We have called cruise ships and the cruise lines that operate them many things over the years. Felons? Check. Unsavory? Probably. But, prisons? Can’t remember ever calling a cruise ship a prison. But, recent claims by a woman against the Church of Scientology may change that. A woman has recently claimed that she was held aboard a Church of Scientology cruise ship, The Freewind, essentially as a prisoner, for 12 years!

Valeska Paris recently spoke with ABC News Lateline, and leveled the explosive allegations against the Church of Scientology, and its leader David Miscavige. She claims that at the age of 17 she was taken prisoner aboard the church’s ship so that she would not be taken away from the church by her mother.

The story of how all of this came about is truly bizarre, if not tragic. It began with Valeska’s mother and her step-father named Albert Jaquier. Valeska had been born to a Scientology family. Her step father was relatively wealthy. After losing his wealth when Valeska was a teen, her step-father committed suicide, blaming Scientology for his financial ruin. This prompted Valeska’s mother to distance herself from the church, going so far as to denounce the church on French TV.

In retaliation for the public excoriation of the church, Valeska alleges that church leader David Miscavige ordered the girl be “disconnected” from her mother by being taken aboard the ship.
“I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive,” Valeska said.

According to Valeska, the years aboard the ship were spent under close supervision. She says that for the first six years she was only able to leave the ship with an escort. She also alleges that her movements were constantly monitored onboard the ship by video camera and guards.

The church has denied the allegations, which include Valeska’s insisting she had been forced to work long hours in the engine room. The statement says, in part:

“She certainly wasn’t ‘forced’ to be there. She was also never forced to perform labour in the engine room…The Freewinds is a wonderful place, as even Valeska said on numerous occasions. Her allegation that she could only leave the ship with an escort is totally false.”

Primary Source:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/11/valeska_paris_chris_guider_scientology_freewinds.php

In a new study issued by the National Highway Safety Administration, Florida has the 4 four most dangerous cities for pedestrians in the entire country. The most dangerous area was listed as the Orlando area, which includes Kissimmee. Coming in second is the Tampa area, which also includes St. Petersburg and Clearwater. The third most dangerous area in the country for pedestrians is Jacksonville, FL. The Miami area, includes Ft. Lauderdale and Pompano, is the fourth most dangerous.

We have already blogged on Florida being among the most dangerous locales nationwide for drivers, so it isn’t any surprise that pedestrians don’t fare any better. In fact, our state is actually less safe for pedestrians than drivers when compared to other states.

Part of the reason may be the high concentration of retirees residing in Florida. According a NHTSA report, almost 1 in 5 pedestrian fatalities nationwide are elderly (over 65 years old.) The elderly have the highest pedestrian fatality rate of any age group.
What’s truly startling is the overall number of pedestrian fatalities per year. The NHSTA report indicates that approximately 63,000 injuries were sustained by pedestrians across the nation in 2009, with 4000 of those injuries resulting in death. These deaths account for 12 percent of all motor vehicle accident deaths nationwide.

These stats are really surprising. Specifically, the fact that Florida ranks at the top in pedestrian fatalities should give every resident pause. What can we do to make the state safer for pedestrians? Enforcing speed limits in residential areas, and enforcing laws that require drivers to stop for pedestrians, automatically come to mind.

But, isn’t there more that can be done? Many have complained that the very design of certain roadways likely increase accident activity. Also, having a properly programmed traffic light system may help alleviate the anguish some drivers feel when driving on residential streets. Better programming may reduce the need many drivers feel to rush through changing lights, or sit in the middle of a street waiting for a break in oncoming traffic so they can turn.

Lawmakers in Florida are gearing up for yet another attempt at regulating texting while driving.  Following the lead of 35 states and Washington D.C., lawmakers in the Sunshine State are looking for ways to issue an outright ban on what many consider a very dangerous act. But, if recent history is any guide, making the changes will not be easy.

Previous attempts to ban texting while driving have all been met with the same fate, death in committee.  The reasons are various. According to news-press.com, lawmakers have been primarily hung up on devising a way in which the ban can be implemented and enforced.

But highway and road safety advocates say that something must be done.  Citing statistics released by the University of North Texas Health Science Center last year, proponents of the ban point out that there has been an estimated 16,141 deaths from 2001 to 2007 which resulted from texting-while-driving.

Even more damaging is a 2009 Car and Driver magazine experiment which essentially resulted in texting-while-driving as being labeled a greater safety risk than drinking and driving.

The proposed bill to ban texting-while-driving would not permit a traffic stop simply because a police officer suspects a person of texting while driving.  The offense would actually be a secondary offense, meaning that the driver would have to be stopped for a primary infraction such as speeding or running a red light before a ticket could be issued for texting while driving.

The current bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton.  Rep. Slosberg is a known highway safety advocate – who lost his daughter, Dori, in a car crash several years ago.

Rep. Slosberg has admitted that the bill has very little chance of being passed, calling its chance of being adopted “slim to none”

However, he vows to continue the fight.  “Sooner or later we’ll get it out of the drawer,” Slosberg said.

Primary Source: http://www.news-press.com/article/20111128/NEWS0107/311280016/1120/news0121/Florida-lawmaker-looks-ban-texting-while-driving?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Talk about road rage.  When it comes to this all too common blight of modern civilization, Edwin Vilchez’s actions over the weekend certainly rank up there with the worst of them.  The 28 year old West Perrine man was arrested on Friday for a laundry list of felonies, all relating to the same incident.  He is charged with driving drunk, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, displaying a firearm and resisting arrest with violence.

