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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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No Plea Deal King is a web site created by the MIGOP, I found this on facebook,
No Plea Deal King "This [Leyton]
team works to protect seniors from physical abuse or neglect by those
who are responsible for the elder’s health and welfare. It also focuses
on instances where a senior is the victim of financial crimes either
through unscrupulous scam artists or others who become involved in the
...senior’s personal finances.Oftentimes, cases involve seniors
who find themselves being exploited and abused by their very own family
members or caretakers. As Prosecutor, David Leyton has gone as far as
charging one man with murder in the death of his elderly mother who he
had severely neglected. Other criminal cases have involved the theft of
hundreds of thousands of dollars from the life savings of incapacitated
senior citizens. Dozens of other similar cases are prosecuted by David
Leyton each year.Through cooperative efforts with the Genesee
County Sheriff’s Department, David Leyton has also vigorously enforced
laws to protect seniors from mortgage fraud, insurance scams, and other
consumer ...
See More
Democratic attorney general candidate David Leyton's wife, siblings argue over care of parents; Inve
www.mlive.com
The executive director of an elder abuse prevention program says the in-laws of Democratic attorney general candidate David Leyton have been neglected and been given only minimal care as their health and well being has deteriorated.
about an hour ago · Comment ·LikeUnlike · Share
No Plea Deal King This quote is taken from David Leyton for Attorney General Site. How can the Plea Deal King say he is for helping seniors when his own in-laws are being neglected?
about an hour ago · LikeUnlikeWrite a comment... |
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Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:26 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Democratic attorney general candidate David Leyton's wife, siblings argue over care of parents; Investigation finds elder couple received "minimal care"
Published: Sunday, August 08, 2010, 2:00 PM Updated: Sunday, August 08, 2010, 5:56 PM
Ron Fonger | Flint Journal
GENESEE COUNTY -- The wife of Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton is locked in a legal battle over the care of her parents, who the head of an elder abuse prevention program said had been "neglected."
Leyton, a Democratic candidate for Michigan attorney general who has campaigned as a protector of senior citizens, said he is not a party to the case and has acted strictly as a support for his wife, Therese, as she and her siblings have talked about how to provide assistance to their parents while following their wishes to remain independent.
David Leyton
"My role is to provide love and support for my wife," he said. "Many, many people who have aging parents have faced this situation."
The dispute started after Therese Leyton's sister, Alisa Kaufman, petitioned in Probate Court for guardianship for her 90-year-old father and 82-year-old mother, who live in the Flint area but are not being named by The Flint Journal.
Investigations by the state Department of Human Services and a county elder abuse prevention team that described unclean, potentially dangerous conditions in the home -- documents Chief Probate Judge Jennie Barkey said "sickened me."
Concerns over the elderly couple's well being caused Barkey to grant temporary guardianship of the parents to Kaufman in June. Barkey reversed that decision five weeks later after investigators reported that conditions at the home had improved.
Leyton said he had not read the state and county reports and would not comment on them. Attorneys for the three children who oppose the guardianship and conservatorship petitions said the reports are not accurate.
In April, Leyton won the endorsement of the state Democratic Party in the attorney general race, edging out Detroit-area attorney Richard Bernstein. The official nomination for attorney general and secretary of state occurs later this month during the party convention in Detroit.
Leyton's attorney general Web site promotes his concern for the well being of senior citizens, quoting the late Vice President Hubert Humphrey as having said, "the moral test of government is how that government treats those ... who are in the twilight of life."
"As Michigan's next attorney general, David Leyton will continue his strong efforts to protect senior citizens from abuse, neglect and exploitation," the Web site says.
Glen Lenhoff, an attorney representing one of the adult children who object to the guardianship request, said no one should draw conclusions "until the ... case is resolved through the judicial process."
"I think David Leyton is a sincere and honest advocate for the rights of elderly citizens. David Leyton is a good man," Lenhoff said.
The four children remain locked in a legal battle over what should happen to their parents. All tree of the children except Alisa Kaufman, and the parents themselves, oppose the guardianship.
