TB Patient Flees U.S. "Abuse" For Russia
Had Been In Solitary Confinement In Arizona Hospital Ward Since August 2006
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(CBS/iStockphoto)
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Robert Daniels, 27, who was suffering from a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis after returning from Russia last year, had been placed in solitary confinement in a Maricopa Medical Center jail ward in August 2006 under court order after medical authorities complained he had endangered others.
He underwent lung surgery last month and doctors ruled that Daniels, who holds Russian and American citizenship, was no longer contagious. He had been living in a Phoenix-area motel under monitoring by Maricopa County Public Health officials for the past few weeks.
Attorney Linda Cosme said Daniels sent her an e-mail from Moscow after arriving there on a flight Sunday.
"He apologized," Cosme said. "Essentially, he could not take the abuse from the county. He felt threatened (by Sheriff Joe Arpaio). He just couldn't take it any more."
Following complaints from health officials, a judge had ruled Daniels recklessly exposed others to his illness by going out in public without a mask.
While in custody, the authorities treated Daniels as an inmate, confining him in isolation and under video surveillance most of the time. Daniels was not given a phone, shower, television or other comforts.
Maybe now they (the public) will understand this guy is untrustworthy.
Sheriff Joe ArpaioArpaio said he believes Daniels was under court order not to leave the U.S.
"Maybe now they (the public) will understand this guy is untrustworthy," Arpaio told The Arizona Republic for its Tuesday editions. "He lies . . . and he skipped. What, did the heat get too much for him? He had to run to Russia?"
Daniels was born in Moscow to an American father and Russian mother.
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Your statement is dead on the money, he should be locked up for a reason, with TB almost gone why would he want to bring it back?
Living in US i realized that the place is not for humans at all, i left that country and i am happy being in Russia, i feel sorry for that guy, that he had to go through all this bs in his own country, everyone would do the same thing to flee the country, if there is no human relationship and hate from government!
What are we not a humans something to say that in public?
Or you hate us that much as a Russian citizens?
Well who ever you are, shame on you!
For the person who fled the US country i feel bad for him, having to go through all the bs in United States, course they don''t really respect people at all and they have no love for humans being!
I move out myself from US and tell ya i feel great leaving that country, after living 6 years in anger and hate from government.
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Well, I think that the celebrity has gone to Mr. Arpaio''s head. To treat a person like a hardened criminal just because he is sick is pretty goofy. And when a person "runs to Russia" to avoid oppresion in the US, you KNOW something is effed up!
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It is refreshing to have a dedicated official like Sheriff Arpaio actually ENFORCE the law. Beats those others that see "law enforcement" as just "eating donuts".
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