Great moments in government: Let’s take an insane killer to the Fair!
posted at 8:41 am on September 19, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Nothing builds confidence in government’s ability to make choices than to find out that the state of Washington took an insane murderer on a field trip to a county fair — and lost him. Not only did Washington take him from the hospital for the criminally insane to the state fair, they put $50 in his pocket, enough to buy a bus ticket to get out of the area (via Power Line):
A criminally insane killer from eastern Washington is on the run after escaping during a field trip to the county fair that his mental hospital organized.
Why such a dangerous person was out in public was a question many, including Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, were asking as authorities searched for Phillip Arnold Paul.
Authorities at Eastern State Hospital, where Paul is a patient, are being criticized for allowing him to visit the fair despite his violent criminal past and a history of trying to escape.
Paul murdered an elderly woman in 1987, soaked her body in gasoline to throw off the dogs, and buried her in her flower garden. Despite all of his attempts to avoid detection, a jury apparently found Paul not guilty by reason of insanity instead of throwing him in jail. Paul has escaped before, too, in 1991 — when the hospital took him on a field trip to a lake.
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result, then the inmates are truly running the asylum in Eastern State Hospital. Why was Paul ever allowed to leave the facility with his history of murder in 1991, let alone 2009? Didn’t the first escape attempt clue them into the risk Paul represents? Even Paul’s brother wondered that:
Paul has been on and off a variety of medications over the years, and also been in and out of institutions, his brother Tom Paul said.
“He is in a bad mental state,” his brother, Tom Paul, told The Associated Press. “Why would they load him on a bus and take him to a fair?”
Maybe this will give us a clue:
Thirty-one patients from the mental hospital were on the trip Thursday with 11 staff members. Dreyfus [secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services] said she did not know how many of those had violent criminal backgrounds.
A day after the escape and Dreyfus didn’t think to ask? Or was it that the asylum itself doesn’t know?
These are the people who will run the Washington state health-insurance exchange under ObamaCare, and make the health-care choices for Washington voters. That’s a comforting thought, isn’t it?
Blowback
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NUTS I say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on September 19, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Only universal health care coverage will prevent these abuses.
rob verdi on September 19, 2009 at 8:45 AM
What could happen?
the_nile on September 19, 2009 at 8:45 AM
Goes without saying.
the_nile on September 19, 2009 at 8:46 AM
Man I’m glad I have a 12 gauge in my room.
blatantblue on September 19, 2009 at 8:49 AM
the_nile,
I also think fears of this killer are racist in nature and code words like “criminally insane killer” display and underlying fear and resentment of Obama.
rob verdi on September 19, 2009 at 8:50 AM
In a related story, Eastern State Hospital announced they found a great way to cut expenses by hiring foxes to guard their chickens.
perroviejo on September 19, 2009 at 8:51 AM
Some say “murder,” some say “save Obamacare some money.”
Grafted on September 19, 2009 at 8:51 AM
Wait a tic,right now in Washington,the Left are already
“certifiable”,so to them,everybody is normal,accept the
Liberals think the Right are the crazies!!(Sarc).
canopfor on September 19, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Love this idea that government is good at doing everything.
They can’t keep us safe from 19 throwbacks
Can’t run a stinking program for clunkers without it going bankrupt
Can’t keep a border secure
Can’t refrain from putting nutjobs in public fairs
blatantblue on September 19, 2009 at 8:53 AM
So typical of the loony left coast. He probably hid out at the fair at the cake made with sprouts and soy competition.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 8:53 AM
I hope the next mark this guy runs into is an armed and vigilant citizen, not some poor elderly lady. My version of a “death panel.”
Lincoln Cadillac on September 19, 2009 at 8:54 AM
If he makes it to Seattle he’ll slip right in with the general population. They’ll never find him there.
ronnyraygun on September 19, 2009 at 8:54 AM
With any luck he’ll show up at the local ACORN office pretending to be a pimp.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Criminal negligence
Skandia Recluse on September 19, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Government doing what government does best…
TXUS on September 19, 2009 at 8:55 AM
And in Ohio we worry about a child killer and rapist’s minor pain when it comes to his execution. We as a society are INSANE.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/nation/59554407.html
CWforFreedom on September 19, 2009 at 8:55 AM
In a related story, Eastern State Hospital announced that they had to let Michael Moore go after two years, because losses almost tripled during his tenure as “Pizza Guard.”
perroviejo on September 19, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Who was in charge of keeping track of these people?
