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Patient led comfortable life

The Spokesman-Review

Interesting sidebar on Page A5 of The Spokesman-Review on Oct. 29 under the headline “Mental patient filed for bankruptcy.”

Seems recently escaped and recaptured Phillip Paul, while still enjoying free room and board at Eastern State Hospital courtesy of the taxpayers for the past 22 years, not only was allowed to reside off campus on occasion; attend classes at Spokane Falls Community College; form a rock band; and go on various field trips with limited supervision to fun places like the interstate fair; he was also allowed to pocket monthly Social Security checks (I assume SSI; he is not old enough to obtain benefits based on work history), and to rack up more than $85,000 in credit card debt from which he is seeking Chapter 7 protection.

Makes one wonder what other perks and privileges our criminally insane mental hospital inmates now enjoy.

Barrie McConnell

Coeur d’Alene

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