September 17, 2009 in News, City

‘Criminally insane’ killer escapes

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Police are looking for Phillip Arnold Paul, 47, after he walked away from an Eastern State Hospital field trip at Spokane County Interstate Fair on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009. He is considered dangerous.
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With a “criminally insane” man who brutally murdered a 78-year-old woman 22 years ago on the loose after escaping from a group outing at the Spokane County Fair, local officials still have some vexing questions.

Why did Eastern State Hospital bring a group of 31 patients – including at least one with a violent criminal past – to the fair without notifying anyone of their presence? And why did it take Eastern staff two hours or more after Phillip A. Paul went missing to notify fair officials or police?

Many people – from the sheriff to the county commissioners to the fair director – wanted answers, even as the search for Paul continued late Thursday night.

“I think it’s wrong – it’s totally wrong,” said Jennifer Craig, who was at the fair with her husband and grandkids Thursday. “You’re putting too many kids and old disabled people like me at risk.”

The head of the state-run mental hospital, Hal Wilson, said Paul had been “a fairly model patient,” and described Thursday’s escape as “surprising.”

State officials have temporarily halted all outings for state patients with criminal histories while they conduct a review.

“This is very serious,” said Susan Dreyfus, secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services, which oversees Eastern. “We need to understand what happened and why.”

Paul, 47, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to the Medical Lake hospital in 1987, after being found innocent by reason of insanity, for strangling and slashing the throat of a 78-year-old woman in Sunnyside, Wash. According to previous reports, Paul said the voices in his head said the woman was a witch.

On Thursday, he walked away from a group of Eastern staff and other patients visiting the fairgrounds. It’s not the first time Paul has walked away from those in charge of his care.

In 1990 he escaped from Eastern, and was convicted of first-degree escape and second-degree assault, after injuring a Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy who helped detain him.

On Thursday the hospital said no patients had escaped from the “forensic services,” unit of the hospital in 20 years. Wilson said he couldn’t recall Paul’s previous escape.

“He’s not acted out in any way,” Wilson said.

Hospital officials told police that Paul hadn’t exhibited violent behavior in years, and they have argued in the past that he should be released – though his petition for release was rejected in 2003.

It’s unclear what time Paul went missing from his group at the fairgrounds, but a witness said he went into a business about four or five blocks west of the fairgrounds around 11:15 a.m., and asked for a job application.

Sgt. Dave Reagan, the Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said his agency was notified by Eastern about the escape about two hours later, around 1:15 p.m.

Deputies, police officers, and security officers began scouring the fairgrounds looking for Paul, and people at the gates were given his photo. Reagan said that they soon determined – based in part on the witness sighting – that Paul was likely no longer on the fairgrounds.

Reagan and fair director Rich Hartzell said that alerting everyone in the fair about the escape, or otherwise closing down the fair, would have created an unnecessary panic. Reagan also said that deputies believe Paul may be trying to go home to Sunnyside, and is more motivated to get away than to hurt someone.

“Our sense of things was that he didn’t present an immediate danger to anyone at the fair,” he said.

As a precaution, West Valley School District officials planned to drop off elementary school students riding buses at their door steps, as well as middle and high school students riding last night’s activity buses home. The districts schools are situated around the fairgrounds.

But everyone involved in the search for Paul was baffled by the fact that he was even at the fair to begin with – and about the lag in reporting that he was missing.

Hartzell said he got a call from hospital staff around 1:30 p.m., notifying him of the escape.

“The word ‘field trip’ was used, and I said, ‘Did you say ‘field trip?”’ Hartzell said. “My biggest question is why someone like that was here and why weren’t we notified?”

He said that when schools organize field trips, they typically do notify someone at the fairgrounds. It’s not required, however.

Other public officials also voiced concern. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich questioned why someone with Paul’s history would be taken to a place that’s heavy on family activities.

“It’s outrageous that security was so inept that a guy who’s officially regarded as ‘criminally insane,’ was able to just slip away from the group,” said state Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley.

Wilson acknowledged that a two-hour gap in reporting would be “excessive,” though he said he didn’t have all the details surrounding Thursday’s incident, and needed more time to investigate.

Jim Stevenson, a public information officer for DSHS, would not comment on Paul’s case, but said that mental health professionals at the hospital would make any determination about a patient’s eligibility for community outings.

“A patient is thought to be dangerous to the community would not be allowed out,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the outings are not uncommon for patients at the hospital, and field trips to the fair are an annual event.

In fact, it’s apparently not the first time Eastern State Hospital has taken Paul to the Spokane Interstate Fair. Paul told the Yakima Herald-Republic in 1993 that he and other patients were taken on supervised field trips to baseball games and the local rodeo and fair. He told the paper he had previously won a Best of Show award for a woodcarving contest at the fair, for a large eagle he carved.

