June 5, 2010

Mom fights developmentally disabled son's 'sexual predator' label

6-5-2010 Arizaona:

Every weekend this month, Jo Stack will be on a plane en route to Greeley.

The Apache Junction, Ariz., resident hasn't even added up her travel bill as her son, Larry Flippo, sits in a Weld County Jail cell awaiting his fate for violating the terms of his probation — for no other reason than a treatment provider won't sign on to treat him.

Now, in protest, every Monday and Tuesday, Stack will be at the Weld County Courthouse plaza with signs and fliers, wearing her T-shirt that says, “My son is not a sexually violent predator.”

Flippo, 38, has been convicted twice of raping a Denver woman in June 2001. Flippo, who is developmentally disabled, was living on his own for the first time when he arranged for the woman to visit his Greeley apartment for a week. The first night she was there, however, she said he raped her. His mother said Flippo thought they were going to live happily ever after.

His first conviction in 2002 resulted in an eight-year prison sentence; that was overturned in 2005 because his first jury wasn't allowed to learn of his developmental disabilities, which include emotional and intellectual delays. He was convicted at a second trial in November 2009, but this time sentenced to 10 years to life on probation under the condition he be under 24/7 supervision and receive sex offender treatment.

This time, Flippo was labeled a sexually violent predator, a distinction he was not given after his first conviction. Such a label has essentially made it impossible to find a treatment provider to accept him, which advocates say is more about fear than anything else. Without a provider, he's technically violating the terms of his probation and could be returned to prison.

Stack sat through both trials, saying little. But this time, she's speaking out as she protests the way her son has been treated by the judge and jury and the Weld County Probation Department. She has alleged judge misconduct, jury disinterest and collusion within the system to put her son back in prison rather than deal with his treatment issues.

“In my opinion, they carefully orchestrated this knowing he was going to go back to prison,” Stack said.

Larry McDermott, executive director of The Arc of Weld County, which advocates for people with developmental disabilities, said though he feels Flippo must be held accountable for his actions, he thinks the system is not adequately addressing his case and a growing number of others.

“It's like special ed in school,” McDermott said. “I think our folks can learn, but they need special accommodations. I'm not saying someone convicted of crime should not have consequences, but how those consequences are administered needs to be addressed.”

Weld District Court Judge Gilbert Gutierrez would not comment about the case. Kevin Nelan, chief probation officer for Weld County, likewise would not comment about Flippo's case, though he did say that the probation department was not involved in labeling him a sexually violent predator. ..Source.. Sharon Dunn

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Edited to remove specific addresses:

Criminally Developmentally Disabled Person (CDDP)

Currently there are persons, human beings, who have been in care of the state, at some meaningful level, who have committed crimes. These individuals at an early age, many shortly after birth, have been classified as Developmentally Disabled Person (DDP) and as such, frequently are committed to the states care within the Mental Health system. During this period in their lives they are subject to and in many ways benefit from intense and informative care by certified health professionals. Yet, within this structure, some find themselves criminalized and placed in “normal” adult situations, such as the Sex Offender Registry. Why or how can this happen?

Here in ___ County, New York there are several Registered Sex Offenders (RSO’s) living at ___, in facilities resembling prisons. How is it possible that a DDP can somehow not be detected and how is it possible that they might be able to engage in so-called criminal sexual behaviors?

In a normal social environment a person being born with a sexuality that is harmful to themselves and others could be and often is undetected, after all most parents are not skilled healthcare professionals. These sexually afflicted persons generally blend well within our Sexually Irregular (ity) (SI) based society*

In a personal and recent survey of Level 2, 3 RSO’s I was surprised and the number residing at a similar address. Upon checking the address I discovered that it is the same as the ____ Regional Department of Developmentally Disabled Services Office (i.e. DDSO). Here DDP’s were discovered, arrested and criminalized for acts or behaviors which are a part of their very reason for living within a DDSO residence. Throughout ____ County and even throughout the United States are special facilities to care for and create appropriate environments for individuals, who if forced to live in a “normal” population would suffer grievously. During their lifetime they are monitored for unhealthy and harmful behaviors, from which beneficial solutions can be found. In the cases of the DDP/RSO’s such benefits seem to be a total failure!

Such evidence points strongly towards sexuality as being and ingrained and unchangeable nature, regardless of intellectual abilities. Those who are afflicted with harm sexualities are so not by choice. Being criminalized, at any level, is simply persecution at its worse!

*Sexually Irregularity (SI) is a sexuality that although appealing to many is often referred to as deviant and criminal, even though many may engage in such sexuality secretly. The hypocritical nature of this causes substantial problems as those secretly engaging in such activities (physically or mentally)cover their real natures by being abnormally moral when it comes political measures arrayed against SI.