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THREE POLICE OFFICERS in the US state of Virginia repeatedly used stuns guns on a black man they brought to hospital for a mental health evaluation, according to newly released videos.
The man died in their custody, just an hour later.
The videos, first obtained by US news network MSNBC, show the South Boston, Virginia officers shocking Linwood R Lambert Jr several times, after he kicked out a police cruiser’s back window and ran to the doors of a hospital while he was handcuffed.
Instead of taking him inside the A & E department, which was just steps away, officers took Lambert to jail, saying he was arrested for disorderly conduct and property damage.
Upon his arrival at the jail, the 46-year-old was unresponsive.
An ambulance then brought him back to the same A & E and he was pronounced dead at the hospital, about an hour after he was initially taken into custody.
Lambert’s family filed a $25 million (€23 million) lawsuit in April, accusing the officers of unlawfully arresting him and using “excessive, unreasonable and deadly force.”
The officers rejected those claims, saying in response that the stun gun was “an appropriate and necessary use of force alternative to more harmful and lethal options available.”
The Virginia State Police investigated at the request of the police chief of South Boston, a town of about 8,000 people in southern Virginia near the North Carolina border.
A state police spokeswoman declined to release the results of the investigation, which were turned over to the county’s prosecutor for review in October 2013.
Halifax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tracy Quackenbush Martin said that her investigation remains open. She would not say when it might be complete.
It is imperative to reach the correct decision, and to reach it in a way that instills public confidence.
I will take as much time as necessary to make certain that my opinion is fully developed and is accurate.
No charges have been filed. A lawyer for Lambert said three officers were not disciplined and they have all since been promoted.
Neither the police department nor the officers’ lawyer responded to requests for comment today.
Lambert’s sister, Gwendolyn Smalls, said the officers should face charges.
Now that he’s not here, I have to defend him, and make sure that we can get the justice that we are asking and that he so justly deserves.
The officers, who are only identified as Jane Doe and John Doe in the lawsuit, first encountered Lambert when they responded to a noise complaint at a motel, according to court documents.
Lambert was acting strangely, telling officers that he stabbed someone and that someone was after him.
As shown in an extended, more detailed version of the video, below, the officers handcuffed Lambert, but told him he was not under arrest and that they were taking him to the hospital, according to court documents.
Once there, he kicked out the window and ran from the officers. They shocked him repeatedly in front of the ER doors and he fell to the ground.
The officers shouted at Lambert to roll over on his stomach. One said: “I’m going to light you up again.” Another warned he would “pop” him every time he got up.
Lying on the ground, Lambert said:
Why are you trying to kill me, man?
The officers put Lambert back in the squad car and told him he is being charged. While he was restrained in the back seat, the officers shocked him again.
Warning: This video contains footage that some viewers might find upsetting.
South Boston Police Department’s guidelines say officers may use stun guns in defense or to “temporarily immobilise” a subject.
Their use is no longer justified once that person has been restrained or is under control, according to a copy of the department’s guidelines as of May 2013.
Lambert had several criminal convictions for driving violations and theft, records show.
At one point in the video, Lambert told the officers that he used cocaine, and an autopsy said he died of “acute cocaine intoxication.”
Joe Messa, a lawyer for Lambert, called that “laughable” and said the medical examiner’s officer’s would have ruled differently if it had known how many times Lambert had been shocked.
Logs from the stun guns showed they were discharged 20 times, although it’s unclear how many hit Lambert, Messa said.
Anyone who watches this videotape would not think it is outrageous or inappropriate to suggest that what these police officers did was tantamount to murder.
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This is great! We’ll be able to watch live as these snakes sell this country out from under us and sell it’s people into slavery.
Ah damn. Was hoping to be the first to post one of these tired, overposted comments.
The Oireachtas has been available to watch on the Net for a few years now. So for those who can’t wait for a channel to appear on Saorview,
http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/livewebcast/Web-Live.htm&CatID=83&m=o
Dáilafornia.
Dail-less da da da da da da da Starring Enda Kenny as Useless Smarmy, Eamon Gilmore as the invisible man, Bruton as Jobless, Burton As Social Neglect, Reilly as Death, Noonan as Scrooge, Hogan as Cat Burglar, etc etc etc
WOW, televised empty seats.
