  Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 269 Registered: 08-2008 |
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20080922/NEWS02/ 80922045 from the Freep: A diabetic Detroit man was mistaken for a drunken driver by Allen Park and Dearborn police, and brutally beaten to the point that he had to have part of his brain surgically removed, the man’s wife and their attorney allege. Ernest Griglen, 59, has been comatose and on a ventilator since the June 15 incident, said attorney Arnold Reed of Farmington Hills. This is truly sickening. How do we stop the madness of police brutality? This gave me a horrible flashback to Malice Green (may he rest in peace). | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3283 Registered: 07-2004 |
This isn't the first time I've heard of this. We need a column called "(Who the) Police Beat". | ||
Original63 Member Username: Original63 Post Number: 39 Registered: 08-2008 |
More of the same. This is all part of the UnPatriotic Act. The Police now truly act with immunity and impuinity to the law. This is a true Legacy of Conservatism. Criminalize the people and build the jails and they (police) will fill them. | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 2574 Registered: 12-2003 |
Beaten with what? From the article is sounds like he suffered damage after being tackled after running away. | ||
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 270 Registered: 08-2008 |
According to the complaint he was thrown headfirst into the ground. | ||
Rjk Member Username: Rjk Post Number: 1217 Registered: 11-2003 |
"According to the complaint he was thrown headfirst into the ground." Unless someone witnessed this happening it sounds like the above comment is just a theory put forth by the attorney. It's been reported that the man has been unconscious ever since it happened. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3287 Registered: 07-2004 |
Oh, he's been unconscious since he met the police? He was probably just beggin' for it then. Man, ever notice how people do all sorts of dangerous stuff and somehow live, but the minute they come into contact with police, all of a sudden they're lunging or going for a candy wrapper and forcing the police to shoot, beat, strangle, suffocate or taser them? Man, if police were a PRODUCT, the Surgeon General would put a warning on them.  | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 1897 Registered: 08-2007 |
quote: quote: DL, this sounds like a terrible situation, but to paint the arrest of the poor man as a beating seems out of line. This is when dash-cams come in handy. I think I'll reserve my judgement until I see the video evidence. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3288 Registered: 07-2004 |
Running from police? Sounds like good enough grounds to be thrown headfirst to the ground so hard you have to have part of your brain removed. Anybody who says otherwise must hate law and order and wants to give criminals free rein. :P | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 2575 Registered: 12-2003 |
Is the coma due to the police or his hypoglycemic episode. We don't know for sure. | ||
Wazootyman Member Username: Wazootyman Post Number: 389 Registered: 02-2006 |
I've watched enough episodes of COPS to know that engaging in a vehicular chase, followed by resisting arrest and then attempting to run from the officers will usually result in you ending up face-first into the ground. It doesn't sound like they realized he was a diabetic until well after the struggle, at which point he was taken to a hospital. I'm not blaming the victim here, but based on the facts given by the police officers, it sure doesn't sound like he was completely innocent. But I guess it's possible it's just those damned po-lice lookin' for a reason to beat up on some innocent disabled guy who was on his way to rescue orphans and kittens. | ||
Wazootyman Member Username: Wazootyman Post Number: 390 Registered: 02-2006 |
quote: I'm pretty sure the minute you decide to struggle and make a break for it you've given up your expectation of being treated gently. There's such a thing as too much force, but on the other hand, if he was struggling, it could certainly have required some force to contain him. I'm not necessarily siding with the police on this, but I think that it's foolish to judge the officers based on statements made by an attorney who obviously wasn't a witness to the scene...not that he's interested in any part of that $20 million or anything... (Message edited by wazootyman on September 22, 2008) | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 14061 Registered: 12-2003 |
WDET just reported there WERE no dash cam video recorded. Bullshit. All Allen Park and Dearborn cars have them by now... ...I cannot remember the last cop car I've seen without a dashcam, even Detroit bought 175 of 'em last year. | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3290 Registered: 07-2004 |
Convenient. Too pat, if you ask me. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5225 Registered: 06-2004 |
"Is the coma due to the police or his hypoglycemic episode. We don't know for sure." Diabetic comas don't require brain surgery. A hematoma caused by blunt force trauma often does. | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 722 Registered: 03-2008 |
