please forward: NAMI embezzler says she was mentally ill

[Guest guest]

Below is article about a NAMI official going to

prison for embezzlement of NAMI funds.

This is the scandal that MindFreedom member

Carole Willey has done just a great job in

monitoring and investigating.

I don't know if this article has been posted yet,

but wanted to be sure -- please feel free to forward.

Note the irony -- she tried to plead insanity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Olympian, Olympia Washington

Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Lacey woman gets jail time for embezzlement

$169,000 was stolen from advocates for mentally ill

by SCOTT GUTIERREZ -- _THE OLYMPIAN _

OLYMPIA --A judge sentenced a Lacey woman to 20 months behind bars Tuesday

for embezzling $169,000 from Washington state's chapter of the National

Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

L. Warren, 42, was the organization's office manager and bookkeeper

accused of writing 40 checks to herself during a two-year period, ending

last November. She pleaded guilty last month to seven counts of first-degree

theft.

During a morning hearing in Thurston County Superior Court, Warren stood

with her attorney to ask for a lenient sentence, arguing that she, too,

suffered from a mental disorder that significantly affected her

decision-making.

Representatives from NAMI, a nonprofit group that advocates for the mentally

ill, attended Tuesday's hearing. Some said they were offended by what they

viewed as Warren's attempt to blame her mental illness for criminal

behavior.

" We fight stigmas every day. So not only did she steal from us, but she

blames her illness and promotes stigma, " said Jadwisiak, president of

the state chapter's board of directors. " To me, that was the most

reprehensible thing she did. "

Prosecutors originally filed 40 counts of theft but agreed to reduce the

charges in exchange for Warren's guilty pleas last month.

Warren's defense attorney, Deborah , had asked the judge to impose a

90-day jail sentence in consideration of her client's status as a first-time

offender and her mental illness.

Under state sentencing guidelines, Warren faced 17 to 22 months'

imprisonment. Judge McPhee rejected pleas for a lighter sentence,

finding that the crime was too drastic to justify leeway for a first-time

offense.

The judge also received letters from Warren's relatives, including her

sister and mother, and a few former colleagues that illustrated her health

problems. They pointed out that she takes medication to prevent blood clots

and epilepsy and worried that jail might worsen her health, according to

court documents.

Supporters implored the judge to consider that Warren had started medication

and therapy for her depression and that she was making significant progress.

They worried that incarcerating Warren for a long period of time would

reverse the gains she had made.

The first checks were written for $500, but the amounts grew to as large as

$5,170. According to prosecutors, Warren used the money to pay for Internet

shopping and to send to a boyfriend in Alabama.

" I thought it was a sad situation. Her actions devastated this agency, "

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney ph Wheeler said. A restitution

hearing will be set at a later date, he said.

The amount of money stolen was about equal to the organization's annual

budget, said Jadwisiak, the chapter president.

The loss prompted the state to suspend its contracts with NAMI and scared

away several private funding sources, which drastically reduced the amount

of activities and lobbying efforts usually conducted by the organization,

Jadwisiak said.

After the missing funds were reported last year, the national organization

ordered state officers to resign and replaced them with a new board.

The organization is in the process of rebuilding, although local NAMI

affiliates have continued their work, she said.

" As an organization, we have moved past this. We've tried to reframe this as

an extraordinary opportunity to rebuild this organization, " she said.

Gutierrez covers crime and public safety for The Olympian. He can be

reached at 360-754-5465 or sgutierr@....

©2003 The Olympian

--

_________________________________________________________________

There are now three new levels of MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! Learn more.

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[Guest guest]

Below is article about a NAMI official going to

prison for embezzlement of NAMI funds.

This is the scandal that MindFreedom member

Carole Willey has done just a great job in

monitoring and investigating.

I don't know if this article has been posted yet,

but wanted to be sure -- please feel free to forward.

Note the irony -- she tried to plead insanity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Olympian, Olympia Washington

Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Lacey woman gets jail time for embezzlement

$169,000 was stolen from advocates for mentally ill

by SCOTT GUTIERREZ -- _THE OLYMPIAN _

OLYMPIA --A judge sentenced a Lacey woman to 20 months behind bars Tuesday

for embezzling $169,000 from Washington state's chapter of the National

Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

L. Warren, 42, was the organization's office manager and bookkeeper

accused of writing 40 checks to herself during a two-year period, ending

last November. She pleaded guilty last month to seven counts of first-degree

theft.

During a morning hearing in Thurston County Superior Court, Warren stood

with her attorney to ask for a lenient sentence, arguing that she, too,

suffered from a mental disorder that significantly affected her

decision-making.

Representatives from NAMI, a nonprofit group that advocates for the mentally

ill, attended Tuesday's hearing. Some said they were offended by what they

viewed as Warren's attempt to blame her mental illness for criminal

behavior.

