Jail/Bonds/Court

Thanksgiving 2009 was another great time for family.  We had enjoyed the usual family feast with all the trimmings.  Dennis seemed to enjoy the company - but when he would wander off to the bedroom by himself, I knew it was all a bit too much.  He had gotten to the place where a lot of activity made him uncomfortable.  With five grandchildren in the house, it was anything but quiet. 

Fortunate for me, I talked everyone into decorating outside and inside for Christmas.  This was a win-win for me.  I had a total of 12 'energizer bunnies' working like elves with music and ample entertainment.  Dennis wanted to help so my brother Doug found a job that the two of them could work on together.  With a Chevy Chase moment, we were all finished and the lights perked up the yard with only a few glitches.

By the time kids and grandkids retreated to their respective homes, the four remaining adults were tired and ready for a relaxing evening.  Doug and Beth were still with us because this was right after Hurricane Ike and they were still with us (having just finished up all the repairs on the house). 

Dennis was tired and wanted to retire for some sleep early that Sunday night.  I thought it was a great idea because I knew this had been an extremely active and busy holiday weekend for him.  Doug, Beth and I settled in for a little tv time to unwind before we all went to bed.

THEN IT HAPPENED.....

About 9:00, Dennis came out of the bedroom in a total rage.  He rushed to the recliner where I was sitting and screamed at me in explitives and profanity declaring he was sick of all this.  Initially I wasn't frightened because I had people with me.  I didn't handle it the best because I said, "What are you doing?  Are you trying to scare me..." Before I could say another word he dumped me backwards in that chair and in a split second there was total chaos.

Doug moved quickly towards Den saying, "Hey you can't do that to my sister ..."  Then the unthinkable happened.  No more words.  Denny started punching my brother with incredible rage.  He used Doug as a punching bag pinning him against the wall ... total rage...never pausing to our screams for him to stop.  I had no choice -- I called 911.  Dennis showed no sign of stopping or listening to reason.

When I got to the phone, Denny left Doug to come toward me once again.  I was hysterically asking for police to come help us calm the situation when Doug intervened once again.  This time Denny pinned him at the front door with another barrage of unceasing punches to the abdomen.  The operator kept advising me to quit screaming so she could get some information.  At the advice of the 911 operator, I went outside to wait for the police to arrive.  I explained to the operator that Dennis had Alzheimer's and all I wanted was some help....

Once outside, I heard the sirens and saw the flashing lights in the distance.  By that time, Dennis had followed me outside but was no longer punching Doug.  As four Pearland squad cars hurried to our location, Dennis went into the street screaming to just go ahead and kill him.  He came by me and kept interrupting the officer who was trying to gather information.  Because of his continued aggressive tone, they asked him to step back but he continued. 

Just then the officer said,  "Cuff him!"  What I saw then was a nightmare.  About six officers chased him down in a struggle to handcuff him.  He was screaming and kicking and in total rage once again.  I could see in the distance as they placed him in a squad car that he was trying to kick out the windows of the squad.  One neighbor approached the vehicle and pleaded for Dennis to stop and calm down but it continued.

After interviewing me, the officer went to my brother.  He noted the aftermath of the beating and took a report for domestic violence.  While they were talking, I got a true sense of how bad this situation was going to be.  I got our doctor on the phone to let him know what was happening.  I asked him to speak with the officer in charge.  Dr. Knight confirmed the Alzheimer's diagnosis and asked that Dennis be moved to the hospital and NOT to jail for charges.  The arresting officer said he had no choice but to take Dennis to jail.  Hearing that just put me in a total tailspin!  I couldn't think straight.  I hurried to my brother to make sure he was okay.  We both pleaded and explained this was a medical condition but it made no difference.

We live in a retirement community where everything is relatively quiet.  You can imagine the number of caring neighbors who came outside that late night to see what was happening -- and to see if they could help.  Looking back now, I know the officers had a terrible time managing Den's rage so they certainly weren't going to take him to a hospital setting.  I understand now the decision made that night.

After they left, we went in the house to talk with Doug.  I told him how sorry I was and that if he wanted to fly back home to Iowa the next day I would make it possible.  He assured me he was going no where. He said when all that happened he could see in Denny's eyes that he was 'in a different place' (almost like combat survival in Viet Nam).   Even though he was in pain, he too was concerned for Denny.  Being a brother, he just expressed over and over how glad he was that he took those punches instead of me.  We both knew that I may not have survived such a powerful beating.

Then I had to make phone calls.  I needed to let my kids know what had happened.  I needed to call the jail to see what was going to happen.  My naive way of thinking had Dennis in Pearland jail overnight and back home.  As I called through the night, I could get no information other than Dennis would be moved in the morning to the Harris County Jail to be booked on two charges: resisting arrest and domestic violence.  I had no idea what all that meant but I had nightmares of Dennis being locked up with criminals (and in his Stooey sleep pants).

