West
California family awarded huge sum after officials incorrectly ID dead man as loved one
![California family awarded huge sum after officials incorrectly ID dead man as loved one California family awarded huge sum after officials incorrectly ID dead man as loved one](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/04/kerrigan4.png)
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A California household was awarded $1.5 million after officers incorrectly informed them their cherished one had died, held a funeral for a unique man and finally found he was very a lot alive weeks later.
“Nicely, … it was unbelievable … I imply, we had buried him a few weeks prior,” Carole Meikle mentioned of burying a person she believed was her brother, in response to KCAL.
The blunder unfolded in 2017 when the household was informed Frankie Kerrigan died in Orange County. The household held a funeral for him however discovered weeks later that Kerrigan was alive when a pal who served as a pallbearer at his funeral known as Kerrigan’s dad and mentioned he had proven up at his home.
WRONG BODY ACCIDENTALLY BURIED IN W.VA. AFTER CORONER CONFUSES FIRE VICTIMS
The person’s father, Francis Kerrigan, mentioned he was “overjoyed for a couple of minute, then he thought: “Oh my God, there’s a stranger in Frankie’s grave.”
They quickly found they’d really buried a person who was discovered lifeless behind a Verizon retailer.
“I touched his hair, and I mentioned goodbye,” Francis Kerrigan testified on the trial in Santa Ana.
A California household was awarded $1.5 million after officers incorrectly informed them their cherished one had died, however was really nonetheless alive.
( V. James DeSimone Legislation )
Frankie Kerrigan has schizophrenia and was about 57 years previous when he was falsely recognized as lifeless. He incessantly lived on the streets, the Related Press reported.
A Superior Court docket jury this week awarded the household $1.5 million after discovering the coroner’s workplace dedicated negligence and intentional misrepresentation. $1.1 million was awarded to Francis Kerrigan and $400,000 to Meikle.
“The jury not solely discovered that the Orange County Coroner’s Workplace was negligent, however that its coroners made intentional misrepresentations to the Kerrigan household,” the household’s legal professional V. James DeSimone mentioned.
“The jury’s verdict speaks volumes — Orange County ought to deal with everybody with care and concern when coping with points as vital as life and loss of life. And if the county institutes a brand new fingerprint system be sure to present coaching and ensure your coroners perceive how the system works,” the household’s legal professional, James Desimone.
![A California family was awarded $1.5 million after officials incorrectly told them their loved one had died, but was actually still alive. (V. James DeSimone Law)](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/04/640/320/kerrigan2.png?ve=1&tl=1)
A California household was awarded $1.5 million after officers incorrectly informed them their cherished one had died, however was really nonetheless alive. (V. James DeSimone Legislation)
( V. James DeSimone Legislation )
The household was informed Kerrigan had died after officers verified his fingerprints, in response to the household’s lawyer. His identification was really falsely confirmed based mostly on a police officer telling the coroner’s workplace he believed it was Kerrigan based mostly on earlier contact he had with him. A deputy coroner misidentified him based mostly on Kerrigan’s 11-year-old driver’s license photograph, the AP reported.
“A constructive ID was made with out verifying his fingerprints, with none biometrics, with none science, and it was mistaken,” Meikle mentioned.
CORONER: DEAD MAN MISTAKENLY CREMATED DUE TO NAME CONFUSION
Kerrigan’s father known as the state of affairs “traumatic.”
“It’s traumatic for us in each means from the start to now, however now it’s in a great way as a result of we’re serving to Frank, and we’re serving to all people else that might probably have this type of mistake,” he mentioned.
![A California family was awarded $1.5 million after officials incorrectly told them their loved one had died, but was actually still alive. (V. James DeSimone Law)](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/04/640/320/kerrigan5.png?ve=1&tl=1)
A California household was awarded $1.5 million after officers incorrectly informed them their cherished one had died, however was really nonetheless alive. (V. James DeSimone Legislation)
(V. James DeSimone Legislation)
Norm Watkins, who represented the county, mentioned there wasn’t any intention to deceive the household and the county will determine whether or not to enchantment the jury verdict.
“We prolong our apologies to the Kerrigan household for the misidentification of their son and brother,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Division Coroner Workplace mentioned in an announcement to Fox Information Digital. The assertion continued that “insurance policies and procedures for identification of decedents have been up to date and applied on the Coroner’s Division.”
The physique of the person buried in Frankie Kerrigan’s plot was exhumed and returned to his relations. He was recognized as Kansas native John Dean Dickens, 54.
Kerrigan is presently residing in a lodge and had not but been informed concerning the verdict as of Wednesday, in response to the Related Press.
“If he has some inclination there’s a courtroom case happening, they’re afraid he’ll simply bolt,” DeSimone mentioned.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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Utah
Pickup truck fire causes partial closure on I-15 in southern Utah
![Pickup truck fire causes partial closure on I-15 in southern Utah Pickup truck fire causes partial closure on I-15 in southern Utah](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4922cf5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1008+0+36/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F20%2F5d%2Fd8790b92440ea00ae2ac3c889380%2Fimage-2.jpg)
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah — A pickup truck caught fire Sunday afternoon on I-15 in southern Utah, causing a partial closure of the freeway.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said around 2 p.m. that the truck caught fire near milepost 40, just south of the Washington/Iron county line and midway between St. George and Cedar City.
Initially, two of the three northbound lanes were closed. It was fully reopened in under an hour.