However, fair officials said they would like to be notified if the hospital intends to bring a group of potentially dangerous criminals.

“I’m not saying we don’t have mental patients here or handicapped folks, but certainly it is not common practice to have criminals,” Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard.

Stevenson said the outings serve an important function in a patient’s recovery process.

“In a way that is very therapeutic and necessary,” Stevenson said.

John Tran, the medical director for Spokane Mental Health, said that often patients are allowed outings, to “see how well they will adapt back in the community.”

“We also want to know how well whatever treatment they are receiving is working; whether they are stable enough to cope with stress,” Tran said.

Though Tran was not familiar with Paul or his case, he said that for a patient with Paul’s background, it would be “a high risk to even have that person, even supervised, at the fairgrounds.”

Tran also said that most of the time, patients who require medication by injection, are usually non-compliant with their medication regimen.

Wilson confirmed that Paul takes his medicine by injection, but didn’t specify when he had last received any. Law enforcement said officials told them Paul needed be found in 48 hours, or he could become a threat to the public.

“Given the nature of his charges and that he had a previous escape; you have to ask yourself why was he given this opportunity again?” Reagan said.

Staff writer Kevin Graman contributed to this report.

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65 comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  reservedparking on September 17 at 2:23 p.m.

  OK, I'll ask the obvious:
  What is the world is a murderer (convicted or otherwise) doing on an 'outing' at the fair?!?!

  This is ludicrous. Those responsible for allowing this policy to exist should be fired. If this guy does any harm to anyone, they should stand trial alongside him.

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  nslopeofw on September 17 at 2:30 p.m.

  Same comment as Reserved. WTF? Whoever thought this was a good idea, needs to not just be fired, but prosecuted as well. Just shows how ridiculous our criminal system really is.

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  Levi Hanson on September 17 at 2:36 p.m.

  Maybe they were handing out prizes for the craziest fair visitor…look for the guy with the blue ribbon pinned to his straight jacket!! Seriously, though what the hell were they thinking?!?!? I hope they catch the guy soon!

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  klos on September 17 at 2:38 p.m.

  WTF^3…. history of escape, violent, murderer, criminally insane. What would possess someone to think this type of patient is appropriate to take on a 'field trip' to the fair?

  Heads should roll!

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  John Griffith on September 17 at 2:39 p.m.

  I agree with the last two remarks. Also, the Interstate Fair should reconsider their “Two For One Night For The Criminally Insane.” It never seemed like a very good idea.

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  Mr. Natural on September 17 at 2:52 p.m.

  A field trip for the criminally insane has an unusual ring to it. Where would be the best place for them to go…why where there are lots and lots of vulnerable people of course… Next week local ranchers will be taking their steers to tour china shops…What could those in control have been thinking?

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  timgossler on September 17 at 3:04 p.m.

  John Hinckley Jr shot Regan. He now gets home visits with his mom thanks to an understanding judge. Heck, they even let him get a drivers license.

  So what's the big deal about a granny slashing pycho killer going to our little fair? I mean its not like he drove himself there.

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  hello on September 17 at 3:05 p.m.

  Wow!!! I think whoever is in charge of that facility needs to be kicked in the gonads. Seriously what on Earth would provoke someone to allow those kinds of people at the fair. Where there are kids who can't defend themselves. Wow I know a couple 5 year olds that could make better decisions than that.

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  Sarah on September 17 at 3:27 p.m.

  Unbelievable! Makes you wonder who's really crazy, huh? I wonder how many other crazy “fieldtrips” have been going on in the community? Lunatic sex offender day at the public pool? The real problem is, we never find out about ANY of this until something goes wrong!

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  Fairsarentfun on September 17 at 3:50 p.m.

  So what exactly is going to happen once his medication wears off? In the 2003 article linked above, he said that medication makes him safe to return home. While I am not sure what the medication is, I am confident you don't get it from a vending machine. Is this going to go from bad to worse…?

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  Steve on September 17 at 4:39 p.m.

  What moron thought it would be a good idea to take a deranged murderer to the frackin' fair?
  Any community leaders out there? Hello!
  We need an answer to this one!
  

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  schleufer on September 17 at 4:47 p.m.

  maybe they thought one flew over the cuckoos nest had such a great field trip maybe they should give er a try. well…oops. im wondering how many people went along with this? hey how bout we air out all our criminally insane killers? wadda u think? “yeah” hey lets go to the fair.

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• 

  Charles Cavanaugh on September 17 at 4:50 p.m.

  I just called the asylum at 565-4000 to register a protest over their negligence and was personally berated by a a frazzled switchboard operator!

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  Bluedogs on September 17 at 5:02 p.m.

