Is chaining someone unsupervised in a hold cell proper procedure. Isn't someone under arrest the responsibility of the arresting officer?
Posted on 11/10/2007 11:08:39 AM PST by COUNTrecount
PHOENIX — An official autopsy says a New York woman died after accidentally strangling herself while in police custody after being arrested during an airport layover in Phoenix.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office says 45-year-old Carol Anne Gotbaum also was acutely intoxicated on alcohol and prescription drugs when she died in a police holding room at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Sept. 28.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This poor woman should not have been travelling alone.
“This poor woman should not have been travelling alone.”
According to the reports I read earlier, a friend was supposed to meet her when she got off the plane, but didn’t show up. I haven’t read anything about this friend, but she should feel devastated over this.
Interesting "proper procedure" they have there with a "holding room" where they toss folks still handcuffed.
It's either a "holding room" or the person is "handcuffed and detained by an officer".
Might be a good idea to avoid Phoenix airport if you're a diabetic or suffer phlebitis. Never know when you're going to be perceived as being "out of control".
Drunks and schizophrenics should also avoid the place.
Maybe the air industry could ask questions of passengers with tickets through Phoenix and reroute everybody with some condition that might attract police attention through a different airport.
Is chaining someone unsupervised in a hold cell proper procedure. Isn't someone under arrest the responsibility of the arresting officer?
There were probably some suitable facilities within driving distance, as well.
I too have been compelled to stangle myself while on some lay overs...especially those lasting more than two hours.
This will not look good for the authorities.
I am not sure the police were at fault here. By all accounts, she was one sick, out of control woman. While there may be a few instances of someone dying in this manner, they are likely very, very rare. In the end, you can’t protect someone from themselves.
Her family should have escorted here to the treatment facility. Also, why go to Phoenix—were there no detox facilities in NY?
Her age alone eliminates her from the “Darwin Award” competition
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/pdf/gotbaumautopsyedit.pdf
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/pdf/gotbaumtoxedit.pdf
I would think that her body WOULD be bruised if she was going through all kinds of contortions to try to get out of the handcuffs. Doesn't surprise me in the least, though this report makes it sound like the family is going to claim that the officers beat her to calm her down. If she were, in fact, drunk, and under the influence of drugs, some action that would hurt a person not in that condition, and cause them to stop, would not faze the drunk or drugged person.
I believe in personal responsiblity, but I do not think a sick, drunk, out of control woman should be handcuffed and locked in a room alone. It’s almost begging for a disaster.
I’ll bet it isn’t standard procedure in jails or holding cells, either.
Why not? Folks who are being held after being restrained by police are left alone in holding cells all the time. Sounds like they were letting her try to cool off a bit, after her outburst in the gate area.
This is such a sad story. The family bears a large part of the responsibility. They should never have let this woman travel alone. Since she was on her way to a facility for alcoholics, she was in a tenuous state to start.
this was, i believe, a room with a door that was closed. bad move. once in custody, a perp is the responsibility of the arresting officer.
Gotbaum family lawyer Michael Manning said. “There is a very tight relationship between law-enforcement and medical-examiner offices everywhere in the country, including Phoenix.”
Do you mean the Halfa== officer, actually I think the circle J crowd had about six donut munchers, that is about to get his/there paints sued off?? Along with the airport and Phoenix??
That’s a nice tinfoil hat!
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