Photos from the scene showed the aftermath of the fire, with the vehicle completely burned and hardly recognizable.
It was not immediately known if anyone was injured.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Wyoming
Woman Killed In Plane Crash Near Meeteetse That Also Sparked Fire
![Woman Killed In Plane Crash Near Meeteetse That Also Sparked Fire Woman Killed In Plane Crash Near Meeteetse That Also Sparked Fire](https://cowboystatedaily.imgix.net/Park-county-Jimmy-Emerson-Flickr-9.1.24.jpg)
A woman died in a plane crash Sunday near Meeteetse, the coroner has confirmed.
The crash also sparked a fire.
The woman was an adult and appears to have been the passenger, Park County Coroner Cody Gortmaker told Cowboy State Daily. He will identify her publicly after he has notified her family of the fatality, he added.
The pilot appears to have survived the crash, according to Gortmaker and Park County scanner traffic at the time.
Gortmaker also confirmed that Park County Search and Rescue responded to the scene.
Park County Sheriff’s spokesman Monte McClain did not immediately respond to a Sunday message from Cowboy State Daily.
The crash sparked a fire, agents also told dispatch on the scanner.
Agents discussed sending aerial vessels to the area of Phelps Mountain.
“Got eyes on the smoke, no eyes on the wreckage yet,” said an agent. “We’ll be landing very shortly.”
One agent speculated the fire might be more than Meeteetse personnel could handle.
“Cody (personnel) please respond to the area of Francs peak,” said one agent. “Possible plane crash that started the forest on fire.”
No other information about the crash was immediately available.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
West
'Molesters' and 'rapists' would go free under California bill, state Senate GOP warns
!['Molesters' and 'rapists' would go free under California bill, state Senate GOP warns 'Molesters' and 'rapists' would go free under California bill, state Senate GOP warns](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/California-Capitol.jpg)
FIRST ON FOX — A Democrat-led bill meant to protect prisoners from sexual violence while incarcerated in California state facilities by addressing issues related to sexual abuse could wind up reducing violent criminals’ sentences altogether, state Republicans warn.
SB 898, authored by Berkeley Democrat state Sen. Nancy Skinner, aims to enhance protections for individuals incarcerated in California state facilities by addressing issues related to sexual abuse and expanding opportunities for legal relief.
But Republicans say that a little-known provision in the bill would enable inmates serving sentences of 15 years or more to seek resentencing or release if there have been changes to sentencing guidelines since their conviction.
“And you know, they’re touting that crime is going down, but it’s because the Democrats have decriminalized crime in California,” state Sen. Brian Dahle told Fox News Digital in an interview. “And so victims of homicide, heinous sexual crimes, rape, murder, molestation of children all can come up in every three years, can go have a potential hearing to get out, whether or not they’ve been rehabilitated or not.”
EX-CALIFORNIA RESIDENT SLAMS STATE BILL THAT GIVES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HOUSING LOANS: ‘ASININE’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (AP Photo/Steven Senne/File)
Dahle said this will create a cycle of frequent hearings and petitions, which means victims will have to repeatedly attend these hearings every three years and relive the trauma inflicted upon them by the perpetrator.
Skinner dismisses the Republican criticisms, calling them “false accusations” about SB 898 that are “just the latest example of MAGA distortions and lies.”
“SB 898 is focused first and foremost on providing protections for incarcerated people who have proven to have been raped or sexually assaulted by prison guards or staff,” she told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Its additional provision merely adds defense attorneys to the existing list of those who are eligible to request a court hearing if California changes a sentencing law. SB 898 does not release anyone from prison, period.”
The California District Attorneys Association decried the bill, saying they “strenuously object to creating a revolving door of hearings for [murderers], rapists, and child molesters.”
The provision allows defense attorneys to request hearings if California ever revises prison sentences for certain crimes, but it does not automatically release anyone from prison. The hearings are not guaranteed and can be denied by judges, with no assurance that a change in sentencing guidelines would result in immediate release.
CALIFORNIA CLOSE TO APPROVING $150K LOANS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO HELP PURCHASE HOMES
![pair of hands grasping prison bars stock image](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1725230596_705_x27Molestersx27-and-x27rapistsx27-would-go-free-under-California-bill-state.png)
Meanwhile, Skinner’s bill focuses on several proposals regarding how sexual abuse and sentencing issues are handled within the California prison system. It mandates that the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation monitor incarcerated individuals who report sexual abuse for 90 days to prevent retaliation.
“If somebody’s being raped in prison, then obviously we need to isolate those incidences and do something to correct that,” Dahle said in response. “That’s been an ongoing thing since people have been put in prison. Yes, there are some bad actors, but for the most part, we’re doing as good as we can in the situations we have, but they’ve made prisons a place where it’s hard to isolate somebody.”
5 CALIFORNIA TAXES KAMALA HARRIS COULD USE TO CRUSH THE MIDDLE CLASS
![California state legislature building](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/x27Molestersx27-and-x27rapistsx27-would-go-free-under-California-bill-state.jpg)
The California State Capitol (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for National Urban League/File)
According to the Senate Republicans’ analysis of the bill, the bill “is mislabeled by Legislative Counsel as a bill primarily dealing with ‘sexual assault resentencing.’”
“That title remains from the prior version and while [it] has some remaining provisions on that topic, the most important changes the bill makes to sentencing law have nothing to do with sexual assault, other than to potentially let individuals who have committed sex crimes out of prison earlier,” the analysis reads.
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