New Braintree, MA August 5, 2013 Whenever a sensational event takes place – especially one involving crime and violence people wonder what could drive such unthinkable human action? In the police service it is a common occurrence – that people violate the perfunctory right to exist as an individual being with choice and free will. This frequent action dehumanized victims by robbing self-esteem and thereby shaping future decisions relationships and life force.
From a 2013 blog post.
Those relationships that suppress the normal, effusive, life force are detrimental to health much like a toxin. Sefton 2013
“… He stood in the doorway with a loaded gun and talked about killing himself and/or children and myself. He was bringing up old verbal threats and I thought they were going to come true”
Amy Lake – from July 2010 order of protection
The words above were taken from a requested order of protection in the state of Maine in 2010. The threats upon this victim and her family became a reality exactly one year to the day after this order was put in place in 2011. Amy
Lake and her two children were murdered by her husband Steven Lake who killed himself as well. Immediately following the killings a Maine district attorney said “there was nothing we could have done to prevent these killings”. These were the words that triggered a team of professionals including myself to research the sequence of events that lead to this event. A formal psychological autopsy was undertaken in 2011 following these murders and over 50 recommendations were generated (Allanach, et al 2011).
I am sick to my stomach as I write about another senseless killing of Wanda Rosa in Methuen, Massachusetts in late summer 2016. The case resembles so many cases of domestic violence homicide – manipulation and control. Ms. Rosa had a permanent order of protection but had recently modified the order to allow Emilio Delarosa to see the child they had in common. Why in the world would anyone allow Delarosa to see his son? He is no role model and the potential for terminal violence was readily apparent as depicted in the order of protection. He expressed his intent to kill his girlfriend on more that one occasion. Delarosa’s history of intimate partner violence had risen to the level of a permanent ban – signaling that the pattern of violence was undeniable and the red flag indicators for domestic violence homicide (DVH) were apparent in the eyes of the police and judiciary when the permanent order was granted.
Permanent orders of protection are rarely granted unless the pattern of violence was so prevalent and unremitting that the potential of harm or death to the victim and her family was unsurpassed as in this case. It is known that Delarosa was manipulative and controlling of his girlfriend getting her to drop charges over and over and later alter the terms of the restraining order – ultimately resulting in her death. Secondly, the person against whom the stay away order is granted must have demonstrated a blatant indifference of the order of the court by having recklessly violated the order over and again. It should not have been altered. In the past 18 months cases meeting these requirements (such as this one) have resulted in intimate partner violent deaths. The Jarod Remy 2013 murder of Jennifer Martin is a despicable reminder of the need for change in cases of DV. Remy killed his girlfriend by stabbing her multiple times as the couple’s 4-year old child bear witness. In spite of laws designed to reduce the likelihood of DVH Rosa was not adequately protected.
Rosa’s boyfriend Emilio Delarosa is on the run as of September 20. He is accused of murdering his former girlfriend after years of abuse, strangled her to death as their 4-year-old boy pleaded with him to spare her life, according to court records. “No Dad” the child was heard to say over and over. As in the Remy case, the 4-year old witnessed his father choking Wanda Rosa until she was dead.
“I suspect there is a strong likelihood that he too will be among the deceased in the coming days as is the common eventuality among those who commit the unconscionable, violence that manifest in this terminal event” according to Michael Sefton, Ph.D., director of psychology and neuropsychology at Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital in Westborough, MA. When some men violate the permanent protection order it is the result of unbridled rage and defiance against a “system” they believe has failed or unfairly humiliated them said Sefton in a release. They are murderous and often turn their rage inward in an act of suicide. I would look for the triggers of what set Delarosa’s terminal rage into action. It could be something as simple as being told he needed to have monitored visitation with is son or learning that the female was seeing another man – both conjectural on my part. After the alleged killing Delarosa was heard to say “It’s over, it’s over, it’s over” when speaking to his sister.
