The Orlando Sentinel reports that Steven Stryker, a Navy veteran, died after his court-appointed guardian, Rebecca Fierle, determined that he should not receive life-saving actions, despite Stryker’s desire that they be administered.
According to the Sentinel, “When investigators interviewed Fierle, she told them it was difficult to find facilities for Stryker because he was a registered sex offender.” But that “Even though it was difficult to find a facility willing to accept him due to his sex offender status, as court-appointed guardian, it remained Fierle’s responsibility to ensure the ward’s medical care needs were met.”
Stryker would likely have been alive today if he had access to a proper facility that could meet his needs. Ironically, last month the Miami Herald ran a story about the aging registrant population and just a few weeks later we see the unfortunate consequence of these laws.
Fierle is guilty of murder one.
If the official legal system does not impose the proper sentence, then it is a moral right that other means of achieving justice be found.
This has happened many times in history.
It’s good to see reporting that exposes the inhumane treatment of registered persons. Perhaps it may awaken the social conscience before our condition becomes terminal and requires a divinely decreed “DNR”.
Sent this to the reporter:
Dear Ms. Cordeiro:
Your exclusive report published today regarding guardianship abuse was an excellent read, one that reveals a growing issue in our country. I appreciate your work to expose this problem and to inform the public in a way that may very well save the lives of others who have been in the same perilous situation as Mr. Stryker.
Thank you for the kind of report that is making a real difference in the lives of your readers!
Best regards,
[name withheld]
James – you always step up. It’s sincerely appreciated.
I can’t see this as anything more than murder committed by a callous and lazy court-appointed guardian. This woman took it in her own hands to put this man to death. If she was honest, she probably has a deep-seated hatred for any sort of “sexual offender”. I hope the family of this man WHO SERVED HIS COUNTRY ONLY TO BE CRAPPED ON AT EVERY TURN can sue everyone involved in this travesty to the point not one of them will be left with a pot to pee in.
Thanks for all your posts and comments regarding this. Does anyone know who the reporter is in Miami that did a story recently?
Also, anyone know any law firm that they have had dealings with that might take this case. Daughter was turned down by Morgan and Morgan (For the People) and we are anxious to find an attorney to help.
Linda,
The story can be found here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article231296693.html
The Journalist was Meryl Kornfield, you can write to her at: [email protected] or [email protected] (for the editor).
send an email to [email protected] and we’ll see what we can do to get you some legal help.
Taking away a RSO’s life is the intent of the State
There is only one solution end the public registry, punish 1 time at the sentencing level. Law enforcement keeps their tabs on who they know is dangerous anyway and stopping by my house probing is an invasion of privacy. Taking a forced statement 2-4 times a year is illegal as I have no right to remain silent. They need to read us our Miranda rights before we register because we are under investigation based on what alot of times is a plea of connivence obtained through intimidation. Dealing with uniformed cops unwarranted is punishment to anyone and mimic probation as we are under duress by men with guns and handcuffs. I shouldn’t have to deal with anyone I don’t want in my free life. If they have a private registry I get that and a private company or agency of trained professionals that actually help the situation of the right to freedom and have a plan and are trained thats one thing this is counter productive and harmful in everyones lives and everyones lives associated in behalf of the accused and in some cases proves more dangerous to the public. Treatment professionals should be sued having the right to choose lives they treat is sicking. Whats next the EMS pulls up sees your ID and goes and works on someone else less in need. The tag on our ID is an indicator to treat someone different because law enforcement without cause, investigation or professional observation is now freelance psychiatric professionals to tell everyone your bad is slander. Period
To me, there are two different issues here. The first is the actions taken by Ms. Fierre. In my opinion, she should be prosecuted. Period. The second is the statement she made about it “being difficult to find a place that will take a sex offender”. She is right about that. I shared information regarding this in a June 20 thread that basically there is only ONE place in the state that will take an aging sex offender who has health issues. This was brought to my attention by my probation officer speaking to one of my roommates (a veteran and has health issues).
This second (and larger) issue of there not being a place is in effect a death sentence to anyone on the registry who needs long-term medical assistance. For that, I place the blame on the owners of the private facilities as well as the lawmakers who place unfounded residency restrictions upon us. Maybe if we start charging them with involuntary manslaughter for every registrant who dies because care could not be found? An idea?
I don’t know why the woman wasn’t charge with murder!! wtf? Sounds like a cover up!!
Here’s my answer to your question. She was court-appointed and therefore had some sort of relationship to the state of Florida. That being the case, they’re not about to do anything that would reflect badly on the state. She as much as put a gun to the head of that man and pulled the trigger. She with malice of forethought did everything in her power to keep this man’s daughter from helping him and very possibly saving his life. The court-appointed guardian was intent on preventing this man from getting any help. Pure and simple, this wicked, subhuman wench wanted him dead. She got what she wanted and intended. Now she should have an appointment with FLA’s death chamber if they have one.
Steve had a many decades long history of alcohol abuse. He suffered from PTSD after his tour in Vietnam. What led him to become a registered sex offender was for indecent exposure. He was driving back from a McDonalds in a nightshirt. He was also drinking at the time. He crashed his vehicle and ended up slumped over the wheel. At the time that he was extracted, he had his take out all over himself and of course was pretty much naked from the waist down.
