Fla. Cops Drop Man From Wheelchair

Deputies Suspended After Video Of Quadriplegic Man Being Tipped Onto Floor Is Released

(CBS/AP)  Four Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies have been suspended after purposely tipping a quadriplegic man out of his wheelchair at a jail, authorities said Tuesday.

Orient Road Jail surveillance footage from Jan. 29 shows veteran deputy Charlette Marshall-Jones, 44, dumping Brian Sterner out of his wheelchair and searching him on the floor after he was brought in on a warrant after a traffic violation.

Sterner, 32, said when he was taken into a booking room and told to stand up, Jones grew agitated when he told her that he could not.

"She was irked that I wasn't complying to what she was telling me to do," he told The Tampa Tribune. "It didn't register with her that she was asking me to do something I can't do."

"When I saw that one deputy laugh, that's when I started to boil."

Sterner has been in a wheelchair for 14 years after breaking his neck in a teenage wrestling match, reports CBS News'The Early Show.

The Hillsborough sheriff's office says that they weren't aware of the incident until the tape was released by the media.

Jones has been suspended without pay, and Sgt. Gary Hinson, 51, Cpl. Steven Dickey, 45 and Cpl. Decondra Williams, 36 have also been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

A woman who answered Jones' telephone said Jones was unavailable. A message left at a telephone number listed for a Steven Dickey in Tampa was not immediately returned Tuesday night. Listings for Hinson and Williams could not be located.

"The actions are indefensible at every level," Chief Deputy Jose Docobo said. "Based on what I saw, anything short of dismissal would be inappropriate."

"That none of the supervisors acted upon what they saw is of great concern," Docobo said. "This is not the norm at the sheriff's office."

He said the officers' actions were an aberration.

But accusations of physical abuse at the hands of police officers, often caught on videotape, are not uncommon.

In Canton, Ohio, a woman claims that that police wrongfully strip searched her.

Hope Steffey had called 911 because she said she'd been the victim of an assault but when police responded, a series of arguments and miscommunications led police to arrest her, reports The Early Show.

They later videotaped her being undressed by male and female officers while pleading with them to stop. She says when all of her clothing was removed, she was then left in a cell for six hours.

The Stark County sheriff denies Steffey's allegations.

As for Sterner, he was arrested at his Riverview home and taken to the jail Jan. 29 on a charge of fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, according to records. He posted $2,000 bond and was released Feb 3.

A warrant for Sterner's arrest was issued after an Oct. 25 incident, in which Tampa police stopped him in Ybor City. He was stopped while driving a Mini Cooper that had been fitted with hand pedals and was cited for blocking an intersection.

"My client was stopped that night and was given a traffic citation, so how could he be fleeing and eluding?" Sterner's lawyer John Trevena said. "We're very skeptical about the basis for the charge itself."

Trevena said he hopes authorities investigate the deputies for criminal charges. He said he was "mortified" when he watched the footage.

"I couldn't believe that a detention deputy would be so callous toward an individual, whether they were disabled or not," he said.

Sterner says he wants justice.

"I want a lot of exposure to what's probably been going on for a long time."

[cfin5]

I find this to be so despicable that it''s all I can do to keep from cussing these gestapo trained sheriffs deputies out! It''s got to be in their training for how else could this have been quieted until video footage was revealed to the media?

[abonds1]

Police abuse have been going on in America for years. It has been videotaped also, but because it had been largely been blacks being abused by white cops, nothing was done. Instead of saying "thank God we have evidence of the cold eye of the camera" you folk scrutinized the tapes and look for what ever reason you could find that made it so that the black deserved what they got. As Maggie stated, "This man was an ACCOMPLISHED PERSON, not a THUG". I wonder what she meant by that comment, how do we define accomplished or how do we define a thug. I assume she meant this man is white and not black. And if he was black he would have deserved that treatment. Maggie, not even a THUG in a wheelchair deserves that kind of treatment. Thank God the cop was black, or this gentleman would not have gotten any positive attention from you folks. Now hopefully, this case will set a presidence for any cop abuse from now on.

Andrea Bonds

[rode1101]

Illegal acts as we see here are occur for several reasons, for example:

1. Cops, like all government officials, are given qualified immunity from civil and criminal prosecution, which means the burden of proof is so high that it is extremely difficult to hold cops accountable under the law.

2. We glamorize police abuse on television programs such as COPS and NYPD Blue.

3. Society is enormously indifferent to the issues and unwilling to presure our so-called elected officials to pass laws to hold cops accountable.