“This is the complexity of domestic violence and the cycle of abuse,” said Arelis Huertas, who oversees domestic violence and sexual assault programs at the YWCA of Greater Lawrence. “Many survivors say, ‘He’s a great father, he was only abusive toward me.’
“Domestic violence is not random and unpredictable. There are red flags that trigger an emotional undulation that bears energy like the movement of tectonic plates beneath the sea.” according to Sefton. A psychological autopsy should be undertaken to effectively understand the homicide and in doing so contribute to the literature on domestic violence and DVH according to Michael Sefton who with colleagues published the Psychological Autopsy of a case from Dexter, Maine where a father murdered his child, estranged wife and ultimately himself (Allanach, et al, 2011). In the days preceding the murder there are usually red flags or pre-incident indictors that people see that signal the intentions of the murderer. These clues provide police and the judiciary with data to craft protection plans and are the commonalities found in cases of DVH across the state and across the world. Some red flag behaviors signal the emergence of imminent terminal anger that can be seen in the social media accounts of intimate partners who go on to kill their spouses. I am quite interested in the compelling reasons that Delarosa may have argued that resulted in the change in the permanent order of protection. The outstanding Boston Globe article about the slaying is a sad reminder of the early warning signs of DVH. All the red flags were present. In a blog published in 2013 I list the tell tale warning signs of intimate partner homicide and the need for tougher bail conditions (Sefton, 2013).
The impact on the child will be lifelong. At age 4, children are developing their sense of gender identity in the setting of developmental growth, cognitive maturity, social functioning and continued individuation. Imagine the child who is reunited with his parent after a period of mandated protection due to DV. He is now able to see his family and may be fraught with both excitation and fear. It would be normal for the child to have fantasies of reunification of the family and perhaps self-blame for not having stopped the action of his father. Just like the daughter of Jennifer Martin and Jarod Remy this 4-year old boy will forever be reminded of the life he will not have.
Ronald Allanach et al., Psychological Autopsy of June 13, 2011, Dexter, Maine Domestic Violence Homicides and Suicide: Final Report 39 (Nov. 28, 2011), http://pinetreewatchdog.org/files/2011/12/Dexter-DVH-Psychological-Autopsy-Final-Report-112811-111.pdf.
Sefton, M. The red flags of intimate partner violence. Blog post taken October 2, 2016.
Sefton, M. Prior history of crime not predictive of DVH. Blog Taken October 2, 2016. post: http://enddvh.blogspot.com/2013/07/prior-criminal-history-used-to.
“The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community and devote yourself to something that gives you purpose and meaning.”
It takes time to establish the human contacts needed to trust another person and put yourself in the hands of another with complete emotional certitude. The fundamental appetence for living is shaped by the relationships made during life Sefton, 2013.
“The implementation of a domestic violence registry would inform potential victims that they are at risk and greatly reduce the cases of domestic violence in New York state.” NY State Senator Michael Nozzolio
WESTBOROUGH, MA April 4, 2016 The prospect of mandated reporting in cases of domestic violence will add to already the over burdened state and federal bureaucracy. It cannot be done and may be a violation of the privacy rights of those accused of domestic violence. Or at least that is what they tell us. I have encountered abusive men who I have escorted off someone’s property after a verbal argument – before it became a physical encounter. In conducting my investigation, I learned that the guy had active protection from abuse orders that were taken out by three different women. That should be fuel for thought and the first question asked on the dating websites.
In New York, state Senator Michael Nozzolio has proposed a bill that would create a registry for those convicted with violent felony domestic violence. The bill entitled Brittany’s Law after a 2009 murder in which Brittany Passalacqua and her mother were killed in a domestic violence homicide. It has been passed in one form or another by the NY State Senate four times but the state legislature has yet to take up the bill. Why? Some believe that a published list of abusers is a violation of human rights – like if a guy shows up on the list he may not be able to get anyone to date him anymore. That seems like a reasonable consequence for beating up an intimate partner or two.