Gonna stick my neck out on this. At least half women and all liberals.
Itchee Dryback on September 19, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Some say we should do nothing , Phillip Arnold Paul doesn’t accept status quo and takes i into his own hands to cut down medicare costs.
the_nile on September 19, 2009 at 8:57 AM
With any luck he’ll show up at the local ACORN office pretending to be a pimp.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Jeff from WI: Or housing,ahem!!:)
canopfor on September 19, 2009 at 8:57 AM
Are you kidding? If he makes it there they’ll run him for Congress.
TXUS on September 19, 2009 at 8:58 AM
When is the governor up for reelection? Perhaps the Republican challenger will go all “Willie Horton” on her ass.
Kafir on September 19, 2009 at 9:00 AM
LOLOL
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 9:01 AM
ACORN helped him to escape so he could go register to vote.
grif99 on September 19, 2009 at 9:03 AM
They just made him a union steward at SEIU
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Wait a minute. I didn’t see anything in the article about the killer’s race.
We must therefore refrain from any negative commentary just in case he’s black or brown.
The racism police may be watching us.
TXUS on September 19, 2009 at 9:04 AM
We’ll know soon enough when it shows up on Kos or Huff calling us racists again.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Troubling, the last fair I went to was full of people that looked like crazed killers. Talk about blending in!
conservnut on September 19, 2009 at 9:06 AM
A 12 gauge doesn’t discriminate.
Lincoln Cadillac on September 19, 2009 at 9:06 AM
This guy escaping was no accident…it was obviously a right-wingnut racist conspiracy to incite violence towards the peace loving lefties.
johng on September 19, 2009 at 9:07 AM
I’d be afraid for HIS safety. He’s hanging out with carneys now.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 9:07 AM
If he kills Pelosi will blame US, saying it was racist rhetoric.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 9:08 AM
This guys escape was Bush’s fault.
Jeff from WI on September 19, 2009 at 9:08 AM
The racism police may be watching us.
TXUS on September 19, 2009 at 9:04 AM
TXUS:SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,not too loud,they and
them might hear you!!!hehe:)
canopfor on September 19, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Professional paperpushers making educated professional decisions based on not-rocking-the-boat. The same type of professional paperpushers that will staff your local BarryCare office.
Limerick on September 19, 2009 at 9:11 AM
The people who decided to take this violent inmate to the fair must have been the same people who decided to take a group of deaf people to see ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.
MeAlice on September 19, 2009 at 9:11 AM
The more I think about it, it might be Palin’s fault.
rob verdi on September 19, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Touchy-feely BS. Transference is what it’s called and the workers at this psych facility are guilty of it.
A good, old-fashioned prison guard would have known better.
A criminal is a criminal.
keebs on September 19, 2009 at 9:17 AM
Phillip Arnold Paul: Gee, guys, I’d kill for a corn dog and fried snickers bar.
Hospital: Cool.
BigAlSouth on September 19, 2009 at 9:18 AM
LOL.
keebs on September 19, 2009 at 9:18 AM
To fully recreate the Willie Horton scenario, the governor’s primary challenger would first have to bring this up.
DSkinner on September 19, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Maybe the Liberal Party already has a bunch of
escapee’s!
And,it would be safer and the right thing to do by
having the Liberals have a certifiability testing
mandated into Obama’s healthCare,strictly for the
left tho!!(Snark).
canopfor on September 19, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Waiting to hear Team BO’s talking points on this affair…it will go something like this “without a public option, more criminally insane murderers will be roaming the streets…..pass BO’s health care reform or your family may be murdered”.
David in ATL on September 19, 2009 at 9:21 AM
I loved this part of the story–he’d escaped before. What the f*** where these people thinking?
In this economy, there has to be some commonsense, law-and-order type available to replace Secretary Dreyfus and his or her entire staff.