4. Society is required by law to knowingly permit a cop to beat another citizen or otherwise be arrested if they try to stop the cop, even if it means letting the cop murder another person.

5. Cops live by the code of Slience and as such they are taught from the beginning to knowingly and willingly permit their fellow officers to commit crimes.

So, is it any wonder why we see reports like we do above - I think not.

[terrapin78]

At least they didn''t taze him too!

What a bunch of ego-maniacs!

[gnoldr]

Cops are not held to a higher standard, Just the opposite is the truth. That is always the first thing out of the mouth of the news media. Check you facts, they absolutely get totally away with what would land anyone else in Prison or at least in jail.

[therevt]

Maggie''s comment about the man in the wheel chair being an accomplished man and not a thug made me wonder what she really meant. I''m sure even a thug in a wheelchair should not have been thrown out either. Thug or accomplished person in a wheel chair should not be abused.
Juanita Thomas

[ibzjem]

The big difference I see in this case and other cop abuse cases is that this guy is quadriplegic. What is the worst he can do? Mouth off. That''s it. He can''t run, he can resist arrest, he can''t stand for pat down. How much force does one need to handle people of his disposition? None. Not to mention quadriplegic people often have immune deficiencies and are much more susceptible to infections, fractures, and other internal damage because of the seriousness of their injuries. Doesn''t matter to me what the color of either one of the is, this was really inappropriate.

[vviff]

There is only one solution to this problem that was exposed by these videos. Accept the inclination of humankind to hate those that they must control. Only then can we expect this to happen and then not try to punish the offending officer but heal them. I see the injury but I don''t see a cure in indignation. Even though I feel it strongly, it is of no use. Forgiveness and education will yield healthy officers that behave appropriately.

[rode1101]

"Forgiveness and education will yield healthy officers that behave appropriately."

Your joking right vvif?

When we start actually criminalizing police abuse then maybe we can begin the journey to a more healthy and civilized society.

It is truly amazing how we barge into other countries and "tell" them how to act so as to up hold civil and human rights and yet, in our own country we turn blind eyes.

[lochlan-2009]

"They later videotaped her being undressed by male and female officers while pleading with them to stop. She says when all of her clothing was removed, she was then left in a cell for six hours."

Sexual Assault, plain and simple and they videotaped it. If that were my wife, I''d do to those police officers exactly what I would do to any other person who sexually assaulted my wife, and then I wouldn''t live in this country anymore.

[rode1101]

Not too long ago, in Kansas City, Missouri, it was reported nationally that two cops refused to permit a female suspect to receive medical treatment and she had a miscarage later.

Although the Chief of Police recommended both cops be fired - the problem here is that the cops knew about the videotape for a year.

It wasn''t until the suspect filed suit against the cops and the media picked up on the story that, all of a sudden the Chief of Police demanded the cops be fired.

[nlm2383]

abonds1, there were also white cops there too...Did you not watch the video?

[gunownerdan]

Unfortunately incidents like this are common, but we only hear about it when it is captured on video.
"To Protect and Serve" is slowly being replaced by "To Harass and Injure".

[dronemonk]

"Fla. Cops Drop Man From Wheelchair"

"Drop"?

Don''t you mean "Throw"?

Or maybe "Pitch"?

"Drop" sound too innocuous for what was a brutal and heartless act.

[random_radar]

"Unfortunately incidents like this are common, but we only hear about it when it is captured on video.
"To Protect and Serve" is slowly being replaced by "To Harass and Injure".

Posted by gunownerdan at 10:15 AM : Feb 13, 2008"

"To protect and to serve" is an intentionally unfinished sentence. They let you assume they are to protect and to serve you. That is exactly wrong!

The reality is that the police are here to protect and to serve our government leaders--protect them from us and serve their interests in ruling over us.

Drivelphobe: "take it for what it is, an unexpected outcome from a well-intentioned act of assistance. No one meant any harm or disrespect to Sterner." Please send me some of whatever you are high on.

[honestabe8]

take each one of these swine and put them in jail, with other prisoners, without their weapons. truffle rooting creeps.

drivelphobe: so, if this guy was cursing and being a general jerk, what was the point of the police dropping him?

[drivelphobe]

honestabe8

I don''t think they dropped him. They attempted to assist him in standing up by leaning the chair forward and he fell over accidentally.

If Sterner had in fact been acting like a jerk, all the more reason to laugh at the incident.

