Oregon Elder Illegally Imprisoned By His Legal Guardian
For those at the back of the room, here is a quick recap of the story of my old buddy Maynard Orme.
In January a friend and I visited Maynard at his assisted living facility near Portland. We found him uncharacteristically miserable. His finances were in crisis despite having a conservator in charge and he told us that he had not been able to visit his daughter and grandkids for Christmas. He was very upset and not in good health. We checked that there was no legal restriction on his travel and arranged for his trip to California. We subsequently learned more about how badly his medical state and his finances had been managed by his conservator and caretaker; treatment that was abusive, neglectful, and manipulative of an 87 year old elder.
Once in California, he was happy as a clam with his family and his physical and mental state has improved dramatically. I’ve been to visit him regularly from January and, when I saw him a few days ago in Los Angeles, he was more spritely than I had seen him in months since his daughter has been looking after him. We asked him about his new residence and his new girlfriend and he said "I love it here. It doesn’t get any better than this"
But his guardian and former caretaker had other plans.
This week, the day after I saw him, they arrived at his residence with a court order and spirited him back to Oregon.
We don’t know what they told him, whether he agreed to go with them, or how they got back. They left behind his cell phone and his clothes and personal possessions; such was the haste in which he was removed. His attorney in Oregon was as surprised as anyone as he had not been informed of their plans and was not even informed when his client was back in Oregon.
But we do know where he was taken.
Maynard is now back at the assisted living facility in Charbonneau from which he escaped but, when friends show up to see him, he is “not taking visitors” on orders from his guardian and her lawyer. He was apparently interviewed by law enforcement upon his return for reasons that were not disclosed but he could not have been provided assistance of counsel.
His lawyer then tried to visit Maynard at his new residence but he too was denied entry. He was referred to the guardian and then her lawyer who gave orders to prevent him visiting his client.
Outrage Level Turned up to ELEVEN.
A US citizen is being jailed by a fiduciary professional and her lawyer. Even an arraigned murderer would not be denied assistance of counsel. In what world can one lawyer refuse to allow an opposing lawyer access to his client? This is insanity.
I bet there’s something in the US Constitution that covers this.
When the guardian and her lawyer are acting “in colour of law” by waving a court order, they are taking on the authority of the state; like carrying a badge or wearing a black jacket with FBI across the back. But, guess what, law enforcement would not get away with this bullshit.
Maynard is being denied his basic civil rights by a out-of-control guardian under guidance from a conflicted lawyer; the two of them are running amok.
The facility in which Maynard is now imprisoned and the caretaker that IS allowed to see him, have both demonstrated a track record of neglect and abuse - financial, mental, and medical. Neither his friends, family, or lawyer are now allowed to talk to him. We have no idea of how he is being treated, of what he is being told, or how he is being threatened.
This isolation is seriously compounding the abuse of this respected Portland elder for reasons that are hard to fathom.
How it Started: How it’s Going.
This whole adventure started with a pleasant lunch and an arranged flight for Maynard to see his family and enjoy their mutual love and caring in sunny Los Angeles. Joy was restored to Maynard's life.
It has now turned into an extra-judicial nightmare with an inconceivable level of fear and darkness for Maynard and his family who are beside themselves with worry. A crisis driven by fiduciary professionals in breach of their legal duties to protect Maynard, and whose firms have failed to rein them in.
Shame on all of them.
This is not over.
Photo: When Maynard retired, AARP did an article about him and took this picture of him at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center where he was a huge supporter and booster.
