NORWICH – An 85-year-old nursing home resident who has been in the county jail since his arrest was diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia about a year and a half before his incarceration, said his defense attorney.
Leonard Bentley was a resident at the Chase Memorial Nursing Home in New Berlin until he was arrested by sheriff’s deputies Oct. 3. after staff contacted police and filed a complaint. Bentley was charged with a class B misdemeanor for allegedly exposing himself to residents at the facility.
Town of New Berlin Justice Joseph Brillinger remanded him to the Chenango County Correctional Facility on $1,000 cash bail following his arrest Oct. 3.
Public Defender Kayphet Mavady said his client had been diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia by the psychiatric unit at Bassett Healthcare in Oneonta over 18 months ago.
Mavady also said that two facilities, Binghamton General and the Rome Behavioral Unit, had denied a request to house his client.
“Both facilities said they lack beds, but also raised concerns that currently there is no long term plan in place for Mr. Bentley. They are concerned that following his evaluation, the county wouldn’t take him back,” said Mavady.
“He has nowhere to go and there is currently no plan in place, so he’s in jail,” said Mavady.
Assistant District Attorney James P. Chamberlain said he was working out release arrangements earlier in the week, when concerns were raised on the defendant’s behalf by his counsel regarding his personal safety and the safety of others.
In April, the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search for Bentley saying he had dementia and was attempting to hitchhike to Albany for a non-existent medical appointment.
Bentley was found quickly, but he was again brought to the attention of the Otsego County Sheriff in April when he was arrested for endangering the welfare of a child in the Town of Oneonta for allegedly exposed himself, according to Otsego County Jail records.
Richard Devlin Jr. said “apparently he was released from the Otsego County jail after four days of incarceration on his own recognizance, I believe to his daughter.”
Bentley’s daughter, Theresa Fisher of Otego, had her lawyer speak on her behalf.
“Her position is that she loves her father dearly. He’s 85 years old and the family just doesn’t have the resources or the capability to provide the kind of care he needs,” said attorney Joseph Kehoe of Oneonta.
Kehoe also confirmed that Bentley was diagnosed with dementia over a year before his arrest in Chenango.
“For the life of me, I don’t know why no one seems able to find a way to take care of him,” he said.
Kehoe said the family did not wish to point fingers and instead hoped for cooperation from area agencies.
His law office is currently petitioning New York State Senator. James L. Seward of 51st Senatorial District for aid.
“The family doesn’t want to leave the impression that they are washing their hands of him. She (Fisher) loves her father and she wants him to be in a place where he can maintain a good quality of life. We don’t believe jail is that place,” said Kehoe.