Dean Cochrun Sues Hospital For Circumcising Him As Newborn

(File photo.)

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- A South Dakota prison inmate is suing the hospital where he was circumcised as a newborn, saying he only recently became aware that he'd undergone the procedure and that it robbed him of his sexual prowess.

Dean Cochrun, 28, is asking for $1,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. He also asks in the lawsuit that his foreskin be restored "in the hopes I could feel whole again," though he acknowledged that he didn't expect such a restoration to be anything more than aesthetic.

Cochrun, who is imprisoned in Sioux Falls on a kidnapping conviction, filed the federal lawsuit Friday against Sanford Hospital. Cochrun claims that an "unknown doctor" at the then-named Sioux Valley Hospital misled his mother to believe that the procedure was medically necessary. Cochrun argues that the procedure was unnecessary, unethical and without medical benefit.

"I was recently made aware of the fact that I had been (circumcised) and that ... I was robbed of sensitivity during sexual intercourse as well as the sense of security and well-being I am entitled to in my person," he argued in the lawsuit, adding that neither he nor his partners would "have that sensitivity during sexual intercourse and have a normal sex life."

Cochrun isn't represented by a lawyer in the lawsuit, which includes a letter from Sanford officials responding to a letter requesting that his foreskin be replaced. Patient relations representative DyAnn Smith replied that Sanford would not pay for the procedure.

"There will be no further correspondence about this matter," she wrote.

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Comments

[jess havenfun]

11:53 PM on 04/19/2012

Look honey, our new son is so beautiful, so perfect. Hey, I know, let's cut off part of his penis!"

Yeah, it makes that much sense.

[rMatey]

09:39 AM on 04/19/2012

Just remember Trayvon Martin when he was wearing a hoodie.

[KIVPossum]

06:05 AM on 04/19/2012

Someone needs a trip to the psych ward

[yovinny100]

01:53 AM on 04/19/2012

First off, assuming that the hospital kept it, which is highly unlikely, It's doubtful that it would fit correctly. If it does, sexual feeling is not his major problem. Second, a certain amount of deterioration would have occurred, giving him zombie penis. Third, sexual feeling isn't something you want to complain about in prison. I'm sure someone in their would be more than happy to demonstrate alternative methods of obtaining sexual feeling, just not in the way he imagines.

The prison system, in a decision both wise and shortsighted, allows prisoners access to legal materials to assist in their own cases. Unfortunately, they also learn how to file nuisance lawsuits, which, being indigent, they can file for free. With lots of time on their hands, they come up with an unending list of stupid lawsuits, which clog up the legal system and cost tax payers millions.

[jandos]

10:38 PM on 04/19/2012

LOL!

[dave ochs]

11:50 PM on 04/18/2012

Is he Jewish?
dave

[Dasher2]

11:25 PM on 04/18/2012

I smell class action lawsuit! Guys you with me? Somebody call one of those cable TV lawyers. We want what once was ours back.
IT'S MY FORESKIN AND I WANT IT NOW!

[mododavid]

09:01 PM on 04/18/2012

If this is going to lead to a serious discussion on circumcision, I'll just say that I was snipped, and I'm glad i was. Also, I would NOT have wanted to make the decision as an adult since the pain would have forced me not to do it. I'm glad it was done at too young an age to remember.

[Caroline Warren]

09:37 PM on 04/18/2012

Monodavid,
I respect your feelings. However, I don't quite understand. Why would you even have had to make this choice anyway? Europeans and South Americans don't circumcise their children, and there is almost never a medical reason to choose it as an adult.

[geauxangel]

10:16 PM on 04/18/2012

Some people find it hard to believe that not all circumcised men out there aren't mad because they don't still have a foreskin..bravo to you!

[mododavid]

08:56 PM on 04/18/2012

ROFL!!! He's 28 years old, and he JUST found out he was circumcised? So, he's been peeing with his pants on this whole time? This is nuts! (hehe)

[minerva117]

05:17 PM on 04/18/2012

How special that he managed to become a sex offender in spite of his "handicap".......(snark)

[jabb5076]

12:51 PM on 04/18/2012

Maybe it's just me, but I find this man's lawsuit not only hilarious but astounding, too.