WESTBOROUGH, MA July 19, 2016 The Worcester Telegram published the story of a case of domestic violence that occurred in that central Massachusetts city of 185,000. A police officer was dispatched to a residence where a subject was suspected of violating the terms of a restraining order. RO’s – as they are commonly referred to – offer a safety net between the victim of domestic violence and the abuser. RO’s are authorized by a district court judge who is on call night and day. They are not authorized unless substantial threat to the victim exists. These orders are carefully crafted by investigating police officers whose reports highlight the exact nature of the violence and the reason the victim needs protection. Protection orders are offered to the victim after the first sign of physical violence. It has been espoused that the police are not called until after the 6th or 7th episode of domestic violence. DV is a secret affair between members of a family who are often ashamed or embarrassed to come forward for help often until things gradually get worse – sometimes years into a pattern of violent dysfunction. Greater latitude for judges in handling violent offenders must be legislated including holding someone without bail. This rarely takes place due to the fact that so many abusers are law abiding citizens and have no record against which to negotiate bail. Arguably, at some point violent spouses must be held for the safety of the victim and her children as in the case of Jared Remy in 2013. Remy killed his live-in girlfriend Jennifer Martell in front of the couple’s 4-year old daughter hours after being released from custody for violating an order of protection.
In other cases of violence against the police, noncompliant behavior that results in violence toward police officers must be dealt with in kind including no bail holds, dangerousness assessments and GPS monitoring for those who may be released. Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. In Massachusetts one police officer lost his life because a career criminal was repeatedly released on no or low bail. Auburn Police Officer Ron Tarentino paid the ultimate price in exactly such a case.
“Hindsight tells us that this guy should have stayed in jail. Maybe, if the court had had more time to spend on the case, that would have happened. However, we can’t generalize from this case to all cases, according to Vic Crain, a New Jersey-based Market Research and Public Policy firm.” Vic Crain, personal correspondence July 2016.
On this day, a Worcester police officer was cut with a steak knife wielded by the angry spouse who was being arrested for violation of the stay away order. Bail conditions must be carefully considered whenever a restraining order is violated. It is a sign that the alleged perpetrator has blatantly ignored a legal court order by contacting his partner in some way – even by telephone or via social media. He need not be menacing against his spouse and family. Violation of an RO may signal an outright decline in the violator’s coping skill and perhaps an ominous sign of impending terminal rage toward a spouse. Terminal rage results in a loss of self control along with an erupting emotional maelstrom of blame and hate – sometimes resulting in a fugue state. Episodes of terminal anger will last just so long and ultimately results in the self-destruction of the abuser. The cycle of abuse in DV is well described by Lenore Walker and is depicted to the right.
In Gardner, MA on 7-19-16, a North Carolina man was charged with burning two vehicles and menacing his ex-wife with a shotgun. He is being held without bail until a hearing can be held to determine if he is dangerous and should be kept behind bars according to the Worcester Telegram story. The Worcester case resulted in charges of violation of restraining order, mayhem, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and attempted murder. A Worcester Police Officer was severely cut with a knife during the violent arrest.
Decisions on bail of the two cases described are straight forward and no bail was allowed in either until such time as the court psychiatrist or psychologist was able to assess dangerousness. This is where society needs to begin the change in expectations for those involved in DV – measuring dangerousness. The measurement of dangerousness can be nebulous and forensically uncertain.
In August 2013 I published a blog after the death of Jennifer Martell who was murdered in front of her 4-year old daughter by Jared Remy, son of Red Sox broadcaster and former player Jerry Remy. The younger Remy had received one break after another some say linked to his celebrity father’s influence. He was never held until a dangerousness hearing could be undertaken. Had this been done Ms. Martell may be alive today. In retrospect, Jared Remy was a prototypic abuser and ultimately Ms Martell was left unprotected when he should have been behind bars. Whether or not he had bipolar illness, abused drugs – including steroids or likely both Jennifer was no match when Remy launched his fatal attack. But all who know Jared say he loved Jennifer Martell and his daughter.
