman's son was a criminal, as she is mostly likely also a criminal.
Also, the state should stop paying for health care like Medicaid, or nursing homes for greedy entitled seniors too!  These people with no money for their retirement should be out on the street making their way.  Also the funds for the disabled should have been cut, and these greedy folks be allowed to beg for their living.  Please support these reforms as they are badly needed to lower taxes for job creators and to lure the weatlhy to our state so that they, the more valuable members of our society can enjoy their deserved wealth.
Join with your neighbors to lobby state officials to say enough of these wasteful programs spend on worthless old, retarted, poor, and sick people!!!hed1117 · 07/30/2011 06:49 AM
Why is this article about funeral costs?

The story is about a 17 year old "detained at the Palm Beach County Juvenile Detention Center on a marijuana possession charge" who "complained his head hurt, and he vomited and appeared to be hallucinating for the next seven hours. A guard on duty in Perez’s cellblock told The Herald that he wanted to call for an ambulance, but both his supervisor and the lockup’s superintendent forbade him from calling 911.
Perez was pronounced dead at 8:09 a.m., minutes after paramedics arrived. Records show the youth had stopped breathing before paramedics got there."

Is this not a bigger crime than not paying funeral expenses?
Isn't this about neglectful homicide?

And RichardNixon12, you're a total a-hole.charleo1 · 07/30/2011 08:37 AM
Republicans. Deadbeats all. Don't want to pay the Country's debts. Don't want to pay for their
own mistakes.TheMiddlePath · 07/30/2011 09:28 AM
Can anyone feel any pride about the people who run our state?

I for one am beginning to feel ashamed I live in Florida.SouthPort · 07/30/2011 09:54 AM
the state murdered him, but will not pay funeral costs?WOOF · 07/30/2011 10:23 AM
Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater has added a few million dollars to the  jury's award at the civil trial.Chenzo · 07/30/2011 11:04 AM
The family should go ahead and cremate the young man and sue the @#$% out of the State of Florida for negligence.Johnna Smith · 08/03/2011 11:05 PM
I am pissed reading of this brutality against a 18 yr old boy for christs sake. Not only should tehy pay any funeral costs. The mother should sue the state. There was NO excuse for what happened. The minute they say him having medical problems it was time to get the paramedics there PRONTO. I worked at a police dept and I had to watch the lockup area that was monitored with cameras and sound. This kid was suffering and there is NO excuse for not getting him proper Prompt medical treatment. The fact that my "kids" are 16,18, and 20 just further sickens me. That could have been my 18 yr old son. No excuse. Maritza, Eric's mom needs to SUE them and get that tape. I would not watch it but I would let the lawyers see it and take it as far as they can.

Copyright 2011 Miami Herald Media Co.

Ursus:
Apparently Florida will pay part of Eric Perz's funeral costs after all. Atwater seems to have changed his mind:

-------------- • -------------- • --------------

WPEC - CBS 12 News

CFO Jeff Atwater says state will pay for teen's funeral
August 01, 2011 6:13 PM

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- The state's Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater says he will approve a $5,000 payment to cover funeral expenses for 18-year-old Eric Perez.

Perez died at a Juvenile Detention Center in West Palm Beach this month.

Originally, Atwater blocked the payment stating that the Department of Juvenile Justice officials lacked the authority to issue the money.

Today Atwater released this statement saying:

"My office is now working directly with the family's attorney through our Division of Risk Management, and my commitment is to have a check covering funeral expenses for this young man in the hands of the family within 48 hours."


Copyright © 2011 Freedom Communications · CBS 12 News

Ursus:
From the Palm Beach Post blog Post On Politics:

-------------- • -------------- • --------------

The Palm Beach Post - Post On Politics

Atwater will reissue check for funeral expenses for teen who died in DJJ care

by Dara Kam | August 1st, 2011

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater said Monday he will sign off on a $5,000 payment to cover funeral expenses for Eric Perez, an 18-year-old who died in state custody in West Palm Beach on July 10.