A jury trial is set for December.
Filing the petitions for guardianship and conservatorship triggered the home visits in May by DHS and Diane Nims, a board certified geriatric clinical nurse specialist and executive director of the county's Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention program.
The reports claim the couple hasn't left the home for several years and that the mother is immobile, confined to a chair in the living room 24 hours a day and unable to care for herself. Court documents also describe the home as cluttered and messy with a strong odor, spoiled food in the refrigerator and dangerously loose floor boards.
The reports also said the couple was living with little assistance and questioned if they were receiving proper medical care.
During a June court hearing, Barkey told the Kaufman children, "There is an emergency ... and quite frankly, what I read in this report sickened me."
Barkey called the reports filed by DHS and Nims "extremely alarming" and said she had "real concern about the safety and well-being" of the parents.
The home-visit reports recommended guardianship and conservatorship despite improvements made at the home in recent months, including help with housekeeping, errands, meal preparation and laundry as well as new carpet inside the home and flowers planted outside.
In a written statement to the court, Alisa Kaufman says she for filed for guardianship and conservatorship because of the deteriorating condition of her parents and because her father can no longer be fully responsible for caring for his wife.
Legal guardians and conservators are appointed by Probate Court to make routine, day-to-day decisions for those who usually are unable to care for themselves.
Leyton, who has made elder abuse prevention a key piece of his campaign for the state's top law enforcement job, is not a party to the case involving his in-laws. As the county's top law enforcer, he has prosecuted others for abuse and neglect of senior citizens.
The prosecutor called The Flint Journal's reporting on the case "gutter journalism."
Leyton's wife, Therese, issued a written statement to Probate Court after the June hearing, saying that the adult children have been conflicted "about whether to fulfill our parents express wishes for continued independence or whether to impose care and supervision even if it is not consistent with their expressed preferences."
The statement also said Therese Leyton supported Barkey's decision to appoint of her sister as temporary guardian and her brother, Joel Kaufman, as conservator for her parents. She, Joel Kaufman and her sister Sheryl Weissman have opposed the appointment of permanent conservator and guardian, according to court records.
Joel Kaufman, an attorney who represents his sisters -- Therese Leyton and Weissman -- said forcing his parents to have a guardianship and conservatorship is like "trying to shoot down a mosquito with an elephant gun."
Of David Leyton, Joel Kaufman said the care of his parents is not Leyton's responsibility.
"He has no right to ... even say anything," said Joel Kaufman, who is being represented by Lenhoff. "It's my responsibility. It's my sisters' responsibility."
Joel Kaufman called the initial reports from the state and county "incomplete" and "inaccurate."
Sheriff Robert Pickell, who oversees the elder abuse program created inconjunction with Leyton, said he was proud of the role the officeplayed in helping to assess the situation.
"I didn't detect any problems at all," said George Rizik, who has been appointed by Barkey to represent the father. Initial reports "did not reflect the condition of the house when I went there" after the initial hearing, Rizik said.
Craig Wright, the attorney appointed to represent the mother, said Barkey's decision to dissolve the temporary appointments of a conservator and guardian in June is telling.
"That tells me the situation is (safe and it's) being monitored," said Wright, who said his client misunderstood what was happening when DHS and Nims visited her home.
"I think there were some misunderstandings ... who all these people were being brought inside her home," he said.
Wright said Leyton as a son-in-law has no role in the case and said the prosecutor "encouraged everyone to be absolutely truthful" during the last several months.
Alisa Kaufman acknowledged she has "never been close" with the Leytons.
Alisa Kaufman said she filed petitions in Probate Court to get her parents help because all the children except the Leyton live outside of Genesee County. The Leytons live a short distance from the parents, she said.
"I thought the situation was becoming tenuous ... (and) I was not on the same page as my siblings," Alisa Kaufman said.
