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My Friend Is Gone


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 11, 2006, 1:53 PM
My best friend and I started downt he same road of addiction. It all ended last year. I went to jail in July 2004 for selling meth & pain pills. I did 6months jail time and have remained sober since July 13, 2004.
We had done all drugs including heroin togeather. She went to jail in August. The follwing is the story of how she died in custody. The story was printed in the local paper Monday. I am sad why her and not me I miss her so much.
Misty Johnson died Sept. 1, 2004, while in custody. Her family is suing people who at the time were Salt Lake or Utah county jail staffers. (Photo courtesy of Parker & McConkie law firm)
The family of a woman who died while in the custody of jail staff from Utah and Salt Lake counties is suing the employees for allegedly failing to give the woman medical attention. Misty Johnson was pronounced dead when she arrived at the Salt Lake County jail on Sept. 1, 2004, after being transferred from the Utah County jail, where the 26-year-old woman had been held for about five days. A lawsuit filed by her family claims the jail employees' negligence killed her. "They let her die," said Diana Peterson, Misty Johnson's mother. "If there would have been one caring adult person there, they could have saved her." Peter Stirba, who represents the Utah County employees, said his clients "are deeply saddened by the events leading to Johnson's death." He would not comment further. The suit, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed in 3rd District Court by Peterson, Johnson's father, Jeff Brisk, and Johnson's 4-year-old son, Wyatt Ryan Johnson. Johnson was arrested in Utah County on Aug. 27, 2004, on theft charges. During the booking process, she told jail officials that she was "sick coming off of heroin," and that she suffered from a heart condition - mitral valve prolapse, according to jail records provided to The Salt Lake Tribune by the family. A Utah County Sheriff's Office investigation found that several jail employees, including nurses and doctors, witnessed Johnson vomiting and urinating on herself. Several employees reported to investigators that Johnson appeared weak and unable to stand, walk, or sit on her own while in custody. But Johnson's behavior was apparently dismissed as sickness associated with the drugs and her weakness attributed to a "passive resistance technique that inmates use when they don't want to be moved," according to the investigation. "She was obviously not well, but no one withdrawing from heroin is. [Two of the nurses] felt that she would be OK once she had completed the withdrawals," wrote Sgt. Alan Lisonbee in a report. The theft charges from Utah County were dropped and Johnson was scheduled to be transferred to the Salt Lake County jail where she faced an outstanding warrant for auto theft. On the morning of Sept. 1, Johnson sat in a holding cell waiting to be transferred. She was shivering and wet with urine and vomit, according to the suit. "Instead of transporting Ms. Johnson to a hospital for emergency care or even summoning a physician to treat Ms. Johnson, the defendants were simply determined to press ahead with plans to have Ms. Johnson transported away to Salt Lake County," states the lawsuit. Inmate Brookelyn Gillyan said in a written statement that she saw two deputies hold Johnson upright as they shackled her. "When they got ready to take her to the van, she couldn't stand up and she was gurgling and she urinated on herself," Gillyan wrote. One of the deputies yelled at Gillyan, "Do you want to end up like this? Like white trash?" A video surveillance tape shows three deputies hoisting Johnson into the Salt Lake County transport van, according to the family's attorney, Brad Parker. Inmate Steve Fenstermaker was in the van. In his written statement to Utah County sheriff's investigators, he reported, "I thought from the first time I seen her that she was dead. . . . She never made any sounds or moved anytime during [the trip to Salt Lake City]." Peterson said her daughter grew up in Heber and graduated from Wasatch High School with a 3.9 grade point average. She married and had a son. "Wyatt was her whole everything," Peterson said. Johnson was divorced three years later. A year before she died, she met a man who introduced her to drugs, Peterson said. The auto theft warrant in Salt Lake County stemmed from the man's use of Johnson's license plates to drive another car, Peterson said. Johnson was in the car when they were pulled over and was arrested. "She just needed a little help. When I heard she was in jail, I was glad she was in there," Peterson said. "I thought, 'Misty, you're going to pay for your mistakes the hard way.' But not that hard." The suit seeks unspecified damages to be determined at trial from individuals who, at the time of Johnson's imprisonment, were Utah County jail employees, including Victoria Dickinson, deputies Richard Ehlert, Tracy Maestas, Shawna McCarley, Jared Nelson, Ryan Waite, physician Randy Kim Oliver, nurses Syd Shoell Sally Randal and Mark Worthington. The suit also names Salt Lake County jail employee and van driver Craig Caroll as well as several "John Does


