Man dies doing community service

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Posted on Fri, Aug. 04, 2006 | By Todd Mason, Inquirer Staff Writer

[sportutegrl]

The Delco coroner said the death was not heat-related. The man had heart disease.

A 59-year-old man stacking concrete blocks in this week's torrid heat to fulfill a community service requirement died of a heart attack, Delaware County officials said.

David Marvel of Essington was pronounced dead at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital Tuesday after collapsing at a construction site at the Delaware County Emergency Training Center in Darby Township.

Medical examiner Fredric Hellman said heat was not a factor in the death because Marvel's body temperature was not elevated.

An autopsy yesterday indicated the cause of death was a heart attack brought on by arterial disease, Marvel's history of high blood pressure, and physical exertion, Hellman said.

Another man in the alternative sentencing program disagreed. "It was heat-related" said Aaron Keenen, who was working alongside Marvel. "I am 100 percent sure of that."

Keenen, 20, said he was alarmed by Marvel's appearance and urged him to drink water and rest. "He fell over and smacked his head on a piece of wood," he said. "We were dumping water on our shirts and putting them on him."

Marvel was in a program that allows participants to avoid trial and sentencing for first-time offenses, his attorney, Eugene A. Bonner, said.

"He was a law-abiding citizen all of his life," Bonner said. "He made a mistake. It's upsetting. It shouldn't be something where people are put at risk."

[sportutegrl]

Keenen said Marvel told him that rangers at Ridley Creek State Park had arrested him after seeing him drinking a beer while he was fishing.

[Dov in Houston]

Over DRINKING A BEER ?

How sad.

[frogjerk]

Hard labor for drinking a beer while fishing but probation and release for those molesting our children...sounds about right -sarc

[traditional1]

No doubt about it: all roads to Philadelpia are clogged with ambulance-chasers right now...Sue the crap out of the taxpayers for causing this death....

[6SJ7]

Medical examiner Fredric Hellman said heat was not a factor in the death because Marvel's body temperature was not elevated.

Of course it is not elevated. The guy is dead. Room temperature. Passed his sell-by-date. It was 100 degrees with humidity to match and a 59 year old guy is stacking cement block. I think heat just might have been a wee bit of a factor.

[1rudeboy]

Is the community service satisfied? If not, will it prevent him from voting Dem in the next election?

[sportutegrl]

Since the community service was to keep this arrest off of his record, and he didn't finish, he will probably have this record forever.

[from occupied ga]

If not, will it prevent him from voting Dem in the next election

Not in Philly (and a couple of times in NJ too)

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I thought it was a crime NOT to drink beer while fishing.

[1rudeboy]

Maybe he can go back to court and claim that a medical condition prevents him from completing his service, and beg for relief? I'd hate to see him get passed-over for a job, or something.

[Tall_Texan]

So is the judge going to adjust his sentence? < /sarc>

[Fiddlstix]

Keenen said Marvel told him that rangers at Ridley Creek State Park had arrested him after seeing him drinking a beer while he was fishing.

Good Grief!

[monday]

"No doubt about it: all roads to Philadelpia are clogged with ambulance-chasers right now...Sue the crap out of the taxpayers for causing this death...."


If there were any justice, the ass hats that sent him to do hard labor for drinking a beer should have to do the same hard labor until they die, but since there is no justice in the justice system, it is the taxpayers who hired them who will be punished. Hopefully the idiots who instituted this program will be fired at least.

[Eva]

That's unbelievable. A man that age, who is not in good physical condition, should not be sentenced to hard labor. It's ridiculous. Whoever is responsible for the sentence is an idiot and should be severely disciplined.

[takenoprisoner]

From cold beer to stone cold dead all courtesy of a zero tolerance society hellbent on demolishing once and for all, all freedoms.

[Graybeard58]

That's unbelievable. A man that age, who is not in good physical condition, should not be sentenced to hard labor.

I don't know how it is where he was but around here there are options. Policing butts around the court house, cleaning the local animal shelter etc. Not pleasant but not hard labor either.

[Drew68]

That's unbelievable. A man that age, who is not in good physical condition, should not be sentenced to hard labor. It's ridiculous.

He should not have been sentenced to anything! He was a 59 year-old man drinking a beer while fishing in a state park for cryin' out loud!

I understand "public drinking" laws but this is waaaaay over the top! The rangers should have just told him to dump it out --if they had that much of a problem with it in the first place. Instead they arrested him?!?!?

Where is this country going?

[sportutegrl]

One of the more unreal parts of this story is that this was on the local/regional news section of the Inquirer. I feel this is a big deal and should rate front page or section A coverage.

[metesky]

"He was a law-abiding citizen all of his life," Bonner said.

The ludicrous "beer-while-fishing" thing aside, this is what happens when an innocent law-abiding citizen thinks that involuntary servitude "community service" should be treated like real work.

A block an hour, a block an hour and tell Simon Lagree to FO.

[SeaBiscuit]

"I think heat just might have been a wee bit of a factor."

Damned right.. that and why have a 59 year old man 'stacking bricks' let alone any heavy physical work in those temps at his age and physical condition. A real shame.