A lawyer for a northeastern Pennsylvania county where a botched 911 dispatch led to a woman's death says residents don't have a constitutional right to emergency services.
The (Wilkes-Barre) Citizens' Voice reported Luzerne County attorney David Heisler made the argument Tuesday as he asked a federal judge to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit.
Attorney Bill Anzalone said firefighters were initially sent to the wrong address last May and argued that a dispatcher overlooked "red flags'' that should have prompted a faster correction.
He said 52-year-old Michelle Dzoch was disabled and relied on 911 to protect her. He argued officials displayed "willful disregard'' of the Mocanaqua woman's safety.
Heisler said the danger in the case was the fire and "the state didn't create that.''
People Don't Have Right to Emergency Services: Lawyer
Copyright AP - Associated Press