Seriously, you could get someone smarter from a pool of subjects the Leno encounters on Jay Walking.
BuckeyeSam on September 19, 2009 at 9:21 AM
It turned out well in The Dream Team.
DSkinner on September 19, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Doesn’t really matter your average person that is aware of the Willie Horton deal does not know how it originated. I wonder why not?
Sure-no liberal media /s
CWforFreedom on September 19, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Take me out to the fairgrounds
Take me out to the rides
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks
Don’t look for me because I’m not coming back
Let me scoot, scoot, scoot away from the asylum
If they catch me it’s a shame
For there’s not repercussion for murder
And escape is just part of the game…
Hog Wild on September 19, 2009 at 9:24 AM
He get a job with ACORN yet ?
William Amos on September 19, 2009 at 9:25 AM
The dreaded “net Neutrality” act comes
Hardest hit right wing blogs ?
William Amos on September 19, 2009 at 9:26 AM
It would have been terribly racist not to allow him to go see the democrat clowns.
farright on September 19, 2009 at 9:26 AM
On second thought, soon I’m sure a number of us will be committed to re-education camps of some sort.
So, we don’t want to be too critical of field trips like this one. It might be our only way out, if you know what I mean.
TXUS on September 19, 2009 at 9:26 AM
I lived in Spokane for 30 years and it doesn’t surprise me that it happened. It just goes along with the monthly escapes from Geiger correctional. It seems there is always some criminal running loose that no one can find.
jistincase on September 19, 2009 at 9:29 AM
This man is a victim. First society allowed him to fall through the cracks which led to his life of crime, then it failed him again in 1991 by allowing the poor guy to get lost. Now, again, in 2009, this man has been ignored by the state and again he finds himself lost and alone in a world that has never given him an even break. When are we as a society going to start to pay attention to the less fortunate amongst us?
Naomi Klein Lewis Wolf
Director
ACORT
American Coalition Opposing Rational Thought
keep the change on September 19, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Well, I suspect they’re being compassionate up there.
After all, holding someone without their consent is a form of torture, isn’t it?
TXUS on September 19, 2009 at 9:33 AM
I work in social services. Trust me,, stuff like this is not that uncommon. And then because of the laws that vary from state to state,, employees can say nothing. They do this insane stuff and they cover themselves by passing laws to keep it all secret.
Well, I said I work in social services, but only until Monday. I gave my notice a few weeks back. I am tired of being a part of the problem. I want to be a part of the solution.
I am walking away from a secure job with good pay, one that I will never be fired from,, in the middle of a spiraling economy,, because I just cannot take it any more. Hey,, if I can’t find a good job,, maybe I will be able to get myself into the system and finally live the good life of no responsibility!! ; )
(I do want to say this,, most caseworkers that I have worked with are really really decent people. They are the backbone of these agencies and are the ones caught in the middle. They have their caseload pushing from the bottom and administration pushing from the top. And then they are bound by so many laws and regulations. That’s just my experience.)
JellyToast on September 19, 2009 at 9:34 AM
A field trip?
Really?
A freakin’ field trip?
That must be some powerfully contagious insanity right there.
hillbillyjim on September 19, 2009 at 9:35 AM
From the article:
It all sounds so harmless, doesn’t it? Until you wonder about “strict rules” ensuring “neutrality”.
ddrintn on September 19, 2009 at 9:37 AM
If they would of showed the movie,One flew over the
Cuckoo’s Nest in some part of there training,this could
of been avoided!!(Sarc).
canopfor on September 19, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Sounds a lot like DC. I take that back, they’re easy to find in DC.
thomasaur on September 19, 2009 at 9:43 AM
The cynical bastage in me just wants to laugh at this, shake my head and say “it figures”.
But I can’t do that.
I honestly believe that this happened on purpose. I know, I know, I know….. you think I’m off my meds.
This is just another one of those isolated incidents, one of those little things, that add up to a much bigger picture this administration is reveling in…. simultaneously create chaos on every level possible and an extreme measure of dissent with the goal of their ruling with an iron fist.
I deeply believe this administration and their people in place throughout other governmental bodies (State, County and local) are attempting to accelerate things to a level where someone or some group somewhere will reach the proverbial last straw and take physical action beyond protests.