During several calls checking on Dennis, I could hear loud shouting and metal sounds in the background.  The jailer said Dennis was still exhibiting rage long into the early morning hours.

About 3:00 am, I got a call from a Bonds Company in downtown Houston.  They were letting me know the charges and the cost for two bonds.  I understood nothing about what they said.  I just knew I would spend any amount of money to get Dennis out of jail.  By 5:00 am I was driving the streets of downtown Houston looking for this bonds office.  What normally would have been a frightening drive was secondary to my mission.  I was alone and in the dark of dawn I finally found the little place set up in what looked like an old time gas station.  I completed all necessary paperwork and paid the bonds thinking I could go get Dennis!  WRONG.  The bondsman explained I would have to wait til he was transported and booked that morning - then I would go to the jail with these papers.

Once I was back home, I checked with the Pearland jailer to see if he had been transported.  He gave me a timeline and suggested time to go to the jail.  Never having had a reason to walk into any jail, I walked into the reception area for Harris County Jail expecting to be greeted in a somewhat friendly manner.  WRONG again.  As I told the clerk, I had the bonds paid and the details of Denny's medical condition there was no sign of compassion or understanding.  She said Dennis would be released later that day.  She could not give me a time --- he would just be released to the street.

At that notice, I pleaded saying isn't there anyone who can help me.  I have to know when he will be released because he will be lost.  She suggested I go to the jail release office in another part of the building and plead my case there.  Once I got to that office, I was explaining my situation and giving necessary information to that clerk when a sheriff walked in.  He asked if I was inquiring about Shippey.  [Thank you Jesus! Someone had seen Dennis.]  He said he was in the booking unit when Dennis came through.  He knew immediately something was different.  After booking, he took Dennis NOT to jail but to the jail infirmary.  He apologized explaining he had walked him in handcuffs and shackles.  (Broke my heart). With the information I provided and seeing the situation as he had, he said he was going to get with the psychiatrist treating Dennis in the infirmary to see if they couldn't get him released by 2:00 that afternoon.  And indeed that is what happened.

As Dennis walked off the elevator with this sheriff, he greeted me with the hug of a child missing his mother.  After signing some papers, Dennis and I were alone in the elevator headed to freedom once again.  He kept asking me to look at his hands.  He said, "I don't know what happened but my hands are all swollen."  I assured him we were on our way to the doctor to have that checked out.  During our drive to the doctor, I asked Dennis if anyone had bothered him in jail.  He said, "No but there are some scarey guys in that place.  They asked me what I was in there for and I told them 'I don't know'."  That made me smile because here he was still in his Stooey sleep pants and a t-shirt. 

Once we were settled at the doctors office, the exam found only bruising and abrasions.  I explained to Dennis what had happened to cause the swelling and trip to jail.  He said, "NO WAY!  I would never do that to Doug.  I love him like a brother!"  With a bit more convincing, I told him Doug would show him the wounds if he wanted.  At that he bowed his head and cried, "If I am going to hurt the people I love ... then I should be dead".  I left Doug and Denny to talk for a few minutes.  They made their ammends and Denny never could comprehend what had happened that tragic night.

Once I had Dennis home, I knew that was only part of the process to clear the legal action.  Immediately, I had Sondra contact a lawyer she knew who understood Alzheimer's.  We had a court date and Dennis would have to appear.  Meeting with the lawyer to prepare the case became a problem.  We were going to meet at the court for the first time.  I knew that no one knew Dennis:  judge, prosecutor, nor lawyer.  I knew it would impossible to predict what he would or could say in response to the attack.  I had to put the case together so the legal system understood the implications for this man.

I spent almost a week compiling documents: letters from doctor, every prescription and highlighted side effects, missing persons information, etc.  I presented the lawyer with a binder organized with documents to clearly articulate the case.  In addition to that I had contacted a hospital unit specialized in managing medicines for dementia cases. In that binder was a letter from me indicating a proactive measure to control any future violence with specialized medical attention and testing.  Contact information for that facility made it clear that all legal actions must be cleared before admittance.

With that binder in hand and after a short briefing in the attorneys room outside the court, our lawyer said Dennis could wait there until she met with judge and prosecutor.  After waiting anxiously for a reasonable time, the lawyer returned to say we could go home.  She said the binder I put together so impressed the judge and prosecutor that they didn't need to further try the case.  The judge had asked her to thank me for the thorough representation of this case and its complexity.  They had scheduled a continuance for another trial date but Dennis would not be asked to appear.  The only matter pending was getting legal documents and affidavit stating Doug refused to press charges. 

Thousands of dollars later, all charges were dropped and the case was resolved.  During this short period of time, I was introduced to a foreign world of legal jockeying.  I had experienced every imagineable emotion: terror, fear, anger, sorrow, disbelief, anxiety, appreciation, love, hope and faith.  Faith was the strongest because I knew this was not something I could easily fix or manage.  God gave me strength to endure with no fear for my own safety but only that of others.