1. He didn't know until recently that he HAD been circumcised? Has he never looked in a mirror
naked or seen any other male naked? How could a 28 year old not know the difference?
Absurd!
2. He's worried about sensitivity during sex. He's in prison on a kidnapping conviction! The only
sex he should be worried about having is with mother thumb and her four daughters.
3. He wants his foreskin re-attached? Where's he going to find a spare one? Does he think
there are foreskin donors? I'd love to see that on someone's driver's license!

I forsee (or is that foreskin) this case getting thrown right out the door as soon as it's in the hands of a judge.

[Ray Russelburg]

05:47 PM on 04/18/2012

"The only
sex he should be worried about having is with mother thumb and her four daughters."

He also has to worry about the sex where he is on the RECEIVING end!

"He wants his foreskin re-attached? Where's he going to find a spare one? Does he think
there are foreskin donors? I'd love to see that on someone's driver's license! "

They could use his eyelids for that. Being as how he is a d!ckhead and all that.

[jabb5076]

10:04 PM on 04/18/2012

Hahaha.....like the eyelid comment. I didn't say anything about the 'other side of the coin' (so to speak) because why would he be worrying about HIS foreskin then? He'd be better off worrying about whether the prison store stocked KY!

[candlesmp]

11:31 PM on 04/18/2012

really the only thing that he has to worry about now is becoming someone's own personal muppet because he's in jail.

[jabb5076]

08:04 AM on 04/19/2012

Cookie Monster: Me want COOKIE!

[acarioti]

11:01 AM on 04/18/2012

After my circumcision, I told the nurse to 'keep the tip'!

[mododavid]

08:57 PM on 04/18/2012

lol

[cudbegood]

09:51 AM on 04/18/2012

Forget the Foreskin, cut off his Penis entirely! He is in jail for kidnapping an 8 year old girl to rape her!!

[mododavid]

08:57 PM on 04/18/2012

amen

[geauxangel]

03:46 AM on 04/18/2012

Lord almighty..I give up..trying to debate circumcision is right up there with abortion, politics and religion..pointless, so I don't know why I even let myself get sucked in by these stories! I'm out!

[Caroline Warren]

03:30 AM on 04/18/2012

I wanted to link the studies directly, but it looks like they are available to subscribers only. Instead, I will just link this page. Yes, it is an advocacy page, but the studies they list have direct links. Please read more about what circumcision does before deciding that his case is unfounded. He is also not the first person to have ever sued, by the way.

http://www.thewholenetwork.org/14/post/2012/01/medical-research-studies-on-circumcision.html

[geauxangel]

04:15 AM on 04/18/2012

I respect your opinion, but wanted to also let people know they might want to read this article also..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29777922/ns/health-mens_health/t/should-all-males-be-circumcised/

[mcnewbie]

12:25 PM on 04/18/2012

a pro-circumcision article written by one mr. hirschberg.

[Caroline Warren]

02:24 PM on 04/18/2012

I posted a list of peer-reviewed scientific articles. This is one popular opinion piece.

A lot of men are angry that their foreskin was taken from them. I'm not sure if you are male or female, but how would you like it if someone thought your earlobes should be cut off at birth? You don't really need them.

[Caroline Warren]

03:25 AM on 04/18/2012

Before we can judge whether or not this man's feelings are justified, we have to all be on the same page about what the foreskin is and what it does.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.0830s1034.x/asset/j.1464-410x.1999.0830s1034.x.pdf;jsessionid=B9F97B4BA87ADE910C7E5EA861C51C90.d04t04?v=1&t=h161vnyo&s=882bf75f3accf03a291077389f2682e76d0b2b79

[mollymac]

10:26 AM on 04/18/2012

What? Do you have one that you are so tweaked about it?

[Caroline Warren]

02:25 PM on 04/18/2012

Women have foreskins, yes. It's called the clitoral hood. Good question!

[sadwitness]

07:33 PM on 04/19/2012

He is in jail for kidnapping an 8 year old girl with intent to rape her- I truly wish they had removed his foreskin with a sledgehammer. Then he would, 1) know it was gone 2) have something to piss.and.moan about.