Why is there no justice for Valerie Lane?

October 7, 2011

OPINION by DAVE CONGALTON

I have been trying to figure out why.

I have been trying to figure out why I continue to be so upset by the video of Valerie Lane being brutally assaulted by a fellow patient at county mental health. It’s been more than a week since Karen Velie first broke the story and I can’t seem to shake the disturbing images that were captured on camera. I don’t think it’s a stretch to compare it to Rodney King—in both cases you watch the violence in utter disbelief, wondering how this possibly could be taking place.

But it did. You might recall the basic facts. Lane, 52, who suffered from severe migraines and depression, checked herself into the county facility on Johnson Avenue. She had been experiencing a severe migraine and depression and called her therapist, who told Lane to check herself into the mental health facility as a cautionary move.

On September 4, 2009, during her second day, Lane wanted a cigarette and was placed unsupervised in a caged area to smoke. Shortly thereafter, William Shirrefs, a man with a documented history of violence, a man who was there involuntarily at the insistence of law enforcement, was placed in the same area with Lane. As the camera reveals in gruesome detail, Shirrefs launched into an unprovoked attack on Lane, resulting in a gash to her head that required staples, an injured finger that still does not bend, bruised lungs, and a battered and cut face with eyes swollen shut.

Why did this happen? And more to the point, why are county officials responding the way they are?  Oh, you haven’t heard? This is classic. The official county position on Valerie Lane is that the county is not liable. They’re not responsible for “fights” that take place between patients at county mental health.

Clearly folks in the county building can’t distinguish between a “fight” and an “assault.” So, no apology to Lane, no money to help pay her considerable medical bills, leaving Lane little choice but to retain an attorney and sue. Guess who ends up paying?

I’m still trying to figure out the why. I shared Lane’s story with folks from the local women’s shelters and the sexual assault center, hoping they will spread the word and make their displeasure known. I made sure two former county supervisors, both women, knew all the details. Jim Patterson’s campaign invited me to a fundraising BBQ on his behalf—I responded by asking what he might do to help Valerie Lane. No response yet.

I think all this bothers me on a couple levels.

First, is the obvious point. What happened to Valerie Lane, thanks to the camera, is not open to debate. The events of that day are a stain on the entire community and we should be doing everything possible to make it right. Instead, we insist that this poor woman suffer more. The county’s position is ludicrous, offensive, and demeaning. Lane is now the victim twice. The county needs to stop this nonsense and do the right thing, regardless of the cost.

Second, I hope that anyone concerned with violence against women in this community will hold the supervisors accountable for every day they delay an appropriate settlement in this case. If you happen to encounter a county supervisor in public, please inquire about Valerie Lane and ask why they are trying to weasel out of their moral obligation. They’re always quick to have their photos taken or to issue proclamations decrying violence. Gentlemen, here’s your chance to demonstrate just how serious you are on the issue.

Third, I submit that how the county is responding to this incident reflects a governing culture that is almost exclusively male. Five male county supervisors, a male county administrator, a male assistant county administrator, a male county counsel—men are the primary decision-makers in this process. There are no women in the upper echelons of San Luis Obispo County government. The most high-profile woman is Julie Rodewald who was promoted to county clerk-recorder in 1994, only after her boss Mitch Cooney was forced to resign over allegations of sexual harassment.

The county building on Monterey Street appears to have the strongest glass ceiling anywhere. What chance does Valerie Lane have in that world for justice? Apparently not much.

So all we can do is watch the tape—if we can sit through it without closing our eyes—wondering why.

Dave Congalton is a radio talk show host.


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Dave, get ahold of yerself. A wacko in a place wackos go, goes wacko and is making you a little wacko. All male supes fault?? Glass ceiling at the county? Easy bigboy. She’ll get paid, so will the lawyer.

Anyone that screws up today is expected to either deny or plead ignorance initially. Nobody or entity just rolls over, lawyers don’t make $$ doing that and the supes have been advised already, bet on that.


Welcome to life on Earth, Dave. Where dwells bliss and horror. Don’t mix up those two files and you’ll get through.

Point: What if the mass media showed our military slaughtering innocent people everyday, or a daily half hour TV show of dogs being put down at some pound? More nutsiness among us, more Shirrefs, more Lanes. So let it go.

The facility workers dropped the ball, it won’t happen so easily or as often because of this incident and she’s alive and will be enriched.

Now get back to standing up for the animals. Stay strong for them….humans will break your heart everytime………animals heal it. Delete the file, it’ll corrupt the others….get it?


One thing that I hope comes out of all this is that they ban smoking from the property like ASH recently did (includes employees and patients). Eliminates the need for the smoking area.


Dave,


The county is stupid. They should be correcting the situation at 72 hour hold, and accommodating this woman as best they can with medical care courtesy of the county. The California prison system has the DOJ breathing down their throats for putting opposing gang members together. This is the same type of thing, and maybe the DOJ should be notified.


This woman has an excellent case, and her attorney will take the smile off the faces of our smug (not my problem) BOS. Someone will be fired, and county taxpayers will pay.


Dave,

I agree with your article with the exception of the part about the county’s inaction being due to the “glass ceiling”. I think the problem has more to do with the fact that the supervisors see this woman as one of the expendables, someone who has no clout, someone who can neither help or hurt them. I think the response would (unfortunately) have been the same if it had been a man that was assaulted. I see it as a problem of elitism, not sexism.

Anyway, great article. Keep up the pressure on the powers that be!


I believe the county is indifferent to Valerie Lane’s misfortune is that the people that are complaining are the ‘little’ people whose voice means absolutely nothing to them! In reality what can you really do?


But if Valerie Lane’s story became NATIONAL and went viral on the internet then I bet things would change in a hurry!


So everyone that wants justice needs to call the Trib, LA Times, KSBY, KCOY and urge them to run the story.


Post the video on youtube.


Send the story link:

http://calcoastnews.com/2011/09/woman-brutalized-on-video-at-slo-county-mental-health/


to every major network, ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN, etc.


I have already done this and with enough submissions I bet it will get some traction.