James Holmes' psychiatrist warned others about possible threat.

After first being reported that Dr. Lynne Fenton had been sent a package detailing the attack, she now says she warned the University of Colorado Behavioral Evaluation and Threat Assessment, or BETA.

Those concerns surfaced in early June -- almost six weeks before the shooting, sources told CALL7 Investigator John Ferrugia.
Sources say Dr. Lynne Fenton, who treated Holmes this spring, contacted several members of the BETA team in separate conversations. According to the university website, the BETA team consists of "key" staff members from various CU departments who have specific expertise in dealing with assessing potential threats on campus. And, sources say, officials at the University of Colorado never contacted Aurora police with Fenton’s concerns before the July 20 killings.

“He would have to tell her he had taken steps to make it happen,” said another source.
But an expert in threat assessment told ABC News that the warning signs were there, and CU should likely have done more when Holmes quit the university.
"I think that is the signal that you should intensify your efforts -- not walk away," said Barry Spodak." Under those circumstances, most well-trained assessment teams would have gone into action."

Link

Could she have been paid, or threatend, to make her say that?

Well, Dr Drug Pad could have called the Aurora PD or Denver PD herself. She's a practicing...or is for now...MD with Psych. She,more than anyone else I've yet heard, has a hell of a lot of explaining to do. I think I'd like to start with what meds she had him on and how long ago....and end with what he was pumped full of in court to be so close to his female attorney while so comparatively far from the guards in the room. Interesting set up that was all the way around and I marveled at how fast a Psych must have been brought in. Oh... Who could have known he was already under the 'tender care' of someone stories are describing as having 10-15 Graduate Student patients for 'Medication and Therapy'.

By the way, there is a Gag order and is was universal. How is she being cited as direct source to information directly related to the case under gag? Is this a Gag order or isn't it? If it is...do just SOME people get to leak stuff or is everyone allowed a few trips outside the order? Kinda self serving to a radical extreme on this one.

Oh...I notice THIS linked story is leaving a real important detail out about the Good Dr and why I opened with the name I did. That is my opinion. This isn't opinion at all:

Aurora shooter's Doctor disciplinary record for improper distribution of Rx drugs

I guess that helps for context to why she's the one I call the top item of interest next to the shooter himself.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
I think I'd like to start with what meds she had him on and how long ago....and end with what he was pumped full of in court

I thought he was coming down from a Vicodin bender combined with his preexisting mental condition?

to be so close to his female attorney while so comparatively far from the guards in the room.

Yeah, I did think that was odd. If I were him (and thankfully I am not) I would have made a dash for the door. What are they going to do as punishment for trying to escape, jail him?

Not that him escaping would be a good thing, please don't think I am saying that.

reply to post by VoidHawk


Possibly but i feel like the most likely reason is that she's trying to save face after the media got wind of that package. She's in damage control mode, trying to save her career.

reply to post by Bodhi7


Considering that this woman was disciplined for ethics issues (concerning prescription drugs, no less), she shouldn't have a lot of credibility imho. The package containing the diary has been reported (after the fact) not to have even been opened when it's contents was alleged (the diagram of & Holmes' "plans" for the shooting).
DID she prescribe- or give him "samples" of, the vicodin Holmes claimed he had taken? Did she prescribe anything that could have potentially, sent him over the edge?
I fully expect a lot of CYA from the university, the media, & everyone involved.
He may be guilty for all I know, but it's hard to believe he acted alone at this point. Wait for it...

From the above article:

www.thedenverchannel.com...

“Fenton made initial phone calls about engaging the BETA team” in “the first 10 days” of June but it “never came together” because in the period Fenton was having conversations with team members, James Holmes began the process of dropping out of school, a source said.

In a news conference last week, CU Anschutz Medical Campus Graduate School Dean Barry Shur said Holmes dropped out of the CU Ph.D Neuroscience program on June 10th. "My understanding he has not been back on campus where the program is since that time," he said last week.

Holmes lost his access to secure areas of the school June 12, according to the CU spokeswoman.

Sources said when Holmes withdrew, the BETA team “had no control over him."

I'm not seeing what the problem is. They were unable to do anything about him because he dropped out right as they were in talks about dealing with him. He was out of their jurisdiction then.

reply to post by Kryties


Yeah i don't really think they would have been able to stop it, but the article states they never even sent the information they received from his doctor to the police. That seems like a pretty obvious first move in a situation like that, just as a precaution.

reply to post by VoidHawk

Could she have been paid, or threatend, to make her say that?

Nope just pure incompetence.

She has dropped the ball and will pay the ultimate price.

