Betsy Tonias, daughter of Allen's late husband by an earlier marriage, refuted police descriptions of Shirley as an irrational paranoiac. Tonias also claimed that the request for a psychiatric evaluation had darker motives than simple concern for a sister's well-being. According to Tonias, Shirley's brother Byron Dugger, who appeared with his family before Judge Slater to request the court order, wants to obtain power of attorney over Shirley's estate, valued at nearly half a million dollars. A number of individuals have contacted the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Governor to urge a de-escalation of the Roby Ridge standoff, and that may well be the best way to avoid a violent and pointless resolution to the standoff. The Department of Human Rights administers the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of mental disability.
Public pressure can make a huge difference.
Ultimately, it might help determine whether Shirley Allen lives or dies.