! 1
STIM, IIGHTING lOB.
Karen Thompson has filed a new
motion in the District Court in
Duluth, Minnesota, in a renewed
effort to obtain the release of her
lover, Sharon Kowalski, from her
parents.
A Minnesota court in July 1985
gave unlimited guardianship of
Kowalski to her father. Kowalski
had been severely injured in an
accident in September 1985. Since
then she has been kept in a nursing
home and has been allowed no rehab
ilitation or visits from Thompson
and other friends.
Although court orders have
stipulated that the father must
annually have Kowalski tested for
competency and must abide by her
expressed wishes, none of Thomp
son's appeals have succeeded in
bringing enforcement of those
orders.
The Minnesota courts have ruled
that the Minnesota Civil Liberties
Union may not participate in the
case and that the Patients' Bill of
Rights may not be invoked to
influence the behavior of a
guardian.
Thompson has filed a new motion
in District Court in Duluth asking
that Kowalski be legally "restored
to capacity," which would give her
some decision-making power. The
intent of the motion is to force
the parents to have Kowalski tested
and to have the results entered in
the court record. In addition,
with a motion pending in court,
Thompson and her attorney hope the
court will appoint an attorney for
Kowalski to replace the one who
recently resigned.
To date, the national Sharon
Kowalski groups, composed of
activists in women's, gay, and
disabled rights, have focused their
efforts on fundraising for the
Karen Thompson Legal Fund. They
have been extremely successful,
raising more than $80,000 to cover
legal bills of more than $110,000.
In addition to fundraising, a
high priority for the groups has
been to inform lesbian and gay
couples about protecting their
relationships through durable
powers of attorney--documents
assigning legal decision-making
authority. They have distributed
informative materials, made presen
tations, and sponsored workshops
with attorneys.
A high priority for the near
future is to develop an approach to
the press and broadcast media that
will focus national attention on
the case. Following an aggressive
letter-writing campaign last
winter, "60 Minutes" agreed to
cover the story and asked that the
letters stop; then the story was
cut from the list of projects.
Recently, The Village Voice
published an article about the
case, which has led to inquiries by
CBS and National Public Radio for
longer pieces to be aired
nationally.
Future ideas for direct action
include encouraging all gay pride
organizers to name Kowalski "grand
marshal in absentia" in 1988;
coordinating a national action on
Kowalski's 32nd birthday next
August; making long-range plans for
civil disobedience at the nursing
home; and considering a coordinated
campaign of telephone calls to
Kowalski. The group has also
agreed to promote a holiday card
campaign this December. To partic
ipate in this campaign, mail
holiday cards between December 1
and December 8 to:
Sharon Kowalski
Leisure Hills Nursing Home
1500 3rd Avenue E.
Hibbing MN 55746
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