Posted on 06/14/2009 12:19:46 PM PDT by kenth
PRAGUE — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol released a dashboard camera video late Friday that was recorded during an altercation between a patrol trooper and an emergency medical technician. Featured Gallery
The patrol said the move is contrary to what the agency normally does but decided to release the video because of the high level of public interest and the fact that the release "would not affect the administrative review” of the patrol’s investigation of the incident, according to a statement released late Friday.
"We’ve been well aware of the fact that this incident has drawn enormous attention, but made the decision to protect the integrity of the investigation, any and all relevant evidence, as well as the rights of the department employees during the course of the investigation as required by law,” said patrol spokesman Capt. Chris West.
The move came after the patrol received sharp criticism by the attorney representing the technician, who questioned the patrol’s initial decision not to release the video.
The patrol has completed its internal investigation into the actions of trooper Daniel Martin, who has been placed on administrative leave with pay, West said. The investigation is now under review.
Martin, a patrolman with two years experience, has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing by Okfuskee County District Attorney Max Cook. He also said he would not file charges against Creek Nation EMT Maurice White Jr., who is the person involved in the altercation with Martin.
Richard O’Carroll, White’s attorney, had earlier criticized the patrol for not releasing the video.
"Why wouldn’t they release the video?” said O’Carroll of Tulsa.
West initially defended his agency’s decision to withhold the dashboard video, adding that Martin is entitled to his "due process” as a state employee. Martin claims the ambulance driver, Paul Franks, rolled down his window and made an obscene gesture at him. Franks denies making such a gesture.
"This investigation is to determine whether any disciplinary actions should be taken or not,” West said. "We’re trying to take the high road here.
One video of the incident has reached the public domain. The video was taken by the ambulance patient’s son on his cell phone camera and posted on YouTube.
Martin is shown choking White outside the ambulance with another patrolman, Brian Iker, urging everyone to remain calm.
"Thank God there was a camera, or else my client would have been prosecuted by now,” O’Carroll said.
Thank you.
I have no idea why you are directing this comment to me, as I didn’t ask that question.
“Fur Sur?” What are you? 12?
Nashville? This was outside of Tulsa in Oklahoma.
I made specific recommendations. As it turns out, if you dig into Oklahoma's laws, my reommendations were probably right on the mark regarding "crime" because it's possible/probable that the state trooper commited one.
Yup, stopping an ambulance carrying a patient ~ although there seem to be nuances to this one so we'd have to leave it to the locals to figure out.
So, let me adjust my response by saying that we can do more about crime by identifying it earlier in our discussions! Here folks were worried about police brutality regarding the EMT, or an EMT interfering with police business.
One crime or the other.
Both sides were wrong since stopping the ambulance was likely a crime ~ the first crime commited in fact.
Nashville is a place that has its own cops in hotwater. There are or will be openings. Just thought this trooper might like a different job in a more laid back place (ever been through downtown Nashville at 3 AM?)
Thanks for playing. Have a nice day.
Oh! Well, I’m dumb I have been in Nashville at 3 am. I like the place.
Now, have you ever been to the downtown USPS station in Niagra Falls NY at 5 AM?
IOW, the OHP has completed their review and what's shown on the camera isn't going to change anything - the Trooper is about to become a former trooper.
Then I apologize, as well, for not doing my own research on the matter.
Never the less, I do think the officer stepped over the line.
This is where the CREEK NATION is located. Those people were going to the only hospital in that county ~ although I think in the 8 county area making up "the Nation" there are two "community hospitals". Someone from that part of Oklahoma could set us straight on what is where because "public records" available on the internet are totally unreliable for anything on any reservation, even one totally sold off to others, anywhere in America.
For a variety of reasons the largest reservations in Oklahoma have large populations of white and black farmers who own land formerly held by the Indians, or that is simply rented out to them by the Indians. They also have modest populations of Native American Indians as well as black people who are enrolled members of those tribes (a holdover from slavery days ~ the Civilized Tribes brought their black slaves with them from the states East of the Mississippi and their descendants are still there).
I'm just guessing on this but I believe the ambulance is dedicated to servicing the Creek Nation members, not others, so it was going to make a return trip to drop them off home after the wife saw the doctor.
