Remember this guy??? Man who beat (killed) dog dies in prison

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2316468

Published Friday
January 19, 2007

Man who beat dog dies in prison



A man convicted in July of killing his 4-month-old German shepherd died today at the Omaha Correctional Center, 2323 Ave. J.

Anthony Schepis, 39, died at 9:30 a.m. Authorities were notified after other inmates noticed Schepis appeared ill.

"This appears to be a health-related death," said Ron Limbeck, the jail's spokesman.

On July 14, Schepis was sentenced to up to two years in prison for pummeling his German shepherd puppy, which was named Jake. At the time of the beating, his attorney said, Schepis wasn't taking his medication for bipolar and attention deficit disorders because he couldn't afford the prescriptions.

A grand jury will be called to investigate Schepis' death. Under state law, a grand jury must convene any time someone dies while in police custody.
- Lynn Safranek

[Duer 157099]

1. Health-related death?

Uh... yeah... aren't they all?

I watched all of the seasons of Oz, and I don't recall ever seeing bona fide "health-related" deaths. Oh sure, they might call them that...

I doubt we'll ever hear anything more about this.

[Ian David]

8. Getting your info about life in prison from Oz is like learning about terrorism from watching 24

Is that you, Mr. Beau Dietel?

[flashlighter]

21. I remember him on The Daily Show

I think he's my favorite guest ever....

[Richard Steele]

10. That's one for the books, right there!

"This appears to be a health-related death"
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[me b zola]

18. My own experience with health care for prisoners

Years ago I was working in a hospital that had a locked wing to accommodate prisoners. I didn't work on the prison wing, but one day I overheard an RN, as she was entering the secure area, tell another RN "he's complaning of a lot of pain, he's just trying to get drugs." The next day I learned that during the night a prisoner died of a ruptured appendix. A "hot" appendix will cause severe pain, and should alert medical personel to do an assessment. I have no doubt that the prisoner who died was neglected because it was assumed that he was merely seeking drugs. :grr:



Somewhere along the way anyone who advocates for humane conditions for prisoners became associated with "soft on crime". The rw has drummed up such a hatred against prisoners (so long as they are not white collar criminals) that they have convinced the general public that "prisoners have it easy", and other such vile lies. It's easy to hate people who do bad things, but how we treat those whom we deem to be bad people reveal more about us than them.

[AndyA]

2. And no doubt, Jake was at Rainbow Bridge waiting for him, in spite of the

fact the guy killed him. Animals are so loving and caring, they don't really understand violence and hatred unless its taught to them by humans.

Unconditional love is a rare thing in today's world.

[brokensymmetry]

4. Well said, AndyA. n/t

.

[DBoon]

5. I need to hug my dog

thanks.

[enki23]

9. that's a joke, right?

"Animals are so loving and caring, they don't really understand violence and hatred unless its taught to them by humans."

[xchrom]

3. bipolar and attention deficit?

it's past time we discuss if just anyone should have a pet.

[Clark2008]

6. Um, my husband is bi-polar.

And he has me, three dogs, his step-son (my son) and a baby on the way. He is affectionate and caring. Does he have times when he's figity, nervous and obnoxious? Sure. But... um... who isn't?

Just because he's bi-polar doesn't limit his ability to care for people and pets. Properly treated, it's no different than taking daily medication for other health problems.

I hope you didn't mean that ALL bi-polar people shouldn't have pets - maybe just those who can't or don't want to be treated properly.

[pitohui]

17. sometimes the treatment doesn't work

obviously the majority of bipolar people can't be like the man in the story or the world would be even worse than it is, but i do know a bipolar man who raped a dog after years of psychiatric treatment and years of medications

this same man has blown up 100 pounds on his medications, which he can't stop taking or he can't even function at all, and he has already had one heart attack -- and he's about the age of the man in this story

some bipolar people have a medication resistant version of the disease -- some bipolar people have serious side effects as a result of their necessary medication

it is most frustrating that we don't have better treatments for all

i too hope the poster meant that only those who can't or won't be treated should be denied pets, certainly pets can be an important part of treatment in mental and physical illness -- but every case is individual and must be looked at closely

[proud patriot]

7. pets can actually be good therapy

My son has ADHD and is Bipolar . We have 2 dogs
they just love my boy and vice versa .

I'm very torn on this topic . With Universal
Healthcare this individual would have been on
his meds . Likely this tragedy wouldn't have happened .

As a dog lover I understand why people needed to feel justice
served by imprisoning the perpetrator of the dog beating .

As a mother of mentally disabled person I understand why
people would have been upset that this person was sent to
jail and not a hospital to be stabilized .

Jail is no place for the Mentally ill IMO.

Sounds like everybody was wronged to me .

Just a super sad story all around IMO :(

[Jeanette in FL]

13. I wish I could nominate and recommend a post

You hit all the nails on the head. Thanks for taking the time to post this thoughtful and compassionate answer to all the questions.

[proud patriot]

20. Thanks

:hug:

[xchrom]

16. i don't disagree with some of what you say.

but with animals abused, killed and euthanised in the kinds of numbers as they are here -- when do we think about the animal and what's really good for them?

we never seem to get to that spot.

oh well.

[Der Blaue Engel]

19. Would you like to take my cats and my birds away from me?

I happen to have bipolar disorder, and since all of us are the same, I'm sure I'm about to beat one of my pets to death any second now. :eyes:

You should be glad you don't belong to any sort of category that people have hateful, preconceived notions about...oh, wait....

[proud patriot]

22. It's okay

It's really a difficult topic .

I believe that not every animal is right for
for every person and not every person is right
for animals .

I have a friend who I won't tolerate owning a pet .
she has tried 3 seperate times . Between 2 unwanted
cat pregnacies and 1 lost dog . I gave her a peice
of my mind , told her that I didn't think she should
have pets . She agreed eventually . She isn't mentally
ill , she just has 4 kids and other priorities .

I'm thankful she listened .

[DaveJ]

11. Interesting Petition

Not much sympathy for this mental problem. The petition calls for prison and treatment, but most these people just wanted revenge.

Some really interesting comments here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/639990912?ltl=1169250898

For example:

"Jerks like him rarely get well for their sicko mentality and behaviour. Its sad but a fact they will most probably stay perverted for the rest of their life"

"He needs to locked up longer than 5 years what's next a child, no psyche doctor can change him totally he is still a danger to any living thing around."

[judaspriestess]

12. I am glad to see he was at least sent to prison for beating

the dog. Too many cases of animal cruelty go unpunished in this country.

[tularetom]

14. Boo fuckin hoo

I'm not happy that anyone dies, even a POS like this, but I'd have to say in this case, I'm not sad either (except for Jake).

[High Plains]

23. What is with all the hideousness on this board these days?

This was a guy who was mentally ill. He should have been treated, not (or in addition to) being thrown in jail. Calling him a "POS" doesn't seem very progressive.

[pitohui]

15. sounds like he was seriously ill

yeah, some bipolar people can do some strange and violent things, and unfortunately some of the medications themselves can have serious side effects including violence

i suspect he should have been in a hospital if his illness was so serious as to cause him to die "naturally" at age 39

a man who over-reacted as he did in killing the puppy doesn't belong in the world until his ability to control himself is stabilized but i wonder if he had been in a good mental hospital instead if he could have been -- not cured -- i've giving up hoping for this for the serious victims of this illness that i know -- but at least not just left to himself die like a dog in a cell at such a young age

it's an ugly little story all around, frankly