Man arrested for refusing to leave his partner's side at Kansas City hospital

Despite federal law, a Kansas City area man was arrested for refusing to leave the bedside of his sick partner:

Roger Gorley went to visit his partner, Allen at Research Medical Center, 2316 E. Meyer Blvd., Tuesday afternoon.

He says when he got there, a member of Allen’s family asked him to leave.

Even with a shared power of attorney, Gorley was refused:

When Gorley refused, he says hospital security forcibly removed him from the property and put him in handcuffs. 

“I was not recognized as being the husband, I wasn’t recognized as being the partner,” Gorley said.

While not legally recognized as a couple in Missouri, Gorley says he and his partner Allen have been in a civil union for nearly five years, and make medical decisions for each other.

He says the nurse refused to verify they also share joint Power of Attorney.

After the incident, Research Medical Center in Kansas City released the following statement:

We believe involving the family is an important part of the patient care process. And, the patient`s needs are always our first priority. 

When anyone becomes disruptive to providing the necessary patient care, we involve our security team to help calm the situation and to protect our patients and staff.

If the situation continues to escalate, we have no choice but to request police assistance.