Would better MI training for PD have saved this man's life?

[gcvmom]

On July 5th, a local man who was homeless and diagnosis'd schizophrenic was killed by police. I don't know how much training that PD gives its officers for dealing with the mentally ill and I wonder if the officers involved handled the situation appropriately. From the outside, it doesn't look like they did -- I mean, how can you justify such a brutal beating that takes someone's life? It's not like they shot him in self-defense. They beat and stunned the life out of him. His father couldn't even recognize him in the hospital when he went in to i.d. the body.

Here's a link to the latest article on the situation:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43956988/ns/local_news-orange_county_ca/

I don't know what I'd do in the father's situation. Take the settlement money offered and set up the foundation like he's indicating he might do, or continue with the lawsuit?

What would YOU do?

 

[mstang67chic]

You know....I know police do a job that I wouldn't want. I get that they don't know what will happen when they respond to a call. I get that they put their life on the line every day and I respect that.

But this? Horrifying and CRIMINAL.

 

[keista]

Cops have a tremendously difficult job. They put their lives on the line EVERY day. If this was a one or two cops vs schizophrenic man I thing the right or wrong could be under debate, but six? The cops seem to have been WAY out of line, however, cause of death has not yet been determined. Since he was homeless, he was probably malnourished and not in the best of physical health. "Reasonable force" on a normal healthy man could kill an unhealthy man.

My decision of taking the settlement or not would greatly depend on the results of the investigation into actual cause of death, and the officers' previous records. If they are chronic "bully cops", they would need to be desked permanently or let go.

As a parent, I would certainly be devastated by the loss of my child, especially under such circumstances, but I can also imagine myself feeling much relief. Relief that my child no longer had to suffer the earthly confines of his tremendously flawed mind. in my opinion that is a very generous settlement for this situation.

 

[mstang67chic]

Six cops tasing and beating one malnourished man is criminal plain and simple. No amount of money can make anything better.

 

[flutterby]

Reasonable force doesn't rearrange one's face to the point that he is unrecognizable to his own father. This is criminal.

 

[flutterby]

And the father is a retired deputy sheriff.

 

[flutterby]

This is what they did to him: Warning: graphic photo

http://reason.com/blog/2011/07/29/homeless-man-dies-after-being

 

[flutterby]

It looks like Orange County has requested that the FBI take over the investigation:

http://fullertonsfuture.org/

 

[HaoZi]

Wow. And a lot of other emotions.

 

[flutterby]

As far as gcvmom's question, I would take the money and set up the foundation like the father has mentioned he might do.

 

[Marcie Mac]

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh815UY7BeB5TEh4xd

My heart broke when I heard him screaming Dad, Dad, Dad. The police had a report of someone breaking into cars, not a homeless guy breaking into cars, but he was there, and being off his medications, and not in his right mind anyway

in my humble opinion this was a murder of a mentally ill person, again, in Ca. If it was take the money and drop the charges, I would tell them to put the money where the sun doesn't shine. One of the neighbor boys has schitzofrenia - step mom threw him out when he was 13 and he roamed the neighborhood where most of us helped him out, feeding him, doing his laundry, letting him stay. He had come over one day as was off his medications, saying the C.I.A. was after him and was talking about jumping from the overpass. I told Danny to call in a 5150 for him, no ambulance showed up just the cops with Tazers in hand (mental health team is not called here unless the police decide its necessary) and ordered me to go inside. The boy was calm just talking crazy and I refused to leave his side till mental health got there it took 45 minutes and towards the end he was getting more agitated with 7 policemen all talking, some yelling at him, trying to get him in a patrol car all with tazers in hand. All of that "show of force" wasn't necessary. One of the neighbors had a video camera which I am sure kept it from getting nasty.

The Daily Mail has before and after pictures of this poor guy - the after was definately overkill - its a bunch of bull they don't know what he died from - as if 7 or more tazer shots weren't enough. And his father was previously employed by a police department for training cops how to respond to things like this.

Marcie

 

[gcvmom]

I felt the same way when I saw the video on the news, Marci. And if he's not armed with a weapon, I fail to see how such an extreme use of force is justified.

I really hope that the city is forced to release the video survellience tapes from the cameras that are posted all over that parking lot. I really hope that something positive can eventually come from this senseless killing.