I have answered calls like these and they are mostly the same. I am trained to look for “red flag signs of violence” that would automatically raised my level of concern. Unfortunately there are people who believe intimate partner violence is nobody’s business. That belief system is harmful. Slowly people are learning that secret violence robs our society of its civility. My police report in all cases would specify the immediate need for a dangerousness hearing – especially when there had been more than one prior order of protection and violating an existing order of protection. Other facts such as substance abuse, loss of job, a blended household, pregnancy and the lack of transportation add to the risks of leaving a violence man in the household.
The reporting party in a recent case had been threatened by the spouse. These verbal threats began as soon “as I said I do”with slight humor. The physical abuse began shortly thereafter. On this day he was angry at his wife wife who had spent the day with her sister and had arrived home the same time as her husband. Dinner was not ready. This led to a significant escalation of his baseline level of anger, suspiciousness and borderline paranoia by the time police were called. He had thrown the dishes all over the kitchen and dining room out of protest – lamenting his lazy wife. His children were frightened and crying.
The signs of violence are finger marks on the neck from choking, forced intercourse, obvious trauma from open or closed fists, threats of death or some other random act of stupidity toward a spouse that leaves her and her children in great fear. Any of these should result in arrest.
Research is clear that separating spouses for the night does not positively impact the level aggression and risk in the household as much as the formal arrest of the aggressor. What usually happens is the police break up the fighting couple by sending the aggressor off to the home of a friend or family member – less often to jail unless there are obvious signs of abuse. Arrest is mandated by law when physical signs of abuse are apparent. It has become all too often the case that hindsight – taken seriously – may have saved a life.
There needs to be a clear consequence for the violation of a protection order – and yet violent abusers are given chance after chance as in the case of Jared Remy. In the research I conducted with 3 colleagues – cited below – failure to hold a spouse when there are numerous red flag warnings. In this case, after holding his family hostage for 3 hours at gun point, a reluctant and frightened spouse called the local sheriff’s department. Patrols found the perpetrator who remarked to his son “your mother has done it this time…” as the blue light were activated. He later went on to murder his wife and his two children – including the boy mentioned in this post.
REFERENCES
- Allanach, R.A., Gagan, B.F., Loughlin, J., Sefton, M.S., (2011). The Psychological Autopsy of the Dexter, Maine Domestic Violence Homicide and Suicide. Presented to the Domestic Violence Review Board, November 11, 2011
- Crain, Vic (2016) personal correspondance, “Hindsight shows us this guy should have stayed in jail”, July 17, 2016.
Some arm chair psychologists are critical of probation officers in central Massachusetts following the shooting death of a police officer. Critics believe that Jorge Zambrano should have been in jail rather that be free to take his murderous intentions to the street. He had at least three arrests that were said to have resulted in resistance and ultimately violence toward police officers. This information must have been provided to Officer Tarentino at the time of the traffic stop. Whenever an operator is checked either on the mobile data computer in the police cruiser or by a police dispatcher flags come up indicating that the operator has a history of violence. This is a necessary officer safety protocol.
Unfortunately, that same level of safety awareness is not provided to judges when they are making decisions about bail or no bail holds for the like of Jorge Zambrano and thousands of other career criminals who are in and out of court like a revolving door. It is up to the office of probation and parole to provide this essential information on “dangerousness” to judges as they review charges and consider bail in the cases being brought before them each day. Otherwise, decisions about bail cannot be made with any accuracy leaving law enforcement and the general public at great risk from those who are dangerous. We have seen this disconnect over bail among domestic violence assailants and the family members they terrorize. Sometimes serious aggression toward a spouse including strangulation and forced sexual contact are ignored or minimized when this violence occurs within the scope of a “relationship” and yet information about violent tendencies must be provided to potential victims whenever a threat exists.
