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Posted on 05/21/2011 12:15:50 PM PDT by Fitzy_888
Fairhope, Ala. (CN) - A police officer beat an elderly man who called 911 to report an accident and stop a drunken driver from leaving the scene of a crime, according to a complaint in Baldwin County Court.
Dorsey Henderson says he investigated an auto accident that happened across the street from his house. After determining that one of the drivers was belligerently intoxicated, he told the man not to leave and called the police.
When Officer Trent Scott arrived on the scene, Henderson tried to tell him what had happened and that he had put the driver under "citizen's arrest" because he was trying to leave. Officer Scott told Henderson there is "no such thing as citizen's arrest in Alabama," adding "get out of the way[,] old man."
While citizen's arrest is a gray area in Alabama, Henderson says he had "only been trying to help."
Nevertheless, Scott put him in an arm bar, tearing the man's rotator cuff, and walked him across the street.
When they were back in Henderson's driveway, Scott "slammed" the elderly man face first into the driveway, breaking his nose and his glasses. Scott "proceeded to beat" Henderson in "the back of the head, neck and arms." Scott did not arrest Henderson or charge him with any crime.
Henderson's wife, Dorris, watched from a wheelchair 18 feet away and called 911, saying that Scott was "beating the hell out of my husband." When the ambulance arrived, Scott sent it away, handcuffed the man and put him in the back of his patrol car.
Scott's superior showed up, released Henderson and called the ambulance back to treat Henderson and bring him to Thomas Hospital.
As of May 16, 2011, Officer Trent Scott was still employed by the Fairhope Police Department.
Henderson and his wife seek damages for constitutional violations. They are represented D. Keith Landers of Daphne, Ala.
Apologies. Have a great week, too!
If the facts are as presented, I hope that old man owns himself a cop shop soon.
Didn't beat enough members of the public, prolly.
Sounds like politics. The ones you'd want in there, would never run.
Is it legal to use deadly force to protect a family member from the police? If not, why not? This cop could have killed her elderly husband with this rough treatment. When the govt fears the people, the people are free, when people fear the cops, we have tyranny. FIXED THAT SAYING DIDN’T I?
Wow....I had to come to FreeRepublic to find out what happened in my own backyard!
Wow....I had to come to FreeRepublic to find out what happened in my own backyard!
We have our share of retired military. Alot of retired folks from up north and Califoria, from all walks of life. Since I moved here 25 yrs ago, we've gone from a small town where everybody knew each other to an overcrowded town I barely recognize.
Even more relevant than the other officer calling the ambulance back is the identification of the broken nose and torn rotator cuff, IMO.
OTOH, what do you think of the way the plaintiff was restraining someone else's movement, preventing him from getting a ride from a third party? Mr. Henderson should consider himself lucky he isn't getting sued for violating another citizen's rights, too!
The writer of this piece did a good job giving us enough information to form an opinion.
He basically copied what the plaintiff's lawyer claimed, omitting some details (e.g., how the plaintiff had actively prevented the driver from getting a ride home). I don't think that's a "good job".
Maybe the taxpayers should give the guy a wad o' dough because he claims mental anguish and he can't get it on with the old lady. But if a plaintiff's legal filing alone told the whole story objectively, we wouldn't need such messy things as trials.
(The news keeps getting "better and better" everyday, doesn't it?
The "soft" tyranny is quickly becoming "harder" each day.)
I'm used to it. It comes with the territory of being a serial smartass. ;-)
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