Actually, long ago as an EMT, and at present, in a family which includes two Paramedics, we have each been assaulted many times by individuals who were under the influence of various substances and completely out of control. I mean crazy out of control.
It is common for individuals under the influence of various narcotics to become violent, hurting themselves and others. Sometimes seriously. There have been many incidents where the individuals either killed themselves, or others.
I once had two colleagues nearly killed transporting a patient who had used marijuana, crack, and diamorphine (heroin), probably over the course of a few hours. The individual was in transport and restrained, (hands and ankles cuffed to the gurney), when he broke both side rails completely off, broke both of his own ankles, and proceeded to beat the paramedic alongside of him nearly to death. He then attacked the driver who had of course pulled off the road to avoid an accident.
The guy didn’t go nuts until about ten minutes down the I-696.
The medic driver was in the hospital for two weeks. The other medic for over a month. The first officer to arrive on scene spent 5 days in the hospital, and required several surgeries over the next year. The guy was only restrained after being hit with the second taser.
This is just one incident. Even the curriculum involved when training to be an EMT, regardless of what level, addresses issues which will inevitably be experienced by responders to such calls.
While it would be prudent to reserve judgment until more is known, it is actually reasonable and justified to conclude, if this guy had ingested anything alleged in this report, and it got into his system, he really could have done this to himself.
If he did ingest heroin, it is actually unreasonable to conclude that it could not have taken place.
Then, of course, the tyrants would abuse it.
So, it's a lose/win scenario.
Thank you for an informed, intelligent analysis of how Freddie Gray’s injuries could have happened.