Allegations against Daggett

Dear Editor:In last week's Downey Patriot you printed a story about Richard Daggett. "Richard Daggett Faces Child Porn Charges," 6/16/11) Richard is my patient. I was with him when four armed Downey police officers almost broke down his front door. This was nine months ago. Another of Richard's nurses was also in the house. Richard has around-the-clock nursing care. He is a respirator-dependent quadriplegic. Your article indicated that Richard was arrested. The police left Richard's house after three hours. They did not arrest Richard. Three months later, Richard was asked to come to the police department to have fingerprints and a photograph taken. Is this called being arrested? The fingerprinting was very painful. Richard has very limited use of his arms. The officer pulled on Richard's arm to get his hand high enough for the fingerprint machine. Richard did not complain at the time because, he told me later, "the officer didn't know my shoulders are fused." Richard has never complained. He spent three years in the hospital. He spent six months in an iron lung. He has had multiple surgeries. He has a two-foot scar down his back from some of these surgeries. I have never heard him complain of this. My question to The Downey Patriot is why did you print the story? Who told you about this? The police were at Richard's house nine months ago. Why print this now? Richard has not even had a court hearing. None are perfect but Jesus Christ. But I know Richard to be a kind, generous and caring person. -- Susan Yi, RN, Downey

********** Published: June 23, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 10