Take 32 Grams of Tylenol and Call Me in 25 Years

Reason ^ | December 13, 2006 | Jacob Sullum

[FormerACLUmember]

This case is an atrocity, a complete violation of human rights.

The plight of chronic pain patients in the USA is a nightmare. The doctors who treat them are subject to endless harassment, making few physicians willing to see these severely suffering patients.

[Alter Kaker]

This is why mandatory minimum sentences are absolutely, incredibly insane. Stupid demagoguery for stupid people who trust courts enough to separate the innocent from the guilty but not enough to determine appropriate sentences. Sentence the prosecutor, the judge and, above all, the legislature.

[wastedyears]

I completely agree with you. How is somebody going to sentence a man to jail, just for trying to alleviate his pain?

[arthurus]

but his stubbornness in turning down plea bargains.

He is being punished, then, for not reducing the workload of the judge and prosecutor by plea-bargaining.

[golfisnr1]

The Judicial does not profess or confess common sense.

[Lx]

As a chronic pain sufferer from an accident, I sympathize with this guy. There's no way he should get 25 years. I seem to recall that one of the prosecution's points was that if was taking the amounts of drugs he said he was, he would have been dead yet in prison, he's getting an amount lager than what he was charged for.

Jeb should pardon this poor guy; he's already got a life sentence in pain, what else do they want?

It also makes doctor's very wary of prescribing narcotic painkillers in a strong enough dose and for the long term to help people cope enough to work and live.

[Neidermeyer]

I love the WOD!! /S

I currently have a broken ankle complete with pins and screws and on my counter I have a bottle of the same pills this man had ... I gave one pill to my father in law who has a cracked tooth and a 2 day wait to see the dentist ... I guess I should turn myself in right now.

[Vaquero]

Calling Roy Black, calling Roy Black!!!

[red irish]

Speaking as one of those people you are right. Chronic pain and depression go hand and hand. Even with insurance there are still treatments I can't afford.

[Vasilli22]

I currently have a broken ankle complete with pins and screws and on my counter I have a bottle of the same pills this man had ... I gave one pill to my father in law who has a cracked tooth and a 2 day wait to see the dentist ... I guess I should turn myself in right now.

Criminal!!!!

[r9etb]

Nurkiewicz continued to treat him--a fact that highlights the difficulty pain patients have in finding doctors willing to prescribe adequate doses of narcotics.

Ah, Mr. Sullum .... perhaps the definition of "adequate doses" is a matter of medical judgement about what is safe.

[red irish]

amen!

[Wolfie]

Maybe Rush can take up this guy's cause.

[ecomcon]

How many pills is 32 grams? Seems like if someone has been in pain for 20 years, one would know exactly how much is legal to keep on hand. Maybe there is a max amount you can have on hand. Just asking.

[geezerwheezer]

I can identify with the pain of a cracked tooth...man, that is real pain too! It hurts to even think about mine when it happened. Damn, you've ruined my morning now... :0 )

[Oberon]

Ah, Mr. Sullum .... perhaps the definition of "adequate doses" is a matter of medical judgement about what is safe.

Quite so. It's also a matter of trading off drug toxicity for unrelenting pain. I personally would accept some of the former in exchange for being rid of the latter, but that's just me.

[domenad]

For anyone who ever bitches about the Patriot Act, I tell them plainly: you lost more rights in the Drug War than you ever lost in the War on Terror, but you want to squeal now? Patriot act never authorized no-knock warrants for a small bag of weed, never permitted confiscation of money and property without a jury verdict. End this stupid drug war that is making criminals out of millions for nothing.

[mbynack]

Some additional facts:

Richard Paey was offered multiple plea deals that would have spared him jail time, but turned them all down.

The Governor's office said that Richard Paey's lawyers must submit a formal request for clemency before it can be considered. So far they have not done the paperwork.

[Oberon]

Cracked tooth? Just drink a little ice water to numb it...! =]

[FormerACLUmember]

I currently have a broken ankle complete with pins and screws and on my counter I have a bottle of the same pills this man had ... I gave one pill to my father in law who has a cracked tooth and a 2 day wait to see the dentist ... I guess I should turn myself in right now.

In Florida (and a lot of other judicial hellholes), you would go to jail for 25 years!

I won't turn you in buddy. I'll just call you sometime for assistance when I need help disposing of a body.