Falling head first into the pavement is plenty sufficient to cause the injuries reported.. I feel for this man, but his injuries are a direct result of his own actions. True story..the last time I rode down to Georgia, a diabetic friend was along for the trip..after a very long day of riding, he started to exhibit odd behavior..speeding & weaving, not stopping until another friend and I physically forced him to do so..first thing he did when he got off the motorcycle was take a swing at me (missed) and fall flat on his face in the process..luckily he was still wearing his helmet at the time or he'd likely be in the same boat as our "victim." After taking his meds and getting the sugar in his system into balance, my bud was okay and apologized for allowing his condition to escalate to the point it did. If he'd been on his own, he'd likely have died..if he'd met up with police instead of two friends who were aware of his medical issue, he probably would have gotten the shit kicked out of him if they managed to get him pulled over intact. It cracks me up to see how people are more than happy to judge police on the evidence that ISN'T there while completely ignoring that which is presented. Not all cop cars have got camera units, likewise not all camera units are operable at all times. Lack of video evidence isn't damning, it's common. The cops used non-lethal force (pepper spray) to subdue this guy rather than just beat him down or shoot him..typical cop reaction to "fleeing & evading" is a LOT stronger in my experience..in my opinion this was pretty damned generous of them, given the situation..perhaps my opinion is somewhat influenced by the fact that I'm a motorcyclist, so I'm generally more worried about people who are driving so as to endanger than I am about cops who are trying to do a job. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 1898 Registered: 08-2007 |
Doug, that was a very well written post, especially for being composed at 3:30 in the morning. If the guy had a pic line for his meds, that must mean he had a pretty advanced case, right? If he was so advanced, why was he behind the wheel in the first place? | ||
Cushkid Member Username: Cushkid Post Number: 102 Registered: 08-2005 |
I have two diabetics in my family who where either a necklace or a bracelet stating they are diabetic, these forms of Identification are not expensive and should be worn by those who have this problem. | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 2576 Registered: 12-2003 |
quote: However, he was in a coma before the surgery and we don't know the true extent of the injuries and whether they were self inflicted or not. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 454 Registered: 06-2008 |
Just to throw this out there, is it possible the guy was drunk AND diabetic? | ||
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 272 Registered: 08-2008 |
a Breathalyzer test found no alcohol | ||
Zephyrmec Member Username: Zephyrmec Post Number: 82 Registered: 01-2008 |
Reminds me of the recent incident here at the Hillsborough County Jail. A county deputy dumps a paraplegic man out of his wheelchair, telling him to get his ass up so she can search and process him. Had her on tape telling him he wasn't paralyzed and to get the F*** up! At least down here the deputy was canned the next day. I realize that a lot of the people that the police have to deal with on a daily basis are assholes, loaded, stoned or may have a chip on their shoulder, but there are also a good many with physical and emotional problems that require a different approach. A little lumber to the melon should not be the first item on the checklist. | ||
Jaycee Member Username: Jaycee Post Number: 2 Registered: 09-2008 |
In this day you would think that police would use life threatning force as a last resort. I know that some diabetics can get extremely aggressive if their sugar gets to low. If you have to use force why not taser? Police have many tools at their disposal that are non lethal why not use them? | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 723 Registered: 03-2008 |
The cops say "deadly force" was never used, and physical contact was only made when officers had reason to fear for their lives. According to the police reports, the cops used pepper spray. When the man then reached for the insulin pump strapped on his belt they feared for their lives, thinking it was a weapon..at this point the cops claim they hit him in the upper chest and back with night sticks in order to subdue the guy enough to cuff him. This is where the police story vs the lawyer story part company. Don't see it as much of a case..either the medical evidence will support the beating claims or it won't. My money's on "won't." Much fun as it is to think we live in a Nazi state where the cops ride around kicking the shit out of innocents for the hell of it, the truth of the matter is that cops have got too much on the line. Would you risk your job and your freedom for a quick drunk-beating with no motive or profit? If not, why would you assume that a police officer would? | ||
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady Post Number: 274 Registered: 08-2008 |
quote: It is not outside the realm of possibility that a rogue cop could do that for a number of reasons: being power-hungry, thuggish, violent, angry or having a superiority complex (seeing a drunk or a drug addict as a lowlife or of lesser value). In the heat of the moment, they may not consider the risk of job or freedom, or they may be overly confident that there is no risk to their job or freedom since they are the law. I think it is naive to assume that it doesn't happen. (Message edited by Downtown Lady on September 24, 2008) | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 14115 Registered: 12-2003 |
Because they are trained to up the energy in a confrontation until the subject is subdued. Standard Operating Procedure. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 14116 Registered: 12-2003 |
Plus, there is little 'thinking' involved when both adrenal glands are cranking out all they can...Doug, you should know a bit about adrenaline kicks. | ||
Zrx_doug Member Username: Zrx_doug Post Number: 724 Registered: 03-2008 |
Not denying that there are "bad" cops, but I think it is naive to assume that five (or was it six?) members of two different police forces decided to go "rogue" simultaneously on a busy freeway in plain sight. | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 14117 Registered: 12-2003 |
They DO all have adrenal glands, and we don't know if it was just ONE bad cop and a big blue wall around him. | ||
1kielsondrive Member Username: 1kielsondrive Post Number: 206 Registered: 08-2008 |
I find it interesting that five(or was it six?) members of two different police forces are needed to subdue one man. I'm not saying there was or wasn't brutality. Having had much experience with Allen Park and Dearborn cops, I'd say odds are quite high there was over reaction resulting in injuries. I also wonder if race is a factor.(Oh no, I brought up the race card!) |