  Please , this is got to be the dumdest thing spokane has ever done. what is next death row immates will be taken feild trips to 7-11 stores

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  garfnagn on September 17 at 5:13 p.m.

  Dear Eastern State Hospital psychiatric security attendants, next time the patient asks for elephant ears *and* a snow cone just buy it for him. The fair isn't the place to enforce dietary limits with the criminally insane.

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• 

  westside on September 17 at 5:28 p.m.

  ONLY IN SPOKANE….LOL

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  schleufer on September 17 at 5:38 p.m.

  did he get to go on the michael jackson lollipop ride before he took off? that pic would be a front pager id bet.

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  nickgb on September 17 at 6:24 p.m.

  Wow, the level of intelligence and analysis in these comments is far more embarrassing than anything the hospital staff did. This isn't law enforcement, it's medicine. When medicine is involved, I trust doctors over random commenters who think leaving anonymous comments makes them look intelligent. This guy must have been a model patient to have a leave like this. These doctors deal with excruciating decisions in treating the mentally ill, and the patients live in a hell we can't imagine. Try a little sympathy, care for your fellow man, and start praying that this man finds his way to safety before he succumbs to his illness. There seem to be a lot of glass houses in this comment thread thus far.

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  Nancy Wilson on September 17 at 7:07 p.m.

  The justice system decided he was criminally insane. That DOES make it a law enforcement issue. Public safety trumps outdoor therapy/good-times-at-the-fair. It has nothing to do with sympathy. Get a grip.

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  BR ng on September 17 at 7:35 p.m.

  This is inexcusable. This person did NOT deserve a trip to the fair! Who ever it is that condones that should be the first one this whacko visits on his escape route.

  I am appalled. I hope everyone calls that place and objects! Make sure you have 'protection' handy at home, you might need it tonight….

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  nickgb on September 17 at 7:56 p.m.

  @NancyWilson - That's just so incredibly uninformed I don't know what to say… When someone is clinically insane, they are committed to the care of a doctor. That's not the same as going to jail. It's a medical issue. That's why the police don't prescribe drugs. That's why the inmate isn't in a prison. This isn't hard, just apply common sense.

  As for public safety, of course that trumps the mental health issue, but we have NO idea what the doctors' justification is. Let's wait and hear the facts before rushing to judgment. I know, in this era of instant-indignation, Glenn Beck news, it's hard to actually wait till facts are in, but doctors get the benefit of the doubt until we have the facts.

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  nickgb on September 17 at 8:10 p.m.

  @BR ng

  Before you start shooting the mentally ill, I would advise you to be careful how you do it. Clearly, you are showing much aptitude as a psychiatrist, with your well-informed, well-thought-out analysis of how he should be treated. We wouldn't want that brilliant career ruined by a conviction for shooting people who can't help themselves!

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 8:16 p.m.

  Clinically Insane with a murder conviction, just who is it that is incredibly uninformed? The community where this man was allowed to walk freely around in? We most defenately were not informed! the person above states We should pray for this man's safe return! I am praying that everyone in this community as well as other communities are safe while he is at large, free to commit more atrocious crimes. As for facts,,,,fact 1, he has murdered, and assaulted, has been diagnosed criminally insane! Fact 2, he was brought out into the public, a fair where thousands of people are, and escaped, so obviously well watched and guarded. Fact 3, He has escaped before! Fact 4, He is a threat to society, with a Life sentence! Facts are flooding in, and while they are,,PRAY that no one else dies, or is violently assaulted by this man!!

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• 

  Charles Cavanaugh on September 17 at 8:28 p.m.

  NickGB opens with an ad hominem insult and criticizes those who hide their supposed lack of smarts behind an anonymous identification!!! Care to identify yourself so we can see who is calling the kettle black, Nick?

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  nickgb on September 17 at 8:54 p.m.

  Charles, saying someone's argument is uninformed is not ad hominem. Saying someone is ignorant when it comes to logical fallacies is much closer, though still touches on substance. Tough line, though.

  Also, I'm saying it's wrong to come out attacking the people who are trained to deal with such things, who made careful assessments, and who exercised their professional opinions, all from the guise of “AnonKnowItAll1234” on the internet. I certainly don't claim to know all the facts either. It may come out that the doctors were negligent, and if so, they ought to be canned and have their licenses stripped. Nonetheless, what this country needs is more thinking and less reaction.

  @ladyblu As for the criticism of my statement that we should pray for his safe return, I agree that our prayers ought to be for everyone in the area as well. I shouldn't have omitted that, you're right. I was responding directly to the people who seemed to think we ought to form a posse of gun-wielding citizens to find a mentally ill person. What he did was awful, but we don't go killing the “criminally insane,” a term which makes no sense anyway. I hope he is returned to a facility as soon as possible, I hope everyone in the area is safe, and I assure you no doctor will let him out in the near future. Still, we must recognize that just because someone commits a crime, or just because someone is insane, does not mean they aren't people. To think otherwise, you may as well send every felon to the chair without appeal.

