Hurricane Katrina Survivor Victimized Again: Injuries from Police Required Surgery

US Newswire (Press release) ^ | 12/14/05 | n/a

[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."

[ARCADIA]

Next time let her drown.

Did you miss the part about her being on dry land in a sound well provisioned home? She wasn't about to drown, nor was she in any danger what-so-ever. The local police were simply following the idiot mayor's unlawful order; an order which was criticized and ignored by other Federal and state forces, an order which was soon rescinded.

[CajunConservative]

They did NOT have a week's notice. It did not become a major storm until two days before it made landfall.


Hurricane Katrina timeline

CBC News Online | Updated September 4, 2005

Aug. 24, 2005
Tropical Depression 12 strengthens into Tropical Storm Katrina over the Central Bahamas, and a hurricane warning is issued for the southeastern Florida coast.

Aug. 25, 2005
Hurricane Katrina strikes Florida between Hallandale Beach and North Miami Beach as a Category 1 hurricane with 130 km/h winds.

Aug. 26, 2005
Katrina weakens over land into a tropical storm, before moving out over the Gulf of Mexico. It grows to a Category 2 hurricane with 160 km/h winds, veering north and west toward Mississippi and Louisiana. 10,000 National Guard troops are dispatched across the Gulf Coast.

Aug. 27, 2005
Eleven people die in Florida. Katrina becomes a Category 3 storm, with 185 km/h winds, and a hurricane warning is issued for Louisiana's southeastern coast, including New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain, and for the northern Gulf coast. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin declares a state of emergency and urges residents in low-lying areas to evacuate. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour declares a state of emergency. A mandatory evacuation is ordered for Hancock County, 65 kilometres east of New Orleans on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Coastal Gulf residents jam freeways and gas stations as they rush to escape.

Aug. 28, 2005
Katrina grows into a Category 5 storm with 260 km/h winds, and heads for the northern Gulf coast. Mayor Nagin orders a mandatory evacuation for New Orleans, but 10 shelters are also set up, including the Superdome, for those unable to leave. Evacuation orders are posted all along the Mississippi coast. Alabama Governor Bob Riley declares a state of emergency.

Aug. 29, 2005
Katrina, now a Category 4 hurricane with 230 km/h winds, makes landfall near Buras, La., at 6:10 a.m. CT (7:10 a.m. ET). U.S. President Bush makes emergency disaster declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi, freeing up federal funds. Katrina rips two holes in the Superdome's roof, with some 10,000 people inside. At least eight Gulf Coast refineries shut down or reduce operations. Airports close in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, La., Biloxi, Miss., Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla. Hundreds of flights are canceled or diverted.

[ishabibble]

My reading comprehension is just fine. This woman was about to get her 15 mins. of fame via a SF news team and a British journalist. The NOPD broke in at that moment (a blonde Darwin moment IMHO) and "evacuated" her. I am certainly not defending the NOLA police (so many don't even exist!), nor am I commenting on this particular woman's lawsuit.

My point is that the wretched in that city elected Ray Nagin, who did not enforce the MANDATORY evacuation order.

[MizSterious]

Do you know that this woman voted for Nagin? A lot of people didn't, just like a lot of people didn't vote for Clinton. Don't tar all of New Orleans with the same brush.

Moreover, you keep missing the part about her being forced from a home she didn't have to leave. Do you really think that is ok? You say you're not defending the NOLA police, yet you seem to condone what they did to her. She was seriously injured, she deserves to have at least her medical bills paid. (Plus, compensation for any goods looted from her house once she was illegally forced out of it.)

[Galveston Grl]

The reaction in support of this woman's rights being violated are folks who are not paying attention to detail.

They are responding on automatic pilot from their outrage at the sight of massive incompetence and stupidity called the New Orleans Katrina disaster.

Some people are so angry at MeMaw and Naggin and their supporters, they will never feel sympathy for anybody from New Orleans - no matter what.

