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Jail For State Employee Caught Punching Disabled Client

POSTED: 5:44 pm PDT May 16, 2008
UPDATED: 3:20 pm PDT May 17, 2008

KIRO Team 7 Investigators made him infamous - now a judge is sending him to jail!

We videotaped state employee, Karl Whitehouse, punching an 88year-old disabled woman in the face - then aired the assault as part of our in-depth investigation into the Rainier School for the Disabled.

Our videotape proof was something that Karl Whitehouse (and his attorney) did not want to face at trial, so he pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor assault. Just a short time ago, a Pierce County judge ordered him handcuffed and carted off to jail

Former Rainier School care-giver, Karl Whitehouse will spend the next 30 days behind bars; 60 more days of house arrest after that.

Whitehouse supervised a Rainier School picnic - videotaped last Fall by KIRO Team 7 Investigators. He was suppose to be providing "enrichment" to a dozen severely disabled clients, but instead, shoved and punched and intimidated his way through the hour-long outing.

At his sentencing in a Tacoma courtoom Friday, Whitehouse addressed his criminal actions for the first time.

“I would like to publically apologize for my actions and accept responsibility for all of my actions. No excuses. My actions have caused embarrassment for me and my family and my friends. I'd like to apologize to the clients and their families and the staff at Rainier School.

Pierce County Judge Judy Jasprica reviewed our hidden camera videotape just prior to sentencing, then told Whitehouse in open court what she didn’t see, “Not directing. Not leading. Not helping. The acts are quite frankly appalling.”

After watching Whitehouse slap a severely disabled man's head and swing angrily at the face of an elderly vulnerable patient , she called the incidents "egregious and vicious".

“We assume those people are going to be well taken care of - that they'll be respected and frankly that they will not be assaulted in someone else’s care.” Karl Whitehouse has enrolled in an anger management program, something he told the judge he 'likes" and is helping him.

Judge Jasprica warned Whitehouse that if he failed to meet any conditions of his release, she will send him back to jail for up to a year.

Whitehouse is the second Rainier employee to go to jail based on our investigation. Michelle Ann Martin pled guilty to assault last month and served 6 days behind bars.

A third Rainier employee at that picnic, David Pardy, is scheduled to go on trial for assault just before Memorial Day.


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