"Maybe my brother-in-law differs to his wife. They are her parents," she said. "(But) my dad did a lot for David Leyton, for his family and his kids. I would like to think a son-in-law would say, 'Maybe we need to do something more.' ''
Dr. Marion Somers, an elder care expert and lecturer, said disputes between adult children over how much care elderly parents need are common.
Somers' advise for the spouses of those children: support your spouse and stay out of the argument.
"In-laws should just butt out," she said. "No matter what they say, the other members of the family are going to be resentful."
Leyton said he and his wife have made many attempts to provide services to help to his in-laws. |
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Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:33 pm |
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lacyw
F L I N T O I D
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I think the best advice in the article, was that about staying out of it. For anyone who is married or has been in a long term relationship, most of us already know, when it comes to the in laws, stay out of it! Especially with estates or guardianship.
As far as Leyton prosecuting elder abuse cases. Well, yes he does that, it is his job. As for people trying to discredit his stance on elder abuse, this case was not presented to him at court. Even if it was, there is no way he could try it, due to his relationship with an interested party in the case.
If this were his parents then, maybe those trying to discredit him for attorney general would have a case, but it's not his parents, it's his in laws. He is taking the same course of action that many of us would take if it were our in laws. Staying out of it.... |
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Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:04 am |
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Crowfeeder
F L I N T O I D
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Just another example of why the Journal enjoys so little credibility. |
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Mon Aug 09, 2010 10:35 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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From the comments: Readers split on Flint Journal's story concerning David Leyton's in-laws
Published: Monday, August 09, 2010, 10:55 AM Updated: Monday, August 09, 2010, 11:05 AM
Ron Fonger | Flint Journal
GENESEE COUNTY -- There's not much middle ground regarding Sunday's Flint Journal story about the conditions county Probate Court investigators found when they visited the home of the in-laws of county Prosecutor David Leyton.
Some commenters of Mlive.com said The Journal went to far in writing about a controversy within the family of Leyton's wife while others said the story was important to readers because of the prosecutor's position and the office -- Michigan attorney general -- he is seeking.
Here are some of the comments posted regarding the story:
• From overthehillz: "horrible, trash can reporting. This is exactly why the Journal has gone down the tubes. Nothing but recycling garbage that has no bearing on anything. Great way to try and smear a man's name. Dave Leyton is a good person."
• From intheknow767: "The FJ reports on other elder abuse cases. Why not this one too? ... He claims to be, and was elected to be, the watchdog for the elder abuse. That's what puts him front and center in this thing. Now it goes on right under his nose, to his relative?"
• From flatlanderunwanted: "This story is an obvious smear campaign placed at an opertune or inopertune moment to make David Leyton look bad..."
• From JohnofGB: "Just because the man is a public figure, it does not mean his private life should be published in the Journal."
• From robtjohnson: "it is important when the job he has and the one he is running for it to protect the very people that seems to not be a concern to him as he is in this family and should have done something long before it got to the courts." |
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Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:03 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This JTBagel did an accurate analysis:
jtbagel2 August 09, 2010 at 11:16AM
Follow
Here is the deal, David Leyton is a public figure and with that goes public disclosures about many things that do not happen to people not in the public eye. David Leyton is a good and reasonable person and I happen to like the guy.
However, he does not have much a say in what happens to his wife's parents especially when there are 3 other siblings involved. He can advise, counsel and support but basically has no say in what happens.
On the other hand, if there is a problem and the Leyton's are the only family members that live in the area than by default he has to at least offer an opinion as to the proper way to care for his in laws. If social services decides that something is wrong than he much act responsibly to insure than no undue hardships are inflicted on the parents despite their plea to remain alone and not interferred with.
Somebody started this mess, and it was not the Flint Journal, they just report the facts. If there is not a problem then the Journal erred, however if there has been a complaint and in fact the parents are in need of help, then the Journal article was perfectly legitamate.
Someone made a complaint, and it was not the journal and it involved a sister and the courts, so this means something happened that involved the law. If that is the case, then Leyton is involved whether he likes it or not or no matter what the other siblings seem to say about the situation. |
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Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:07 pm |
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