[MizSterious]

I'm seeing a lot of derision for this woman, but I'm betting a lot of these critics would squeal like a stuck pig if they were the ones being forced out of their homes--safe homes, except for the goon squad.

[FreedomPoster]

Yes, if this is the same woman, I concur wholeheartedly.

And if so, to those defending the police, and making comments about lawyers, you need to adjust your thinking, or wear your chains lightly.

[ARCADIA]

My point is that the wretched in that city elected Ray Nagin, who did not enforce the MANDATORY evacuation order.

There is no such thing as a mandatory enforcement order. People cannot be arrested or removed from their homes without due process. The so-called "Mandatory" order is simply a warning that emergency services may not be available to protect/respond to them during the height of the emergency. If you want a mandatory order with teeth, then condemn all or part of New Orleans and own the consequence.

[MizSterious]

And, the media concentrated on the worst of the worst--and many people came away thinking all of New Orleans was just like them.

I don't know how many lawsuits will be coming up because of Katrina, but I'd guess most of them will be frivolous. This one is not one of them, though.

[Old Professer]

Illegal entry?

[ARCADIA]

...but I'm betting a lot of these critics would squeal like a stuck pig if they were the ones being forced out of their homes--safe homes, except for the goon squad.

You give them the benefit of a doubt; it would not surprise me if some of these were outright fascists, who care nothing about lawful behavior so long as their bread gets buttered. The qestion is not whether the woman should sue, but why the FBI and Federal authorities have yet to arrest and prosecute Naggin for gross negligence and outright criminal behavior.

[ishabibble]

I am not condoning or commenting on any aspect of this story, other than the fact that the behavior of the 'victims' in NOLA that I saw on my TV was absolutely sickening.

I also saw brief glimpses of the death and destruction in MS and AL, but that aspect of the story is forgotten now.
It's all NOLA all the time. Now it's time for all taxpayers to throw more good money after bad for NOLA.
I can understand that you love your hometown. I cannot understand why NOLA never fixed it's levee system, why they have the worst schools in the nation, and why anybody has to give them more money because of some sentiment for the "Big Easy". Ray Nagin embodies the spirit of NOLA for me...I've yet to see that 'mayor' wearing a shirt with a collar. Perhaps he has one hanging in the closet of his brand new 'Dallas palace'. This is only my .02 and I am not judging the woman in this article anymore than I am judging you for taking an opposite view.

[planekT]

It is the same woman, for sure.

[B4Ranch]

This is the small eldery, frail looking woman who was tackled by the California police officer shown on Fox News.

She had an old Model 10 S&W revolver in her had. The topstrap and cylinder was in the palm of her hand. Her finger was not on the trigger. She would have had to rotate the weapon 180 degrees to use the weapon in the other hand or change her grip a full 90 degrees in order to fire the weapon.

My initial thoughts when I first saw her was I think she is to small to resist looters. I hope she has a gun.

To the Cal LEO I am sure just the fact that she had a weapon, loaded or not was sufficient reason to body slam this tiny lady to the floor. The fact that she was asking the LEO's to leave her home would be further insult in their eyes.

[planekT]

The video shown on Fox was cut some. There was a longer one shot by a TV news crew from California and it was on their website for a while. You could see a lot more of the Jackboot tactics on that one.

The LEO who slammed Patricia Konie was CA Highway Patrol.

[B4Ranch]

He outweighed that little gal by at least 5 to 1.

[B4Ranch]

I presume you are referring to >The police who illegally entered her home ....<

Yes, that was an illegal entry. Unless an officer witnesses a crime through an open door (Even then there is restrictions on the type of crime which permits entry.) or is pursuing someone they are not allowed to enter a private home without permission.

[vrwc0915]

All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing, All those there for this "arrest" who were sworn personnel were either domestic enemies of the constitution or failed to uphold their oath of office.

[beaver fever]

We'll sue you for NOT removing us, and we'll sue you FOR removing us.

You forgot. "We will sue for not showing up to remove us or not remove us."

[vrwc0915]

btt