Wild and crazy guys.
Posted on 06/04/2007 11:30:41 AM PDT by teddyballgame
I love Fred...but man...that does look like his daughter.
Then, on Friday, July 20th, the body of Lori Klausutis, 28, was found slumped next to a desk on the floor of Florida Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough’s Fort Walton Beach office where Lori had served as a constituent services coordinator since May, 1999. Her body was found around 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning by a couple arriving for an appointment. She had been dead for some time. A second employee, who would have normally arrived for work at around the same time, was away on vacation. Police cordoned off the area for investigation, later announcing that there was no reason to suspect foul play, nor were there signs of suicide.
Scarborough’s office released a statement several hours after the discovery:
“My staff and family are greatly saddened by the loss of Lori Klausutis. I know Lori will be missed by the thousands of citizens who regularly contact my office to seek assistance with a variety of problems. May God grant Lori’s family the grace, comfort and hope that will get them through this difficult time.”
The Congressman returned to Florida that same day, and his office was quick to point out that it was not unusual for him to fly home for the weekend.
There was a great deal of ambiguity over whether Lori had suffered past medical problems. Scarborough’s press secretary, Miguel Serrano, made mention of health problems in Lori’s past, but could not be more specific. In response, Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Steve Hogue is quoted as saying “That’s part of our investigation, checking into her medical history.” Associate Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Berkland said “She had a past medical history that was significant, but it remains to be seen whether that played a role in her death”. Soon after a member of the immediate family rejected out of hand that Lori had any significant medical problems. She was, in fact, quite an athlete, having recently run an 8K with a very respectable time and she belonged to the Northwest Florida Track Club.
The results of the mandated autopsy, however, were deemed “inconclusive” by Dr. Berkland, who ordered more specific toxicology tests. These results were expected by the middle of the following week, around the first or second day of August. Dr. Berkland commented at the time “This turns over several puzzle pieces in the case of her death and reveals more of the picture”.
Welcome to the Wheel of Fortune.
Michael Berkland, it turns out, has a very interesting background himself. Recently relocated to Florida, it is a matter of public record that Dr. Berkland’s medical license in the state of Missouri was revoked in 1998 as a result of Berkland reporting false information regarding brain tissue samples in a 1996 autopsy report. Berkland does not deny the charges.
It’s also a matter of public record that he was suspended from his position as Medical Examiner in the State of Florida in July, 1999.
Quincy, he’s not.
Repeated requests to Dr. Stephen Nelson, Chairman of the Medical Examiners Commission, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, have failed to verify that Dr. Berkland’s suspension was lifted and that his licensure and disciplinary record are clear at the present time. Dr. Nelson was appointed Chairman of the Commission by Governor Jeb Bush.
As for Lori Klausutis, rumors began to swirl as time passed with no resolution to the case, rumors that included whispers of suicide, some emanating from inside the Beltway. Family members, angered at what they considered unfair and exploitive coverage wrote the editor of the Northwest Florida Daily News, Ralph Routon, saying “For those who knew Lori, the thought of suicide, as your published reports suggested, is absolutely unthinkable. Suicide was contrary to her faith and being. She did not suffer from seizures, nor did she have a history of medical problems.” Meanwhile, the final report has been issued that Lori died as a result of a blow to the head because an undiagnosed heart condition caused her to collapse and fall, hitting her head on the desk.
The initial reports from the Medical Examiner’s office denied any trauma to the body that would indicate cause of death. But Berkland acknowledged on Monday, August 6th, that Lori had sustained a “scratch and a bruise” on her head and that his original denials were to prevent undue speculation about the cause of death. “The last thing we wanted was 40 questions about a head injury”, he said.
And so, what we have here is the death of a healthy young woman who died of a blow to the head and a lie from the Medical Director’s office about this blow which was quite obvious to the naked eye. They then had to go search for some reason why she might have “fallen” and hit her head. And they have found an “undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia”. But a number of questions remain to be answered, and we have requested opinions from Dr. Nelson, the Chairman of the Medical Examiners Commission.
The questions are:
- Were Lori’s medical records thoroughly examined for any evidence of the pre-existing heart condition? It would seem that someone must have examined her heart if she ran 8Ks.
- Did Dr. Berkland personally examine the site of death in undisturbed condition in order to support his later conclusion that the physical evidence was compatible with his later conclusions?
Presumably the heart valve condition alluded to is Mitral Valve Prolapse. This may be associated with arrhythmias, but rarely with VTach (ventricular tachycardia) or VFib (ventricular fibrillation), the only arrhythmias which would stop the flow of blood to the brain.
Generally, with syncope of whatever cause the “guarding reflex”, wherein one raises a hand to protect the head, is preserved.
There are several problems with the head injury. Generally, for a closed head injury to cause bleeding inside the skull, there is a much more severe injury on the outside of the skull. Do the autopsy notes, indeed, describe such a severe injury on the outside of the skull? In fact, the only closed head injury which usually may cause bleeding inside the skull involves a fracture of the temporal bone, with rupture of the underlying artery. The most important discrepancy that should be answered is how intracranial bleeding could continue if the cardiac arrhythmia had caused a cessation of blood flow to the brain!
- Were the toxicology studies entirely negative? Was there evidence of any legal or illegal substance in the blood stream which could have caused her to lose consciousness?
- Was she pregnant? If so, were fetal blood specimens obtained to determine paternity?
These are the questions being asked by some in the medical community of Dr. Stephen Nelson and Dr. Michael Berkland, and they continue to go unanswered.
Is Haddaway music supposed to play with the .gif?
Aw come on, you’re not trying to help her at all.
You’re whining ‘cause she shows some skin, big deal. Like I said, Fred wasn’t running for anything when those pics were taken, but of course you ignored that part of my post.
YOu need to go somewhere else and stop putting words into other peoples' mouths.
*************
Well, well. "Possibly"? Feel free to support that accusation with facts, friend.
What a little prima donna you are.
Just go away.
And you said in #23: If Fred was your best friend, instead of a politician, that is exactly what you would think and say.
You were referring to the bozo that asked if Thompson's wife "worked the pole?"
You are claiming that ALL men are pigs and would say the same thing, which is really a sad comment and reveals your contempt for all men. I'm a man and it never occured to me that his 40 year old wife might be stripping for cash. Why are you assigning this attitude to me and ALL OTHER MEN? Yes, you're jealousy and bigoted attitude toward men is showing. Maybe the "men" you're around are like that, but all men aren't. Admit it, you were wrong to make that statement. I've got all day and I'm not going away SHEna. Let's go.
Meant “your” jealousy.
I don’t have to justify myself to someone who continually is abusive and name calling on a forum.
You have big huevos on the net dude.
No more response from me, GO AWAY!
Abusive? You slander all men and I'm abusive? Ha, ha!
And btw, you called me a prima donna, I called you a moron so we're even in the name calling category.
You have a problem with men and think their all pigs. No big deal. I just like to know where people stand.
Thanks for the reply. There isn’t anything there for someone to criticize.
And it’s not like she is some Hollywood bimbo.
You are so right!
Agreed.
Your accusation that all women are jealous of Jeri makes about as much sense as saying all men who make a negative comment about Mitt Romney (worth 500 million) are secretly jealous because they are losers who are failures at providing for their family.
It’s a place you shouldn’t go, but since common sense hasn’t stopped you yet I don’t expect it will. You are obviously here to pick a fight with us and I don’t care to fight much less speak to someone like you.
It seems certain men aren’t too successful with women in their personal lives. Issues I think they call them.
It’s all our fault you know.
;)
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