The Palm Beach Post and The Miami Herald reported this weekend that Atwater blocked the payment. His office told Department of Juvenile Justice officials they lacked statutory authority for the payment although the agency has had a policy for two years to pay up to $5,000 for funeral costs of children who die while in their custody and has issued the payments twice before.

On Monday, Atwater blamed Department of Juvenile Justice officials for what he called “a tragic delay” in a press release Monday afternoon. Atwater promised to send a check to the Perez family’s attorney within 48 hours.

“Regrettably, this tragic delay would not have occurred if the Department of Juvenile Justice had not blatantly ignored guidance from my office,” Atwater said in the release. “In the future, I would hope that DJJ would be more transparent in its dealings with the public and with taxpayer monies.”

Tags: Department of Financial Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, Eric Perez, Jeff Atwater

This entry was posted on Monday, August 1st, 2011 at 3:04 pm and is filed under Dara Kam, Jeff Atwater, state agencies.


Copyright 2011 The Palm Beach Post.

Ursus:
Comments left for the above blog piece, "Atwater will reissue check for funeral expenses for teen who died in DJJ care" (by Dara Kam; August 1st, 2011; Palm Beach Post - Post On Politics):


Jeremy Says: August 2nd, 2011 at 10:36 am
is it $5000 enough for payment?Andrew T Says: August 2nd, 2011 at 10:37 am
@Jeremy i hope so

Copyright 2011 The Palm Beach Post.

Ursus:
Here's Dara Kam's longer news article...

This article also appeared on New Channel 5's website, along with video news coverage. Same article title: Atwater reverses, issues burial check to family of youth who died in state custody

-------------- • -------------- • --------------

The Palm Beach Post

Atwater reverses, issues burial check to family of youth who died in state custody

BY DARA KAM
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 9:51 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011
Posted: 7:10 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, 2011


Eric Perez · Photo provided

TALLAHASSEE — After his staff blocked the payment last week, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater signed off Monday on a $5,000 check to help cover the costs of a teen who died while in state custody earlier this month and blamed the Department of Juvenile Justice for the delay.

Atwater's office last week stopped the payment sought by DJJ to pay for the funeral of Eric Perez, an 18-year-old who died at a state-run juvenile detention facility in West Palm Beach on July 10.

But after newspapers including The Palm Beach Post reported that Atwater's Department of Financial Services had halted the payment to Tillman Funeral Home, the North Palm Beach banker reissued the check and blasted DJJ officials for the embarrassment.

"Regrettably, this tragic delay would not have occurred if the Department of Juvenile Justice had not blatantly ignored guidance from my office," Atwater said in the release. "In the future, I would hope that DJJ would be more transparent in its dealings with the public and with taxpayer monies."

After printing a $5,000 check to the funeral home, Atwater's staff told DJJ to cancel it because the agency lacked the authority to for the payment, although DJJ has had a policy for at least two years to provide up to $5,000 for funeral costs of children who die while in their custody. The agency has issued the payments twice before, according to DJJ spokesman C.J. Drake.

Drake would not comment on the finger-pointing but said "we're pleased that this matter is finally being resolved in favor of the young man's family."

The check was overnighted Monday to Richard Schuler, an attorney representing Perez' mother Martiza Perez, Atwater spokeswoman Alexis Lambert said.

"They have done an about-face on the issuance of the check for funeral expenses. I think it's the right thing to do under the circumstances," Schuler said.

Atwater was incensed because, Lambert said, the two agencies were negotiating how the payment could be made when DJJ asked for the money and the check was cut. A routine audit by Atwater's department caught the check and Atwater's office then ordered DJJ, which had not yet released the funds, to get the money back and to submit the request to the Risk Management division.

But on Monday, Atwater re-cut a check, Lambert said.

"The most important thing is the check has been cut and overnighted to the family," Lambert said.

Workers at the West Palm Beach detention center waited more than six hours before calling 911 after Perez began vomiting, hallucinating and complaining of severe headaches, according to official reports of the incident. Two guards have been suspended, and DJJ and West Palm Beach police are separately investigating Perez' death.


Copyright © 2011 The Palm Beach Post.

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