The LaCon Case

Admittedly, today's column about Frank LaCon raises more questions than it answers but it is a fascinating and very sad case.

A man going through an unwanted and contentious divorce ends up hopelessly debilatated by progressive demential. Several readers have speculated that it might have been brought on by alcoholism. As far as I know that is not the case. There is no mention of it being alcohol related by the court-appointed shrink who examined him and found him to be in desperate need of full-time nursing care.

The cause of the disease is unknown. But it is similar to the sort of dementia pro football players have gotten as the result of concussions during their career. LaCon, his family tells me, played college football and suffered his share of concussions.

Whatever the cause, the family raises serious questions about how the case was treated in Common Pleas court. And it is fair to wonder if the roles had been reversed and LaCon's wife had been the one suffering a debilitating disease, the judge would have handled the matter in the same way. I will be following up as the case proceeds.