" We fight stigmas every day. So not only did she steal from us, but she

blames her illness and promotes stigma, " said Jadwisiak, president of

the state chapter's board of directors. " To me, that was the most

reprehensible thing she did. "

Prosecutors originally filed 40 counts of theft but agreed to reduce the

charges in exchange for Warren's guilty pleas last month.

Warren's defense attorney, Deborah , had asked the judge to impose a

90-day jail sentence in consideration of her client's status as a first-time

offender and her mental illness.

Under state sentencing guidelines, Warren faced 17 to 22 months'

imprisonment. Judge McPhee rejected pleas for a lighter sentence,

finding that the crime was too drastic to justify leeway for a first-time

offense.

The judge also received letters from Warren's relatives, including her

sister and mother, and a few former colleagues that illustrated her health

problems. They pointed out that she takes medication to prevent blood clots

and epilepsy and worried that jail might worsen her health, according to

court documents.

Supporters implored the judge to consider that Warren had started medication

and therapy for her depression and that she was making significant progress.

They worried that incarcerating Warren for a long period of time would

reverse the gains she had made.

The first checks were written for $500, but the amounts grew to as large as

$5,170. According to prosecutors, Warren used the money to pay for Internet

shopping and to send to a boyfriend in Alabama.

" I thought it was a sad situation. Her actions devastated this agency, "

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney ph Wheeler said. A restitution

hearing will be set at a later date, he said.

The amount of money stolen was about equal to the organization's annual

budget, said Jadwisiak, the chapter president.

The loss prompted the state to suspend its contracts with NAMI and scared

away several private funding sources, which drastically reduced the amount

of activities and lobbying efforts usually conducted by the organization,

Jadwisiak said.

After the missing funds were reported last year, the national organization

ordered state officers to resign and replaced them with a new board.

The organization is in the process of rebuilding, although local NAMI

affiliates have continued their work, she said.

" As an organization, we have moved past this. We've tried to reframe this as

an extraordinary opportunity to rebuild this organization, " she said.

Gutierrez covers crime and public safety for The Olympian. He can be

reached at 360-754-5465 or sgutierr@....

©2003 The Olympian

--

_________________________________________________________________

There are now three new levels of MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! Learn more.

http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us & page=hotmail/es2 & ST=1

[Guest guest]

Below is article about a NAMI official going to

prison for embezzlement of NAMI funds.

This is the scandal that MindFreedom member

Carole Willey has done just a great job in

monitoring and investigating.

I don't know if this article has been posted yet,

but wanted to be sure -- please feel free to forward.

Note the irony -- she tried to plead insanity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Olympian, Olympia Washington

Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Lacey woman gets jail time for embezzlement

$169,000 was stolen from advocates for mentally ill

by SCOTT GUTIERREZ -- _THE OLYMPIAN _

OLYMPIA --A judge sentenced a Lacey woman to 20 months behind bars Tuesday

for embezzling $169,000 from Washington state's chapter of the National

Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

L. Warren, 42, was the organization's office manager and bookkeeper

accused of writing 40 checks to herself during a two-year period, ending

last November. She pleaded guilty last month to seven counts of first-degree

theft.

During a morning hearing in Thurston County Superior Court, Warren stood

with her attorney to ask for a lenient sentence, arguing that she, too,

suffered from a mental disorder that significantly affected her

decision-making.

Representatives from NAMI, a nonprofit group that advocates for the mentally

ill, attended Tuesday's hearing. Some said they were offended by what they

viewed as Warren's attempt to blame her mental illness for criminal

behavior.

" We fight stigmas every day. So not only did she steal from us, but she

blames her illness and promotes stigma, " said Jadwisiak, president of

the state chapter's board of directors. " To me, that was the most

reprehensible thing she did. "

Prosecutors originally filed 40 counts of theft but agreed to reduce the

charges in exchange for Warren's guilty pleas last month.

Warren's defense attorney, Deborah , had asked the judge to impose a

90-day jail sentence in consideration of her client's status as a first-time

offender and her mental illness.

Under state sentencing guidelines, Warren faced 17 to 22 months'

imprisonment. Judge McPhee rejected pleas for a lighter sentence,

finding that the crime was too drastic to justify leeway for a first-time

offense.

The judge also received letters from Warren's relatives, including her

sister and mother, and a few former colleagues that illustrated her health

problems. They pointed out that she takes medication to prevent blood clots

and epilepsy and worried that jail might worsen her health, according to

court documents.

Supporters implored the judge to consider that Warren had started medication

and therapy for her depression and that she was making significant progress.

They worried that incarcerating Warren for a long period of time would

reverse the gains she had made.