I suspect some of the reporting on this situation has been done by people totally unaware of the convoluted nature of landownership, reservation lines and privileges, nature of the public right of way, etc.
For what it's woth I think this case is far more complex than can be imagined and it will not end well for the trooper.
I don’t debate people who can’t get simple assed facts correct.
If you can’t comprehend simple facts you can’t get to interpretation and conclusions.
1. The failure to yield was insignificant.
2. The only real matter of obstructing public safety was committed by the trooper, who interfered with an emergency vehicle over a personal matter. If the OHP was on a Code 3 to get to a stolen car report, why didn't he concern himself with looking for a stolen car? Why else rush to get there? The car was obviously already gone. And having the time to castigate the ambulance on the radio, he did not see fit to see if other units had already arrived.
3. The trooper refused to engage in simple conversation with the EMT in charge to resolve the matter. Instead, he chose to “prove who was boss”.
4. The trooper was unprofessional and insulting. And guess what, if the citizens want to demand an explanation they have to talk to his supervisor. Go figure!
The only possible defense of his actions is that he had a flimsy case, which as shown here most reasonable people would dismiss once they witnessed it. Selective enforcement of the law, especially to serve one’s own interests is tyrannical. Its every citizen's obligation to stamp it out.
There is a lot of crap thrown out about “hating the police”, which is total nonsense. It is the respect for the badge that makes me get so upset about LEO’s like this one, who themselves have no respect for their badge. In fact, instead of expecting respect, they demand servitude.
Here's a news flash, we are all equal citizens. Some of us are empowered to enforce the laws in a unbiased manner. That empowerment is not intended to be lorded over others, as this POS LEO did. When other LEO's knee jerk react to defend this type of behavior it can only have a detrimental impact on how people view LEO's as a whole. I'd rather have no police force at all than one that thinks its above the law and that LEO's are above their fellow citizens. Free men don't put up with crap like this.
No! Just an international pool or anti-law enforcement anarchists like yourself and the others which the slipper fits Mag.
Molon Labe,
NSNR
No your mammy made you anti-authority biscuit head.
Molon Labe,
NSNR
No! The officer probable cause(stop) was with the driver not the other fool, who was interfering with the LEO in performance of his duties.
The emt was hostile towards the officer and sought to usurp his authority.
Protect&Serve,
NSNR
Yes I agree, like the LEO haters on the FR who voted for Obama and his ilk.
I will smile when all those Acorn domestic terrorists start moving into those forclosed homes in the neighborhoods of all those self-rightous LEO haters and anti-authority metro-sexuals.
The (F) still stands for all those whom the earth sandal fits.
Smile God Loves The Infantry,
NSNR
I hope you get fired from your landscaping enterprise Buddyboi.
I Does Not Mean Anything,
NSNR
So if he pulled over an OHP car for a violation (yea, like that's going to happen), he would refuse to speak to a senior officer in charge riding in the passenger seat? Yea, right. If the OHP trooper were truly interested in public safety, he would want to talk to the EMT in charge of the ambulance, as well as the driver. This is especially true if the LEO thought the driver was being unprofessional. Had he simply respected the Lead EMT's authority, he could have had his petty tyrade, written his ticket and let the poor woman go to the hospital. If he had listened for 30 seconds, he may have also learned a little something, such as its a bad idea for a heavy vehicle to pull over onto a soft shoulder or that a braking car in front of him required him to go around do to required stopping distances. But he was only interested in giving a lecture.
Since when is being a huge prick qualify as "performance of duties"? Why start a confrontation with the lead EMT instead of respecting his authority? Respect is a two way street.
These weren't some gang bangers out cruising, where the LEO would have some justification in only wanting one person close to him at a time. These were EMT's. Individuals with no less public trust than LEO's.
The emt was hostile towards the officer and sought to usurp his authority.
Authority? Authority to do what? To be a petty tyrant? And as I already pointed out, the very first thing the LEO did was to refuse to acknowledge the Lead EMT's authority over the operation of the ambulance. Funny how you didn't pick up on that.
Protect&Serve,
Read what you wrote about 50 times. Words have meaning. This LEO was not protecting anyone with these actions, much to the contrary. And besides himself, who was he serving?
I'd say that I respect the badge far more than you do, given that I expect a lot more from LEO's than this type of loutish behavior.
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