Jon’s sister wants answers — and is entitled to answers — as are the thousands of other families who have lost loved ones in drug torn counties like Butler, Kentucky.
Marianne Skolek Perez, Investigative Reporter
(MYRTLE BEACH) By way of introduction, Kentucky this was Jon. He was a son, a father and a brother. He was loved by family and friends. On July 27, 2018 Jon died in a drug ravaged town in Butler County, Kentucky where the words “empowerment”, “prevention”, “education” and “treatment” are not used. Jon died of a drug overdose. The deaths have become a matter of daily routine and accepted — even by law enforcement. Why investigate the cause of death or who provided the drug(s) that ultimately kill residents of war torn towns in Kentucky? There will only be another “Jon” dying tomorrow and the next day and the day after.
Jon’s sister does not want him to become a death statistic in Kentucky. She wants the Kentucky Attorney General and law enforcement to clean up the third world country appearance of towns in Kentucky. She wants investigations into pharmacies and physicians providing and dispensing dangerous opioids like OxyContin to patients who sell their pills and make money off it. She wants to know why this epidemic in Kentucky is a tale of “the haves and the have not.” She wants to know why law enforcement did not write any information down as she was asking for an investigation into Jon’s death. She was told that many known to be involved in the drug distribution channel were brought into the Sheriff’s office, but no arrests were made.
Jon’s sister wants answers — and is entitled to answers — as are the thousands of other families who have lost loved ones in drug torn counties like Butler, Kentucky.
Maybe Kentucky needs to start with getting answers for Jon’s death from the prior Attorney General of Kentucky, Jack Conway. Conway settled with the maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma a few years ago for a mere $24 million. At the time, Purdue Pharma was worth approximately $30 billion. Someone want to tell Jon’s sister and other families ravaged by OxyContin aka “Hillbilly Heroin” in Kentucky what $24 million did to abate the drug epidemic? Someone also want to tell Jon’s sister that former AG Conway left office to work for a law firm whose client was Purdue Pharma?
Police and prosecutors in Kentucky are using the “involuntary manslaughter” charge to deter drug dealers when they have evidence implicating a drug dealer in the death of a buyer. The Butler County Prosecutor has used the involuntary manslaughter charge several times, but indicated he needs to prove it and that could be a real problem because the buyer is dead. Witnesses to the drug deal? That could work, but it will take a concerted effort by law enforcement to conduct a thorough investigation into the death of the drug buyer to take the dealer off the streets of Butler County, Kentucky.
Jon will not be remembered as a statistic in the drug deaths ravaging Kentucky. Neither will the thousands of other victims of drug deaths in Kentucky. They will be known for having justice fail them as the drug dealers continue business as usual — and the body bags mount.
Rest in peace Jon. You were loved by many — especially your family and friends and your life mattered.
Marianne Skolek Perez
Consultant to attorneys on opioid lawsuits filed throughout the country
Investigative Reporter covering the opioid epidemic writing for
Global News Centre, Salem-News.com, Sons of Liberty Media, The Washington Standard and Freedom Outpost
908-285-1232 - cell
Global News Centre’s Marianne Skolek, is an Investigative Reporter who focuses on the Prescription Opioid/Heroin Epidemic in the U.S. and Canada. In particular, Marianne has covered the criminal marketing of OxyContin going back to 1999 and continuing to the present.
In 2002, Marianne lost her daughter, Jill to prescribed OxyContin which her physician referred to as “mobility in a bottle.” It was, in fact, death in a bottle. After doing extensive research on the maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma, Marianne began working with the Department of Justice in Virginia in their criminal investigation into Purdue Pharma and in July 2007 was asked by the U.S. Attorney John Brownlee prosecuting the case to testify against the three CEO’s of Purdue Pharma, Michael Friedman, Paul Goldenheim, MD and Howard Udell, Chief Counsel. The CEO’s pleaded guilty to misleading the medical profession about the dangers of OxyContin. Marianne also testified against Purdue Pharma at a Judiciary Hearing of the U.S. Senate in July 2007.
In addition, a dangerous and highly addictive opioid named Zohydro has been approved by the FDA against their Advisory Committee’s advice and Marianne continues to alert Attorneys General, Senators and Congressmen as to the FDA’s irresponsibility in the out of control prescription opioid/heroin epidemic killing and addicting in the tens of thousands each year. Zohydro has been referred to as “heroin in a capsule” and its lowest dosage (10mg) contains twice as much hydrocodone as found in a Vicodin pill. The highest single dose of Zohydro contains as much hydrocodone as 5 to 10 tablets of Vicodin or Lortab. Zohydro mixed with alcohol can be fatal and has no abuse deterrent built in which will make it easy to crush and deliver a fatal dose of the opioid.
Currently Marianne has been instrumental in calling for the termination of Margaret Hamburg, MD, Commissioner of the FDA as well as Bob A. Rappaport, MD and Douglas Throckmorton, MD for their lack of commitment to safeguarding the American public against the prescription opioid/heroin epidemic. Marianne’s research, writing and contact with government agencies and attorneys has also exposed the heavily funded pain foundations set up by the pharmaceutical industry and their paid physician spokespersons who convinced the medical boards in 50 states and Canada that dangerous opioids such as OxyContin were less likely to be addictive. These physicians — in particular Scott Fishman, MD, J. David Haddox, DDS, MD, Perry Fine, MD, Lynn R. Webster, MD, Russell Portenoy, MD also downplayed the risks of addictive opioids in books as authors. These books are still available for sale and promoted to the medical profession.
Here are links to Marianne’s involvement in exposing the national conspiracy of the prescription opioid/heroin epidemic, the FDA, the pharmaceutical industry, their pain foundations and paid physician spokespersons.
http://www.salem-news.com/by_author.php?reporter=Marianne%20Skolek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmPG1VjD61U&list=UUWoHUEr4ZAbQOfIqtOArjgg&index=6&feature=plcp
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=855537227796352&set=vb.658186307531446&type=2&theater
