Q: The day after you pled to probation two months ago, you came back
to court to get help, what where you feeling?
A: I was scared.
Q: Why?
A: I had been denying my mental problems for a long time.
Q: Have you ever tried to get help before?
A: Yes, but nobody seems to listen.
Q: Have you ever gone to a mental health agency for help?
A: Yeah, they gave me drugs but no therapy. No one to talk to.
Q: You do not use cocaine, yet you purchased it?
A: I wanted to overdose on it.
Q: The day before you went up on the 110 Tower, I took you to mental health court
and we had you transported to Broward General Hospital. What happened at the hospital?
A: I got to the hospital about twelve noon and after waiting for hours, a doctor
asked me how I felt, and I said "great", because I thought I was going to get
help.
Q: Were you admitted into the hospital?
A: No. I waited all night but the nurse told me I wasn’t going to stay at the
hospital. They said they would help get me into the salvation army.
Q: Who did you feel then?
A: I was angry at the people who run the hospital, so I decided to go to the
courthouse to get help but my other personality told me to jump off the roof.
Q: Did you tell the doctor at the hospital about your other personality?
A: Yes, but he didn’t pay any attention to it.
Q: What were you feeling when you went on the roof?
A: Depressed. I had nothing. It was my only way out.
Q: Were you scared?
A: I was numb.
Q: What happened when the police got there?
A: They were trying to talk to me but I was looking down at the ground below.
Q: What were you thinking?
A: About my grandmother who died. She was the one who was the nicest to me, the one
I had the most in common with.
Q: Were you thinking about joining her?
A: Yes.
Q: What made you ask for me?
A: Because I wanted to get help, and you tried to get me help. You’re the one
that I trusted.
Q: So after I came up on the roof, you came down and we put you in the hospital?
A: Yes. I was there at the hospital this time for two and one half weeks and
didn’t want to leave, but they said I had to, so I went to a group home in
Lauderhill.
Q: Have you received any counseling?
A: Well, group therapy at the hospital, but it wasn’t intense.
Q: How are you doing now? (Paul is currently at Fort Lauderdale Retirement Home)
A: I like it, I have allot to do. Debbie asked me to help with the fish tank as
soon as I got here. Then she went out and bought one hundred dollars worth of fish. I also
help with the garden by weeding and planting flowers. Having things to do makes me feel
worthwhile.
Q: I understand you have reconciled with your Mother?
A: Yeah, I hadn’t spoken to her for two or three months. She is glad that
I’ve calmed down allot.
Q: What would you like to tell people who have mental problems?
A: First of all even if you don’t have any reason to go to the courthouse, go
there and find a judge to get you transferred to someone who can help you. There is
nothing outside the courthouse.
Q: You didn’t know about community mental health centers?
A: No.
Q: What would you tell someone who is thinking about killing themselves?
A: Don’t do it. You can get help.
Mr.Gausman
told police he wanted Howard Finkelstein to help him get mental health
counseling. Two days earlier Mr. Gausman appeared in Broward
Circuit Court on a Possession of Cocaine charge where he pled guilty and was sentenced by
judge Vic Tobin to 18 months probation. It was later learned that Mr. Gausman was not a
substance abuser but attempted to buy crack cocaine so he could overdose and die. The
person he tried to buy the drugs from, however, was an undercover police officer, who
arrested him.
