Husband Demands Payment For Donated Kidney
Posted by: Annika Harris
Filed in:
news
12:30PM, Thursday January 8th 2009
A Long Island surgeon doesn’t want to fight his estranged wife for the million dollar pad they shared. Instead, he wants the kidney he donated to her. But he’ll settle for $1.5 million compensation.
Dr. Richard Batista and his wife Dawnell have been embroiled in a divorce battle for nearly four years. He saved her life by donating the kidney in 2001. She filed for divorce in July 2005, but he claims she began having an extramarital affair 18 months to two years after the transplant. Batista said he doesn’t regret donating the kidney to Dawnell, but regrets the failed marriage. “There is no greater feeling on this planet. As God is my witness, I felt as if I could put my arm around Jesus Christ,” he said. “It was unbelievable; I was walking on a cloud. To this day I would still do it again.”
The couple have three children together, which makes me question Batista’s motives for wanting his kidney. Let’s forget for a minute that no doctor would be willing to remove a kidney from someone whose life depends on the organ. And let’s instead think about that Batista would be killing the mother of his children if the kidney was returned to him. As a surgeon, Batista has to know that his demand is far-fetched. Therefore, I think he wants to drag out the divorce proceedings even more. He really wants nothing but pity. [ABC Local]
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Dmun
wrote on January 8 2009 @ 12:51 pm: [report]
Guy gets cheated on.
In the mean time, gives up kidney.
Now is getting divorced.
Wants to be paid value of the kidney (which was donated to someone he believes was cheating at the time of the gifting).
And you say “He really wants nothing but pity?”
This is a divorce preceding, it’s really about the alimony payments and in-fighting over the kids.
Don’t take a side just because of gender. It’s a divorce. They tend to be messy and money-oriented.
Annika Harris
wrote on January 8 2009 @ 01:24 pm: [report]
@Dmun He gave the kidney before she started cheating on him. He gave it b/c he loved her. She cheated on him, yes, but taking back the kidney would do more harm to his children than it would vindicate him. As to your comment a/b me taking sides based on gender, you’re totally wrong. I would feel the same way if his wife was doing this. No one is ever compensated for their organs. Selling organs is illegal. And any person that would do this to the other parent of their children is pitiful.
Tarvold
wrote on January 8 2009 @ 06:19 pm: [report]
@Annika,
He saved her life by cutting off a pound of his flesh, she cheated on him as soon as she’s healed. I think the bloke deserves to be a little selfish and grab a little pity.
Lynn
wrote on January 8 2009 @ 09:40 pm: [report]
I’m still not sure what he’s trying to stand on in court - like Annika said, it’s illegal to sell organs. I just don’t know what angle he could be going at that would make it at all worth fighting for. He’s fighting a losing battle and looking like an ass in the process.
On another note, superb illustration!
sunrise
wrote on January 9 2009 @ 12:18 am: [report]
I don’t think he’s really serious about wanting the kidney, he’s just trying to make a point. Thats why he said he’d take money instead.