Sarah's Calls For Help Were Not a Crime

 

 

Sarah's Calls For Help Were Not a Crime

Hello, Neil Gillespie for Justice Network. I am making this video to report the death of a young woman, Sarah Thompson, age 35. Sarah died of a drug overdose on May 12, 2021 at the Stay & Save Extended Stay Hotel, in Ocala, Florida, at 2430 NE 2nd Street. Sarah's death was not reported by the local news media. Not reported by the Ocala Star-Banner. Not reported by the Ocala Gazette. Not reported by the Ocala News. 

I met Sarah in June of 2019 while looking for a live-in home health provider. At the time my doctor suggested I go into an independent living facility. I rejected that and decided to look for live-in help instead. Sarah seemed nice and she needed a place to stay. But shortly after arriving, Sarah admitted taking my prescription medication. On June 19, 2019, I sent an email to Susan Bailey, an Assistant Public Defender in Marion County who previously represented Sarah. I asked Ms. Bailey for help with Sarah. Ms. Bailey did not respond. 

Sarah left my home soon after, but would return on occasion when she had nowhere else to go. Sarah was a transient occupant of my home, not a tenant. Sarah would come to take a shower, wash her cloths that she carried in a backpack, get something to eat, and then sleep a lot. 

On May 16, 2020 while Sarah and I were having diner at my home, she suddenly passed out while sitting at the diner table. Sarah's head fell face-first into her plate of food. I grabbed a camera that was sitting on the table and took a picture. Then I shook Sarah and she woke up. 

Just prior to this incident Sarah seemed okay. In hindsight I believe Sarah experienced a drug-induced state called going "on the nod". 

After this incident I thought Sarah might die if she didn't get help. When Sarah stayed at my home, she slept a lot. Sometimes while Sarah was sleeping, her breathing was very heavy. Other times it was normal. But sometimes Sarah's breathing was so shallow, I could not see if she was breathing at all. I knew if Sarah stopped breathing she would die. It takes less than 10 minutes for a person to die once they stop breathing. 

In an effort to help Sarah, and to protect myself, I contacted the Marion County Sheriff Office. I emailed the photo of Sarah "on the nod" to three officials at the Marion County Sheriff's Office: 

1. Lt. Charles Welch, the South-Marion District Commander, 
2. Chief Robert Douglas, and 
3. The sheriff's legal counsel Timothy McCourt, Florida Bar ID 44604. Tim McCourt is now a Marion County Circuit Court Judge. Judge McCourt was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023. 

I notified them that Sarah was a transient occupant of my residential property under Chapter 82 of the Florida Statutes, and that she was at risk of death by drug overdose. 

On January 5, 2021 @ 4:41 in the afternoon, I got a phone call from Sarah asking me for a ride because she was getting kicked out of the Howard Johnson hotel at 3951 NW Blitchton Road, in Ocala, Florida. The recorded call is part of this video. The recording shows Sarah was upset and crying, and needed a ride to go stay with her sister. This phone was one of a number of calls I got from Sarah. The phone calls were automatically recorded with a DynaMetric call saver program on my home phone, an old fashion, land-line type telephone. I provided these calls to the authorities as evidence that Sarah needed help. But the authorities did not help Sarah. 

May years ago I began recording my phone calls during a legal dispute with Florida lawyer Ryan Christopher Rodems. He was a bully who would call me about my lawsuit against his law firm and harass me. On March 3, 2006, Mr. Rodems called me at home about setting a hearing on my Motion To Disqualify him as Counsel for his law firm. During the phone call Mr. Rodems threatened to reveal my client confidences he learned during his law firm’s representation of me. Three days later Rodems filed a sworn affidavit under the penalty of perjury that falsely named the trial judge, the Honorable Richard A. Nielsen, in an "exact quote" he attributed to me. The Tampa Police Department listened to my recording of the phone call and determined Rodems was not right or accurate in his affidavit, but they would not prosecute him for perjury. Ryan Christopher Rodems now works for Morgan & Morgan, the same firm who refused to help my client Harold Minnis. 

A transcript of Sarah's phone call is posted online. My affidavit for Susan Bailey, the Assistant Public Defender, is posted online, and included at the end of this video. My affidavit for the Marion County Sheriff's Office is posted online, and shows I notified the Sheriff on May 16, 2020 that Sarah was a transient occupant of my home, and that she was at risk of death by drug overdose. This is one reason why I could not let Sarah move back on June 7, 2020 when she tried to return after getting kicked out of her boyfriend's place. I knew Sarah would die of a drug overdose if she did not get help. I did not want Sarah dying in my home. Sheriff Billy Woods and his incompetent staff, including his lawyer Tim McCourt, are guilty of not helping Sarah Thompson. Thank you.

Wings4Sarah

Neil Gillespie 911 Call to Marion County Sheriff's Office January 2, 2025

 

Hello, Neil Gillespie here for Justice Network. On January 2, 2025 I drove Harold Minnis to the Marion County Jail in Ocala Florida to surrender to Detective Tasha Nix because he was HOMELESS and unable to report an address change as a sexual predator. Harold was convicted in Orange County 20 years ago for sexual battery. But the Marion County Sheriff's Office refused to take Harold into custody. This was an outrageous threat to public safety. Harold wore an GPS ankle monitor that tracked his movement. But Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods refused to accept the surrender of a sexual predator on January 2, 2025, so I made a 911 emergency call, which is this video. 

