SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Taxpayers fund a murderer’s ‘completeness’

Jan 10, 2017, 1:31 PM

In an outrageous abuse of the legal system, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence in California has successfully sued the state to get “gender reassignment surgery” costing taxpayers close to $100,000. Shiloh Heavenly Quine was convicted for his role in the brutal 1980 crime spree that included kidnapping, robbery and first-degree murder. The 57-year-old inmate insisted that the radical surgical procedure would give him “a drastic internal completeness” to relieve his suicidal depression.

Related: The ‘change agent’ takes charge

Even for those who defend the dubious value of the medically sanctioned mutilation known as “sex change” operations, the idea that taxpayers must provide such procedures to maximize prisoner happiness is ridiculous. What other expensive, elective surgeries should public funds be forced to provide? If we’re obligated to fund such treatment for imprisoned murderers, can we do any less for law-abiding citizens?

Americans should hope that the new Trump administration makes judicial appointments to the federal bench that prevent such expensive idiocy in the future.

A hiring sign is displayed at a food court in a grocery store, in Schaumburg, Ill., Wednesday, Sept...

Associated Press

U.S. job openings slipped to 7.1 million in August but labor market remains sturdy

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in August, but the American labor market remains resilient in the face of higher energy costs caused by the fighting with Iran. U.S. job openings slid to 7.08 million from a revised 7.34 million in July, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Openings came in below the […]

5 minutes ago

copper wire theft seattle...

Charlie Harger

Harger: Copper wire thieves keep hitting Seattle playfields. Now kids practice football in the dark

Copper wire theft damage runs 50 to 100 times what the stolen metal is worth. Every $1,000 in copper leaves $50,000 to $100,000 in wreckage and repairs behind it.

6 minutes ago

US 101 ramp I-5 boat crash...

MyNorthwest Staff

US 101 ramp to northbound I-5 reopened after vehicle towing a boat crashes Near Olympia

The US 101 ramp to northbound I-5 was blocked for several hours due to a collision involving a vehicle towing a boat.

19 minutes ago

FILE - Jeff Hawkins helps clean his father's antique shop, called Curiosity Shop, Aug. 5, 2022, in ...

Associated Press

Takeaways from the AP’s analysis on the fundamental flaws in the national flood insurance program

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s flood insurance program struggles to balance affordability, flood protection and cost to taxpayers, leaving millions vulnerable at a time when climate change is driving flood risk higher. Nationwide, just 2.4% of properties are covered by 4.5 million federal flood insurance policies, an Associated Press analysis shows — but 8.4% are […]

29 minutes ago

police staffing budget katie wilson seattle...

Frank Sumrall

Seattle Councilmember Kettle warns Katie Wilson’s budget caps police staffing at 15-year low

Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle warned that Mayor Katie Wilson’s proposed budget could put Seattle’s recent public safety progress at risk.

29 minutes ago

FILE - A man stands near a pile of debris as residents clean up in Fleming-Neon, Ky., Aug. 5, 2022,...

Associated Press

Millions who need flood insurance the most don’t have it as flawed federal program raises prices

WASHINGTON (AP) — In eastern Kentucky, Libby Honeycutt listened upstairs to the sound of glass breaking below as floodwaters tore apart her house. Twenty-six miles to the south, Ronald Conley rescued his dogs from his elevated house with a pontoon boat. Jennifer Campbell heard the screams from across the river of a neighbor desperate for […]

30 minutes ago

Taxpayers fund a murderer’s ‘completeness’