Sex offenders end up as such for many reasons. I agree with your comments. It is very, very hard to remove this stigmata that offenders are left with. It is a huge problem to find placement as offenders need long term care or assisted living.
Rebecca, the guardian, knew that Steve had a place to go to. We were making arrangements to bring him to our home which was documented by the VA social worker, law enforcement, home health and of course Florida Hospital, who knew of the discharge plans. Instead, he was sent off to an ALF in Tampa who couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t smoke and kept him away from his providers at the Tampa VAMC. Smoking would damage this man’s already compromised esophagus. Florida Hospital didn’t care – out the door he went.
Instead, I was turned into DCF and Florida Hospital told the judge in their petition for guardianship that “Daughter’s whereabouts were unknown…” Complete lie.
They successful got me out of the way as DPOA and kept the family from getting involved so the guardianship would be approved.
By the time I cleared my name and family was involved, the guardian was already in place. Apparently this is a practice that is rampant.
Linda – we are sorry for your loss. There are grievous wrongs taking place throughout the state’s departments. DCF and the guardianship system is no exception. Children, elderly, the physically and mentally impaired are abused by “the system” as much as they are abused by any individual.
The shame here is that if Steve had options and could have gone to a facility close to home or a more caring environment, this possibly wouldn’t have happened. We need to work to fix that.
I hope you will bring his case to the attention of the Miami Herald writer who broke the story last month. Steve is a victim of this system.
Linda this is horrible. I’m sorry for your loss. Please don’t give up on this and get justice for Steve. Those details you mentioned need to be published and circulated.
wow. I’m reading this and just astonished. That court appointed guardian literally killed this man. There is no other way you can slice this. Making a decision for someone who was capable of deciding himself if he wanted to live or not and even expressed concerns himself about the order that she herself wrote. What the hell ? Charges against this vile woman should easily be Felony Murder.
Here is my take on all the post ever about sex offenders. If the judge has wanted us to have a life sentence for our offenses, we would have gotten that. But the law makers turned around years after our sentences and basically sentenced all of us to not only a life sentence of punishment and misery but putting ours and our families lives in danger every time we leave the house. How embarrassing to go to see a doctor and the person at the front desk asking for your I.D and a huge Fla Statue stamped across the front like a scarlet letter.
She had 98 other wards. Not anymore. The court has stripped her of them all.
Would you please cite an official source that tells this murderous woman has been stripped of all her wards?
The source is linked above.
Something needs to be done. Is anyone getting any messages in there brain that this is not the way it’s supposed to be. It is nothing but total disruption of humanity. It is insane to say the least. It all reminds me of Sadam Hussain the Irag dictator. At anytime now they will be winning us up and shooting us and throwing us in a big pit in the ground on top of one another. That is how I feel, that the so called law makers just don’t care what happens, and there doing everything they can to prove it!. Are they listening to any of what’s we’re about and all of our misery?. Is anyone in Tallahassee a little concerned that there is a very serious problem with the laws they are constantly adding?. There are so many good people that don’t deserve what there dealing with!!. It just keeps going on and on and on. This BS could be the most terrorizing inhuman situation that the US has ever done to it’s on people!. What in the hell is the matter with the people that are supposed to be Leaders of our state, to help the helpless!. Not condemn the people that have been cooperative as supposed to according to there sentencing, but to an overdue process to where they are left to live out into the elements without proper needs to be a rehabilitated person and to hopefully live a decent life for there remainder of life and love as much as possible!. Comparing to the way it was before the registry was ever an idea from another person or group of persons to see fit cause to treat the same as they are as humans!!.
Our government and its politicians have been using scare tactics for political and financial gain for as long as we have been a country. Its been done with the African American population and the prison complex, the gay population as monsters that spread AIDS. Aids patients in the 80’s were once demonized and not allowed to go to school as children and the adults were not allowed to work anywhere if it was known they were infected. Politicians have always taken the once in a while rare case and blew it up just to have a platform and win some votes. That gets you things like the Jessica Lunsford act, Adam Walsh, ect ect. They grandstand to voters and say (vote for me and I’ll stop this problem). They have been doing this for decades and its not about to stop. They do not care if this man or any other man dies because of bad policies put in place because they or another politician voted it into law. They grandstand and ask for votes to fix a problem. Then when its finally realized they made a terrible decision that only hurts people. They will do the same thing again promising to fix it. It’s the same cycle repeated over and over. The only real change will come when we, including me start to confront, inform and stand up legally and intelligently to law makers and our local representatives. It will take some time. But it’s the only way we will stop this kind of senseless tragedies from happening. Thank God that groups like FAC and Narsol exist.
The court appointed guarding should have charges brought against her. She made the decision that he was not going to get the care he needed. And she did this as a court-appointed guardian. In other words, if I read this article correctly, she chose to let him die as the person the court selected to ensure his well being.
Why is she not in jail? She is responsible for his death.
Just how long will this go on until there are changes to this punishment
They want us all to either die or go to prison for life. Some tolerate is, many despise us and others hate us to the point of vigilantism
His family should sue the state and his case worker. This is sad beyond words.