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[Anonymous]

I agree with most of this post, however, the statement that was made by Anson's brother in the newspaper was this:
'he was distraught because he didn't feel the school was doing enough to educate the kids he was working with' ?it did not say not that ? he was an employee who had complained to the owners of this "home," that he did not think they were doing their job.?  You state that ?According to previous news reports, he was planning to leave and possibly complain to the authorities'. I?d like to know which news reports these statements come from, and who made them?
I?ve seen many posts about how he was ?complaining? about the facility, but frankly, I don?t think he was ?complaining? as much as he was expressing his opinion that he?d like to be able to help the kids more than he was able, given the circumstances at the facility, which were, I agree, abhorrent.
When people say that he was ?complaining? and ?unhappy? it makes it sound as though he deserved to be beaten to death simply because he was unhappy about a certain aspect of his job. I don?t know very many people who are perfectly happy with every single aspect of their job.
I?d just like to know where people are getting their information about the victim?s statements regarding the facility?

[Sid Vicious]

Listen you worthless wanker. Those kids are bloody fucking heroes. They rid they world of a piece of sick sadistic scum and now all the other scum might just think twice before they mess with the kids.

[Anonymous]

You wrote "I?ve seen many posts about how he was ?complaining? about the facility, but frankly, I don?t think he was ?complaining? as much as he was expressing his opinion that he?d like to be able to help the kids more than he was able, given the circumstances at the facility, WHICH WERE, I AGREE, ABHORRENT..."


You have  -- quite unintentionally, I suspect -- stumbled upon the key point:  if you agree that the conditions ARE "abhorrent",   and the gentleman in question continues to work there and does NOT complain,  then he has become part of the problem.

The "Vee Vas only followink orders" defense didn't work very well at Nuremburg.  But who knows, perhaps Utah will undo that bit of jurisprudence.

[nite owl]

It's quite offensive to refer to this man as "worthless scum." This will do nothing but cause animosity in the community and jury pool who will ultimately decide the fate of the two boys on trial.  This incident is so tragic for everyone involved. Many of these programs are fraudulent in that they try to keep youth in the program for a longer period of time to get more money out of their parents. Truth be told - it doesn't take two years to de-tox and get clean.
It may take several years for someone to re-program a brain.  What's truly horrifying is the fact that untrained and unlicensed people like Ah Quin are using potentially dangerous behavior modification techniques on children.  The State of Utah is promoting this and sanctioning it. They obviously did nothing to this program that was operating in violation of codes UNTIL a staff member died. This is so outrageous.  
It's also quite puzzling that it took so long for help to arrive.
Is there an update on all of this? I was also wondering when these boys will have a bail hearing. Are they being denied bail?   It's obvious they did not intend to kill this man - reports indicate that they were surprised that he had died.  

"Replace end user" (The Top Support Call Closer 10 Years Running)

--Bastard Administrator

[Anonymous]

we've read lots about the BAD group homes and Residential Treatment Facltiies in Utah but are there any GOOD ones in Utah?

can anyone name a group home in Utah that they think is run right?

how is it run differnetly that makes it better than others?

is there an industry association for the group home businesses?  

is membership in this association voluntary or mandatory?  by invitation or by request?

does this assocciation police its members?

how?

does it have membmership fees or dues? Fines?

is there a spokesperson for the industry? who?

are there any standards for group homes?

who writes these standards and where can they be found?  on the net?

are there any model group homes that others look up to as being run right, the way all group homes should be run?

[Deborah]

I think this topic may deserve it's own thread, and certainly shouldn't derail the disucssion of this thread, so I will start a new one where the discussion of "Industry Associations" can continue.

[ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2004-07-17 12:33 ][ This Message was edited by: Deborah on 2004-07-17 12:38 ]

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know if there are any new updates on this case?  Have the boys been granted a bail hearing?
They should have one if they are to be tried as adults? Where are they being kept? Can we write to them? What is the address of the detention center?  Can we write to Anson's family to send our condolences?  
I heard there is a meeting on August 18 - is that still on?  Will there be time for public comment?  Where and when exactly will this meeting be held?

[Anonymous]

Jesse SImmons has been my best friend since 5th grade. I know him very well and this is not something he intented on doing. I believe he was influesed a lot by other peers at the home and not be as supervised as the program should have been. Maybe if they had 2 staff there the changes of the man dieing wouldn't have been high at all. KNowing Jesse if there was more than 1 staff he wouldn't of pulled something like this in the first place to try to run away.
My prayers are with him that he get consequences but people see both sides.