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  nickgb on September 17 at 8:59 p.m.

  And Charles, to be clear, I don't think anyone should have to divulge their identity to comment here. My point was merely that anonymity allows us a little more freedom to second guess and make conclusions than we should necessarily exercise. I apologize if I implied anything further. That said, you can probably find me fairly easily. I don't change aliases often, but I don't think our offline identities are relevant here, and in some of our cases we have to keep them separate for professional reasons.

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• 

  Swineflu2009 on September 17 at 8:59 p.m.

  I don't have the energy to try and eloquently present my argument so I will skip to how angry I am with all of these posts.

  YOU ARE ALL IDIOTS and I hope this makes you angry!

  I hope for the safety of this PATIENT and the safe return of him to Eastern State HOSPITAL. I also hope he has one hell of a time out on the town enjoying his brief freedom.

  PS for all of you wondering what medication he is on since he is a schizophrenic patient he is most like taking anti-psychotics. A medication for his MENTAL ILNESS. The brain is an organ just like an other part of the body…. making it susceptible to disease. I hope the public will one day be more educated about mental illness. I also enjoyed the fact that the news referred to these patients as “those people”…. what does that even mean? We all can be equally affected by mental illness and one day we all have equal potential to become one of “those”, the “those” everyone is so scared of. This is a man suffering from a disease, figure it out people he is in a hospital! I can only hope one day your family members suffer from a mental illness so you can finally relate to how tragic his ILLNESS is.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 9:08 p.m.

  as I reread all the comments, I noticed that there was never any mention of gun wielding posse, either being formed or even suggested, one person suggested protecting their home. I have called My Children and Grandchildren and warned to protect themselves, with not a word of gunning down this man. What You did do was insult, and chastise people, who have every right to have their opinions. And I will completley disagree that they are all PEOPLE!! Some are by far way worse than animals,,,,To think otherwise, is why murder, in the most horendous ways still happens!!

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  Charles Cavanaugh on September 17 at 9:09 p.m.

  NickGB, thanks for your response. Actually, many of these issues are quite moot. Either Phillip Paul will be safely apprehended or there will be an adverse consequence in which case Hal Wilson and Susan Dreyfus of D.S.H.S. will undoubtedly experience litigation as defendants.

  To assure that the matter is properly reviewed, I invite others to join me in requesting that district three state politicians initiate an inquiry addressing procedures, propriety, and community safety in response to this mishap:

  Sen. Lisa Brown: brown.lisa@leg.wa.gov
  Rep. Tim Ormsby: ormsby.timm@leg.wa.gov
  Rep. Alex Wood: wood.alex@leg.wa.gov

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  nickgb on September 17 at 9:16 p.m.

  @Ladyblu “Gun wielding posse” was hyperbole in response to the suggestion that we should all keep protection, in quotes. The leap is not small, but it is obviously for hyperbolic reasons and I don't think it's too far from the author's intent. If he didn't mean “Shoot first and call the cops later,” I miss his point.

  And as for “I will completely disagree that they are all PEOPLE”, for shame. I hope this was a statement made in anger at my rhetorical flourish, and not a true sentiment. They are people, albeit very sick people who need to be medicated, and kept under guard. This idea that some people are no longer people is not new (and the obvious allusions should not be made), but it is abhorrent to everything we stand for. Again, I hope for you that you meant it as hyperbole as well.

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  Pat_SN on September 17 at 9:17 p.m.

  The fact is the man committed a crime, a pretty horrendous crime, but he was mentally ill. It does not resolve him of guilt but it changes the circumstances in which he is treated/punished for his crime. When I look at all the comments above I can almost see what people are visualizing when imagining “criminally insane”. The fact is when medicated people who are mentally ill can usually function in a reasonable capacity with no inclinations to harm others or cause damage. When not medicated some of the mentally ill have no control over their actions. They live in a world that is so far from what we see as reality that honestly the correct action is to put them into a hospital and not jail. What the posts above save a few do is dehumanize this patient. While my heart goes out to the families of the people he injured or killed, I can't stand the fact that there is still such a stigma of mental illness that precipitates such raw hate. The man did terrible things no one is arguing against that but he was being treated and the goal of treatment is to reintegrate those with Mental illness back into a functioning place in society. Whether or not the man was ever going to be released is another matter but for many other less heinous offenders trips out of the hospital are a needed step in treatment and recovery.

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  nickgb on September 17 at 9:19 p.m.

  @Charles

  Thank you for rapidly de-escalating. I certainly am as much to blame as others for the temperature in the room, it's good that you made something productive out of it.

