Society's ChildS


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Dying UK prisoners routinely chained to hospital beds

Michael Tyrrell
© Tyrrell familyMichael Tyrrell handcuffed to his hospital bed the day before he died. His daughter took the photograph.

A Guardian investigation has revealed prisoners who are seriously and terminally ill are routinely chained in hospitals despite posing no security threat.

A prisoner who was clinically brain dead remained in handcuffs in an ambulance taking him to another hospital. Another severely disabled prisoner was also chained. Glenda Jackson, his MP, said the practice was "disgusting and horrific."

According to the prison service, inmates who require treatment at outside hospitals are risk assessed before decisions are made as to whether to restrain them or not. But a Guardian investigation shows the use of restraints to be the starting point for prisoners taken to hospital, irrespective of their medical condition.

Examples discovered include a prisoner, Michael Tyrrell, 65, dying from cancer and too weak to move; 22-year-old Kyal Gaffney, diagnosed with leukaemia, who had suffered a brain haemorrhage; and Daniel Roque Hall, 30, suffering Friedreich's ataxia, a wasting disease that has left him barely able to use his arms or legs. All three were chained in hospital and guarded by three prison officers each.

Tyrrell, who was nearing the end of a 29-year sentence for drug offences and regarded as a model prisoner, was taken to hospital from Frankland prison, near Durham earlier this year. His daughter Maria said she and her sisters were horrified to see their father in chains when they visited him in hospital. She said the idea of her father running away was absurd. "He couldn't even prop himself up in that hospital bed. I was pulling him up so he could breathe." The restraints were only removed hours before Tyrrell died.

Butterfly

Wisconsin teen found alive 10 years later, living in Mexico with her three kids

Connie Lynn Mccallister was last seen on August 15, 2004, at the age of 16
© National Missing Person DirectoryConnie Lynn Mccallister was last seen on August 15, 2004, at the age of 16.
Connie McCallister, former honor roll student, wants to come back to U.S. - but is apparently afraid. She wound up in Mexico with her then-boyfriend, broke up and married the father of her children. 'We believe we could be putting her in danger if we say more,' says a member of the church trying to help her return.

A Wisconsin teenager who vanished nearly 10 years ago with her boyfriend has been found living in Mexico, now with three children, police said Wednesday.

Connie McCallister mysteriously disappeared in 2004, and was thought to have run off with her boyfriend of the time, later revealing that she was drugged, taken to the country against her will, and abused.

Wausau police Capt. Greg Hagenbucher told WAOW that McCallister's relationship with her boyfriend ended, and she eventually married the father of her three children - now ages 3, 5, and 7.

Newspaper

Best of the Web: Russell Brand: "God knows I'd love to think the attention was about me but I said nothing new or original"

Russel Brand and Jeremy Paxman
© BBCJeremy Paxman interviews Russell Brand on Newsnight.

Following his appearance on Newsnight, the comedian explains why he believes there are alternatives to our current regime


I've had an incredible week since I spoke from the heart, some would say via my arse, on Paxman. I've had slaps on the back, fist bumps, cheers and hugs while out and about, cock-eyed offers of political power from well intentioned chancers and some good ol' fashioned character assassinations in the papers.

The people who liked the interview said it was because I'd articulated what they were thinking. I recognise this. God knows I'd love to think the attention was about me but I said nothing new or original, it was the expression of the knowledge that democracy is irrelevant that resonated. As long as the priorities of those in government remain the interests of big business, rather than the people they were elected to serve, the impact of voting is negligible and it is our responsibility to be more active if we want real change.

Snakes in Suits

Privatization shill: John Stossel 'upset' poor people aren't selling kidneys for $1,200

Fox Business host John Stossel
© Unknown
Libertarian Fox Business host John Stossel on Thursday said he was outraged that most government services like the military and "organ selling" had not been turned over to private business.

In a segment titled "Time to Privatize," Stossel told the hosts of Fox & Friends that the beauty of privatizing the government was that private companies were easier to fire if they didn't live up to the promise of proving better services at a lower cost.

"There are some things, though, that should remain under the purview of the federal government," host Steve Doocy noted.

Light Saber

When the authorities fail: Anonymous campaigns over alleged rape and murder of 2-year-old

[Anonymous protesters via Wikimedia Commons user Haeferl]
Wikimedia Commons user Haeferl
The online activist hacker collective Anonymous announced Thursday that it is taking up a new campaign in hopes of bringing to justice the people who allegedly raped and murdered a 2-year-old from the Phoenix, AZ area.