The first checks were written for $500, but the amounts grew to as large as

$5,170. According to prosecutors, Warren used the money to pay for Internet

shopping and to send to a boyfriend in Alabama.

" I thought it was a sad situation. Her actions devastated this agency, "

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney ph Wheeler said. A restitution

hearing will be set at a later date, he said.

The amount of money stolen was about equal to the organization's annual

budget, said Jadwisiak, the chapter president.

The loss prompted the state to suspend its contracts with NAMI and scared

away several private funding sources, which drastically reduced the amount

of activities and lobbying efforts usually conducted by the organization,

Jadwisiak said.

After the missing funds were reported last year, the national organization

ordered state officers to resign and replaced them with a new board.

The organization is in the process of rebuilding, although local NAMI

affiliates have continued their work, she said.

" As an organization, we have moved past this. We've tried to reframe this as

an extraordinary opportunity to rebuild this organization, " she said.

Gutierrez covers crime and public safety for The Olympian. He can be

reached at 360-754-5465 or sgutierr@....

©2003 The Olympian

--

_________________________________________________________________

There are now three new levels of MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! Learn more.

http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us & page=hotmail/es2 & ST=1

[Guest guest]

Below is article about a NAMI official going to

prison for embezzlement of NAMI funds.

This is the scandal that MindFreedom member

Carole Willey has done just a great job in

monitoring and investigating.

I don't know if this article has been posted yet,

but wanted to be sure -- please feel free to forward.

Note the irony -- she tried to plead insanity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Olympian, Olympia Washington

Wednesday, December 3, 2003

Lacey woman gets jail time for embezzlement

$169,000 was stolen from advocates for mentally ill

by SCOTT GUTIERREZ -- _THE OLYMPIAN _

OLYMPIA --A judge sentenced a Lacey woman to 20 months behind bars Tuesday

for embezzling $169,000 from Washington state's chapter of the National

Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

L. Warren, 42, was the organization's office manager and bookkeeper

accused of writing 40 checks to herself during a two-year period, ending

last November. She pleaded guilty last month to seven counts of first-degree

theft.

During a morning hearing in Thurston County Superior Court, Warren stood

with her attorney to ask for a lenient sentence, arguing that she, too,

suffered from a mental disorder that significantly affected her

decision-making.

Representatives from NAMI, a nonprofit group that advocates for the mentally

ill, attended Tuesday's hearing. Some said they were offended by what they

viewed as Warren's attempt to blame her mental illness for criminal

behavior.

" We fight stigmas every day. So not only did she steal from us, but she

blames her illness and promotes stigma, " said Jadwisiak, president of

the state chapter's board of directors. " To me, that was the most

reprehensible thing she did. "

Prosecutors originally filed 40 counts of theft but agreed to reduce the

charges in exchange for Warren's guilty pleas last month.

Warren's defense attorney, Deborah , had asked the judge to impose a

90-day jail sentence in consideration of her client's status as a first-time

offender and her mental illness.

Under state sentencing guidelines, Warren faced 17 to 22 months'

imprisonment. Judge McPhee rejected pleas for a lighter sentence,

finding that the crime was too drastic to justify leeway for a first-time

offense.

The judge also received letters from Warren's relatives, including her

sister and mother, and a few former colleagues that illustrated her health

problems. They pointed out that she takes medication to prevent blood clots

and epilepsy and worried that jail might worsen her health, according to

court documents.

Supporters implored the judge to consider that Warren had started medication

and therapy for her depression and that she was making significant progress.

They worried that incarcerating Warren for a long period of time would

reverse the gains she had made.

The first checks were written for $500, but the amounts grew to as large as

$5,170. According to prosecutors, Warren used the money to pay for Internet

shopping and to send to a boyfriend in Alabama.

" I thought it was a sad situation. Her actions devastated this agency, "

Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney ph Wheeler said. A restitution

hearing will be set at a later date, he said.

The amount of money stolen was about equal to the organization's annual

budget, said Jadwisiak, the chapter president.

The loss prompted the state to suspend its contracts with NAMI and scared

away several private funding sources, which drastically reduced the amount

of activities and lobbying efforts usually conducted by the organization,

Jadwisiak said.

After the missing funds were reported last year, the national organization

ordered state officers to resign and replaced them with a new board.

The organization is in the process of rebuilding, although local NAMI

affiliates have continued their work, she said.

" As an organization, we have moved past this. We've tried to reframe this as

an extraordinary opportunity to rebuild this organization, " she said.

Gutierrez covers crime and public safety for The Olympian. He can be

reached at 360-754-5465 or sgutierr@....

©2003 The Olympian

--

_________________________________________________________________

There are now three new levels of MSN Hotmail Extra Storage! Learn more.

http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us & page=hotmail/es2 & ST=1