Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
An Upper Makefield man who prosecutors said lied about having several physical disabilities and didn’t really need a wheelchair has been jailed for violating his probation.
James George Douris, 60, was sent back to the slammer Friday to serve 60 days of his back time after he refused to provide proof he is receiving court-ordered mental health treatment, Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Long told NewtownPANow.com.
In February, Douris was sentenced by Bucks County Judge Gary B. Gilman to 30 days to 23 months in county lockup. The judge also served a five year-probation sentence and 200 hours of community service with the VFW post in Doylestown. Late last year, the litigious man was convicted by a jury of perjury, forgery, fabricating evidence and false statements under oath for submitting false documents before Falls Township District Judge Jan Vislosky. He later pleaded guilty to allegations he lied before county Judge Robert J. Mellon.
“He kept giving his probation officer excuse after excuse and kept saying he was seeing someone but wouldn’t give a name or documentation,” Long said. “He was also still using his ‘disabilities’ as an excuse for not getting things done or doing any of his community service.”
Even as Douris was sentenced in February, he rolled into the Bucks County Justice Center in a wheelchair and mentioned his alleged disabilities several times. Prior to his sentencing, Douris had requested and received special accommodations at public facilities several times due to his alleged disabilities.
Douris, who served a short stint in the Navy before an injury, has long been known throughout Bucks County for his litigious nature, pointing out real and perceived American With Disability Act violations. Federal court documents show Douris at one time sued the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for not providing food stamps for a service animal. It was a suit he lost.
Larry King, an analyst from the district attorney’s office, said before Gilman at sentencing that Douris has filed more than 31 separate actions in federal court in the past 20 years and lost nearly every single one. He also testified that Douris filed 15 or 16 local court actions.
James George Douris after being helped into the Justice Center earlier this year.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
Upper Makefield solicitor Peter Nelson even testified at sentencing that the township brought in an expert on disability accommodations several years back after Douris’ complaints. He added that Douris was attempting to set up township officials for ADA complaints.
Douris one time tried to claim he was owed $5 billion in compensation after he reached a deal with law enforcement in the 1990s over reimbursing customers of his defunct plumbing business.
As county detectives investigated Douris in recent years, they collected evidence, including video and photos, that he was not really wheelchair bound and could function with little difficulty.
Even as sheriff’s deputies prepared to take Douris to prison in winter, he told his attorney he needed help securing a wheelchair in prison.
Douris has stated he suffers from diabetes, digestive issues, carpal tunnel, hearing loss, knee problems and told sheriff deputies he was color blind and couldn’t tell the color of their yellow Taser.
However, a miracle vegan diet, homeopathic remedies and a special cocktail with herbs and some alcohol “for just a little kick” helped him manage his pain, Douris said at sentencing.
Long has previously said Douris had wasted “years and years of essentially screwing everybody.”
Gilman told Douris during sentencing that his charade was an “affront to every individual who is truly disabled.”
A doctor told the court earlier this year that Douris suffered from narcissistic personality disorder.
Long said Gilman last week suggested that Douris began mental health treatment while in the county jail.