“There are points when pre-incident indicators scream for containment of violators. Relationship behavior should be considered – especially when relationship violence is apparent in case after case”. Michael Sefton, 2015
Bail decisions rarely include the incidence of violent behavior – especially that which occurs toward law enforcement otherwise Officer Tarentino may be alive today. In an article in the Boston Globe detailing the criminal history of the killer of Auburn, Massachusetts Police Officer Tarentino. Zambrano was a career criminal from what was described in several background articles. I was especially sickened by the remarks of Mr. Scola the attorney for Zambrano. Scola verbalized his surprise that Mr. Zambrano could do something so violent toward a police officer. I am puzzled by that remark and wonder if Scola has actually passed the bar examination because anyone could see that Zambrano was on the fast track toward a violent explosion of hate.
“He was a high risk for violence and recidivism,” said DOC spokesman Christopher M. Fallon.
Former Boston police commissioner Edward Davis, now a private security consultant, said Monday night that judges have to consider a defendant’s “propensity for violence” at sentencing according to a Boston Globe article written in the aftermath of the killing of Ronald Tarentino, Jr.. “There are some people who are not amenable to counseling,” said Davis, whose security clients include The Boston Globe. “When you see a repeat record of violent activity, then you have to get really tough with a person like that and get them off the street.”
“There’s nothing more dangerous than that space, that moment, when a guy who is facing charges that can send him back to jail sits there behind death’s door, sizing up both his chances and the cop drawing nearer in the sideview mirror.” Kevin Cullen Boston Globe (5-24-16)
WALTHAM, MA April 5, 2016 As an audience participant at the Firearm Violence: Policy, Prevention, and Public Health – described as the 12th Annual Public Health Leadership Forum that features state Attorney General Maura Healey who discussed reducing gun violence in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I was interested in what AG Healey might suggest as the linchpins for reducing gun violence. As the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the Commonwealth, Healey is an advocate for people in Massachusetts in all health-related domains.
Major public health issue in Massachusetts according to Dennis Dimitri, M.D. president of the Massachusetts Medical Society. 85 people are killed by firearms on a daily basis across the country. “Physicians must discuss gun safety and have the continued right to do so that is an issue physicians feel quite strongly about” according to Dimitri. Physicians need to ask about access to guns because the likelihood of death by firearm in the homes where domestic violence and suicidal depression exists may occur if a gun is present. Physicians have been seen as “the trusted source of information for patients and their families” according to Steve Ringer, M.D. suggesting a need for education and leadership.
George Benjamin, M.D., “If it hurts people or kills people it is ours” referring to the responsibility of physicians to take an open and direct approach to reduce gun violence, injury and death due to firearms. Public health responsibility to overcome the fear of gun violence yet a paradox exists in that society normalizes violence in society. Game systems today have celebrated gun-related violence that has become part of the culture. The protective safety of guns is overstated. Arguably, the view that a gun protects us against violence but far too often a toll is taken in increased the presence of a gun suicide, homicide, and accidental death due to the presence of a gun. Intimate partner violence takes the lives of 51 partners a month. More days with mass shooting than days without. “A persistent drumbeat of gun violence approximately 91 daily – 33,000 annually” according to Benjamin. What are we doing about suicide? “It is an impulsive action that one cannot re-think when a firearm is used.” Gun ownership is declining and fewer people are owning guns in 2016 although there are more guns than people in America.
Maura Healey became AG in 2015 – formerly an assistant D.A. in Middlesex County has been dealing with heroine crisis and improving criminal justice system. “We in law enforcement deal with this on a daily basis here in Massachusetts” according to Healy. We aren’t able to prosecute away all of these individual incidents there are too many. It is not about the right to bear arms it is about future generations of people and the health of people across the Commonwealth. This is a crisis that requires renewed focus and a persistent approach as a public health and civil rights issue that needs to be addressed from a broad underpinning of disciplines including physicians. Gun dealers need to follow the rules when it comes to gun sales. “Trauma may beget trauma and violence may beget violence” according to Healey. Empowering young girls to be aware of their rights against being victimized. Healey cited the violence intervention program at BMC that has intervened with families for 10 years. Healey is committed to increasing access to mental health services for those most at risk. Opportunity to conduct research to deliver and make a difference in the crisis of gun violence. Healey talked about intersection points where frontline personnel interact with those at most risk of death. Physicians are at a precious spot to intervene. Healey’s mother is a school nurse and her father is a teacher and coach – also at the intersection point for youth safety and support.