Previously Harold wanted Morgan & Morgan to represent him, but that may have undermined his case. Morgan & Morgan refused to help Harold, and I was unable to find any lawyer to assist Harold, as discussed in the 911 call. Twenty-six years ago I had a legal case against Ryan Christopher Rodems, a Florida lawyer who now works for Morgan & Morgan. 

Harold was age 63 on January 2, 2025, and had End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD). Harold needed kidney dialysis three times a week to stay alive. The Marion County Jail provides kidney dialysis in its medical unit to inmates in the jail who need dialysis.

Harold was released from the Florida Department of Corrections on September 8, 2024, with the clothes on his back and a $50 debit card. Antonio Ramirez was Harold's probation officer.

Prior to his release, the Department of Corrections prepared a Pre-Release Planing Program for Harold dated August 26, 2024, with a referral to Catholic Charities in Gainesville for housing. The referral noted "housing is critical". Harold was also given a referral to the Marion County Health Department for food stamps, medical care, housing, transportation, and Social Security.   

Susan Frizzell of Catholic Charities, the program coordinator for HOPWA, was unresponsive to my many attempts to contact her on Harold's behalf. Harold initially stayed in Dunnellon at a group home with other men where the rent was paid for by the state. This home was in a remote location on an unpaved road with no public transportation. The home was not disability compliant. There was a flight of stairs to enter the home. Harold often used a wheelchair. And Harold was being beaten by younger men in the home. 

The home was 18 miles from the hospital where Harold went for kidney dialysis. The folks at DaVita Kidney Center would not provide transportation either, but said to call an ambulance each time Harold needed a ride to the hospital for kidney dialysis, which is mandated by law because dialysis is a life-saving treatment. So the Marion County Fire Rescue became Harold's transportation, at public expense. Last week a lady in the billing department told me rates for an ambulance ride to the hospital varied according to the level of care, and ranged from $775 per trip to $1,650 per trip, plus $17 per mile. So the mileage charge alone cost $306 for a 18 mile ride to the hospital, each way. So the minimum charge would be $1,081 each way, and $2,162 round trip. Three trips a week would cost about $6,500. 

Harold was initially arrested in Marion County Florida in June 2020 when he failed to stop when a deputy noticed his vehicle did not have a license plate attached. Harold was incarcerated for a little over 4 years. Like I said earlier, when Harold was released, he only had the cloths on his back, and a $50 debit card from the state. When I took Harold to surrender on January 2nd, he was homeless. A case manager at West Marion Hospital told me the county was somehow blocking Harold in his effort to reintegrate into society. Based on fact that Morgan & Morgan refused to help Harold, I concluded that attorney Ryan Christoper Rodems might behind this obstruction, and my efforts to help Harold were counterproductive. I explained to Harold that this lawyer's vendetta against me was likely harming him, which is why Morgan & Morgan would not assist him, and he was essentially blacklisted. Harold had an appointment with Social Security scheduled for January 30, 2025 for his End Stage Renal Disease application, but he was arrested the day before, on January 29, 2025 and was in jail by then. 

After the Marion County Sheriff refused to take Harold into custody on January 2, 2025, he remained in violation for 27 days until he was arrested on January 29, 2025. For 27 days Harold was on the street. For 27 days Harold incurred medical costs ultimately paid by the taxpayer, perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital stays and ambulance rides, just to later throw him in jail anyway. Marion County Sheriff Woods was reckless and put the public in danger by failing to arrest a sexual predator who tried to surrender on January 2, 2025. 

So listen to my 911 call and let me know what you think. I will be posting a related video with footage of Harold, some of which is already online, video of me with Harold at Ocala Regional Hospital, and Advent Health Hospital. By the way, I am 70 years old and fund Justice Network from my Social Security retirement income. I welcome donations to Justice Network through PayPal. Thank you.

Letter July 21, 2025 to Hon. Robert W. Hodges, Circuit Judge, Marion County Judicial Center

RE: State of Florida v. Harold Minnis, Case No. 2025-CF-0383

Your Honor:

Please find enclosed a transcript of my 911 call January 2, 2025 in this case to be included in the record. I am Neil J. Gillespie, a nonlawyer advocate d/b/a Justice Network. Harold Minnis was a client of mine. I am a material witness in this matter. On January 2, 2025 I drove Harold Minnis to the Marion County Jail to surrender because he was homeless and unable to report a change of address, because he had no address; Harold was homeless and living on the street. 

Unfortunately the Marion County Jail refused to accept Harold, so I reported this as an emergency call to 911. Previously I provided this information to Harold's pubic defender, Tracya N Smith, Florida Bar No. 1027725, but got no response. The docket for State v. Minnis, case no. 2025-CF-0383, maintained by Gregory Harrell, Clerk and Comptroller, does not show an attorney for Mr. Minnis. The docket shows "Bar ID 88888888" by Harold's name. 

In my view, if a suspect surrenders to law enforcement, as Harold Minnis did on January 2, 2025, law enforcement has a duty to take him into custody. But law enforcement refused to incarcerate Mr. Minnis. I am willing to testify at trial for the defense. The State was reckless and put the public in danger by failing to incarcerate Mr. Minis as he requested. Separately, for 27 days Harold Minnis incurred medical costs ultimately paid by the taxpayer, perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital stays and ambulance rides, just to later throw him in jail anyway. (continued)