7/28/2019 Turner June 19 2013 Letter to William Donohue
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June 19, 2013
William P. DonohueGeneral Counsel
University of Minnesota360 McNamara Alumni Center
200 Oak Street S.E.
University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN, 55455
DearMr.Donohue:
IampleasedtolearnthatyouarenotgoingtoengageinfurthercommunicationconcerningMary
WeissandMikeHowardspetitionsupportinganinvestigationofpossibleresearchmisconductat
theUniversityofMinnesota.ThestatedmandateoftheOfficeoftheGeneralCounselisto
zealouslyrepresenttheUniversityofMinnesota.YouandyourcolleaguesdefendtheUniversity
ofMinnesotainlitigationsuchasthelawsuitbroughtagainsttheUniversitybyMaryWeiss
anditisdisingenuoustosuggestthattheOfficeoftheGeneralCounselalsoconducts
independent,impartialinvestigationsintoallegationsofresearchmisconductattheUniversityofMinnesota.Inaddition,thereisnocrediblereasonwhyyouandotherrepresentativesfromthe
OfficeofGeneralCounselfunctionastheUniversityofMinnesotasdefactospokespersonsinresponsetocallsforaninvestigationintoDanMarkingsonsdeath.Suchrequestsshouldnotbe
directedtoyourofficeandyoushouldnotrespondtothem.Yourdecisiontocease
communicatingaboutthismatteristhereforeapositivedevelopment.
YouarecorrectwhenyoustatethatIamquestioningthejudgmentofotherswhohavereviewed
thematterofDanMarkingsonsdeath.(Somemightarguethatyouhaveprovidedabriefjob
descriptionofwhatfacultymembersaresupposedtodowhenyounotethatIamnotobediently
acceptingwhatyouandotherauthoritieshavedecreed.)MyMay13andJune5lettersto
PresidentKalerprovidedetailed,evidence-basedargumentsjustifyingthecaseforathoroughinvestigationofMarkingsonsdeath,theclinicaltrialinwhichhewasenrolled,andpossible
researchmisconducthereattheUniversityofMinnesota.Inresponse,Ihavereceivedfromyou
andPresidentKalernothingbuttheusualboilerplatetext.
7/28/2019 Turner June 19 2013 Letter to William Donohue
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Iamsureyouknowthatyouhaveaconflict-of-interestwhenyouclaimthattheOfficeofGeneral
Counselhasinvestigatedthesemattersandfoundnothingofconcern.Imconfidentyoualso
knowthatobtainingsummaryjudgmentfromacourtonthebasisthattheUniversityof
MinnesotaisstatutorilyimmunefromliabilitydoesnotmeanthattheHennepinCountryDistrict
CourtinvestigatedandexoneratedtheUniversityofMinnesota.TheMinnesotaBoardof
MedicalPractice,asIalreadyexplained,doesnotinvestigateuniversityandinstitutionalreviewboards.TheinspectionreportissuedbytheFDA,asIalreadymentioned,failedtoacknowledge
thevariousreportsdocumentingthatDanMarkingsonwaspsychoticandlackedthecapacityto
makehisownmedicaldecisions.TheFDAinvestigatorsfailuretointerviewMaryWeissisalso
highlytroubling.Inresponsetothedetailedobjectionsinmypreviousletteryourespondwithdiscreditedtalkingpoints.
UniversityofficialsinadequateresponsetocallsforaninvestigationintoDanMarkingsonsdeath
andpossibleresearchmisconductattheUniversityraisesseriousquestionsaboutleadershipand
institutionalgovernanceattheUniversityofMinnesota.YourreplytomylettercoupledwithPresidentKalersfailuretosupportanindependentinvestigationintoMarkingsonsdeathand
allegationsofresearchmisconductheightensmyfearsconcerninghowsenioradministratorsattheUniversityofMinnesotaareconductingthemselvesinresponsetotheseallegationsof
researchmisconduct.
Yourssincerely,
LeighTurner,PhD
AssociateProfessor
UniversityofMinnesotaCenterforBioethicsN520Boynton,410ChurchStreetSE
Minneapolis,Minnesota,55455
Phone:612.626.4830Email:[email protected]
cc:Dr.EricW.Kaler,President,UniversityofMinnesota
