Nurse Charged with Sex Act of Brain-Damaged Patient

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Brent Wheeler

OLATHE, Kan. – A nurse is facing a charge of aggravated sodomy for an alleged sex act with a brain-damaged patient at a Johnson County rehabilitation facility.

Prosecutors say 39-year-old Brent Wheeler of Lawrence made his initial court appearance Wednesday stemming from the alleged incident last December the facility in Gardner.

In the DA’s complaint, it states that Wheeler did unlawfully and knowingly commit sodomy with a brain-damaged patient.

Wheeler is in jail on $100,000 bond.

© YellowBrix 2008

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Ph33rjenny

10 months ago

2 comments

eww gross, reminds me of Kill Bill
TheNipper

10 months ago

14 comments

Here is something from a recent Kansas newspaper about this case. Ugh!
A nurse’s aide accused of sexually assaulting a severely brain-damaged patient won't be prosecuted because the woman could have been capable of consent, prosecutors in suburban Kansas City say.

Although a doctor said the woman in her 40s had the mental capacity of a 3-year-old, she could have met the requirements for consent under Kansas law, Johnson County assistant prosecutor Michael McElhinney said at a court hearing Monday.

The prosecutor's office dropped a sodomy charge that had been filed against Brent A. Wheeler, 38, of Lawrence. He formerly worked at a Gardner, Kan., rehabilitation hospital where the incident allegedly took place.

The case illustrates the difficulty of prosecuting cases in which the victim has a mental disability, and some people are calling for a law change that would outlaw sexual relations between caregivers and their patients.

"I'm just kind of amazed — this is very disheartening," said Palle Rilinger, CEO of the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault.

McElhinney said a doctor at the hospital originally told prosecutors that the woman could not have knowingly consented. The doctor changed his mind after reading the definition of consent under Kansas law, McElhinney said.
Slowry2107

10 months ago

12 comments

This is appauling!... I hope he gets LIFE... but with all the loop holes, wanna bet he gets a minimum sentence.. Lets hope not!... You can't destroy the comfort level and sense of security people have with medical professionals and hospitals like this, Its discusting. :( That poor patient! and their family!
newdiva

11 months ago

2726 comments

He should be given LIFE in prision. That is horrible!!!
smiles62

11 months ago

34 comments

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. When he gets into to prision and the same is done to him and NOT in a consensual way , contracts AIDS, he will then have his punishment in part. We have a friend who is a corrections officer and he states that prisioners are not big on someone who (kills and rapes child) and commits acts of violence such as this. The prisioners have their own judge and jury upon admission to the prison. My comment is: have at HIM
PJOHNSON

11 months ago

170 comments

sick, sick sick...he needs to be in a psych ward ..and was he really a nurse? ..because I feel if he was he might have more ethics!!!
NERSESYANNELLI

11 months ago

128 comments

WORSE THAN AN ANIMAL!!!
ccburkejm

11 months ago

148 comments

This is really unfortunate (if he is guilty). As healthcare professionals, it is our duty to be patient advocates, it is just so sad when people get into this industry for the wrong reasons or are in it so long that they become cold and hard towards people, but refuse to leave. Well, if he is guilty, I hope he gets the maximum penalty - and even that will not be enough. I hope he is not guilty though, but my good wishes do not change what really happened.
nynurse

11 months ago

6 comments

Unfortunately this is not an uncommon occurrence. When I worked for an agency, so many of the state and long term care facilities that I was sent to were short staffed, badly staffed, and sub standard in every possible way. The CNA's who worked in these facilities were uneducated, poorly trained and rarely cared for their charges. I've had to deal with CNA's who were physically and psychologically abusing patients, CNA's who were intoxicated on the job (alcohol and various drugs), aides who had criminal records, and despicably, aides who were caught sexually abusing their patients. We hand over our most vulnerable clients, i.e... the elderly, mentally challenged and mentally ill patients, and even the comatose into "care" of these criminals. The requirements to become a CNA are woefully inadequate and leave much to be desired. As for Mr. Wheeler he is a sexual offender/predator. Rarely do sexual offenders respond to psychological therapy or counseling. Much like a sociopath, this disorder is a life long condition and the individual is ALWAYS at risk for re-offending. Having seen first hand the destruction that these individuals cause both to the family and/or the patient, my only hope is that Mr. Wheeler and others like him are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I hope this man stays in prison for a very long time.
nursenikki23

11 months ago

348 comments

wish i could read more info about what happened in court... all i can say is gross... I can't believe people acctually are capable of such things
freespeech777

11 months ago

2 comments

From my understanding, this man was not a nurse nor a CNA. I worked at this rehab hospital and he was a patient care observer. His job was to sit and watch the patients in the locked unit so that they were acting appropriately with others. He deserved to be charged. People with brain damage are not likely to make appropriate decisions. I can't believe his charges were dropped. This man needs to be behind bars. What a sicko.
janfox

11 months ago

2 comments

I agree that the newspaper should get its facts correct. A CNA is not a nurse. As far as saying that a two year nurse cannot perform as a manager? That I feel is wrong. A sex predator is a sex predator, it has nothing to do with a persons educational level. I feel ego stepping in here. I say a four year nurse should have to take a more advanced NCLEX to reap the benefits for more recognition, if not then you test the same as I or anyone else. A four year degree does not promise a good manage to be. It is in the personality of the individual. And if that individual has an ego problem they do not make a good manager in the first place.
MoonLightFades

11 months ago

18 comments

sick just sick
kenoil

11 months ago

10 comments

That man deserves mental evaluation,rehab if need be and punishment which is commensurate to the degree of his mental evlaution.Also i suggest atleast annual mental evaluation for all nurses to weed out bad eggs and prevent reoccurance of such obnoxious acts
MrNewYork

11 months ago

6 comments

They should put him under the jail! But just imagine how many nurses do NASTY things and aren't caught.