At that point, their clampdown will be immediate, because that will be their “crisis too good to waste”.
Please keep something thing in mind….. This is not about one man (POTUS)…… this is about his entire administration, The SEIU, Community Organizations International (ACORN) and those who put these people in positions of power over the past several decades (this did not happen starting 20 January 2009).
Kenny Solomon
Locked, loaded, safeties off and praying I’m so completely wrong that it isn’t funny.
E T Cartman on September 19, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Liberal “compassion” is treating an insane killer like a normal person and expecting him to act like a normal person. Then taking him to the fair, giving him some cash, and not keeping an eye on him so he can escape to wreck havoc some more.
Conservative compassion is putting a bullet in the insane killer’s head when hes found standing over a mutilated corpse. Never again will the insane killer harm anyone else, zero future victims. No lifetime of costs to house and feed/medicate him. No possibility to reproduce and spawn an insane child.
Which one do you think the majority of people would want in this world?
Neo on September 19, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Obama is the joke and he’s not even mentioned in the story
faraway on September 19, 2009 at 9:46 AM
LOL*sobbing /Sunday’s Democrat headline tomorrow
maverick muse on September 19, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Since they began emptying the state mental hospitals a few years back,, you would not believe who might now be living in that nice little apartment down the block.
JellyToast on September 19, 2009 at 9:50 AM
JellyToast on September 19, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Good luck. I respect your courage.
I have had the same experience. This excellent blog post speaks to this:
On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs
keebs on September 19, 2009 at 9:50 AM
These folks should run for congress.
Johan Klaus on September 19, 2009 at 9:50 AM
The extension of the liberally-Leftist famously popular line:
“I’d rather let a criminal go than convict an innocent person.” In other words, “I’d rather let a wolf into the lambs’ fold than let a lamb loose.”
So much for the sadistic twist on the parable of the good shepherd searching for the lost lamb.
maverick muse on September 19, 2009 at 9:55 AM
He’s probably heading to Wellford, SC. (See headlines.)
Disturb the Universe on September 19, 2009 at 9:55 AM
At least he’s got his prerequisites over to become one of the President’s Czars.
yoda on September 19, 2009 at 9:57 AM
You can’t make this crap up.
jimmy2shoes on September 19, 2009 at 9:57 AM
This is a conspiracy between Oregon and Washington to help Oregon with it’s Barbara Wagner problem.
csdeven on September 19, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Best of luck…… We need many many more people like you…. those who look in the mirror and do what’s right, not what’s easy.
If you’re ever in South Florida near Ft. Lauderdale, look me up and I’ll buy you a round or two to toast freedom for everyone.
Kenny Solomon
E T Cartman on September 19, 2009 at 9:59 AM
H1N1 insanity.
Johan Klaus on September 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM
In the military if a prisoner escapes you serve the prisoners sentence. Talk about doing your job with caution is just the start.
mixplix on September 19, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Que Pink Floyd’s Brain Damage
franksalterego on September 19, 2009 at 10:05 AM
California Unemployment worst sinced Great Depression
William Amos on September 19, 2009 at 10:06 AM
JellyToast on September 19, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Good luck to you JT.
yoda on September 19, 2009 at 10:08 AM
I tell you what, if I found out there were retarded criminals at my local fair, there’d be hell to pay that’s for sure.
rayvet on September 19, 2009 at 10:14 AM
This guy has three first names. No wonder he’s sick. Now we will be needing a PAP czar.
Rustic on September 19, 2009 at 10:14 AM
No worries, by now he’s probably working the booth where you try to shoot out the little red star.
jackmac on September 19, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Thanks for posting that.