So, what happened to cause Vilchez to get in so much trouble?  Apparently it all began at the South Dixie Highway and Southwest 104th Street.  Vilchez and another driver go into an argument, the nature of which is still not clear.  What is clear is that Vilchez allegedly pulled out a gun on the other motorist at the gas station, but did not fire.

Vilchez did follow the other motorist as he left the station.  He is alleged to have rear-ended the other driver, and then sped off.  The victim then called police, who then issued a bulletin.

Vilchez was spotted by a Miami-Dade police as he was speeding on the Palmetto Expressway. He was apprehended after exiting on Okeechobee Rd, after colliding with several cars as he exited.   One of the passengers in a car stuck by Vilchez is reported to be in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

In a court hearing today, Vilchez was read the charges against him by Judge Mindy Glazer.  The charges include leaving the scene of a crash, two counts of reckless driving, D.U.I. and battery on a law enforcement officer.

Apparently this is not the first time Vilchez has been in trouble with the law.  He is a registered sex offender who is currently on probation for sexual battery and kidnapping.  In addition, his immigration status is not clear.

Judge Glazer set bond at $38,000.

View more videos at: http://nbcmiami.com.

Primary Source:  http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/weird/Road-Rage-Suspect-Held-on-38000-Bond-134560383.html

We have done our fair share of reporting on Norovirus, which is a nasty gastrointestinal illness frequently found on cruise ships. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the illness can be spread by any of a number of means, from improper handling of foods to contact with fecal matter. This illness is frequently found on cruise ships because of the cramped conditions, with thousands of passengers sharing close quarters. The most recent outbreak of the illness was reported over this weekend on the Oasis of the Seas, a mega-ship owned by Royal Caribbean.

Reports indicate that over 60 people were recently struck with what is thought to be Norovirus while sailing on the Oasis of the Seas – as the ship completed a trip on Saturday. At least 54 passengers, and 10 crew members, were among those who showed symptoms of the illness. All were treated aboard the ship with over-the-counter medication, and no serious illnesses have been reported.

Cruise operators have been criticized in the past for their handling of the outbreaks. It is easy to see why. Though the Oasis suffered this most recent outbreak, the ship was scrubbed down and returned to sail the very same day. Some would question Royal Caribbean’s commitment to the safety of their passengers with such a quick turnaround of such a large ship. In previous instances of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks aboard cruise ships, these types of snap scrub downs have had varying success in stemming the infection of additional passengers.

Primary Source: http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Cruise-Ship-Passengers-Crew-Sick-with-Gastrointestinal-Illness-134559073.html

Before running this story I had to double check my records.  Have I already covered this story?  Couldn’t be, because it just happened a few days ago.  So, here we have yet another high profile South Florida traffic incident involving an on-duty police officer.  This time, the results were truly tragic, with one man dead.

A report out of the Miami Herald from a couple of days ago allege that a bicyclist was hit and killed by a an on-duty Pembroke Pines police detective on Monday night in Davie.   The man, identified as 47-year-old Douglas Beebout, is said to have been drunk when he was struck, with some witnesses saying the man was carrying beers when he was hit.

This latest incident comes after a long string of traffic incidents involving South Florida police officers.  There seems to be too many to list, but a few notable examples are a Miami Police officer recently arrested by Florida Highway Patrol, while on duty, for reckless driving, and a Miami Beach officer who took a bachelorette on a joy ride on his ATV which he crashed, causing injuries to his passenger.

The accident is still under investigation.  There is no word as to why the Pembroke Pines detective was in Davie at the time of the accident.
Primary Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/21/2513580/pembroke-pines-cop-strikes-kills.html#ixzz1f0S9YaBM

We at the hickey Law Firm would like to extend our thanks to everyone that has helped to make us possible.  We thank all our past and current clients who have entrusted us with helping them find justice.  We thank everyone that reads our blog and spreads the word that there is an advocate out there, working to help hold offenders accountable.

We are looking forward to continuing to bring more resources to the public over the coming months.  These resources will help those that wish to take a cruise to do so as safely as possible, and give information as to what to do when something goes wrong.

But, for now, let’s take a moment to give thanks.

Parents taken note – there are sexual predators on cruise ships!  This may come as a surprise to many of you reading this; people sometimes wish there weren’t a problem when there is.  But, it is true.  We have reported on many cases over the past years, cases in which cruise line employees sexually abuse minors aboard cruise ships, and cases in which other passengers are the culprits.  A Carnival Cruise Lines ship recently saw a minor allegedly sexually abused by one of Carnival’s employees.

Recently filed in U.S. Federal Court were charges against Kert Clyde Jordan, 35 of Grenada.  The criminal complaint charged him with engaging in sexual acts with a 14-year old while she was on vacation aboard the Carnival Liberty with her family.

The act was allegedly perpetrated by Jordan, a waiter on the ship, during a sailing earlier this month.  The minor reportedly told her family about the incident when she returned home.

Jordan was arrested on November 19.  Carnival has issued a statement saying that they are cooperating with the FBI, the law enforcement agency tasked with handling most cruise ship crime.

“Carnival has a zero tolerance policy for crime and we take any allegations of crime extremely seriously. We continue to provide our full cooperation and support to federal law enforcement authorities.  Our Care Team has reached out to offer support and express our utmost concern for our guest and her family during this difficult time,” Carnival said.

Let this be another warning to parents.  Many of you will cruise, that is your choice.  However, know the risks.  Keep an eye on your children.  There have been many cases in which teens have been sexually abused, only to disclose this information to adults days, months, or even years later.   Take the proper precautions to ensure that your child stays out of harm’s way.

Primary Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065242/Vacation-nightmare-family-Carnival-Cruise-ship-waiter-charged-having-sex-14-year-old-girl-ship-bathroom.html