  Regardless of our feeling, something clearly went wrong. And as we've learned in the last decades, when something goes wrong, sunlight is the best disinfectant. And if it turns out one of these doctors made a real error in this case… Well, it's not a good economy to be looking for a job just yet.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 9:51 p.m.

  The issue is on the responsibilities of those who allowed a medicated man, with a violent nature once again out into the community. Even under medication he was well enough to escape (for the second time). For the person that stated “YOU ARE ALL IDIOTS, I also hope he has one hell of a time out on the town enjoying his brief freedoom. I can only hope one day your family members suffer from a mental illness so you can finally relate to how tragic his ILLNESS is. ” I for one Hope and Pray that no one suffers such an illness, nor would I wish it on a Family! Nickgb, I appreciate some of what You have said, and disagree with some. I have no shame on Me, either in My sentiment, or opinions. I do wish a speedy recovery of this man, for his own sake and that of this community.
  

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  cougnurse on September 17 at 10:02 p.m.

  #1: @westside: no this is not “only in spokane”…. every psychiatric hospital takes stable (I'll repeat, STABLE) patients to off grounds “events”.

  Its a treatment and is used as a means to re-assimilate the people back into the community so they can function without being scared half to death because the stimuli of life outside the hospital is too overwhelming. All of you need to do a little research into mental health treatments before you open your ugly, accusing mouths.

  #2: @ladyblu: you are incredibly ignorant and I don't care if you take what I say as an insult. I am disgusted by people like you with such a lack of insight into world outside of your own comfortable little “box”. To call these people “animals” is appalling and incredibly insensitive. These people become this way because of a CHEMICAL IMBALANCE IN THEIR BRAIN THAT THEY CANNOT CONTROL. Oftentimes it is started by traumatic events, such as being abused/raped as a child or witnessing traumatic events. Yes, it is unacceptable that he managed to escape, but blame the people who are responsible for him at the fair, NOT THE HUMAN THAT CANNOT CONTROL HIS ACTIONS BECAUSE OF BIOLOGY. LOOK IT UP BEFORE YOU SPEAK, IT IS RESEARCHED AND EVIDENCE BASED. I suggest you educate yourself next time before you open your mouth at the risk of sounding absurd to educated individuals.

  Nobody understands/empathizes with people in any area of health care until they personally work with them; luckily I am able to understand what a personal hell these people go through because we get to work with them. Thank goodness my experiences make me understand why you are undoubtedly ignorant.

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  schleufer on September 17 at 10:13 p.m.

  so they had over 30 patients and 11 people to watch them. we now know what this guy has done in the past so are they going to telll us what the other 30 people had done to cause them to end up in this hospital? what sort of other mental conditions were wandering around the fair grounds today?

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  Charles Cavanaugh on September 17 at 10:14 p.m.

  Cougnurse scares me. Too much hostility. I wouldn't want HER “caring” for MY family! She “understands” her violent patients but not those who are frightened by the unpredictable. A major inconsistency, certainly.

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  cougnurse on September 17 at 10:24 p.m.

  I certainly understand the right for citizens to be frightened. In fact, it frightens me that he has escaped. However, when innocent people are likened to “animals” it's sightly infuriating when you see what it's like for people to be scared living in their own bodies. All I ask for is a little empathy, surely you understand that? I think the fault lies in those responsible for the individuals undergoing this treatment and those are the people you should be angry with. All the poor man wants is to see his family. Granted, he is not stable enough to LIVE outside the hospital, these sorts of events are the only things these people have to look forward to. Again, all I ask for is empathy and understanding and for the blame to be placed on the individuals who truly are to blame.

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  nslopeofw on September 17 at 10:29 p.m.

  Lets look at reality, here. 1. This guy slashed a elderly woman's neck, then covered her in gas to try and cover his tracks. (that sounds like he was not only sane, but knew it was wrong) 2. Gets sent to a criminal insane hospital for the rest of his life. 3. Escapes in 1993, an assaults a sheriff. 4. Goes to the fair today, and escapes again. 5. Is roaming around the community, without the medication that keeps him from going back “over the edge”.

  Now, quite a few of us concerned citizens complain about the fact that this psycho was even allowed out, let alone, escapes, and you liberal , do-gooders think its bad for us to complain?

  You “protectors of the mentally ill criminals” need to get real. If the police gun him down, i for one will not care. I would rather have that done, than for him to kill someone else. (of course, it won't be his fault, 'cause his voices told him to do it, and tell him to cover his tracks, because “they” know it is wrong.)

  Go ahead, tell me how bad i am, 'cause, i don't care. You people that are protecting this POS are just as bad as he is.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 10:30 p.m.

