Daily Archives: June 29, 2014

Theodore Medina Violently Killed His Father In Law and Mandated to AA Meetings

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Sidney man sentenced to probation in fatal assault

 Tuesday, June 24, 2014  By MAUNETTE LOEKS New Media Editor

SIDNEY — A 24-year-old Sidney man has been sentenced in an assault that led to the death of his father-in-law.

Theodore D. Medina, 24, Sidney, was sentenced to 60 months intensive supervised probation on a charge of attempted second-degree assault, a Class IV felony, and an additional 24 months probation on a charge of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub said. Medina’s probation sentence includes him having to wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet and complete Alcoholics Anonymous counseling. Schaub said Medina was given credit for 234 days in jail, but was sentenced to an additional 80 days in jail to be served in 10-day increments during his probation term. However, the court can waive the jail upon recommendation by Medina’s probation officer.

Cheyenne County authorities arrested Medina on Nov. 4, 2013, after he had been involved in an assault with his father-in-law, Ernest Ward, 50, of Sidney. Ward died as a result of injuries suffered in the assault.

At the time of his arrest, Medina had told police that Ward had been drunk and belligerent and picking a fight with him. During the fight, Medina pushed Ward and he fell. Medina told police that Ward kept coming at him after the fall and he hit the man, picked him up and threw him to the floor. He told police he “snapped.”

Another man, Jose Campos, had witnessed the assault. The men contacted emergency services after Ward had remained on the floor and they determined he had a slow heart rate. At the hospital, doctors advised he had suffered extensive brain injuries and bleeding around his skull and brain.

Schaub said prosecutors agreed to a plea agreement after interviews with witnesses and family.

http://www.starherald.com/news/local_news/sidney-man-sentenced-to-probation-in-fatal-assault/article_b30a7116-c27c-5f0f-871b-33496154c83c.html

Pacific Health System Has to Pay 2.3 Million to Boys Who Were Molested By 12 Step AA Sponsor Volunteer

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$2.3M to victims in rehab sex abuse suit

By Kristina Davis JUNE 27 2014

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego jury awarded nearly $2.3 million this week to two boys who were sexually abused by a volunteer at a National City rehabilitation clinic.

Wednesday’s verdict ended a 15-day trial against Pacific Health System, which operates an outpatient facility treating substance abuse and mental illness.

The boys were 13 when they were victimized by Robert Poizner, a volunteer and mentor who was tasked with driving the patients to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Instead, he took them to his apartment, molesting them and providing them with drugs for a roughly yearlong period, according to the 2011 complaint.

The abuse also occurred during overnight hotel and apartment stays, the suit says.

Poizner, 44, was convicted of 24 counts of sex abuse against children. He is serving a sentence of 82 years to life in prison.

The lawsuit alleges that Pacific Health put Poizner in a position of power despite his own history of substance abuse and previous criminal convictions. The victims were particularly vulnerable, the lawsuit says, because the boys suffered from psychological problems along with substance abuse.

The jury deliberated for two and a half days before reaching a $6.5 million verdict, but also found that Poizner and, to a much lesser degree, one of the boys’ parents shared some of the responsibility for the conduct, thus reducing the amount Pacific Health owed. The jury found that Pacific Health owed one boy $975,000 in damages and the other $1.3 million.

“We are hoping outcomes with civil remedies for the victims force these facilities to do extensive background checks and more efficient supervision on their volunteers,” the boys’ attorney, Stephen Estey, said in a statement.

Pacific Health’s attorney, Douglas Guy, said Friday that it was premature to comment on the verdict.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jun/27/pacific-health-poizner-sex-abuse-lawsuit/