Rep David Linsky and gun legislation.
In the state of Florida it is not allowed for physicians to ask their patients about gun ownership – a case currently being challenged in the state’s court system.
National violent death reporting system identify unintentional deaths are greater than what is reported in death reports. Children are killed by someone else – usually a friend showing the gun. Suicide prevention without changing laws. Focus should be on how suicide takes place rather than why a suicide takes place. The acute phase of a suicidal urge is often short lived. Keep highly lethal means away from those who are suicidal – for those who cut themselves or use poison to kill themselves the lethality is reduced greatly. Rates of suicide are explained by the presence of a gun in the home. Suicide prevention plan includes getting gun out of the house for a period of time. Friends need to help get guns out of the house during periods of crisis. Gun sales need to be aware of those who might buy a gun in order to kill themselves. 3 suicide deaths in one week from a NH gun store.
Guns have not fundamentally changed in the way they have been designed since 1916. Stephen Teret, Ph.D. talked about changing the vehicle or vector of gun violence as a method of harm reduction. He cited the science of changing the mosquito to reduce the incidence of the Zika virus or yellow fever by genetic alteration and likened this to changing guns in the manufacture of a “smart” gun that will recognize its owner.
Reverend Jeffrey Brown, a Boston area Baptist minister cited a Community-based collaborative for crime reduction in cities. Violence changed the city. Conducted over 1000 funerals at his church and in the greater Boston area before coming to the conclusion that “something needed to be done and he was the one to do it”. He and colleague members of clergy walked the streets in Dorchester in an effort to understand the life after 9:00 PM in the neighborhoods. The effort did not go unnoticed by members of the police department. This cast the seeds of the 10-point plan in collaboration with the Boston police department by brokering a community-police collaborative.
David Rosmarin, M.D. at McLean Hospital – Rampage violence or spree violence is rare but always sensational- “violence is the currency of what we do” so MDs need to become comfortable with the conversation of violent intensions. The serious mentally ill account for only 3-5 % of all US violence – substance abuse a big factor in violence according to Rosmarin. Violent intention is frequently communicated in advance. “There were signs along the way that were ignored” according to Rosmarin.
What does our system have for those who are making threats of violence? This is a question especially when police and first responders are called at times of crisis.
Divorce, loss of employment, substance abuse. Nihilism – fatalism.
Preparation in advance – no single typology. In NY, MH professionals, RN’s, MDs are mandated reporters to Division of Criminal Justice patients “if they are likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or other.”
Risk Assessment – Structured Professional Judgment – dynamic factors, static factors
Be humble, tolerate uncertainty, and try to articulate the valence given each factor. • Someone may be low imminence, moderate likelihood, chronic risk, and high potential magnitude—high magnitude always the case with guns
Slide presented by Dr. Rosmarin 2016
WESTBOROUGH, MA March 23, 2016 Police agencies across the country are changing their use of force policies because of the hue and cry of constituents everywhere over police shootings. Some wrongly believe that street cops should use counseling techniques first to reduce the need for lethal force and – in their view – reduce officer involved shootings.
The clamor for the change in this policy is placing greater onus for limiting lethal force on the street officer. In effect, this is pushing him or her to be an armchair psychologist in addition to the ultimate defender of human rights when life is on the line. There is a growing expectation that crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques will be inserted into the use of force continuum in the officer’s armamentarium. This adds to the officer’s conundrum on whether to shoot or not to shoot. In the instant he thinks ‘can this situation be eliminated through dialogue and de-escalation tools?’ he may be killed or maimed. Police Commissioners in Los Angeles are considering a revamping of the use of lethal force by adding de-escalation language that officers might use to reduce the need for lethal force (LA Times, K. Mather). The policy in Los Angeles dictates that officers be guided by “a reverence for human life” as the critical underpinning for the avoidance of using force.
