Ailing radio legend and American Top 40 host, Casey Kasam, has had a previous decision made by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy reversed by the judge, allowing him to have his hydration and nutrition stopped. The ex parte hearing in which the judge reversed the decision he made on Monday was held in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, June 11.
Casey Kasem, 82, has been the subject of a sometimes bitter rift in his family. His wife, Jean Kasem, who has been married to him since 1980, has fought in the courts to have hospice care continue for her husband, and to have his hydration and nutrition needs continue to be met.
Jean Kasem’s desire to have Kasey’s hospice care continued in Washington state runs contrary to the wishes of her husband’s three children by a previous marriage. The same judge also ruled on Wednesday that Casey Kasem’s temporary conservator would remain his daughter, Kerri Kasem. She was originally named the temporary conservator or her father around a month ago. The decision effectively gives Kerri the final say over her father’s medical care.
Kerri Kasem’s attorney, Troy L. Martin, filed documents with the L.A. court giving the opinions of doctors who state that the “continuation of artificial nutrition and hydration” is not really beneficial for Casey Kasem, as “it will at best prolong the dying process for him.”
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy apparently agrees that continuing to give Casey Kasem food and fluids will ultimately only cause more pain. It also goes against Casey Kasem’s wishes as expressed in a 2011 advance healthcare directive in which he stated he didn’t want his life prolonged by receiving hydration, medication, and food.
In October, Casey Kasem’s children took to the media to let the world know that Jean was preventing them from seeing their father. Then, in May, Jean Kasem had her husband removed from a Santa Monica facility and transferred to one in Washington state without the knowledge of the rest of Casey’s family.
On June 1, when they came to see Casey Kasem and Jean where they were staying at a private residence in Washington with an ambulance crew to take their father to a hospital, Jean allegedly threw a pound of raw hamburger meat in their direction before she finally allowed them to come inside.
The family of the long-time American Top 40 host has issued a statement, inviting Jean and Liberty Kasem, the daughter of Jean and Casey, to join the family in Washington state during the last days of Casey Kasem, expresses their “hope that Jean and Liberty will come join his family during this time.” Jean and her attorney, Steven Haney, assert that the invitation is just for “show.”
Hearing the judge’s reversal, Jean Kasem reportedly stormed out of the courtroom, yelling that Kerri and Kasey’s other children by his first wife will have their father’s blood on their hands by convincing the judge to reverse his previous decision. On June 28, another hearing on who will be Casey Kasem’s permanent conservator takes place, assuming that he will still be alive at that date.
Written by: Douglas Cobb
