Thursday, July 14, 2011

** Beaten California paramedic could be candidate for brain shunt, doctors say

** US medic’s appeal of Japan driving death conviction rejected

UNITED STATES NEWS

** A California paramedic, beaten into a coma at a March Giants’ game, could soon receive a brain shunt. That is the word from the Bay City News Service (July 10) which said the apparatus could assist in reducing swelling as well as improve the responsiveness of Bryan Stow, 42. According to the newspaper, Stow continues to be in serious condition at a San Francisco hospital. Postings on his family’s website indicate he is not currently suffering from any infections or fevers. Stow, who worked EMS in Santa Clara, is a father of two. In a coma for several weeks after the March 31 beating, he may have suffered long term brain damage in the attack.

JAPAN NEWS

** A US combat medic convicted last fall in the driving death of a Yomitan man will serve his entire 32-month prison sentence, now that his appeal has been rejected. The Stars and Stripes (Travis J. Tritten/Chiyomi Sumida/July 12) said 1st Special Forces Group Staff Sgt. Clyde Gunn, 28, is currently at a detention facility in Naha. Free on bail pending the outcome of Thursday’s appeal, Gunn could be out on bail once again as his case is appealed to the supreme court in Tokyo. On Tuesday, judges in the original appellate case said Gunn seemed untruthful and irrational. When first charged in the November 2009 death of pedestrian Masakazu Hokama, 66, Gunn said he was unaware that his vehicle had hit anything. However, Chief Judge Yoshinari Hashimoto said that was unlikely given the damage to Gunn’s vehicle following the collision. Hokama, whose body was found 12 hours after the accident, died from a broken neck. A cracked windshield was presented as evidence that his body bounced onto the car’s hood and then hit the glass. Police arrested Gunn after finding his vehicle at an auto repair shop.