The Price of Publicity?

Jacob Sullum | October 28, 2005

At National Review Online, Radley Balko notes that Florida pain patient Richard Paey, who is serving a 25-year sentence for drug trafficking even though he never trafficked in drugs, seems to have been punished for seeking media attention. After he gave an interview to New York Times columnist John Tierney, he was transferred to a prison farther from his family and threatened with loss of the pain treatment he is receiving through a morphine pump. Paey's supporters are hoping publicity will pressure Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to pardon him.

Comments

|10.28.05 @ 2:42PM|#

Disgusting.

|10.28.05 @ 2:58PM|#

Pardoning a Convicted Drug Trafficker is no way to get re-elected.

|10.28.05 @ 3:16PM|#

If you think either Bushspawn would ever let one of them bad ol' potheads off the hook, you're high.

Larry A|10.28.05 @ 3:17PM|#

It's for the children.

Not Paey's children obviously. And not the children who can't get treatment because they can't afford to admit they're using, and particularly not the children locked up because they got caught.

But some children, somewhere.

How do these people sleep at night?

|10.28.05 @ 3:21PM|#

How do these people sleep at night?
Comment by: Larry A at October 28, 2005 03:17 PM

Sleeping pills?

|10.28.05 @ 3:24PM|#

Booze. Lots and lots of booze. And Jesus.

|10.28.05 @ 3:28PM|#

And Jesus.

Yes, you can't forget Jesus in this equation. Remember, if this oh-so-very Christian state got it's say, Terri Schiavo would still be with us, lingering on life support.

Appearently to social conservatives, mercy is for the sinful.

|10.28.05 @ 3:28PM|#

Normally I would be sympathetic toward Paey, but in this case I cannot:
Due to his cybernetically-enhanced mobility, he must be considered a super-criminal, too dangerous to take any chances with.

I would think that the libertarians would have learned this lesson when Davros wreaked havoc across the galaxy, but apparently they're too busy getting high to pay attention.

|10.28.05 @ 3:45PM|#

I would think that the libertarians would have learned this lesson when Davros wreaked havoc across the galaxy, but apparently they're too busy getting high to pay attention.


Exterminate! Exterminate!!! EXTERMINATE!!!

|10.28.05 @ 4:53PM|#

If Jeb pardons this guy, there will be a prison cell freed up for Nicole.

|10.28.05 @ 4:54PM|#

...or Limbaugh.

|10.28.05 @ 7:45PM|#

The news on Paey is bad enough. But imagine being that one juror that wanted to vote not guilty, was told that Paey would get probation, voted guilty, then he sees Paey given this outrageous sentence after the verdict is rendered. Have to feel sorry for him, too. Should have stuck to his guns.

|10.28.05 @ 8:03PM|#

Hey Akira Mckenzie!!!

Dude. It seems clear from your post that you thought the Schiavo decision was the correct one - that is, removing the feeding tube. A logical extension of that thought is that you felt that she was, indeed, beyond any feelings of pain as she was truly brain-dead.
So don't try to have it both ways by saying that "Christians/Social Conservatives" would have had her "lingering" on life support. You can't "linger" if their's nobody home.
As for this Paey guy. It sounds pretty messed up and if the information is accurate he's being treated in the worst way by those in power.
Truly shameful.

Otoh...

The Wine Commonsewer|10.29.05 @ 12:33AM|#

Now there's a surprise. Piss off the keepers and they screw you around.

Shit rolls down hill. Learnt that in Uncle Sam's Misguided Children.

Repeat after me:

Keep a low profile.............

|10.29.05 @ 4:11PM|#

It's a powerful story with the potential for some compelling and stimulating conversation.

Naturally, not a single talk host in Florida is touching it.

Instead, they just keep on banging away at Libby, Sheehan, DeLay, etc. because god knows we can't get enough of those stories. (sigh)

|10.29.05 @ 9:59PM|#

I want to fucking rip off Jeb's head and piss down his goddamn trachea. Then I can bury him in vomit, and then set it aflame.