65 replies to this topic

[E CaT PanTHer]

So my brother for the longest time has been against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every time there's an air strike and innocent people die, he can't bear to hear it. He's been writing letters to some of these world leaders trying to make them stop fighting. He got really angry one time and wrote a letter to Obama basically telling Obama to order to pull the troops out of Iraq or else he'll die based on his bad karma and his responsibility for the loss of these lives. Obviously you cannot threaten another person, let alone the President, so they took this matter pretty seriously.

2 weeks later, The United States Secret Service contacted the Hayward Police Department (our cities police department) to come to talk to my brother about a 51/50. For those who don't know, Section 5150 is a section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code which allows a qualified officer or clinician to involuntarily confine a person deemed to have a mental disorder that makes them a danger to him or her self, and/or others and/or gravely disabled.

Now I highlighted involuntarily b/c after the police talked to my brother, they called an ambulance and told him that they had to take him to a psychiatric facility b/c he was a threat to other people. My brother didn't voluntarily go, he was forced against his will. He was taken in and had to stay there 3 days before he was discharged.

About 3 weeks later, we received 4 different bills, one from the ambulatory unit, another from the hospital, and 2 more from the psychiatric facility totaling close to $4000. So I'm confused. If my brother was involuntarily taken in for a 51/50, why should we be billed?? Does anyone know what happens, or if this is right? Any law students out there. Thanks for the help.

[g5jamz]

Is your brother under your care and a dependent?

If not...send the people that sent the bill a letter stating that you are not responsible for his costs. If you've got a buddy that's a lawyer...ask him to just draw up a letter for you. I hate bill collectors...some jack-A in Raleigh with the same exact name as I doesn't pay his bills and I get his collection calls. Always gets to the point of them trying to confirm some Soc. Sec numbers and I put them in their place.

[mmmbeans]

wow that's f*cked up.

[Kral]

I hope he learned a lesson from this.

Be careful of what you write to politicians or other public figures.

[Delhommey]

Never talk to the cops without your lawyer unless you're asking directions. Even then you want to keep the conversation short.

They are not your friends.

[CosmoGirl]

I asked this before the forum did the space-time continuum leap -

Is your brother "special needs" or just a bit "off"? How old is he?

His medical insurance should have coverage for mental care so you may want to look at filing the bills with them for partial reimbursement.

Also, as for him having to pay for the services, tax payers shouldn't have to foot the bill for his royal screw up, especially since he had been warned before.

[pstall]

See if there can be a compromise made on the ambulance and other stuff. See who you can talk to and go look, my brother is harmless, he is just very passionate about seeing innocent people die and he doesn't handle it well and is frustrated and didn't do a good job of sorting out his emotions on it.
Go out of your way to go hey we get it, lesson learned, never going to happen again. I agree with the taxpayer not footing it part but the rule traps the person.
Good luck

[MadHatter]

Even if you know and think your brother is harmless, the letter he wrote is a real issue. He should absolutely know that talking about death to the President would not go un-noticed. Not to sound uncaring, but I think he got exactly what he should have expected.

[Speed]

Sounds as if your brother needs a bit of counseling. Don't he have any health insurance?

[PanthersFanNY]

I know this is OT, but the more I read the OP, the more I think no crime was even committed. If all he wrote was:



Yes it was in poor taste, but he didn't threaten him at all. He said he would die bc of karma. I think the ss sent their errand boys knowing that no crime was committed and got the guy to increminate himself into saying he was suicidal/homicidal.

If you write a letter to the president that says "you're going to die" you're going to be in deep poo no matter what the context.

[Kurb]

Sorry but your brother started this.
He is partially to blame.

Not sure how the billing should work. Doesn't seem right you got stuck with an involentary bill. You could always scream racial profiling?