Posted on 05/14/2026 3:13:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
There was a case that a police officer stole $60,000. What police officer doesn't know they shouldn't do that?
I know Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has indicated he would like to revisit Qualified Immunity.
13 Hours In Vomit is a great name for a rock band.
“or his need for medical attention would have had to be “obvious” to the average person.”
The OBVIOUS warning was there stated in black and white in the doctor’s discharge, OBVIOUSLY indicating he needed constant observation for some period of time.
Whatever deputies ignored his symptoms should be prosecuted.
Maybe his brother Tim, knowing that his brother took an overdose of pills, should be charged for calling the cops instead of an ambulance.
what constitutes constant and how close do they have to get, also how many shift workers do the checking.
Exactly. He should have called an ambulance.
Prosecuted for what?
The inmate died because he ingested pills and who knows what else.
After vomiting he went to sleep for 13 hours (unresponsive) just like any other drunk they receive at jail. What symptoms did he have before dyeing? None, he was asleep at his bench. The vomit was from before he fell asleep.
“what constitutes constant and how close do they have to get, also how many shift workers do the checking”
A simple and appropriate question about that to the discharge doctor would have been a reasonable thing to do - such as “how often, and for how long, should someone be checking on him”.
Why would a doctor discharge a person in such a state?
They could have just shot him with a squirt gun while ‘sleeping’ from outside the cage. No reaction-go inside.
This is partly the hospital’s fault. He was at risk with abnormal heart rhythm, dilated pupils, vomiting, slurring his words and couldn’t hold himself up. They knew he took a handful of unknown pills. They should have admitted him and put him on the EKG.
There was another case of a jailer who ignored a clearly mentally deranged man. That man was screaming, but also running back and forth smashing his head against the wall and the cell bars. He was bleeding profusely. The cops just ignored him. He knocked himself out eventually and died of brain swelling or aneurism (I forget exactly which, but the self-harm is the issue).
I do think many cases police should have qualified immunity for things they do on the job and for the job. “qualified” is they key word. But at some point simple human decency has to be a factor. These prisoners are in their custody and thus some extra care has to be taken as they cannot, or are not capable of, caring for themselves. And sure, these are both cases of obnoxious behavior brought on by the prisoners’ own issues and I’m sure an annoyance for the cops to deal with. But they can’t just ignore the prisoners’ conditions inside the cage, either. If not the specific officers involved then the city/county/parish as a group. They need to have procedures and follow them for cases like these.
He was slurring his words, vomiting, and could not walk or stand up. He needed regular (not constant) observation. I think the hospital bears much of the responsibility for releasing him in that condition - known to have swallowed a handful of unknown pills and barely conscious with heart arrhythmia. Should’ve kept him on the heart monitor at least.
Back the Blue, Until It Happens to You
The Er doc said bring him back if he continues vomiting. They didn’t do that.
The doctor should never have cleared him for jail.
We don’t know if it’s his vomit. You can’t dust for vomit.
Gotta be a punk band.
> We don’t know if it’s his vomit. You can’t dust for vomit.
It's best left unsolved.
Police custody is not the appropriate place for sick, insane, suicidal, and/or drug-poisoned people. Why did the deceased’s family put the police on him in the first place (the brother knew the deceased had swallowed a bunch of pills)? Why did the Emergency Room docs think a jail provided free but adequate medical monitoring?
I don’t like the idea of police being immune for negligent actions. I also don’t like dumping inappropriate tasks on the police.
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