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John Daley ReportingThe parents of Parker Jensen were in juvenile court today looking for a final resolution in the high-profile dispute over cancer treatments for their 12-year old son. But instead of resolution, it's continuation with more court dates set for the coming weeks.
The bottom line today is that the stalemate continues. Parker Jensen's parents face medical neglect charges and today there was no change in that status. It seems both the family and the state have dug in and neither side appears to be budging.
Parker Jensen was not in court today, but soon he will be. Today his parents were there on a criminal neglect charge filed after they refused to follow the state's recommendation of chemotherapy to treat Parker's cancer.
Today no agreement was reached between his family and the state about what to do next. So Judge Robert Yeates set a series of court dates including one next week where Parker will speak to the judge in chambers.
Carol Sisco, Spokesperson, Utah Dept. of Human Services: "Question: ‘Is it possible the doctors have got this wrong?’ It would be highly unlikely. But right now I think what we need to focus on is Parker is going to get his chance to talk to the judge. We'll have the pretrial hearing and then if we need to we'll go to a trial."
Mark May, Asst. Attorney General: "There are a lot of issues. First of all, there's still a medical neglect petition that's sitting out there. At this point we haven't heard anything from the Jensens in court to refute that medical neglect."
Today Parker's father revealed that Parker has been getting a treatment that combines holistic medicine and immunotherapy. He says it's working and he claims Parker has been cancer-free for some time.
Daren Jensen, Parker Jensen's Father: "And I feel persecuted because for one, their petition is based on imminent danger. And imminent danger means Parker's life is threatened right now, right now, right now. And it's been six months."
Jensen says he's done intensive research and is confident the alternative treatment will work. If it doesn't he says, "That's my responsibility. I'm betting my life, I would bet my life on it. When I ask the doctor, he says 'absolutely, I'll bet the farm that he's going to metastasize.' I said 'I'll take that bet and I'll bet you everything I have for everything you have that I'm right.'"
For now it appears this case is headed for trial. The judge set a trial date for next month. Parker Jensen is scheduled to meet with the judge Oct. 17.
