70-Year-Old Man Risks Prison To See 99-Year-Old Mom — The nightmare for Arthur started in May 2021 when his older sister filed a petition seeking guardianship of his mom, Jane.
It was two days after Jane’s 96th birthday.
Arthur, now 70, had moved into mom’s sprawling home in Franconia, Montgomery County, Pa., two years earlier, mostly to keep her company.
Jane, a window of 12 years, was independent, active and even still driving.
Arthur was doing the shopping, though. It was the height of Covid and he was hoping to keep her isolated.
Arthur represented himself at a hearing in July. Sis had her own lawyer and the courts assigned attorney David Jaskowiak to represent Jane.
Jane accepted Jaskowiak because she was told he came free, Arthur said.
Spoiler: He didn’t.
Arthur said he suggested that Jaskowiak have Jane’s doctor of 21 years as a witness to her competency, as well as her CPA, investment advisors and hairdresser.
For some reason, Jaskowiak called no witnesses, Arthur said.
His sister dropped out as discovery started and that should have meant Arthur got the job, one would think.
But no.
Jaskowiak said that because Arthur and Sis didn’t get along, the court would have to appoint a guardian. Judge Gail Weilheimer tapped Duane Logie for the job.
Logie turned out to be a friend of Jaskowiak, says Arthur. He would be both guardian of estate, which is responsible for financial matters, and guardian of person who is task for caring for the living conditions and medical things.
When the same person is both there is no check and balance, says Arthur.
Jane stayed in her familiar home for a week after the court declared her incapacitated. Logie said the health care manager wanted to meet Jane at her house. A date was arranged but rather than a health care manager it was local police who showed along with Logie and Arthur’s sister.
Police physically restrained Arthur on the front porch. He said he heard his mother screaming inside. The cops held him as his sister and Logie took the 96-year-old woman in tears to his sister’s car.
Sis sent an email to Arthur warning him not to come to her house else he’d be arrested, he said. She wouldn’t let Jane call him.
Sister kept Jane at her house for 10 days before she fell unconscious and an ambulance had to be called. She spent six weeks in the hospital being treated for starvation, Arthur said.
Arthur said the treatment included sticking a needle 42 times in the stomach to prevent blood clots.
Oh, and while there she finally did catch Covid.
When that ordeal ended Jane was dumped at Manatawny Manor in Pottstown. Arthur describes it as a low-rated nursing home in Pottstown.
Manatawny Manor had just reopened after a Covid shut down.
Arthur says Judge Weilheimer initially allowed him one hour visitation three times a week but soon reduced it to one-hour per month in retaliation for the questions he was asking.
He said his visits started becoming supervised. He was forbidden to take cell phone video of his mom.
What honest reason could there be for that restriction?
Arthur says he now finds it lucky to be able to see his mother. The last time was in December.
He says Jane, who is now 99, was able to recognize him and could still dress herself.
He said he could have spent 16,300 waking hours with his mother between August 2021 and June 2024. As it was, he got but 224 hours.
Arthur says the powers-that-be have a financial incentive for keeping his mom. He says Jaskowiak charges $300 per hour. He said the guardian who replaced Logie — and who he says is also friends of Jaskowiak — got $125 per hour. Further, Arthur says she hired her husband to do legal work on Jane’s behalf for which he got $400 per hour. Further, Arthur says, the hubby hired four other lawyers who also charge $400 per hour.
“When one talks to the other, they charge the estate $800,” said Arthur.
Arthur says the court charges the estate $90,000 per year for the nursing home and accepted the yearly cost — which includes things like insurance and taxes — of Jane living at her home at $16,500.
He says he never see invoices.
Arthur has been in prison three times for defending his mom.
The first one was when he placed a story on his website ProtectMyParents.us that included information Weilheimer wanted hidden. Arthur said Jane was fine with what he wrote, but no matter.
Weilheimer sentenced him to six months in Montgomery County Prison or until he removed the material. He says he thinks she expected him serve the full six months as there were no computers in prison to fix it. A friend, though, came to his rescue and removed the offending information which let him go free after 10 days.
The second incarceration happened after he rewrote and published the story leaving out all names. He did, however, include a link to an archived copy of the original. This prison stint was just a week before his computer friend could fix things.
Both contempt orders were instigated by Jaskowiak.
He said a third contempt attempt in December by Jaskowiak failed. Jaskowiak said one of the those monitoring his visits said he used his cell phone camera to record his mother. A reasonable person would find such a prohibition curious, but nevermind, the judge said it was a no-no.
Arthur, however, did not do this vile transgression and proved it at a March 20 hearing.
Arthur has a new judge, by the way, who is Melissa Sterling.
Now, the most recent battle.
Arthur learned where Jaskowiak lived in New Britain in Bucks County.
He composed a two-page letter concerning his views about guardianship corruption, and put copies under every doormat on Jaskowiak’s street on April 10.
On April 23, he began picketing in front his house. A State Trooper who lived on the street said he was on private property. Arthur said that he was on the sidewalk. The trooper said it was private property and he would arrest him if he stayed.
Arthur was getting tired of jail so he left but went to the township building and confirmed the sidewalk was public.
He returned on April 27. His sign contained Jaskowiak’s name; and the words “human traffic” and “sex pervert”.
The traffic concerned what Arthur considers to be the kidnapping of his mom. He says the “sex pervert” is in reference to a instructional video he found of Jaskowiak reportedly describing strategic use of contempt of court complaints and the threat of being sodomized in prison.
After two hours of picketing, Arthur was arrested and charged with harassment. The judge set his bail at $100,000 of which he needed to raise $10,000 to be free.
Arthur points out that he lives out of his car and receives welfare.
After five weeks in Bucks County Prison, the bail was lowered to 10 percent of $10,000 and friends managed to get him out.
Before he retired, Arthur trained and practiced voice stress analysis, which is a type of lie detection. For 41-years, he tested criminal suspects, potential employees and helped investigate insurance fraud. His clients included the military, police and major corporations. He traveled the nation and the world.
Arthur notes that there are no standards or requirements as to what constitutes an accurate evaluation of a person that will determine incapacitation in Pennsylvania. He also points out that court psychologists don’t record sessions and have no proof as to how a person answered.
Arthur says he hasn’t seen his mom for a half of a year.
“I don’t know what my mother is thinking,” he said. “Does she think I’m dead? Does she think I don’t love her anymore?”
Sick, stupid and cruel people are in charge of America.
Ed. Note: We have left out Arthur’s last name as he fears using it will give the Montco courts an excuse to throw him back in prison.
70-Year-Old Man Risks Prison To See 99-Year-Old Mom
