Posted on 05/05/2015 7:16:21 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Renowned neurosurgeon and potential 2016 GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson, said Friday that the injury suffered by 25-year-old Freddie Gray who died on April 19 after being gravely injured while in the custody of Baltimore police officers "would be almost impossible to acquire…by simply rolling around in a van."
In an announcement highlighting criminal charges against six Baltimore police officers Friday, the city's newly elected State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Gray suffered a spinal injury while being transported in a police van and charged that the failure of the police to put a seatbelt on him was a crucial factor in how he was injured.
"Mr. Gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside the B.P.D. wagon," said Mosby.
An earlier report in The Washington Post citing a police document had suggested that Gray may have been intentionally trying to hurt himself while being transported in the police van.
Carson, who served as head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore before retiring in 2013, said however that it is quite unlikely that Gray's injury was self-inflicted.
"The type of injury incurred by Mr. Freddie Gray at the base of the cervical spine with significant damage to the spinal cord requires a great deal of direct pressure to that area. It would be almost impossible to acquire such an injury by simply rolling around in a van, regardless of how violently," said Carson in a post to his Facebook page. "Therefore, there is a high likelihood that direct trauma occurred."
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
Oh my gosh! Is that a Porsche about to get pummeled?
Yes. Just that statement suggests that, at some point, he was slammed into the bolt. I don’t know if this could have been self-inflicted or not, but the defense will need to find a doctor that believes it could have been self-inflicted. It is never a good idea to make any comments on a hot button situation until all of the FACTS are in. I doubt Dr Carson will make the cut for President, but he would make a good Surgeon General.
Dr. Ben is neurosurgeon, not a spine and neck specialist. He doesn't necessarily have any special expertise in neck injuries.
But, there was an offensive lineman, Mike Utley of the Detroit Lions, that broke two vertebrae at the base of his neck while falling face first on astroturf. His head and neck ever came in contact with another player during the injury. Maybe Dr. Ben can tell us the difference between Utley's injury and Gray's injury but I doubt there is much of a difference.
Brilliant if you want to see the crime rate explode.
Who the hell is going to want to be a cop under those conditions, knowing every time you have to take down a suspect your actions are going be given an anal exam?
There is nothing better than a good cop.
There is nothing worse than a bad cop.
FWIW, my wife is a surgeon.
She is of the belief that it is almost impossible for a person in a relatively closed space to break their neck themselves — the neck is tough and it takes some velocity and a hard surface. MAYBE hit it just right on a bench or something, if totally whacked out on extreme drugs.
“Mike Utley of the Detroit Lions, that broke two vertebrae at the base of his neck while falling face first on astroturf.”
He was also running at full speed, had a helmet that torques the neck more on a fall (design since changed), and weighed well north of 200lbs.
Are you serious?
We are talking spinal cord. There was no straw that broke anything.
“head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore before retiring in 2013”
Seeing how he worked in Baltimore, is a neurosurgeon, and is running for President. I could see where he might have an opinion about this.
I just think it was foolish to make such a statement of near certainty without knowing all the facts.
He should have said something like he can’t make a medical decision without knowing all the facts.
Ben Carson likely has not looked as deeply into this case as many here who have been following the story the whole time. Moreover, having been away from his neurosurgeon practice he is probably not as up to date on spinal cord injuries as some posters.
Just another case of an neurosurgeon thinking he is smarter than eve tine else.
What does that question have to do with leading the country?
Pray America is waking
When a M.D. and neurosurgeon describes the nature of the injury, it isn’t really “speculation”.
Not enough.
After he sees the slides - himself - his opinion will be of great value.
The vans have no shoulder restraints.
At all.
There isn’t a way to exonerate law enforcement here when they are negligent to that extreme.
Why bother speculating when the only thing to speculate about is how big the payout will be, not whether or not there should be one. This one can’t even be laid at the feet of O’Bonghit and his minions. There would be a payout here if Palin or Cruz were in office.
Find out whether the paddy wagons in your area meet rudimentary safety standards. If they do not, go to town meetings, talk to the citizenry around you, and get it fixed.
The facts are not going to sit well with anyone. I don’t think Carson would be commenting on the fly without some access to official records. Why should he not be allowed to comment? Just because he happens to be running for the highest office? Why does every damned word and action of every candidate have to be scrutinized as if it is a make-or-break deal? We do not know whether he has seen the autopsy or not. We accuse him of speculating, and then we ourselves speculate as to what he has or has not come to know through research. Bunch-o-chillins. LOL.
Where’s the speculation? Carson didn’t offer a theory as to what happened, only what could not have happened.
“Dr. Ben is neurosurgeon, not a spine and neck specialist.”
Umm, the neck and spine are key components of the nervous system, which neurosurgeons specialize in, so yes, he is actually a spine and neck specialist.
A 911 about to get turned into a 914. lol.
His stance on 2A disqualifies him from my vote. Said that before and I will say it as often as I need to do it.
What I worry about is whomever the condidate for the GOP, I hope the need to go for an identity candidate, Fiorino or Carson for instance, does not outweigh their negatives.
*sigh*
Did I miss the part where an autopsy was completed and the results released?
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