  @cougnurse
  Ignorance is in what You just showed to all in Your opening of Your mouth as You so called it. Rather than having read what I wrote, You would “In Your So Called Highly Educated, I am so Much more intelligent way, turned this around! So now We know Your intelligence level, and to be truthful,,,it is lacking. As for My lil box,,,,again Your intelligence was overwhelming! Please, do save Your disgust for those that may be affected by it, and Your so called back patting self.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 10:40 p.m.

  by the way cougnurse,,,,this man was not innocent!!! Once again Your incredible intelligence shows.

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  lewis on September 17 at 10:40 p.m.

  he has been spotted in the public safety building wearing a blue uniform and working behind the counter. i think when we catch him we should sign up for the SPD it would be nice to have a insane person around there we cant do much worse.

  But really, the man was charged with murder what the heck is he out anywhere for? when was the last time the convicted murderers at Walla Walla went to the fair? Come on!

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  cougnurse on September 17 at 10:54 p.m.

  ladyblu, check your grammar and your facts. I said he should NOT live outside a hospital. He is not stable and probably will NEVER live outside of a hospital and yes, I would prefer for him, the person doing harm to be harmed if anyone was to be affected in this situation, even though he may not be able to have any control over it. All I said was it is disgusting how you likened a living, breathing individual to an animal. I sympathize with the family of the victims and I would be just as upset and angry if one of my family members was killed by a mentally unstable individual. I understand that it is easier for you to sympathize with the victims because you are mentally healthy and are afraid of the unknown, the “unknown” being mental illness. I just hope that you considered as well, what it might be like for you or one of your family members to be afflicted with schizophrenia and to be the target of such hatred. I apologize for my anger earlier, but my respect was lost with the sickening comment you made. And just for the record, I am not a mental health nurse but I have worked with them and I thank god it has given me an open mind.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 11:05 p.m.

  cougnurse,,My grammar is unimportant. and once again assumptions, I do know it well, My Family in My lil box has been affected, both in the mental health and the attempted murder. Please do not display Your so called disgust to Me or anyone else of this community with Your self righteous assumptions. The issue is this man was once again allowed to escape, not for just the first time, but the second. Do read that I wrote for a safe return of him. ladyblu6145@yahoo.com.

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  cougnurse on September 17 at 11:07 p.m.

  So place the blame on the people involved in his supervision, not him. Do you have a legitimate reason for putting him on the same level as an animal? I'm just trying to understand your position.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 11:23 p.m.

  ie= the email address

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  cougnurse on September 17 at 11:31 p.m.

  No thanks, I resign. You are all right. Nothing but an animal. Congratulations, you've won.

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  ladyblu on September 17 at 11:48 p.m.

  for now, bypassing all the self righteousness of the health care so called professionals, a crimanally insane murderer was allowed back out into the public, and has escaped custody. But that as some would say is his right, he is not well. Have empathy, and understand. It is not his fault! But who's fault is it, that He is now free? I honestly do wish a safe return of him, as for those in positions of responsibility,,,I will and so will this community,,,question their choices!

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  amn on September 18 at 12:57 a.m.

  Sorry, but I don't have any empathy towards Paul. I understand he is mentally ill, but don't forget, he tried burning the woman he killed in an attempt to cover up his crime. If that doesn't show some knowledge of what he did and the nature of his acts, then I don't know what does.

  I have no doubt that ESH is underfunded and understaffed. However, that does not change the fact that someone made the decision to approve a “field trip” at the fair where there are children and thousands of people. DSHS can do all the investigations they want to examine where the breakdown in protocol was, but it does not change the fact that someone approved this brilliant idea. Typical governmental agency without accountability.

  Let's look at how many screw ups caused this to happen: 1) some genius approved the “field trip” of 31 “patients” one of which, was a convicted murderer who had previously escaped and assaulted guards and a Sheriff's Deputy; 2) there was not enough supervision (there should have been at least one dedicated person for each person who was convicted of a violent crime); 3) the supervisors allowed him to walk away and get lost; 4) the supervisors did not notify law enforcement until 2 hours later; and 5) no tracking anklet was placed on him in case he escaped (like he had done before). Heads should roll…

  Please don't try and feed me any BS that he has not been convicted. I am in the legal field and am very aware of the classification of criminally insane. It means they are guilty, but are not held to the same standard of accountability based upon their mental illness. They are treated in a State Hospital, but are not necessarily free to go. The designation only means they will not serve time in prison, but they will still be institutionalized.

  Allowing Paul to go to the fair has the same logic as allowing Kevin Coe to chaperone a high school prom. Placing a person suffering from schizophrenia to be placed in that highly stimulating environment is criminally negligent. He killed the woman because he thought she was a witch. Did the idiot(s) who approved the “field trip” not think of the possibility that he could see a child wearing a costume or someone else who was dressed up, and snap?