The use of force continuum requires that officers may only use force when force is being introduced against them. The expectation that the average citizen is going to comply with police officer directives is no longer the case. People of all sizes and shapes become violent often with little or no provocation. Passive resistance may not be met with a baton strike or taser. Where as the baton strike and taser may be deployed when active resistance and an aggressive posture are demonstrated or directly administered against a police officer. The increase in force against police takes just an instant and police officers train for this “oh shit” moment of attack. Too often an officer is caught off guard resulting in injury or death. As a police officer, we practiced for these moments when on the range or during our night shoot twice a year. Our range instructor had a special device that measured the time from when you drew your firearm until the first shot was recorded. The fastest draw each year won a prize like a new knife or a light for your your pistol. Something as routine as a traffic stop can leave an officer dead when the operator may be in hiding or attempting a getaway unbeknownst to the officer.
The need for verbal dialogue is already part of officer training. It is called “giving commands” and officers-in-training practice it for hours in all academy classes. It becomes part of the daily behavioral vernacular of most citizen contacts – especially those with noncompliant, resistant or agitated subjects. Adding verbal de-escalation commands to the use of force protocol will create a greater lag time when that moment of attack occurs or is about to occur. I understand the need for sensitive dialogue in all potentially violent police-citizen encounters. I believe it is a safe bet that all police officers are guided by the reverence for human life as the LAPD edict would espouse.
Counseling is not appropriate when the bad guy escalates to a lethal force moment such as when he draws a gun unexpectedly, or is fighting for an officers firearm or when he rushes an officer with a knife attempting to do grave bodily harm.
WESTBOROUGH, MA December 26, 2015 The topic of suicide among America’s war veterans comes up over and over when morbid stories become known – generally after the death of a former soldier, marine, or airman. This must raise the consciousness of each of us and greater attention to the health of our veterans is our moral duty. So far, the incidence of suicide among America’s war heroes seems not to have diminished in 2014. 22 veterans are said to commit suicide daily – more than are killed fighting in war. How is it possible that more is not being done for these men and women and their families? A society unmoved by these facts is a moral failure.
No greater failure comes to mind but the case of Kryn Miner, a Vermont veteran of 11 wartime deployments who was killed by his son in 2014 after threatening his family with a firearm. Miner was seriously injured in 2010 sustaining a TBI after a roadside blast threw him into a concrete wall. But it was not his first exposure to trauma. He returned to his home with a brain injury and PTSD and was unable to receive the treatment he needed to release his demons. His wife Amy was quoted as saying “the truth of the matter is if we can’t take care of our veterans we shouldn’t be sending them off to war.” Miner’s mental health slowly languished as he fought the fight to gain access for veteran’s health benefits.
America failed to provide for access to meet his basic needs causing both he and his family to suffer immeasurably. Some might argue that Kryn Miner and his family represent the unconscionable and symbolic misfortune of America’s war heroes. Ironically, it was Kryn Miner who strove to gain access to benefits for many of his fellow Iran and Afghanistan war veterans via the Lone Survivor’s Foundation. Eventually, he became a spokesman for the foundation. But Miner struggled with his own demons that eventually cost him his life in a troubling case of patricide in rural Vermont. Kryn Miner suffered with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. On the day he died, he had attended a wedding with his wife and arguably consumed too much alcohol. He became angry and menacing ultimately threatening to kill his family. In self defense, one of Miner’s children used a handgun to defend members of the family. The state’s attorney general did not bring charges calling Miner’s death a justified homicide.
This family, like so many others has suffered immeasurably and will experience the pain of this death forever. It would be all too easy to point the finger at the Veteran’s Administration Healthcare System for having too few mental health clinicians or too long a waiting list. In fact as much of an advocate Kryn Miner was for his brother servicemen and women he did not help himself. He threatened his family with a firearm and may have killed them all were he not stopped by a courageous child in a unconscionable turn of events that no one could anticipate.
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