Police Drug Search Intrudes On Husband's Final Moments with Deceased Wife

[Pisces]

A man says Vernal police disrupted an intimate moment of mourning with his deceased wife of 58 years when they searched his house for her prescription medication without a warrant within minutes of her death.

Barbara Alice Mahaffey died of colon cancer in her bedroom last May. Ben D. Mahaffey, 80, said he was distraught and trying to make sure his wife's body would be taken to the funeral home with dignity, when he says officers insisted he help them look for the drugs.

"I was holding her hand saying goodbye when all the intrusion happened," he told the Deseret News.

Barbara Mahaffey died at 12:35 a.m. with Mahaffey, a Navy medic in the Korean War, and his friend, an EMT, at her side. In addition to police, a mortician and a hospice worker arrived at the home about 12:45 a.m., Mahaffey said. He said he doesn't know how police came to be there.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865569894/Drug-search-shattered-tender-moment-with-deceased-wife-Vernal-man-says.html

So a family member dies and within minutes the police are at your door to confiscate his or her prescriptions?

[kathy88]

OMG this is surreal.

[kathy88]

OMG this is surreal.

[Pisces]

OMG this is surreal.

It gets even worse further into the article:


According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

Bassett, the lawsuit says, also told Mahaffey that his own parents had recently died and he wouldn't have cared had police searched their house for drugs.

"I don't believe the public would intend for the government to be rummaging through your cupboards while your wife is lying in the next room being prepared to be taken to her final resting place. That's an extraordinary violation of privacy," said Andrew Fackrell, Mahaffey's attorney.

This is just really bizarre. Did they think this 80 year old man was going to run out and try to sell these prescriptions in the middle of the night right after his wife died?

[aGameOfThrones]

Bassett, the lawsuit says, also told Mahaffey that his own parents had recently died and he wouldn't have cared had police searched their house for drugs.

I wonder if your parents thought you were an asshole?

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

Prescription drugs = drugs with a permission slip attached by the drug dealer (doctor)

[TonySutton]

I hope the city reimbursed him for any property taken from him.

[Cleaner44]

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

According to the lawsuit, Mahaffey also said city manager Ken Bassett dismissed his concerns, saying he was "overly sensitive" and that police were just trying to protect the public from illegal use of prescription drugs.

Prescription drugs = drugs with a permission slip attached by the drug dealer (doctor)

So basically they quickly determined that the old man was a danger to his community because he was thinking of becoming a drug dealer and had to prevent his thought crimes from becoming future crimes by taking the drugs before he could start dealing... which leaves the question of how they discovered his thought crimes.

[liberty2897]

Sounds like the po lice might have a deal worked out with the hospice worker to me...

Probably goes something like this:

1. cop steals someones oxycontin
2. cop uses stolen oxycontin
3. cop is addicted to oxycontin
4. cop works deals with people who have access to more
5. go to to step 1

[kathy88]

Or cop is selling them. Either way dude should be tested. You or I would be.

[Henry Rogue]

This Home invasion Is absolutely disgusting.

[phill4paul]

They'd have been burying me with my wife.

[kcchiefs6465]

Or cop is selling them. Either way dude should be tested. You or I would be.
Tested? His door should be kicked in the middle of the night with guns drawn. A police dog should give a false positive and holes should be knocked in his walls until they determine they acted on bad information. Then they should sit him down, explain to him that they are just trying to keep the public safe and that they wouldn't be offended should their home be raided. And as abruptly as they came, they should leave, muttering a half-assed apology about 'Merica and the cost of freedom.

[tod evans]

Sick bastards!

