Posted on 05/29/2014 7:33:24 AM PDT by Rusty0604
On August 20, 2013, Sherman police stopped Lesa Surratt’s vehicle for failing to signal a lane change. An officer removed Surratt from the vehicle. From there, she was placed in the rear of a patrol car but without performing a search, the suit claims.
Surratt’s passenger, Monica Garza, was also placed in the patrol car.
Brian McClarin, a narcotics officer, had directed the traffic stop.
The complaint acknowledges that Surratt removed a small amount of cocaine she was concealing and began swallowing it.
One of the officers realized what was going on “and climbed in the back seat, across the body of Garza, and began striking Surratt with open fist and then his flashlight to get her to spit up the cocaine,” the suit alleges.
When the effort failed, the officer “placed the flashlight diagonally against the right side of Surratt’s neck and pushed down, chocking Surratt with the flashlight until she lost consciousness.” While on the ground, McClarin gave the order to “tase the bitch,” the suit alleges.
McClarin and two other officers began striking Surratt with their open hands and flashlights, according to the suit, which does not specify the monetary damages it seeks but does request a jury trial
Surratt lay convulsing on the ground for 20 minutes before the officers called for an EMT, the suit claims. After being taken to Texas Presbyterian Hospital, Surratt was declared brain dead. She was removed from life support on Sept. 2, and died shortly after.
An autopsy determined that Surratt died as a result of asphyxiation.
“The thing that’s really strange about this is the stonewalling that I’ve received by the city about any information,” Surratt’s attorney, Don Bailey, told The Daily Caller.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
End the WOD and this type of abuse will stop.
We can have either a War On Drugs or limited government - but we can't have both.
This was murder.
” We should remember that some of these
are allegations and it’s only one side of
the story.”
With the cops stone walling the investigation. Kind of a sign of guilt.
“You can follow anybody for a quarter of a mile or less and figure out a “legit” reason to make a stop. That’s intentional. The public are dopes who will sacrifice their souls for the illusion of safety, risk management and risk transference.”
But, but, but... the dopers will destroy us all and eat our children!
"Stonewalling" is a one sided opinion by the lawyer filing the suit.
What would you call it?
“On Oct. 15, Sherman police submitted a request to block a request made by Bailey for the police report and video from the incident.
“On Dec. 19, the attorney general’s office found that the city of Sherman should release the information to Bailey.
“But he says they have not.”
It’s still only one side of the story. And according to the article the existence of the video is only alleged.
Then officers allegedly began hitting her and choking her with a flashlight to make her spit it out, and then tased her. It says she lost consciousness and was pronounced brain dead upon arrival at Texas Health Presbyterian - Wilson N Jones Hospital.
...
A statement from the Sherman City Attorney, Brandon Shelby, says: "The actions of the Sherman Police Officers were investigated by the Texas Rangers and the findings were presented to a Grand Jury. No charges were filed and the officers were cleared."
“To Serve and Protect” ourselves!
This raises even more questions:
“On Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013, while in police custody, Lesa Surratt was able to free herself from handcuffs and retrieve a baggie of a controlled substance (identified as cocaine in the lawsuit) from her person. She attempted to swallow the baggie, became asphyxiated and lost consciousness. She received prompt medical attention, but later died from her injuries...
At the time the Open Records Request was filed by Ms. Surratt’s attorney in October of 2013, the matter was still under investigation by the Texas Rangers. The full report and video were withheld after determination by the Attorney General.”
I don’t know how a “traffic stop” turned into her being handcuffed in the patrol car and she hadn’t been searched. “Reasonable suspicion” of something? Did she have a “bad attitude”? Warrants?
How can the AG determine that the full report and video s/b withheld?
'Sherman City Attorney Brandon S. Shelby provided this statement: "[...] The full report and video were withheld' - http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Lawsuit-describes-woman-s-disturbing-death-5510283.php
"The actions of the Sherman Police Officers were investigated by the Texas Rangers and the findings were presented to a Grand Jury. No charges were filed and the officers were cleared."Where did Selby make a statement about a video?
“It’s still only one side of the story. And according to the article the existence of the video is only alleged.”
Alleged is a legalize term to protect oneself. They clearly have A video, and are refusing to release it. You are reaching for a reason to side with cops here.
As for one side? Seriously, all that violence just to protect user levels of dope as evidence? I’m reminded very much of the New Mexico incidents of anal probing over possible drugs.
Here is a concept. We all know the phase “Let the punishment fit the crime.”
How about adding the concept of “Let the investigative practices fit the crime.”
Like in the NM anal cases. Was it really appropriate to do that to people over very minor amounts of drugs? I’m plenty anti-drug. I know people who’ve fought addictions, and the harm it can do.
But even if such tactics worked to ‘get their man’, did the violent effort required do anything to change the world? No, it is just one minor drug case.
And that even assumes guilt. In those cases, they were INNOCENT, and violated in an extreme way. For what?
Same in this case. All that over simple possession charges? Are we that far gone that all the System cares about is getting the criminal, and not HOW we get them?
The mission isn’t all that matters. There has to be lines drawn on how the mission is accomplished. First, we have very likely BS stop as an excuse to search. Police have a long practice of ‘Fishing’, just hopping to get lucky.
Now include this reaction to protect evidence. Is evidence of a BS crime worth permanent injuries and even death?
There was a recent story about a woman that had gone in voluntarily to some hearing or something, sitting in a waiting room, and she was seen taking what turned out to be Tylenol prescribed to her for a tooth problem and she was taken down and injured by several policemen.
As long as the cops made it home safely..that’s all that matters, right?
You’re so smart. I never read that before on FR.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.