Taxpayers To Pay Medical Bills For Man Accused of Pimping Teen Girlfriend
By: Janice Park
Updated: August 5, 2009
A Sterlington man is sitting in jail, accused of pimping out his 14 year old girlfriend in exchange for crack cocaine.
Now authorities say Walter Paul Chance is dying of brain cancer.
And it will be taxpayers footing his expensive treatment.
At 37, Chance is dying -- of brain cancer. When police arrested him in July, that day, the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center became responsible for taking care of him. And parish taxpayers -- responsible for the bill. After a crime, Sterlington Police say is the most shocking they've seen in years.
"He has a tumor which has been removed partially and the chemo is quite expensive," said Ouachita Correctional Center Assistant Warden Captain Gene Caviness. And by quite expensive we're talking about just for his first round of chemo.
For 5 days for the next 5 weeks, Chance will receive chemotheraphy at Monroe's Northeast Louisiana Cancer Institute. Costing taxpayers a staggering 15 thousand dollars: "That's a lot of money that's 15k in salaries, 15k for some other improvement but that's the way it is," said Caviness.
Jail staff says that number could quickly inflate -- if chance has complications or needs more chemo. But Chance is just one of many inmates who require expensive medical treatment. The jail treats anyone from tuberculosis patients to inmates with aids.
Just last week, jail staff had to clear out cells, powerwash them and treat five inmates for staph infections. Medical bills you paid for, all because those inmates were giving each other jailhouse tattoos.
At 37, Chance is dying -- of brain cancer. When police arrested him in July, that day, the Ouachita Parish Correctional Center became responsible for taking care of him. And parish taxpayers -- responsible for the bill. After a crime, Sterlington Police say is the most shocking they've seen in years.
"He has a tumor which has been removed partially and the chemo is quite expensive," said Ouachita Correctional Center Assistant Warden Captain Gene Caviness. And by quite expensive we're talking about just for his first round of chemo.
For 5 days for the next 5 weeks, Chance will receive chemotheraphy at Monroe's Northeast Louisiana Cancer Institute. Costing taxpayers a staggering 15 thousand dollars: "That's a lot of money that's 15k in salaries, 15k for some other improvement but that's the way it is," said Caviness.
Jail staff says that number could quickly inflate -- if chance has complications or needs more chemo. But Chance is just one of many inmates who require expensive medical treatment. The jail treats anyone from tuberculosis patients to inmates with aids.
Just last week, jail staff had to clear out cells, powerwash them and treat five inmates for staph infections. Medical bills you paid for, all because those inmates were giving each other jailhouse tattoos.