  Everyone needs to call the CEO, VP, Director of Clinical Psychology, and whomever is responsible and and voice their severe displeasure. I say they should be named and shamed for their irresponsible behavior.

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  Pat_SN on September 18 at 2:20 a.m.

  Let's say for instance ladyblu that you had the worst dream of your life. You went to your neighbors' house and killed them. Then you woke up and found that you had actually done those things. Completely unconsciously and against what you knew what was right. Obviously a scenario which will never play itself out but if you could just imagine that. If the next day you woke up and found yourself imprisoned would you not believe that you deserved some leniency. While it is far from a perfect analogy it serves it's purpose. Mentally ill have a disease, sometimes they are forced to do things against their better judgment and will. Not because they want to but they are forced to. Then when medicated they wake up from this stupor from a false reality. They feel every ounce of guilt for things they've done. They know they have done terrible things, they feel remorse, guilt, and pain. But to them it is like waking from a terrible dream to find it's actually true. To call these people animals is an affront to all that makes us human. Show some decency to your fellow man. I don't care what religious group you affiliate with, or if you even believe, but you should know that showing such hatred for the less fortunate is pretty much looked down upon by every “deity” on the book.

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  Pat_SN on September 18 at 2:36 a.m.

  Also to amn there is a difference between Kevin Coe and this man. The reason Kevin Coe is still in a involuntary commitment at McNeil Island is not because his crimes. It is because he is unable to grasp the idea that he has a disease or that he was doing things improperly making him a risk to the community. I'm sure you're aware of this with your legal background. This patient obviously had insight into his own disease or would not have been 1. let out of the hospital 2. recommended for release in 2003. There are differences in the mentally ill and it's a fact that you would be wise to recognize in your “field” lest you yourself become the target of a lawsuit.

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  Pat_SN on September 18 at 2:50 a.m.

  civil commitment rather

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  Rifleman_Dodd on September 18 at 3:31 a.m.

  Its noticed that a lot of VERY ignorant people are posting uninformed opinions. The sky is NOT falling.

  Cougnurse and nickgb are exhibiting “informed” information while a lot of people like ladyblu and cavanuagh among others are emotionaly ranting without proving any facts. Please constrain your verbal drool as it just goes to show your ignorance.

  I suggest we wait until ALL the facts are in before commenting and hanging the innocent.

  Remember the SPD has killed more people than this guy and they are also “on the loose”.

  Newtons 5th law. For every action there's an equal and opposite OVER REACTION.

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  spoketucky on September 18 at 9:43 a.m.

  Are they sure that isn't Russel Crowe prepping for a new movie role?

  The grip on sanity for all of us hangs by a thin strand of gossamer.

  Most murderers would no longer be incarcerated after 22 years. If he didn't suffer from mental illness his case, lacking a prior criminal history, would have been reduced to manslaughter or worst, ,murder two, where he'd have served less than a dozen years. Sanity has more than it's apparent benefits.

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  NBryant on September 18 at 10:15 a.m.

  I fully understand what this man did 22 years ago was horrendous and wrong. He had a mental illness that forced him to do thing a normal fully functional person would never do. You cannot possibly condemn this man as an animal or even a bad person until you have experienced what he has. In a previous post a person made the point that it was like waking up from a terrible dream with the realization that you have committed a horrible crime. This is a very true analogy and the closest a person could come to understanding what people with mental disorders such as Schizophrenia.

  Out of all the disorders on the books I would never want schizophrenia. To not be in control of my life because of a chemical imbalance in my brain would be awful. We are not talking about a man with Antisocial personality disorder.Paul can feel remorse and he has the capacity to understand what he did wrong. He is a sick man who needs help not condemnation. His health care providers obviously felt he was more than capable of handling a public outing and until the facts are in I won't judge those officials.

  Lastly, I would like to say to those people who are up in arms about a group of people with mental illnesses who are on a supervised visit to the fair, that you have bigger things to worry about. Those individuals on the outing were being supervised. They were being accounted for, so when one goes missing or escapes an alarm can be raised and it was. I would be more worried about the unsupervised criminals that frequent events like the fair. What about the unidentified rapist, pedophiles, and killers who go to large public forums to find unsuspecting victim. There are more cases of kidnaps, rapes, and murders during events such as these than any individual case of these same crimes. You are worried about a man that was supervised. What about the criminals that watched and plotted against you with no supervision no one to raise an alarm. Those people who know full and well what they are doing and the consequences. Those are the types of people who scare me, not a man medicated and being treated for a mental disorder.

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  Charles Cavanaugh on September 18 at 11:19 a.m.

  I suggest that Rifleman Dodd review my insertions before lashing out with accusations which do not fit the situation, to include blind ad hominem insults.

  Generally, an issues-oriented insertion is better received than blind insult.

