Posted on 05/07/2006 12:43:59 PM PDT by seowulf
REDMOND - The Redmond Police Department is facing a $1 million lawsuit after a woman says an officer used his Taser on her during a medical emergency.
Video from the police car camera shows that something was wrong with Leila Fuchs last July when police pulled her out of her car. For nearly 10 minutes when officers first pulled up, they say she remained unresponsive.
"She's just gotten into this collision at Redmond Way and 145th -- small accident," said defense attorney James Egan.
But he says it's the decisions an officer made when Fuchs wouldn't unlock her door that has them suing the department.
Egan says his client was suffering from a diabetic episode when medics tried to get her attention.
"So the medic brings a window hammer here," Egan says, pointing to the video.
Then, Egan says an officer took matters into his own hands.
"He bashed in the passenger side window, opened the door, and immediately ordered her to open her driver side door," Egan said. "Even according to (the officer), she was dazed, catatonic, and non-responsive. At that point, he pulls his Taser out, and says if she doesn't open it, he will shoot her."
Egan says the officer used his gun and hit Fuchs with 50,000 volts of electricity.
"He didn't shoot her for one second," Egan said. "He shot her for the full five seconds… and caused her to stiffen and scream, according to his police report as this happened, and here she was suffering a medical emergency."
Police reports claim officers could initially smell the odor of alcohol in the car, but after they got Fuchs out and did a breath test, they determined there was no trace of alcohol found.
"He jumped the gun... literally," Egan said. "And that's when he tried to electrocute someone he apparently thought was intoxicated."
Calls to the Redmond Police about the video and the lawsuit were not immediately returned Saturday evening. Police records, though, back up the fact that the Taser was used and that Fuchs did not have any traces of alcohol in her system.
I'm betting he didn't know she was having a medical emergency. I'm betting he thought she was drunk and giving him a hard time.
And, he didn't 'electrocute her.' This taser gadget is supposed to be humane and given to us to decrease injury to people we arrest.
I think all gadgets are a mistake.
And, I think I see what your beef is, tickets. If it makes you happy, one of our captains did give a patrolman a speeding ticket.
That's a fair point. I wonder what percentage of accidents are cuase by diabetics v. (say) heart disease or some other medical condition? I don't know the answer, but it might shed some light on the issue.
And we can also include those who are liable to have heart attacks, stokes or any other condition which may come on suddenly. May be a good way to solve traffic problems.
It's not as though she was standing there, waiting to cross the street, and some cop tasers her out of the blue for no reason. OK. There, she's got a case.
But she brought this on herself. She's driving impaired, she causes the accident, she's unresponsive, she gets tasered and it's the cop's fault?
It's like that other story on FR about the 14(?) year old girl who was drunk and skipping school. She was tased by the cop as ran away from him towards the street.
If he wouldn't have and if she ran into the street and was hit by a car ... well, you can hear it now. But because he "tased a little girl" the posters on this board ripped him a new one.
Methinks, 'odor/smell of alcohol' is some kind of code word.
All diabetics who get behind the wheel of a car should be trained in the similarities between drunkenness and low blood sugar.
In our department you have to ride the taser before you are qualified to use it.
Exactly. And let's say your a cop. The guy with low blood sugar hauls off and punches you in the face.
Now you gotta suck it up because it was a medical emergency.
But when the shoe is on the other foot your a savage taser happy beast.
'Cause a lawyer says it's true.
Driving IS! Especially when I may be coming in the opposite direction!
I assure you, my family will not be comforted by the fact that I was killed by a diabetic who "was having a problem with her dosages because of diet and exercise".
Let her figure it out, and when she's problem free for about a month, then she can drive.
Yeah, you lose either way.
Well, police departments fell in love with the taser, I guess they will have to expect this type of thing.
We had two deaths using the pepper spray, it's still mandatory that we carry it on our belts but hardly anybody uses it, I haven't used mine in over 10 years.
My use of force goes, hands, stick, gun. And I rarely use the stick.
But, I was on a call with a rookie, we had a guy wanted nation wide on a warrant. I started to tussle with the guy, the rookie went right for the taser.
Here's another example. That cop down in Texas that was on video getting a whoopin' from that black guy who jumped out of the car and started punching the cop in the head.
Typical gadget cop. And, if you look at the video, the first thing that cop did when the guy started using his head as a drum was, jump back and reach for a gadget on his duty belt. If you ever see the video again, that was the first thing I noticed.
I was livid. That was a disgusting piece of police work and that cop is lucky he is alive.
It could just as easily be someone who had a heart attack, or slid on ice, hydroplaned on water, etc. If you and your family are not willing to assume those risks, then don't get on the road.
Let her figure it out, and when she's problem free for about a month, then she can drive.
A diabetic friend of mine would sometimes go months between episodes. So your standard wouldn't necessarily prevent anything. Like I said, these things aren't an exact science. If you know anyone who was diabetic, you wouldn't be assuming it is.
She could have just killed her children and was suicidal. She crashed her car, and is sitting there in an unresponsive catatonic state.
She has a gun in her lap, but is afraid to use it on herself. So she chooses suicide by cop and makes the decision to shoot at the police officer as soon as he gets close.
Nah. Could never happen. What are the odds?
You're right. The cop should just ignore procedure and help the poor woman. WE know it's OK (now that it's over, of course).
Some years ago a very nice wealthy elderly guy had a hear attack nearby and drove head on into another very nice wealthy elderly guy. Both died. It was extremely sad, and at least one lawyer did very well. But two families were very distraught.
I think as we develop a more refined ability to predict things like CVAs and whatnot we certainly should consider witholding the renewal of licenses.
Or how about this? In this state we have to renew our licenses every 5 years. Maybe asking "Do you know of any medical condition you suffer which would impair your ability to drive?" would be useful -- with the sense that if the person knew or should have known and failed to declare it, civil liability might be notched up and a penalty for not telling the truth at the DMV could be added.
It's tough. I dont' know a good answer.
He's young (early 20's) and will not wear a "bracelet" as he terms it.
The "struggle" against attempts to allow someone to help are also typical...the brain is mis-firing and all rational thought is gone. Physical resistence and verbal abuse are usual insulin shock reactions--exactly the kind of behavior that a police officer would misconstrue and then manhandle the "offender".
The medic alert bracelet/necklace is the best protection against this but the diabetic person must choose to wear it. Hence, his mother's (my!) stress.
If you're saying that this is a real nationwide problem with diabetics, then I am in favor of denying them driving licenses altogether.
I have "unsnapped" when I was riding shotgun on a drving citation. My partner was at the driver's side window and I was on the passenger side and far enough away and in a drainage swale so I could see the driver from shoulders to waist. The driver suddenly dropped his right hand toward the space behind the console, and (a)my heart stopped; and (b) I unsnapped my sooper-dooper Level III holster. Then his hand came up with a microphone it it.
In other words, I tend to wait for some overtly suspicious or aggressive behavior or the sight of a weapon. (I haven't seen the video - dial-up here.)
Well, I hope that someone will soon come up with a cure. I have a child with asthma, we've had to take her to the hospital a few times, I know how scary that can be. And she doesn't wear or carry anything either. Kids...
I can only think of 4 instances, off the top of my head, in my 20 years on the department of incidents with diabetics.
But I can't remember how many times I've had to fight with drunks.
Best wishes.
That's my problem, and my point, I'm not going to take the word of some ambulance chasing lawyer before I hear or see the other side of the story.
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