Whittemore Institute suing Mikovits for alleged theft of lab notebooks and data

[taniaaust1]

Do we really need another thread where people speculate about a crime? I think we need to leave this topic alone until investigations are completed, particularly since there are forum members who know the involved/accused parties personally.

I think it is just human nature to wonder what has happened esp when it is a to do with a subject which holds a lot of importance to many.

Many did donate etc so the situation may be feeling even more personal to them. Some may actually have a inner need to discuss things and how they feel about all what has occurred.

Some may even be feeling actual grief over the loss of info which may be highly important to them. (I hate the idea myself that what info they had has been stolen even thou I personally do doubt XMRV is the course of our illness but that info stolen still very valuable and its a great loss).

I dont think anyone can conclude anything thou but currently closing threads like this wont help any who may be feeling a grief over the whole situation and may feel an inner need to talk about it. Probably best to allow threads on this subject to run their course (or anger over this whole situation could end up being expressed in forums more in the long run if people are bottling up their feelings over the incident).

 

[Dreambirdie]

I just received an email from a friend that told me that Judy Mikovits was arrested today.
http://www.mecfsforums.com/index.php/topic,10490.0.html

 

[kurt]

I think it is just human nature to wonder what has happened esp when it is a to do with a subject which holds a lot of importance to many.

Many did donate etc so the situation may be feeling even more personal to them. Some may actually have a inner need to discuss things and how they feel about all what has occurred.

Some may even be feeling actual grief over the loss of info which may be highly important to them. (I hate the idea myself that what info they had has been stolen even thou I personally do doubt XMRV is the course of our illness but that info stolen still very valuable and its a great loss).

I dont think anyone can conclude anything thou but currently closing threads like this wont help any who may be feeling a grief over the whole situation and may feel an inner need to talk about it. Probably best to allow threads on this subject to run their course (or anger over this whole situation could end up being expressed in forums more in the long run if people are bottling up their feelings over the incident).

Expression of frustration over this situation is not what I was talking about. Speculation is the issue that worries me as that fuels conspiracy theories and some people believe what is written even when it is baseless. Anyway, I see what you mean, supporters are probably needing to vent right now. Just please try to stick to known facts in discussion, with an ongoing legal case, and report of an arrest, I think we should do what we can to protect the interests of the greater ME&CFS communities. And that means to not draw any conclusions prematurely. Wait and see what happens.

 

[beaker]

The week before Dr. M. was fired I had made a donation to the WPI for research.( To me a lot, to them probably not , but enough to qualify as a "friend" )
When I found about Dr. M's termination, I immediately contacted the WPI and ask for my money back. If you remember, they stated they had closed their research lab for the time being. My donation was for research. They refunded my donation immediately.

I perhaps should of posted about my actions at the time, but this plague......

Personally, I don't care what happened. well I do but ..... the way it is being handled is so awful, that regardless of the details, I have lost complete respect for the WPI. I feel irreparable harm has been done to the whole ME/CFS community .
I guess the warning bells that went off when Peterson left were overshadowed by the Science publication. I feel bad for not listening enough to them.
No one wins w/ lawsuits ( well except lawyers, as the saying goes)
I want research.

 

[leela]

Did you all hear that?!?! They've had her arrested!! For crying out loud!!!

 

[urbantravels]

Now granted, I got all my legal education from watching Law & Order, but filing a civil lawsuit against someone doesn't bring with it powers of arrest.

And if anybody's been arrested, it would be a matter of public record. Mug shots or it didn't happen.

Spreading rumors (and I don't care how many anonymous pixels on the Internet SWEAR!!! that's it's the truth) is just flat-out irresponsible. I think some fairly hysterical notions are running around, but I'm reserving judgement until facts are known. People having knee-jerk emotional reactions to everything they hear is just going to drive us deeper into a morass of craziness.

 

[Dreambirdie]

Did you all hear that?!?! They've had her arrested!! For crying out loud!!!

Yes, the sound of head banging head repeatedly on the table might get a few people's attention. Or not.

What will be NEXT on the agenda of insanity.... I dare not even begin to speculate. And don't want to.

 

[leela]

No, she has been arrested. There is a public record of it under Carlsbad CA, though details are behind a paywall.
This is not a joke.

One thing you can count on from me, urban, is that I will not go indiscriminately spreading rumours about people, and most certainly not about those I love and admire.

Unfortunately this does not appear to be rumour. This insane, hallucinatory reality brought to you by Some Kind of Nightmare.