[Anonymous]

What I always find unbelievable is that the a teenager can't leave one of these places because he is legally a "child" but when he escapes he is charged as an "adult".
The other thing that is no surprise is that if you look at the states that have these programs they are almost invariably GOP controlled states or else in very GOP controlled areas of battleground states.

[Anonymous]

Is there any news on these two boys? What about the meeting in SLC?

[Anonymous]

one of the two 'boys' had a Status Hearing last week; his trial is scheduled for Jan 05;

the other 'boy' has a Status Hearing next week;

this is where court dates are posted:

http://www.utcourts.gov/cgi-bin/cal/display.cgi?fn=32

scroll down to find the name you are looking for, either 'Simmons' or 'Graham'

[Anonymous]

IS THERE ANY BAIL HEARING IN SITE? JAN 5 IS A LONG TIME.   I KNOW SOME OF THE CEDAR-CITY ITES HAVE ALREADY TRIED AND CONVICTED THESE BOYS - BUT HONESTLY - THEY SHOULD AT LEAST BE GIVEN A BAIL HEARING....
NITE OWL

[Anonymous]

WAKE UP!

they had their 'bail hearing' the 17th of March at 9 am

[k_arnold1974]

The minutes from the july meeting are now available. They are a summary of what was said, and can be veiwed at http://le.utah.gov/asp/interim/Commit.a ... Com=INTHHS

The next meeting on aug 18th is also listed along with the room the meeting will be in.

[Anonymous]

PRESS RELEASE -  for Immediate Release - 23 September 2004
============================================================
 
1) The family of Anson Arnett is shocked, dismayed and outraged to learn that the Cedar City Corporation has just issued a business license to operate a Residential Treatment Facility (group home) for at-risk male youth at 1341 North Cedar Blvd., to Maximum Life Skills Academy, Inc., the same corporation involved in the murder of Anson Arnett by violent criminal youth residents of that facility.
 
2) The family of Anson Arnett is shocked, dismayed and outraged to learn that the Cedar City Corporation intends to issue ANOTHER business license to the same MLSA, Inc., to re-open the former Residential Treatment Facility (group home) at 1083 Bulloch Circle, where the murder of Anson Arnett was perpetrated by at-risk youth on 8 March 2004.
 
3) The family of Anson Arnett is shocked, dismayed and outraged to learn that the Licensing Division, Utah Department of Human Services, is considering the issuance of a license to the same MLSA, Inc., to operate a Residential Treatment Facility (group home) at 1341 North Cedar Blvd., and is considering the re-issuance of a license to the MLSA, Inc. at its former 1083 Bulloch Circle address.
 
The Cedar City Corporation "owes a duty" to the residents of Cedar City to NOT create any undue risk to its citizens through the business licensing process.  By licensing and re-licensing the Maximum Life Skills Academy, Inc. to engage in the same type business that resulted in the wrongful death and murder of Anson Arnett, the Cedar City Corporation places every resident of the city at undue risk of bodily harm.
 
The citizens of this city need to take an active role in determining the types and kinds of businesses they wish to allow to operate in their city.  Some business activities are UNDESIRABLE, and the Maximum Life Skills Academy, Inc., is a PROVEN undesirable business operation.  (We would have thought the Cedar City Corporation, through its agents, knew that - BEFORE they issued a license to conduct business to the MLSA, Inc....)
 
We wish to invite all concerned citizens to flood the offices of the Cedar City Corporation, the Iron County Commission and the Licensing Division, Utah Department of Human Services, and the MLSA, Inc., through their Representative Scott F. Smith, and their Attorney Steven K. Harris, Harris and Harris Attorneys, Hurricane, Utah, with their views on these matters.
 
Other means and methods are planned to do whatever it takes to stop the MLSA, Inc., from ever again harming residents, staff, counselors or neighbors through its operational negligence.  This is the same MLSA, Inc., that repeatedly violated, during the years 2003 and 2004, various rules and regulations of the state of Utah designed specifically to insure safe working conditions for its employees.  One of those rules was the "two staff on duty at all times" rule, the repeated violation of which was instrumental in the wrongful death and murder of Anson Arnett.
 
Einstein said:

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who
DO evil, but because of those who look on and do NOTHING"

I will not "look on" the murder of my son - and "do nothing".  I will speak out - either FOR those who are doing GOOD, or against those who are NOT.  NONE are immune from my scrutiny, sanction and wrath.

/Signed/
 
Perry Arnett, for the Arnett Family, father of Anson Arnett, murdered in the MLSA, Inc., Residential Treatment Facility on 8 March 2004 in Cedar City, Utah.