I read this article this morning on CNN about the family of the woman who died in police custody while trying to escape from her handcuffs when she was placed in a holding cell. The family is suing for $8M in wrongful death and negligence saying that the police didn't understand that this person was intoxicated and mentally ill (she was going to AZ to go to an alcohol rehab center.) There is indication that her family hid that from people and that airline officials were not warned that she was inebriated and disturbed. So when she acted out after missing a flight she was dealt with, and with her crazy behavior was placed in a holding cell, where SHE tried to get out of handcuffs and killed herself in the process. Whom is at fault here? The police that left her alone in a holding cell? Isn't that what a holding cell is? If they were going to stand there with her, why even put her in a cell?
This is just another reason that I find our society to be insane. We can sue for anything. You can sue someone if you are breaking into their house and hurt yourself. And judges and juries every day compensate these people-is it because deep down we all have greed and all think that we deserve to be "better off" then we are?
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6 comments:
If she was in such bad shape, as the family claims, why didn't a family member accompany her to the rehab center? Not only do I find that absurd regarding someone with a serious disorder, but insensitive as well.
Anyone else think a Darwin award is in order?
I have been asking the same question that the anonymous #1 comment asked since this first happened. If this woman was on her way to drug/alcohol rehab and was suicidal, why on earth was she traveling alone? Where was her family then? Why are they not being held accountable or at least asked why they let her make a cross country trip by herself if she was suicidal and was checking into rehab? Who would let a family member do something of this magnitude by themselves? I don't blame the woman as much as I blame the family. Had she not been traveling alone in such a fragile state of mind, she would probably still be alive.
I am really suprised the family is going ahead with the law suit. Of course they are wealthy and connected New Yorkers so it goes without saying I suppose. As an airline employee you see this type of thing a lot. People want to fly thier kid, mentally ill family member, or elderly parent with dementia, by themself with no proper supervision. Most of the time passengers do not want to pay the additional cost for the ticket. That seems a lot more plausible than this wealthy family merely not wanting to accompany her for whatever reasons they might claim. I have read a few articles about the incident were friends or family members claim she did not want any one to accompany her. Well, that is a decision that could be respected when coming from a competent adult, but as someone seeking help for addiction and mental illness those who loved her should have known better. I do feel as though she was a victim but of her own family's carelessness than of the Phoenix police.
Yes, the cops did not follow DOJ procedure when placing someone in the holding cell, you do take the handcuffs off. But the family is more at fault since they sent a family member to rehab in a very vunerable position, by herself. Someone in this condition, should be treated as they are a unaccompanied teenager, and the airline should have been told why she was flying and that she was going to need extra assistance, if the family was not going to accompany her. THE FAMILY IS FAULT, and should take responsibility and stop doing what many do in this country and blame society for their own mistakes.
The family does not appear to be arguing the fact that she was arrested for a valid reason - and let's be honest; the fact that she was a white female probably allowed her to get just jailed instead of being zapped and beaten. If had such an embarrassing history of being a vulgar, obnoxious drunk, it's quite likely that the family was tired of it and could care less what was going on with her. The real heart of the matter is that their coverup of the situation, their indifference to having her go (drunk) on a plane to rehab (knowing full well how belligerent she could be), and ultimately her own stupidity led to her death and her family's guilt which they are now trying to push onto the police. It's bad enough that we freak out about parents disciplining their kids (and yes, it can go too far sometimes) - likewise are we going to throw a hissy fit because the cops are doing their job? What next- are we going to blame the guy that gets rear-ended by a drunken driver because he didn't get out of their way and he should have known they deserve special treatment? The tragedy to this story is that the cops are being unfairly blamed and taxpayers are unfairly going to pay for this court case to be settled. I think we should all band together and sue the family!
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