According to a notice posted at the text-sharing website Pastebin.com the hackers believe that authorities failed to properly prosecute the case of Savannah Cross, who was assaulted and ultimately killed, allegedly by two people who had been entrusted with her care.

Pistol

Cops shoot son dead after dad calls cops on him to teach him a lesson

Tyler Comstock shot dead by police
© Unknown
A father's attempt to teach his son a lesson for taking his truck without permission ended in tragedy Monday after a local police officer shot the teenager dead.

James Comstock told the Des Moines Register he called the police on his son Tyler after the latter took the former's truck in retaliation for refusing to buy him cigarettes.

Ames Police Officer Adam McPherson reportedly spotted the lawn care company vehicle and pursued it onto the Iowa State University campus, where a brief standoff ensued after Tyler allegedly refused orders to turn off the engine.

McPherson eventually fired six shots into the truck, two of which struck Tyler who was later pronounced dead.

USA

Iowa police shoot son dead for taking father's truck

Slater, Iowa - James Comstock thought he was doing the right thing by calling police after his 19-year-old son, Tyler, took his truck without his permission, but now he's planning his son's funeral.

"He took off with my truck. I call the police, and they kill him," James Comstock told The Des Moines Register on Tuesday. "It was over a damn pack of cigarettes. I wouldn't buy him none.

"And I lose my son for that."

In the audio, police can be heard saying that "they know the suspect" and therefore they can "probably back off". The point being, this was not a situation that required the use of deadly force. This young kid was angry and needed help, instead, he was shot to death by trigger happy cops in the "land of the free".

Society's Child indeed.


Eye 2

Mum bought an oven and gained a snake: Shock as Blyth housewife finds 2ft python in cooker

Image
A python snake
A shocked housewife opened her oven to find a 2ft python slithering inside.

Karen Jackson, 41, from Blyth, had used the oven just two hours earlier to make a pepperoni pizza for her son - but the snake had hidden in a cool space at the back and as the temperature dropped, it emerged.

The mum-of-four called police and the RSPCA, but the python escaped back into the rear of the cooker.

Karen and partner Chris Petrou, 39, called their friend Stephen Smith, who they had recently bought the oven off - and he revealed the reptile was his stepdaughter's escaped pet, called Lily.

Stephen visited Karen and Chris' home and retrieved the non-venomous snake.

Eye 2

Snake on a plane: Passenger brings snake onto EasyJet flight

A man on a London-bound plane causes panic among fellow passengers by releasing his pet snake from his luggage mid-flight


A man on a London-bound plane caused panic among fellow passengers at the end of last month, when he released his pet snake from his luggage mid-flight.

Adam Gubbay, from Stoke Newington, bought a baby corn snake on holiday in Israel, and managed to get the pet through airport security in Tel Aviv.

Mid-way through the flight, Mr Gubbay released the reptile, named Milky, to give it a drink of water, sending fellow passengers into a panic for their safety.

"I had advised the passenger sitting next to me on my left that I was about to feed my snake and that he shouldn't be alarmed and that if it was ok, " said Mr Gubbay.

"He said to proceed, and as I did the female passenger to his left got up and started screaming."

EasyJet staff confiscated the two-foot long snake from the 24-year-old, with the pilot threatening to land the plane early.

Mr Gubbay, a trainee bus driver, said the situation was simply a "misunderstanding" but admitted he was lucky not to be prosecuted.

Display

Wal-Mart website error gives customers mega discounts

Wal-Mart
© Wal-MartWal-Mart Supercenter.
Bentonville - A glitch on Wal-Mart's website early Wednesday morning gave shoppers the opportunity to purchase electronics that are normally worth hundreds of dollars for less than $9.

According to ABC News, the website mistakenly listed a 24-inch high definition Viewsonic computer monitor, an InFocus IN2124 Projector, and other valuable electronics products for just $8.95. Many of these products are normally listed at prices closer to $600.

Reuters (via Yahoo! News) also reports that normally expensive treadmills were mistakenly given a sale price of $33.16.

The Chicago Tribune
reports that Wal-Mart spokesperson Ravi Jariwala has stated that the company is still trying to figure out what caused the error and that the store's website may experience some intermittent accessibility issues until the problem is resolved.

Wal-Mart has not stated exactly how many shoppers were able to take advantage of the deals and has not yet elaborated on whether or not the company would honor these temporary sale prices, the Chicago Tribune also reported.