Yes, the majority of caseworkers I have worked with are good people. But the way the system is,, well,,,it is just set up to keep people in the system and money is just being thrown after people who are unproductive and worthless. Sorry,, but that is the way it is. Sure,, there are people in the system that have had some bad breaks. They need the help, they appreciate it and wish they did not have to be there. Then there are those people who are slow, they need someone to look after them a little, to sort of keep them in line and assist them with their life. Both of those groups are the minority. They majority (and I can only speak from my experience- 15 years in social services) are people who just take. They take and they break. Then they come back and demand you give them more! And out of that group,, there is a portion that should be locked up for life. There are some very dangerous people out there that have been released from state hospitals. They are living in the community. They have caseworkers assigned them that have a goal of keeping them in that community and keeping them out of the hospitals and keeping them out of jail. Some are very dangerous. Some are not. There were moments after leaving a clients apartment or house I wanted to run up and down the streets knocking on doors to let the neighbors know who was living on their street, and to keep an eye on their kids. But I didn’t. I have spoken up frequently about things to my supervisors,, but it’s gone nowhere. So,, I’m leaving. Can’t live with it anymore.
I have had a supervisor tell me that he did not care if someone on my case load was robbing a bank every week and hiding the money right in front of me I can not tell the authorities.
Well, I figured if that ever happened I’d take a jury trial on that one. That is just one reason I am leaving. (I made sure I got my good references though before I left! lol)
JellyToast on September 19, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Neo on September 19, 2009 at 9:46 AM
I’m all in for Conservative compassion!
heshtesh on September 19, 2009 at 10:23 AM
It’s okay to make fun of the lunatic. Judging by the photos of him that were being shown on t.v. yesterday, he’s white. And as we’ve all been taught by the PC police, it’s perfectly acceptable to insult and name-call if the object of your derision is a white man.
AZCoyote on September 19, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Somehow this is all the fault of Bush, Cheney, right-wing extremist rascist bible-thumping homophobes, and Glenn Beck. Oh, and the NRA. Did I leave anyone out?
infidel4life on September 19, 2009 at 10:33 AM
HALLIBURTON!!
thomasaur on September 19, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Uh, ya – Israel. Or if you prefer Teh Joooooooos(C)!!!11!!!.
reaganaut on September 19, 2009 at 10:35 AM
You think public nut houses are bad? Private nut houses will refuse to take crazy people because because of preexisting conditions.
BL@KBIRD on September 19, 2009 at 10:40 AM
maybe just one because…..just because.
BL@KBIRD on September 19, 2009 at 10:41 AM
Absolutely.
You know that this guy is going to be found with a trail of dead behind him. His best move would be to attack an isolated house and hide out for a while. He needs food, shelter, water, clothing and avoidance from public contact.
As I live in Western Washington I find this less than funny. Imagine what the people in California feel about letting out 22,000 prisoners, all non-violent, of course.
GunRunner on September 19, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Of course the most obvious problem that is being ignored here is that Paul used gasoline improperly and then buried the toxic evidence. Maybe we should put the environmentalists on his trail as they will relentlessly pursue him to prevent further crimes against Mother Earth.
InTheBellyoftheBeast on September 19, 2009 at 10:45 AM
I’m the resident badass string them all up guy on crime.
However, I do feel sorry for this man. He did not choose to be mentally ill.
Blake on September 19, 2009 at 10:53 AM
+1000
Liberal Compassion = compassion for the killer and blaming society.
Conservative compassion = compasson for society by making sure the killer will never hurt anyone again.
infidel4life on September 19, 2009 at 10:57 AM
He chose to murder another human being, and then to cover up his crime. That shows culpability and an awareness of right and wrong, which can’t be blamed on his illness.
infidel4life on September 19, 2009 at 11:03 AM
The 12 who heard all the facts of the case and testimony as to his mental state disagreed with you. I’ll trust their judgement over yours. And as to who I choose to feel compassion for – that’s my business, not yours.
Blake on September 19, 2009 at 11:07 AM
i have an opinion, but are afraid of the new rules. let me phrase as i would to my deceased ultra-lady grandmother (bless her heart:
this is so wee-wee’d.
kelley in virginia on September 19, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Next time take him on a field trip to a govt. assembly meeting.
trollkiller on September 19, 2009 at 11:09 AM
It’s the only way the A Team 2000 can assemble their team.
Everybody in that chain of command should be fired. They won’t be because they work for the state, but they should be.
Mojave Mark on September 19, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Oh, the ride operators.
Pelayo on September 19, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Right, and OJ was innocent too.
infidel4life on September 19, 2009 at 11:16 AM
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