Former Judge Mulroy Dies Of Mystery Illness. Himself Requested Autopsy
Syracuse, N.Y (United States):
Former Onondaga County Judge J. Kevin Mulroy did not get any answers about what was draining his life away over the past four months. So he made sure his death would be followed by an autopsy, so his family might get those answers for themselves.
His sister, Onondaga County Legislator Martha Mulroy, said Tuesday the family is now waiting to see if that mystery will be solved for them."We really have no clue what his illness was and what caused his death," she said Tuesday, hours after her brother died at his Marcellus home at about 3:30 a.m. He was 53.
"I know a lot of doctors who want to know what was wrong with him," she said.J. Kevin Mulroy has baffled doctors at University Hospital here in Syracuse and at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore since he was stricken in May.The illness initially affected his vision and swallowing, prompting a battery of tests. But doctors were unable to determine what was causing the illness that appeared to have attacked Mulroy's brain stem and immune system. Most recently, the illness had affected his breathing, and Mulroy was on a respirator.
"He's been fighting this so hard and so long," his sister said, adding her brother was determined not to give in to whatever it was that was sapping his strength.Longtime friend and fellow lawyer James McGraw said Tuesday that Mulroy's doctor had told Mulroy he was going to die. Mulroy called his physician "Dr. Death" but said he was prepared for the inevitable, McGraw said.According to McGraw, Mulroy had suffered cardiac arrest three times since he began battling the unknown illness and had been revived to continue his battle. He wanted to make sure an autopsy was conducted so his family, especially his daughters, would get some answers about what had happened to him, McGraw said.The mostrecent cardiac arrest occurred Sept. 8, prompting Mulroy's daughters, Jessica and Caitlin, to return from colleges in Vermont and Massachusetts to be home with their father, Martha Mulroy said.But when Mulroy's health appeared to improve, his daughters returned to school, she said.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday because the family was awaiting the return of the daughters, Mulroy's sister said.One of Mulroy's other sisters, Melinda, was here from California and had been helping Mulroy's girlfriend, Kada Nodine, in caring for him over the past week, Martha Mulroy said.According to his sister, Mulroy had recently agreed to start a new medical regimen in which his blood was drained, cleansed and then replaced. He had undergone three of those treatments last week and another on Monday, she said. "We were hoping to see a better turnaround in his condition," she said.
Martha Mulroy said Dr. Mary Jumbelic, the county medical examiner, responded to the house after her brother died Tuesday morning. She said she was hoping the autopsy would finally identify his illness and whether it or something else led to his death.Mulroy was the son of former County Executive John Mulroy. He served as a prosecutor for several years before a term as Onondaga town justice and 13 years as Onondaga County Court judge. He had spent the past five years in private law practice with his sister since being removed from the bench for misconduct.
Sept 21, 2005
Jim O'Hara
Syracuse Post Standard
Syracuse, N.Y (United States):Former Onondaga County Judge J. Kevin Mulroy did not get any answers about what was draining his life away over the past four months. So he made sure his death would be followed by an autopsy, so his family might get those answers for themselves.
His sister, Onondaga County Legislator Martha Mulroy, said Tuesday the family is now waiting to see if that mystery will be solved for them."We really have no clue what his illness was and what caused his death," she said Tuesday, hours after her brother died at his Marcellus home at about 3:30 a.m. He was 53.
"I know a lot of doctors who want to know what was wrong with him," she said.J. Kevin Mulroy has baffled doctors at University Hospital here in Syracuse and at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore since he was stricken in May.The illness initially affected his vision and swallowing, prompting a battery of tests. But doctors were unable to determine what was causing the illness that appeared to have attacked Mulroy's brain stem and immune system. Most recently, the illness had affected his breathing, and Mulroy was on a respirator.
"He's been fighting this so hard and so long," his sister said, adding her brother was determined not to give in to whatever it was that was sapping his strength.Longtime friend and fellow lawyer James McGraw said Tuesday that Mulroy's doctor had told Mulroy he was going to die. Mulroy called his physician "Dr. Death" but said he was prepared for the inevitable, McGraw said.According to McGraw, Mulroy had suffered cardiac arrest three times since he began battling the unknown illness and had been revived to continue his battle. He wanted to make sure an autopsy was conducted so his family, especially his daughters, would get some answers about what had happened to him, McGraw said.The mostrecent cardiac arrest occurred Sept. 8, prompting Mulroy's daughters, Jessica and Caitlin, to return from colleges in Vermont and Massachusetts to be home with their father, Martha Mulroy said.But when Mulroy's health appeared to improve, his daughters returned to school, she said.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday because the family was awaiting the return of the daughters, Mulroy's sister said.One of Mulroy's other sisters, Melinda, was here from California and had been helping Mulroy's girlfriend, Kada Nodine, in caring for him over the past week, Martha Mulroy said.According to his sister, Mulroy had recently agreed to start a new medical regimen in which his blood was drained, cleansed and then replaced. He had undergone three of those treatments last week and another on Monday, she said. "We were hoping to see a better turnaround in his condition," she said.
Martha Mulroy said Dr. Mary Jumbelic, the county medical examiner, responded to the house after her brother died Tuesday morning. She said she was hoping the autopsy would finally identify his illness and whether it or something else led to his death.Mulroy was the son of former County Executive John Mulroy. He served as a prosecutor for several years before a term as Onondaga town justice and 13 years as Onondaga County Court judge. He had spent the past five years in private law practice with his sister since being removed from the bench for misconduct.
Sept 21, 2005
Jim O'Hara
Syracuse Post Standard