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My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


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Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 11, 2006, 4:33 PM
....justjane....
....im very sorry for your friends loss...thats a horrible way to lose a life...im very saddened by your story...and im disgraced how she was treated...we.re scum of the earth in most eyes of the law..and thats exactly how they treat us...with total disregard for our health..it.s probably only the intervention of more sympathetic officers or police doctors that more life have,nt been lost in custody due to health reasons brought on by withdrawals..?.....you obviously held your friend close to your heart..and must of been devastated when you heard of her death...im pleased that you remained sober through the sad times you,ve had..it proves you are a very strong women..and an inspiration to us all.....your post proves just one more sad story of the way we are treated.. in or out of custody by some of the people in uniform......white trash we may be..but we are also human...sometime i think who is the worst....the addict..or the law in their feelings towards the addict....peace to ya in life......robbie

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..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..
sub user






Posted: January 11, 2006, 9:36 PM
Thank-you for posting ANOTHER story of someone who died while withdrawing in jail.
I'm sorry for your loss of a friend.
This happened to someone in our town also.
Another person that I know, detoxed while in jail (and lived), then when he got out, he used his "normal" (whatever was normal for him), amount of heroin, and he immediately overdosed and died.
This happens all over the USA, also, the lawsuit happen too.
Maybe someday, one of the lawsuits will require that jails actually DO SOMETHING to prevent it from happening.
Too many people have a warped view of detoxing in jail, family members, and even victims of this treatment come out of it thankfull that they were locked-up and able to get clean.
I also had a friend who's family was so ashamed that she died from an od, that they didn't let anyone know. (when she died)
Nobody reached-out to help the family or the kids--if she had cancer, or died in a fire, in our community, people would have had a fund-raiser at least, and supported the family.
I didn't find-out 'till a couple of years later that she was gone--(I guess I was busy in my own addiction/problems).
Her kids act like they are ashamed of themselves because their mom was a "drug-addict".
She was a good mom who was only trying to not be sick so that she could take care of her family.
I hope that the nurse & people who let your friend suffer and die like that get what they deserve.



Posts: 164
Joined: June 26, 2005


Posted: January 11, 2006, 11:34 PM
I don't even know what to say after reading that post. I do know that it made me extremely angry. I hope her family bankrupts that city from there law suit.

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I can quit anytime. I did it a million times.


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 10:32 AM
Thanks for you support it's just what I needed.

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 10:37 AM
I appreciate the friendship I have found here. You all have good advice. I have one more thing that is bothering me. Misty was my best friend. However, after my release from jail and her death. I did not contact the family or her child. Who was my child in essence. Due to the fact that I used drugs with the husband and felt that it would be detrimental to my recovery. I feel terribly guilty about it in some sense. Though I've listened to my inner guidence and remained out of contact. A part of me would love to see them all again. I am 18 months sober. Should I continue to stay away? I know the answer in my heart. I am closing that chapter in my life. I love them all but I value my sobriety. Thanks for listening to my ramble.

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 1:21 PM
....justjane....it must seem to you...do i .or .don,t. i..?....maybe you could find out if the husband is still using...or even just try to see the daughter on her own if you did,nt want to see the husband of your friend.!!.or even if you feel strong enough to see them both at their house..and be able to walk away afterwards without getting the urge to becoming to involved with them again...then again visiting them may not work out the way you hope it would..take care of yourself anyway..and peace to ya....robbie...

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..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 2:47 PM
Father of one thank your for your interest. Wondering what is your clean time? You sound so caring. I've noticed your posts and you seem to have a genuine intrest in others that I am impressed by. I can't figure out how to contact you direct. So I post my reply here. Anyway, I am clean a little over a year. I still find it a bit scary to contact other users/prior users. I wonder how long it will take for that to pass. I am sure it is an idividual thing I just wonder if compassion is a learned thing or does it come in time? You are amazing to me.