In the end it will be her fault and malpractice will be cited

Originally posted by KrytiesI'm not seeing what the problem is. They were unable to do anything about him because he dropped out right as they were in talks about dealing with him. He was out of their jurisdiction then.

That's not really the way it works. The alleged 'warning signs' occurred while he was under her care, not after he dropped out. She was and is wholly responsible for following the proper procedure, even if he quits coming to see her later.

This, if true, is a HUGE CYA move on the part of the university. If true, this is a really expensive civil lawsuit on behalf of the victims.

reply to post by Bodhi7

I think she's trying to save her life and freedom and she's well aware of the stakes. Michael Jackson's Doctor set the most recent precedent for connecting the actions of a physician playing on the edge or anything that can be construed that way and real prison carrying criminal charges.

Jackson's Doctor gets 4 years on involuntary manslaughter

Now that was for the tragic death of just the patient in an Rx related abuse issue. Umm.. This is sooo far beyond that.

Now it's100% guess work and this is a real person we're talking about with a real career...I don't know a thing and wouldn't suggest she's guilty without due process to find out. However, with that in mind, having that due process is something I might suggest is overdue for investigation at a minimum. It'd sure be something to hear later that he'd been on Rx or a combo that is known for side effects like say..Chantix is know in some people to cause real bad things. Psychotic bad things.

It doesn't lower his guilt one iota BTW...lest anyone think this path should lead there. I just wonder if, in the end, he'll be the only one to see official actions.

reply to post by samcrow


As I understand it, he has to have made specific threats before the doctor could violate Dr/Patient confidentiality privilege to inform authorities. If he made no such threats, but only gave indicators that he may be unstable, that is not enough, by law, to violate that privilege.

reply to post by Kryties


Maybe there's something i'm missing, i don't claim to know much about that field, but if she had a reason to tell this group of people, isn't that enough to inform police as well? I would assume even telling other psychiatrists would be a break of doctor/patient confidentiality.

reply to post by Bodhi7


Informing colleagues is allowed if concerns are thought to be had, but unless a specific threat is made then they cannot go outside the profession or risk violating doctor / patient confidentiality.

Originally posted by Kryties
reply to post by Bodhi7

 

Informing colleagues is allowed if concerns are thought to be had, but unless a specific threat is made then they cannot go outside the profession or risk violating doctor / patient confidentiality.

edit on 1/8/2012 by Kryties because: (no reason given)

Well then, something went very, very wrong here. Either there was a specific threat and he should have been placed under a hold (usually 72 hours) or this should have never been disclosed outside consults with other doctors/therapists.

How in the world is the media getting someone's personal medical info?

Gee, look at how they are treating Congressman Jackson - who went into rehab a few days after his friend was indicted. Not a peep mentioned with the exception of formal press releases from his staff and doctors.

reply to post by Bodhi7


In my opinion I think this is nonsense and so is this doctor! I'm surprised she has'nt been sued yet. If anyone looks like a swine, she does.

Originally posted by Daughter2

Originally posted by Kryties
reply to post by Bodhi7

 

Informing colleagues is allowed if concerns are thought to be had, but unless a specific threat is made then they cannot go outside the profession or risk violating doctor / patient confidentiality.

edit on 1/8/2012 by Kryties because: (no reason given)

Well then, something went very, very wrong here. Either there was a specific threat and he should have been placed under a hold (usually 72 hours) or this should have never been disclosed outside consults with other doctors/therapists.

How in the world is the media getting someone's personal medical info?

That's the true question here. Did someone leak info, and therefore are they liable for prosecution? Or is this another media fabrication?

Originally posted by bluemirage5
reply to post by Bodhi7

 

In my opinion I think this is nonsense and so is this doctor! I'm surprised she has'nt been sued yet. If anyone looks like a swine, she does.

And you're basing this off what information? The only info released on this doctor has been by the media, who are known for either sensationalising or just plain misreporting news in order to get a story.

Originally posted by bluemirage5
reply to post by Bodhi7

 

In my opinion I think this is nonsense and so is this doctor! I'm surprised she has'nt been sued yet. If anyone looks like a swine, she does.

Not so quick.

Do you REALLY want to send a message to schools and doctors to lock up any who seems strange?

I was wondering what "lesson" this was going to be for the masses. Gun control didn't make sense because pass shootings didn't change anything.

There are generally two groups of conspiracy theorists. The anti-government types and the alternative science types. The anti-governments types have already been labeled as dangerous. Maybe this is a way to make the other group seem dangerous too.

Perhaps this will be used to loosen the requirements on who can be committed to mental hospitals? Could be more powerful than guns to the elite.

reply to post by Daughter2


I never really thought of that angle. That's a scary thought, anyone thinking outside the box gets institutionalized.