ETA: Okay, maybe I unwittingly will be party to rumour-mongering.
The site I checked said it was checking public arrests, but on having a second look, I realise it was simply a public record; so I cannot confirm that there is an arrest record behind that paywall.
Just to be clear. I truly hope this is wrong, but I fear a criminal case has been brought.

 

[urbantravels]

Leela, none of us can personally vouch for the accuracy of information that we have no direct knowledge of. It has nothing to do with "what kind of people" we are, or "what kind of people" we believe our sources to be, or "what kind of people" we believe the subjects of these rumors to be. We may be mistaken at every single link down the chain unless we actually know the facts, and the longer the chain, the more opportunities for things to get misreported and distorted.

 

[Daffodil]

this is a fking joke. we are literally dropping dead and all they care about is intellectual property rights. so much for being charitable

our lives are in ian lipkin's hands.

 

[Advocate]

------------

 

[Advocate]

Title of this thread makes it sound like Judy did steal lab data

My duplicate post deleted by me. Advocate

 

[kurt]

Shouldn't a word be added to the title of this thread? Whittemore Institute suing Mikovits for ALLEGEDLY stealing lab notebooks and data? ALLEGEDLY.

good point, corrected using more typical legalese...

 

[kurt]

From http://www.oslersweb.com/blog.htm

Judy Mikovits Arrested in Ventura County on November 18, 2010
November 19, 2011

Judy Anne Mikovits was arrested on Friday in Ventura County, where she lives, and transported to the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility. When I called that facility this evening, I was told that she was being transported from there to the jail facility on Todd Road in Ventura County. Information about this facility can be accessed on the website of the Ventura County Jail website.

According to the clerk I spoke to, Dr. Mikovits was arrested on an "out of county warrant." The county was Washoe County, he confirmed, when I asked. Washoe County includes Reno and Sparks, NV.

Currently, the charges against Dr. Mikovits are "being a fugitive from another state."

Her arraignment will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22 in courtroom number thirteen at the courthouse in Ventura, California..

Arrested for being a fugitive, that could be as simple as leaving the state (NV) when you have been told not to, due to ongoing investigation.

Just to be sure this was correct I looked up the info on the jail's website:

http://www.vcsd.org/pr-inmate-list.php

INMATE INFORMATION

Last Name First Name Middle Name Date Of Birth Age Gender Race Booking Nbr Date Booked
Mikovits Judy Anne 04/01/19** ** F W 1259336 11/18/2011

So it's true, JM is in jail (I added the ** to protect birthdate/age, really the jail should not put that info on the web due to identity theft risk...).

Sad to have anyone connected with CFS research in jail, whether you support their work or not.

 

[Lily]

Sad to have anyone connected with CFS research in jail, wether you support their work or not.

Wow Kurt, you sound really broken up about it. How low can you go?

 

[taniaaust1]

Did you all hear that?!?! They've had her arrested!! For crying out loud!!!

i dont think that any of us knows if what is happening is right or wrong.
NOTE.. an arrest DOES NOT mean that that person is guilty or will be found guilty. It will be up to courts to decide that.

The week before Dr. M. was fired I had made a donation to the WPI for research.( To me a lot, to them probably not , but enough to qualify as a "friend" )
When I found about Dr. M's termination, I immediately contacted the WPI and ask for my money back. If you remember, they stated they had closed their research lab for the time being. My donation was for research. They refunded my donation immediately.

That is so honourable of the WPI to have done that.

The WPI shouldnt be being judged either.. none of us knows enough.. who knows but maybe both the WPI and Mikovits are both innocent. (it would only be natural for the WPI to think it may of been judy after they fired her).

 

[kurt]

Wow Kurt, you sound really broken up about it. How low can you go?

?? What are you trying to say here? Sorry, I'm not big on sarcasm, if that's your intent.

There are people on both sides of this issue, I really do think what has happened is sad, from any viewpoint. What is wrong with that opinion?

 

[Jemal]

Sad doesn't even begin to describe this entire situation.

(not an attack on you kurt!)

 

[Cort]

I don't think we know why this occurred. Could the lawsuit result in an actual arrest? They have accused her of stealing intellectual property.......an arrest just doesn't seem in order here. A research institute arresting a former employee- that just doesn't seem right...(????).

Someone did point that there is no bail amount set.

Total Bail Amount Not Bailable Eligible for Release NO

Note: Certain violent and serious offenses may require a hearing in open court before the inmate can be released on bail.

My guess -based on no real knowledge - is that this must have to do with something else other the WPI.

 

[Cort]

Whoops - did the same post twice.