Affidavit of Ned
Cassem, MD in
Paul Edwards
v. the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and Michael Smith Foster
1. I
am Ned Cassem, MD, former Chief of MGH Psychiatry at Massachusetts
General Hospital. I am currently on staff at Massachusetts General
Hospital and am a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. I
have been practicing psychiatry for 35 years.
2. I have been consulted in the
matter of Paul Edwards vs. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and
Michael Smith Foster, Suffolk Superior Court Civil Action No.
02-3603. I have not examined Mr. Edwards and I have based my opinions
on facts and statements as outlined below.
-
Based upon my review, I
believe that there is a reasonable [ ] that Paul Edwards is a danger to
Michael Smith Foster and possibly others including Cardinal Bernard Law.
-
It is my understanding that
Mr. Edwards’ history of illnesses, real and feigned, date back to
pre-school and have escalated through the years and have culminated in
his “paraplegia”.
-
It is my understanding that
Mr. Edwards’ father and others have stated that Mr. Edwards “loved”
being injured and craved attention and exaggerated situations to the
point of fabrication. Mr. Edwards’ family and friends attributed his
many complaints and illness, including deafness, to his need for
attention.
-
It is my understanding that
Mr. Edwards claims to be a paraplegic stemming from a hockey accident in
June 1993. However, according to Mr. Edwards’ father, Mr. Edwards was
claiming problems with his legs prior to his wedding in April 1993.
-
Prior to the wedding, Paul
Edwards was employed at Gillette. Paul Edwards’ father further said
that the company physician believed that Mr. Edwards suffered from
Munchausen’s Syndrome and was concerned that the emotional trauma of Mr.
Edwards’ upcoming wedding would exacerbate Mr. Edwards’ problems.
-
It is my understanding that
Mr. Edwards began using a cane before the wedding and after the
honeymoon complained of worsening symptoms. Mr. Edwards was
hospitalized for approximately 10 days in ---- 1993 and that he has been
in a wheelchair for the past nine years. In newspaper accounts, Mr.
Edwards is quoted as saying that he was injured in an ice hockey
accident.
-
It is my understanding that
no organic cause for his paralysis was ever found. The medical team at
New England Rehab suggested psychiatric treatment. His father and
others recall that Mr. Edwards claimed that his parents and doctors had
gone behind his back and Mr. Edwards checked out of the hospital against
medical advice.
-
Paul claimed in a newspaper
article that he “lost the extremities [sic] in the lower half of my
body. I have a spinal infection that leaves me with a lack of blood
supply to the lower limbs.” His family claims that there is no organic
reason for his alleged paralysis.
-
Two witnesses have stated
that they have seen Paul Edwards standing—something inconsistent with
his paraplegia claims.
-
Paul Edwards is estranged
from his father and oftentimes the entire family. He has made claims of
being involved in semi-professional hockey, even though he was thought
to be a below average skater and hockey player. He has sought attention
through the newspaper especially during the time of Travis Roy’s tragic
accident in a Boston University hockey game.
-
Mr. Edwards father advises
that Paul Edwards is an accomplished bow hunter and has taken taxidermy
classes. It is unknown whether Paul Edwards has access to a gun.
-
Based on all of this, I
believe that Michael Smith Foster to be in danger. I have advised Msgr.
Foster to take precautions including using a Kevlar vest, to obtain a
restraining order if possible, to learn how to use a gun, to contact
local police and otherwise be vigilant against possible attack from Paul
Edwards.
-
Mr. Edwards' history is
consistent with his being a sociopath or psychopath. In my opinion, to
a reasonable degree of psychiatric certainty, Mr. Edwards is a threat to
the physical safety of Msgr. Foster.
-
His lawsuit is an attack on
Michael Smith Foster. Paul Edwards has planned his attack on Michael
Smith Foster since at least April 2002 when he tried to gather support
from his friends for the lawsuit. He has attacked Michael Smith Foster
with the filing of the lawsuit
-
Mr. Edward’s lawyer advises
that he is now under medical care as a result of the negative press Paul
Edwards has received.
-
In my professional opinion,
Paul Edwards represents a threat to Michael Smith Foster’s personal
safety and also that of others.
Signed under the pains and penalty of perjury
this___[29th]____ day of August, 2002.
Ned Cassem, M.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical
School
|