  Your point was never actually stated among the flailing insults. I'd truly be interested in knowing what it is.

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  nslopeofw on September 18 at 1:30 p.m.

  NBryant,

  Your logic is a bit skewed. We should not worry, because they were supervised? Damn bit of good that did. Hopefully, Paul is the “worst” of the bunch, but for all you know, the rest could be phetophiles and rapists.

  The saddest part is that the hosipal didn't think it should be reported to law enforcement, or the fair that they were going on this little “trip”, and after psycho-Paul escaped, they waited 2 hours before notifying anyone.

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  NBryant on September 18 at 2:03 p.m.

  Actually they wouldn't be pedophiles or rapists because legally any person convicted or institutionalized because of pedophilia are not allowed within 100 ft of children meaning they legally cannot be taken to a fair as there are children everywhere. Those who convicted of sexual assaults don't get insanity pleas. It really isn't defendable. The majority of those patients probably have schizophrenia, anxiety/phobias, or mild disorders that require the reintegration into society.

  They probably didn't report it because they thought he had just wandered away from the group and looked for him. Have you never lost track of someone then looked for them before contacting someone. I know I have with children. They wander away from the group and you spend time retracing your steps to see if you could find them before you go to security to see if they can help. It isn't a huge jump to assume that is what happened, especially since the hospital that was treating him obviously believed he was fit enough for reintegration into society. They even petitioned the courts to release him.

  Besides I never said we had no reason to worry, but there are more dangers out there than a man who everybody is on the look out for. There are thousands of people that no one is watching for. Who could attack with no notice. At least if you see paul you can turn him in or go the other way. Can you say that about an un-convicted person who means to do you harm.

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  MilitaryGrandma on September 19 at 9:56 a.m.

  I would like to know why in this modern day and times, why Mental Patients, Our Troops, Children etc, could have a chip placed,so when lost, a tracking system could pick them right up. I feel the Institution should be liable for all the loss that the fair took because of a murderer loose on their grounds, not to mention the time our police,and helicopters cost to the dept, they have no business taking outings and have them in our public, where other people could be hurt or even killed, they have no business leaving the hospital, I have heard that they take these people to other places like cabelas for a day outing, and even the ones that are half way ok to be in the open, they should have had matching outfits,jumb suits, nice and bright, to stand out in a crowd, this was not right and the hospital should be held responsible to our safety….

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  googy on September 20 at 12:42 a.m.

  I wonder if he has cigarettes?

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  sls on September 20 at 10:04 a.m.

  Criminally Insane. How many other criminally insane have been released because some doctor thought they hadn't been violent in a long time and/or were a “model” patient? Ask the family members of those murdered and/or molested by an escaped or released criminally insane person. As for thinking of them as a “person”, I'll give it as much thought as they did. As for them being medicated and under control, that's just wonderful as long as they are incarcerated AND medicated. Once released they DON”T take their medication. This man ESCAPED. What do you think the chances are he asked for a few days worth of his meds before he went on the “field trip”? Do you think he's been gone long enough for the meds to wear off? I think so! I'm just glad someone released his picture, so often they don't. As for me, I'm damn glad I have a gun and know how to use it.

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  MilitaryGrandma on September 20 at 10:19 a.m.

  31 Mentally Insane patients, with 11 watching them, he could have went to the rest room, did a quick shave ,changed clothes, stuck a hat on his head, and came right back out, and no one would have noticed, all that was involved should be fired, that means. they each had to watch 3 patients, and did not do there job, so what, did they say go enjoy yourselves, we will sit here and wait to you come back, they had no business letting them have backpacks, not to mention did not check what was in the packs before leaving the hospital,should have all worn somekind of jumpsuit etc, to be noticed, but even then, had no business leaving the hospital in the first place, who ever is in charged at that hospital, should not have a job, or close it down

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  Take_A_Hike on September 20 at 5:00 p.m.

  They found him! :)

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  nslopeofw on September 20 at 11:33 p.m.

  Now watch the blame game. Time to lock up these people for good. No more field trips.

  I would not feel good about letting just the regular old insane people out in crowds of family and children, let alone the criminally insane. Hopefully, Eastern will be under new management, soon.

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  Wondering on September 22 at 11:13 p.m.

  I appreciate the dialogue about mental health issues. Our society continues to gain awareness and understanding about these issues, as scientific research progresses.

  Meanwhile, I always hope that our community will strive to create the most humane, safe and reasonable scenarios for human beings who suffer from medical brain-disorders such as schizoprenia. This includes protecting people who live inside the hospital and people who live outside the hospital.

  Unfortunately, an incident like this really frightens and/or angers people. I wonder if it's fear and anger that perpetuates the stigma about people who struggle with psychiatric problems.

  I hope that more effective treatments and medications become available soon!

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