Medical Records: Rosa Parks Has Dementia

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DETROIT - Civil rights figure Rosa Parks has had dementia since at least 2002, according to medical records released as part of a legal fight over a hip-hop song titled with her name.

Parks' relatives claim she never would have agreed to the lawsuit if she had understood it. The lawsuit filed by lawyers on her behalf says the OutKast song "Rosa Parks" defamed her and used her name without permission.

The medical records, which a judge ordered released Monday, show a doctor's note indicated that Parks, 91, suffered from "progressive dementia," or severe mental impairment. The notes were shared with another doctor in October 2002, but the records don't show when they were written or when she was diagnosed, the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday.

Parks' guardian, former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer, opposed releasing the medical records, saying they were private. The judge appointed Archer since Parks' family was questioning her well-being and understanding of the lawsuit.

"I'm not a doctor, but I know, dementia or not, my auntie would never, ever go to this length to hurt some young artists trying to make it in the world," said Rhea McCauley, Parks' niece. "As a family, our fear is that during her last days Auntie Rosa will be surrounded by strangers trying to make money off of her name."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050113/ap_on_re_us/rosa_parks_medical_records

[burrowowl]

1. How sad

May there be a good outcome.

[rurallib]

2. It's a shame.

With MLK day coming up let us all thank these heros and heroines of the civil rights movement for their sacrifices. Let us pray that chimporoid doesn't take us so far down that the movement must start from the bottom again.
Thank you, Rosa.

[Bucky]

3. Start the count down. How many days before Rush says something mean?

It's just a matter of time before Limbaugh pops off with yet another heartless, mean spirited, gloating over someone else's misfortune. The only real question is whether Ann Coulter can beat him to the punch.

[roguevalley]

4. The whole mess is sad. This is one brave woman. What a terrible

end for her. My granny had it and went out BAD at 96. God bless you, Rosa Parks.

[sonicx]

5. What do her medical records have to do with this court case anyway?

:shrug:

[Warpy]

6. Damn lawyers trying to cash in on her estate

before she dies initiated that lawsuit. They don't intend to win. They just intend to run up bills.