US: Man arrested and given restraining order for refusing to leave partner’s hospital bedside
An arrest was made this week in Missouri of a gay man who refused to leave the hospital bedside of his partner, and a restraining order has now been made against him preventing him from visitation.
Roger Gorley said in an interview with WDAF, that despite having power of attorney to handle his partner Allen Mansell’s affairs, he was asked to leave his bedside when a family member asked him to leave.
He was visiting Allen in Research Medical Center in Kansas City on Tuesday, when he refused to leave, was put in handcuffs and escorted from the building.
“I was not recognized as being the husband, I wasn’t recognized as being the partner,” he said, continuing to say that the nurse had refused to confirm that he had power of attorney, and were able to make medical decisions for one another.
“She didn’t even bother to look it up, to check in to it,” he said.
Following his arrest on Tuesday, Roger Gorley is currently unable to visit Allen because of a restraining order made against him
Research Medican Center made a statement to say that it does not discriminate based on sexual orientation.
“We believe involving the family is an important part of the patient care process,” the hospital said in a statement. “And, the patient`s needs are always our first priority. When anyone becomes disruptive to providing the necessary patient care, we involve our security team to help calm the situation and to protect our patients and staff. If the situation continues to escalate, we have no choice but to request police assistance.”
In 2010, President Barack Obama, said that hospitals receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding, must allow visitation rights for gay and lesbian partners.
