Posted on 12/15/2005 8:36:27 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
Hurricane Katrina Survivor Victimized Again: Injuries from Police Use of Excessive Force Required Surgery
12/14/2005 8:00:00 AM
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A New Orleans woman is recovering from surgery this week from injuries resulting from when she was roughed-up by authorities who forced her to leave her home a week after Hurricane Katrina. Patricia Konie, 58, has filed a Federal lawsuit over the injuries and other violations of civil rights.
"My client was severely injured in a needless removal from her home," stated attorney Ashton O'Dwyer. "Patricia Konie had food, plenty of water, and a roof over her head. The police who illegally entered her home and imposed their will on a frail, middle-aged female should have been out apprehending armed, male looters instead."
Konie was greeting a reporter and photographer from a San Francisco TV station and a journalist from the London Times when police unexpectedly entered her home. When she refused to leave as ordered, they confiscated a firearm used for defense and according to Konie, "slammed" her to the ground, both displacing and fracturing her left shoulder.
After remaining in custody for several hours without charges being filed against her by authorities, she was flown alone to South Carolina where she remained for more than a month before returning to her native New Orleans.
A Federal lawsuit was filed claiming that authorities assaulted and knocked her to the ground when she refused to leave her New Orleans home on September 7th, 2005. Konie also alleges numerous civil rights violations including assault and battery by police in her suit against several Louisiana and California State Police officers who took her into custody. She also alleges authorities violated her Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
"Hurricane Katrina was horrible, but there is no excuse for what happened to this nice lady", said O'Dwyer. "Police caused her months of pain and suffering and she still faces months of physical therapy. This suit will hold the individuals responsible for their misdeeds."
Konie had her surgery early on Monday morning, December 12. She is still recovering in the hospital, and lives alone on a limited budget of Social Security benefits. She is devastated by what happened and has not had her seized property returned.
"Sadly, Patricia Konie is only one of many examples of police going too far in the wake of Hurricane Katrina," said O'Dwyer. "Already one court has ruled against their strong-arm tactics, and we look forward to our day in court."
We'll sue you for NOT removing us, and we'll sue you FOR removing us..
(shakin head)..
USCG rescued over 5,000 residents without anybody getting hurt.
if it was avoided in the article, may I venture a guess??
Fact of American Life - after any natural disaster the lawyers will come out of the sewer to strip the bodies and get their cut of the recovery money.
Can anyone say 'tort reform'?
It was pathetic to watch those guys manhandling this frail woman.
I saw the incident on Fox news. The lady did not threaten the police. She told them she had a gun for protection and they took it from her. From what was shown on tv (Fox News), the police did go over the line on this one.
Some of us saw the video of this event. It didn't appear she was threatening anyone, at least on tape, BUT it also didn't seem that she needed to leave. Her house was high and dry, and she was doing just fine. Some of the police bullying that went on in these dry neighborhoods was unconscionable. Some of these, moreover, were wealthy neighborhoods, and police were later seen and caught with items from some of these houses. Not all the looting was done by "the poor."
Even worse was the confiscation of firearms, highly illegal. I believe that is being litigated by the NRA.
You're way off base here. Maybe you should get the facts before you jerk your knee. The woman was no threat to anyone, and she was unlawfully forced from her home. She was safe there, except for the roaming thugs who wore badges.
What's sad is, this the classic "blood from a turnip" situation. Even if she wins, I wonder if she'll ever see a penny of it.
If you saw the video that was taken and shown on, I believe, CNN and other stations, she merely displayed the weapon to the police and did not threaten them with it in any way. They brutally assaulted her to take it from her even though she did not threaten them in any way. She should have a very good case.
Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Next time let her drown.
Try looking for the facts before firing next time. She was in NO danger of drowning.
And amazingly, the nanny-state gets plenty of support here on Free Republic. See all the posts wondering how dare she not want to leave her house, even though it was safe, even though (before they confiscated her gun) she could protect herself, even though she had enough provisions.
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