[honestabe8]

drivel: right, "assist". if he had been acting like a jerk, how did it benefit the cops to "assist" him to the floor?

[megatj]

I''m so very angry when everytime I watch the tape. It''s really a humiliation and violation to human''s right. I can''t believe it''s happened in the United States of America where human dignity and human''s rights are always voiced on top priority.
They should put the officer to justice and they should fix the department who abuses for whatever reason.

[wadyaknow]

Disgusting. That is instant dismissal and a civil suit and charges should be filed against her. I cannot understand such cruelty.

[fstop100]

This person should be made an example. Assault charges and dismissal at least.

[bobnjersey]

["That none of the supervisors acted upon what they saw is of great concern," Docobo said. "This is not the norm at the sheriff''s office." He said the officers'' actions were an aberration. ]

somehow i doubt that ... surprised they didn''t just taser him ... both in ... and out of his chair.

[medwolf-2009]

if you dont comply with a lawfull order you get what you deserve. Not to mention it sounds like the guy is playing it up that he is handcapped not the fact he was abused. It would be like beating up a *** just because he is slow noone would but if he hit you first you would be tempted to throwdown even on a ****

[bobnjersey]

[They attempted to assist him in standing up by leaning the chair forward and he fell over accidentally.]
[Posted by drivelphobe at 10:47 AM : Feb 13, 2008]

he didn''t fall over accidentally ... he fell because he''s a quadrapalegic ... which he told them he was.

the ''accident'' was to allow an a##h0le to become a cop.

[lochlan-2009]

drivelphobe - Here''s hoping you are helped to the floor by your local enforcement.

www.badcopnews.com

[bobnjersey]

[if you dont comply with a lawfull order you get what you deserve. ]
[Posted by medwolf at 11:10 AM : Feb 13, 2008]

and if you abuse your authority as a cop ... you should be fired. maybe they can work for the maintenance dept ... or the public works dept.

[medwolf-2009]

yes if you abuse your power as a cop you should be tried to the fullest extent of the law. But at the same time just because you might handicapped does not give you any special rights just like being of differnet ethnic background should give you no specail right

[undermyboot]

if you dont comply with a lawfull order you get what you deserve... you would be tempted to throwdown even on a ****

Posted by medwolf at 11:10 AM : Feb 13, 2008
--------

You sir are the lowest form of life on the planet. I bet you beat your children and torture animals. You probably rape women because they "deserve it". This man cannot walk. He has limited strength in his upper body, and no control of his legs. Asking him to walk is like demanding that you fly or I will shoot you. Now that I think of it, that is what you deserve. You are the "****". Crawl back into your hole and die mo-fo.

[canislupus16]

you can drop the sheriff''s dept a note at http://www.hcso.tampa.fl.us/

[gunownerdan]

Fascists treat people with disabilities very poorly, this cop is only following the example from his leaders.

[bobnjersey]

[yes if you abuse your power as a cop you should be tried to the fullest extent of the law ... but ... ]
[Posted by medwolf at 11:25 AM : Feb 13, 2008]

well ... since ''the law'' doesn''t really apply the same way to cops as it does to others ... how can that occur?

they should just be fired ... and that status should be available for any other police depts that may be considering hiring such an individual.

[joelpoole]

I hope that this deputy is criminally prosecuted. The man could have been killed. He is helpless to catch himself and break the fall with his hands. She was intentionally cruel. Any fool could have seen that he was paralyzed. I do hope that charges will be filed against her.

[medwolf-2009]

i did not say what the cops did was right i said i get sick of hearing about the "limits" ppl have because of disabilties or that they are owed something because they are handicapped or differnt. I was never given anything i had to work my a$$ off for all I have. Anyways the news channels only ever show half the story. as far as beating my wife and kids , I have never laid a hand on my wife and my kid needs beat but has not been/

[noirceur]

I don''t even have the words to say how this made me feel.Stuff like this is exactly why many people including myself have NO respect for cops.I have seen how bad they treat people.I have never been in any kind of trouble but because of what I''ve read and seen I dis-trust cops more than anyone.And it just should not be that way.This is a very sad story and those involved,the *** who did the dumping and the ones laughing should be punished ever so much.That punishment should be doubled because of who they are.

[uscitizenvet]

Another bunch of smart *ss cops that think they''re above the law and better than John and Jane Doe off the street. Everyone one of them involved in this incident need to be made an example to the rest of their comrades that think like they do: 90 days walking the streets of their city from 9 til 5 with huge signs that says: I''m an abusive ex-cop! They''re a disgrace to the good cops that are out there.