[kcchiefs6465]

One of two things happened. The first is the scenario above which is that the officer had beforehand knowledge of the pills being there and was trying to get them for himself- a bottle of oxycontins goes for 4,500-5,000 dollars. Add opanas or IR's and you're talking another 2,000-3,000 dollars. Add up the norcos or percocets and you're talking another couple hundred dollars. It is not unreasonable to consider that perhaps the cop had an addiction to said pills or that he just wanted to make the money off of them. They should look back through his history and see if they can find any more instances of pills being confiscated. The other scenario is that people with terminal illnesses are being put on a DEA list. Their name is flagged as having said pain pills and when they die the cops show up to retrieve them. I would consider this to be a violation of doctor/patient confidentiality and it should as well be looked into. (Hopefully in this lawsuit's discovery packet they determine what information specifically they were acting on- you never know though, they might settle so as not disclose that information to the public) I guess another scenario is that a snitch pointed officers to that house. Perhaps it was just bad timing that the man's wife recently passed. They should have been a hell of a lot more respectful (i.e leave) and the chief should personally apologize for the incident. This, 'we were trying to keep the community safe,' bs makes me want to smack someone.

[Philhelm]

This is obscene.

[kathy88]

Tested? His door should be kicked in the middle of the night with guns drawn. A police dog should give a false positive and holes should be knocked in his walls until they determine they acted on bad information. Then they should sit him down, explain to him that they are just trying to keep the public safe and that they wouldn't be offended should their home be raided. And as abruptly as they came, they should leave, muttering a half-assed apology about 'Merica and the cost of freedom.

Actually this would be preferable. LOL.

[Anti Federalist]

OK, a couple of things:

This scene will be repeated many millions of times in the future, when all these new gun bans get passed. Police will be standing by as you die to make sure they confiscate "non-tranferable", "non-grandfathered" weapons the second you die.


He said he doesn't know how police came to be there.

Cops are everywhere.

"You see, sir, it's a question of community safety and FUCK YOU! That's why." - Officer Friendly.

And not a fuck will be given.

And another day gone.

And another one bites the dust.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

So basically they quickly determined that the old man was a danger to his community because he was thinking of becoming a drug dealer and had to prevent his thought crimes from becoming future crimes by taking the drugs before he could start dealing... which leaves the question of how they discovered his thought crimes. ask tom cruise

[Brian Coulter]

Did they think this 80 year old man was going to run out and try to sell these prescriptions in the middle of the night right after his wife died?

My guess is it's the cops themselves who are the junkies. Either that or they've got a buyer.

[paulbot24]

Test the cop. Of course, the fact that the only cop I've ever known personally was addicted to Oxycontin and would snort them and pass out while he was supposed to be babysitting his kids isn't affecting my judgement at all on this one....

[sluggo]

Another "prescription drug database" raid?

[kcchiefs6465]

Another "prescription drug database" raid?
That's what I would like to know. Doctor/patient confidentiality should prohibit doctors from disclosing your medical conditions and prescriptions to the feds. (I'd heard they were trying to implement the program) Hopefully we find out just how the police obtained the information on what prescription drugs were in the house. I smell a settlement though.

[paulbot24]

I smell a settlement though.

Yes they probably will but tell that to the guy that lost the last minutes with his wife. Probably the last thing on his mind.

"Here's a check sir. Sorry about that thing with your dead wife...."

[AGRP]

Within 10 minutes of her death they come to take her pills? Someone should check to see if it takes 10 minutes to get from the police department to their home. Mole: "She just died. You can come over." If they were taking her body then it could have been one of those workers or someone connected to them.

[kcchiefs6465]

Yes they probably will but tell that to the guy that lost the last minutes with his wife. Probably the last thing on his mind.

"Here's a check sir. Sorry about that thing with your dead wife...."
I don't think they'll want to disclose how they knew the pills were there. DEA database? Snitch? Cop received word from someone with access to the house- home health aid etc. Those are the only three options I can think of. This case probably has a pile a shit beneath it and I hope the man's attorney beats the truth out. Doctor/patient confidentiality is not something the cops should take likely. I agree that no amount of money will bring back the last minutes he had with his wife.

[belian78]

They'd have been burying me with my wife.
You and me both.

[KCIndy]

Tested? His door should be kicked in the middle of the night with guns drawn. A police dog should give a false positive and holes should be knocked in his walls until they determine they acted on bad information. Then they should sit him down, explain to him that they are just trying to keep the public safe and that they wouldn't be offended should their home be raided. And as abruptly as they came, they should leave, muttering a half-assed apology about 'Merica and the cost of freedom.

+Rep!