What, empty seats?! Surely the amount they claim in expenses for travel and overnight must mean their there all the time…
Who will watch it ? Hey here is a plan …. Why not pipe it into all classrooms in the country …
I think Eileen that could be classified as Child Abuse if it were to happen.I love my kids too much to have them subjected to constant lies and bullshit.
wouldn’t we want our students to be engaged and learning Eileen rather than bored asleep????? Think of the children lolololol ;-)
:) :) :) Lol ,Lol,
I am glad we all still have a sense of humpr :)
i did not know there was such a dedicated T.V. channel what have i been missing here lol
Who in their right mind would want to watch this bunch of sneering,smirking assholes.Ni difference between any of them.All greedy in it for themselves assholes.Here ends my rant.
PEOPLE, ISN’T OIREACHTAS REPORT ENOUGH ?
what are we going to watch. the Dail is never in session. it’ll be reruns of bertie, brian, charlie and all the other crooks over the years.
Good God..how much will.this crap cost! Is there noone to say STOP! Our public services at frontline are creaking…our young and not so young are fleeing faster than.the anfield cat and our gloruous leaders want to have their own tv channel….i feel.like yer boy on.Harry Enfield…NO!!!
It will lead to greater public scrutiny of the goings on in the Oireachtas, surely that can only be a good thing? In light of what went on in there that “brought us to our knees” and lead to the “current economic climate” and “[insert horrendously overused cliché to describe the late-2000s recession here]“, “bankers”, “bondholders”, “Merkozy”, “WAKE UP PEOPLE” and so forth.
Sorry Muc all decisions happen in committee and private cabinet meetings never ever in front of cameras and never will.
No, all the legislation is debated and voted upon in the Dáil. Pretty fundamental stuff there Norman.
Muc the recent debate in the Dail reference the internet copyright act decision already taken before debate.
That was a statutory instrument, it wasn’t required. Debate happened in spite of that. Actual legislation has to be passed by the Dáil, as is the case in most parliamentary democracies/representative republics.
If you have kids in secondary school, pick up one of their CSPE books and learn the law-making process, separation of powers and the general basics of how a state functions before you go on ill-informed, cynical rants about the government. It’s really not that complicated
Ah yes I can see it now celebrity T D
Celebrity Minister Lotto draw to see what patients get seen this week probably hosted by some tallaght tv air head.
Jesus is there no end to this waste
Maybe KPMG could stand over the debates and say if they’re impartial.
You realise that this expansion is only been suggested so these useless twats in the Seanad can keep/justify their jobs!
A business plan! There’s no money in it. This is exactly what the national public service broadcaster should be doing – Hello RTE? BBC Parliament is the model but they want to waste cash on a tender to advise? Just tell RTE to do it – they’ve loads of spare capacity on the white elephant that is Saorview – they’d be able to claim a whole EIGHT channels then!
How much will the special consultants for makeup and hair cost us?
Don’t forget photography…
if the Gov are serious about this isn’t there a state broadcaster that could do it at very little cost?
But again – who would watch it? It’s so tedious – that’s why they show that political show on RTE really late at night so it’ll help insomniacs sleep.
and as Colm mentioned, front line staff and services in the country are crumbling and this is just a complete waste of money (no matter how little it costs)
It needs to be more widely available – Sky, Saorview as well as UPC. More homes have Sky I think then UPC.
A waste of money. They are barley able to keep the main tv Channels going. Have they not already got time on main stream television How many people would want to watch it anyway.In the present climate it is a non starter. Money can be better spent elsewhere.
Put the whole feckin’ thing on-line and make sure there’s a censorship free comments section with a thumbs up/down option. Instantaneous public feedback! And a nightly highlights show, with a panel that discusses the issues of the day and the most popular points raise in the comments section. Online would also be way more cost effective.
Tadhg, I was thinking of a LED display board on the back of the House (just like kid’s TV when b’day wishes etc are sent in) where we could text them about their filibustering. ;-) It’d have to be severely edited I think lol
Have it on UPC. Came in handy when I was trying to follow the debate on the copyright SI.
Folks if you don’t like the people on the TV, don’t put them there in the first place!
Get real, please. I mean please. Of course, maybe the feasibility study will realise that all the people at work soon after the Jobs Initiative won’t have time to watch this.
So polite.
Disgusted at the anti-openness comments on this feed. Looks like the conspiracy theorists have taken over the comments section of journal.ie! I wish ye’d cop on to yourselves!
Well considering the money currently being spent on televising the oireachtas and dail leaves the state (the last tender was awarded to a northern irish company) hopefully they will consider supporting local companies a priority for any further tenders.
Dario if you’d thrown a few more noughts on your €10 bid and buddied up with any of the TDs, you’d have been a shoe-in!!!!! ;-)
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