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 3:14 PM
...Thanx justjane...
...im only at 1 month clean...but thats a massive step for me..!!!..i,d imagine all addicts tend to stay away from users or people they use to use with.....but i have some long time old school friends who still use at the moment...and even though we don,t hang together no more...i still talk to them when i see them...after all...we had good times when we were not using and had good times when using...but at the end of the day..they are genuine friends who i grew up with....so i.don,t pass them on the street when i see them...as long as i am strong enough in myself to steer clear of what they do...then they will remain my friends......maybe compassion is an individual thing...but for me..i think what i went though with drugs..and now im clean..has made me more compassionate..towards other people..maybe it,s because of the compassion and understanding i recieved why i was on drugs from family and friends..?..i appreciate your kind words to me..very nice of you to say them.!!..im normally on here justjane...so anytime you need to talk...no problem....i just don,t want to give my e.mail address out on here.as someone else pays the account for me..and the e.mail is in my son,s name aswell...but anytime..you want to give me yours...then thats not a problem..either....nice talking with you...robbie..

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..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 3:25 PM
Good job on the clean time. I am sure that your natural compasion will go along way in accordance with that. You seem to be a very sensitive caring man. I usually have man issues due to the fact I have been with alot of **sholes. Nice to see one that isn't. Rage on in recovery friend.

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 3978
Joined: June 30, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 3:44 PM
Jane... The girl that i used to drug with also has a daughter. We all did everything together. She was like family to me. Although i still care for them and wish only the best for them... i know that i cannot see them again. Even if she is clean i know that just hanging out with her would be a major trigger for me. It's up to you though... you might be able to find out if he is clean and if he is you might be okay in seeing them. Think about it for a while and pray about it. The right answer will come. Love and God Bless, Bri :)

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"Broken bones can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever"
-Jessamyn West

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Gandhi



Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 3:56 PM
....justjane...i have on here..probably said a few things that were,nt in good taste to others...but my emotions get the better of me somedays...i hope you did,nt have to much of a bad time with men...i,ve never used any kind of physical violence towards a women...but we have had our fair share of arguments.even the police were called by the neighbours sometimes..but some of them have given as good as they,ve got verbally....are you from the.u.s.a. justjane...im always curious where people are from when i speak to them..im from london myself....robbie....

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..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 4:47 PM
I am from Utah, U.S.A. Your far away from me but we have a connection

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 4:56 PM
....thats for sure...also our words can connect in seconds...i know there are a few bad things to do with the internet..but the majority is all good clean stuff..you know wot i mean.?..your all them thousands of miles away..but on here it feels like we,re in the same room...don,t know where we,d all be without it somedays..?...robbie..

--------------------
..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..


Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 5:40 PM
....justjane...
....when you read this ..can you let me know how the caase went on your friend.....im not interested in the money side...i just wanna know if her relatives got got the result they were looking for....robbie

--------------------
..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 5:42 PM
It is still in the process so I will keep you posted. Your a good man for your interest. Thanks friend.

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 1989
Joined: December 12, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 5:50 PM
....no problem.....anytime.....robbie...

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..Be good to one another..coz wot goes round comes round..


Posts: 1482
Joined: March 6, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 6:20 PM
Jane sending big ((((HUGS)))) your way!!

Carol


Posts: 3076
Joined: January 11, 2006


Posted: January 12, 2006, 6:28 PM
Thanks Carol. This site has been amazing for working through this. I appreciate the sincerety of all the people here. Including yourself.

--------------------
My success story

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.
Human beings have the awesome ability
to take any experience of their lives
and create a meaning that disempowers them
or one that can literally save their lives.

- Anthony Robbins


Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder where I've gone wrong. Then a little voice inside my head says,
"This is going to take more than one night."


"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in."
-Leonard Cohen


user posted image


Posts: 2606
Joined: August 18, 2005


Posted: January 12, 2006, 7:38 PM
Jane
Im sorry for your loss
Im sure this happens all to often and is swept under the rug because most junkies in prison(& from what I understand this was no max prison) have very little ties to anyone on the outside ,so it makes it easy for the authorities to hide tragedys like this
From my experiances,and Im no Jim Frey,I can tell you that the CO,s(correction officers) look down with little compassion on the suffering addict- - it just another hassle for them.
I see you printed both first and last names in your anger.Now where is the Assoc. Press. when they have a real story to take from our site and chance to hold people acountable!

Much love & respect to you in your sadness
jack

This post has been edited by jackofhartzz on January 12, 2006, 7:42 PM

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"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."
— Hunter S. Thompson[COLOR=blue]
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