[medwolf-2009]

the fact everone seems to be forgeting is that cops are ppl and in turn you will get some that are good some that are bad and some that should be hung

[erasmus6]

"That none of the supervisors acted upon what they saw is of great concern," Docobo said. "This is not the norm at the sheriff''s office."

How the hell does he know? Just because HE hasn''t seen it?

I can assure you that if this person did this kind of thing now, they have done something before. It is the kind of person they are.

They all should be fired.

[merlgrey]

this is all brought to you by the fascist leaders americans keep voting for and the judicial system that keeps allowing a false veil of security to trump individual rights, letting the hounds run loose without any leash or true punishment. starting to feel a lot more like orwells animal farm every day. the hounds are used for fear and intimidation, not protecting the rights and liberties of americans (tax paying americans).

the only reason there will be slight justice in this case is it was caught on tape and everyone has to ''act'' astounded. and the justice will only be slight.

[erasmus6]

What is really amazing is how STUPID these officers are! They were caught by surveillance cameras! Do these idiots not know that there was surveillance cameras? I doubt that they were installed that day.

[mirandalouis-2009]

Mr. Sterner is paraplegic, not quadriplegic. If he were quadriplegic, he wouldn''t be able to drive a car. Get the facts straight CBS.

[sgtrds]

What an incredibly ignorant thing for a cop to do! It''s not just wrong, it''s stupid! They should all be fired for both committing a crime against this man AND for being effing morons!

[ianlou]

Yeah this cop should go. If she is capable of this, we can only guess what she has done to the non-handycapped suspects.

Just wondering...
Would it be politically incorrect for an arresting officer to handcuff an occupied wheel chair?

[klingon69]

CBS;
You need to get your facts right.
Quadriplegic means that he/she is completely paralyzed, unable to use his hands or legs.
Para plegic mean he can use his hands but not his legs.
The story says that he had a car outfitted with hand pedals.

[marcpcbs]

When President Clinton put 100,000 more cops on this nations streets he didn''t increase security, he scraped the bottom of the barrel. we would all be better off if these cops just stayed in their local dough-nut shops. At least they wouldn''t be hurting anyone.

[klingon69]

yes if you abuse your power as a cop you should be tried to the fullest extent of the law. But at the same time just because you might handicapped does not give you any special rights just like being of differnet ethnic background should give you no specail right
Posted by medwolf at 11:25 AM : Feb 13, 2008
However, due to the ADA, there is now special parking, access, checkouts...etc for people with disabilities. In retail we have to have special training to deal with handicapped people. Due to his condition, some consideration should have been used in handling a person in a wheelchair.

[easeup-2009]

"this is all brought to you by the fascist leaders americans keep voting for and the judicial system that keeps allowing a false veil of security to trump individual rights, letting the hounds run loose without any leash or true punishment. starting to feel a lot more like orwells animal farm every day. the hounds are used for fear and intimidation, not protecting the rights and liberties of americans (tax paying americans).

the only reason there will be slight justice in this case is it was caught on tape and everyone has to ''''act'''' astounded. and the justice will only be slight."

LOL!! Thanks for my daily chuckle, merl!

[honestabe8]

yeah, medwolf, he sure had the cops going with that "quadraplegic" gag.

[merlgrey]

"Posted by mirandalouis at 11:55 AM :Mr. Sterner is paraplegic, not quadriplegic. If he were quadriplegic, he wouldn''''t be able to drive a car. Get the facts straight CBS."

miranda- you need to get your science right. quadrapallegic injuries do not mean you dont have the ability to move some if not all your limbs to a varying degree. check out the documentary ''murder ball'', its about the US olympic wheelchair rugby team - all quadrapallegic.

[akbirdy]

why would someone want to dump a person out of a wheelchair? Most people would be sitting in a wheel chair for a reason. Some police are just messed up any more. Why remove someone''s clothes, and make them sit there for hours. That sounds like a major power trip to me. Especially when the naked one was the one who called the cops in the first place. Where I live, some cops pulled over this kid, who was not in a wheel chair, but crippled, and walked with a cane. When they asked him to get out of the car, he reached for his cane, and they shot and killed him...they said his cane could have been a rifle. I''m not too sure of the outcome, but I do know that cop who shot him got into a lot of trouble. (The cop had had many complaints for being disorderly, and over forceful.) Sad, sad world.