July 25, 2008
Tasered Grandpa Sues Hospital
Ohio Man, 67, Claims Guards Got Outraged Over What He Meant As Joke
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Play CBS Video Video Hospital Tasers Sr. Citizen Exclusive: A reverend claims his behavior at a hospital did not warrant staff removing him, beating him and using a taser to subdue him. Harry Smith talks to Rev. Al Poisson and his lawyer.
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Video, taken by security cameras, showing incident involving Al Poisson (CBS/EARLY SHOW)
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Al Poission on The Early Show Friday (CBS/EARLY SHOW)
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Much of the incident was caught by surveillance cameras.
Al Poisson, 67, says he was visiting a friend in St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center a year ago and was in a very good mood when he came upon a glum-looking guard and joked with him.
"I said (to the guard), 'Are you happy today?' Poisson told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith Friday. "He said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Well, you oughta tell your face!' "
Poisson added that, "It went downhill from there" and turned into an "atrocious, unbelievable situation, to say the least."
The guards wound up taking Poisson outside the building, where they used a taser and/or stun gun on him, dropping him to his knees and, he says, beat, kicked and "manhandled" him when he was down.
It all happened in front of Poisson's son and Poisson's six-year-old grandson.
The Web site of CBS affiliate WTOL-TV in Toledo cites Poisson's lawsuit as claiming Poisson's son pleaded with the guards to stop because Poisson has a bad heart
The Web site also says a police report quotes the security guards as asserting that Poisson provoked them and that, once outside, Poisson elbowed one guard and tried to pull his hair while on the ground.
The guards called Toledo police and had Poisson arrested for alleged assault, but those charges have since been dropped.
Poisson says he used to go to St. Vincent's regularly to pray with patients, but no longer can cope with doing that. He also says he's had to give up his duties at a local soup kitchen that's since closed.
Poisson is seeking punitive damages of an unspecified amount, along with damages for pain, suffering, medical expenses and lost income. The lawsuit also says the hospital doesn't train its security personnel properly.
St. Vincent's issued a statement saying, "According to our policy regarding physical aggression, the use of a taser is warranted if someone attempts to physically attack a staff member, patient or visitor. We conducted an internal review of this incident that determined the response to the aggression was appropriate."
"That's not true at all," Poisson responded to Smith when the statement was read.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 107 CommentsI am of the opinion that law enforcement SHOULD NOT be allowed to carry or use "tazers." This weapon is being used in excess, and as an "I can hurt you, and you can not do anything about it! Police are not the "good guys" we want to see them as. A good number of the "new generation" of law enforcement personal are young bullies.
The tazer is a fine defensive weapon for a private citizen but should NOT be allowed in the hand of security guards or police.
BTW, I am a 58 year old man, that was a deputy sheriff when I returned from Viet Nam. I quit that job because I would NOT lie!
Pat Weaver
I am of the opinion that law enforcement SHOULD NOT be allowed to carry or use "tazers." This weapon is being used in excess, and as an "I can hurt you, and you can not do anything about it! Police are not the "good guys" we want to see them as. A good number of the "new generation" of law enforcement personal are young bullies.
The tazer is a fine defensive weapon for a private citizen but should NOT be allowed in the hand of security guards or police.
BTW, I am a 58 year old man, that was a deputy sheriff when I returned from Viet Nam. I quit that job because I would NOT lie!
Pat Weaver
Pastor gave the smart *** comment, then reports it went downhill from there.
What was said there? The guards came running to escort him out. WHY? What else did the "good reverend" do?
What part of leave me alone don''''t people understand??!
Posted by loneeagle57
Yeah, it would tick me off to have some jerk tell me what my facial expression should be. But shouldn''t at least one of the pack of guards have said, hey now, we can''t just beat the tar out of this guy for having bad manners?
What part of leave me alone don''t people understand??!
I don''t really like being told how to act whether my job requires me to or not. For a pastor to give a comment like that was uncalled for.
I would not have used a weapon on him. However my attitude towards this man would have told him to leave me alone. As I stated I agree with the guard snapping back. That does not mean that what was done was right
I always like to hear both sides of a story before deciding who i think is right.
Its people like you that make me sick. That is your answer for everything, See a shrink, take some pills.
That won''t help. The strong survive. If it don''t kill you it will make you stronger. The strongest don''t see shrinks we take what we can until someone pis ses us off then we snap when we can''t take anymore. Especially when someone won''t mind their own god damned business.
This guard was obviously having a bad day (might have been written up over a previous problem) His wife might have left him, a family member might have passed on or ill. He might have been concerned about putting food on the table or keeping a roof over his family''''s head. These employees are like furniture, They are to be ignored by the patrons.
Granted this pastor was "tending his flock" And I know the words cheer up just don''''t cut it when you are down in the dumps. It only makes things worse. Been there.
Posted by loneeagle57
Ridiculous. Get a shrink then. There is never an excuse for a lack of professional behavior. These guards are on the payroll of this hospital to do their job. If they cannot differentiate the difference between their job and their lack of emotional impulse control then they are not qualified for work that may involve confrontation.
This guard was obviously having a bad day (might have been written up over a previous problem) His wife might have left him, a family member might have passed on or ill. He might have been concerned about putting food on the table or keeping a roof over his family''s head. These employees are like furniture, They are to be ignored by the patrons.
Granted this pastor was "tending his flock" And I know the words cheer up just don''t cut it when you are down in the dumps. It only makes things worse. Been there.
Posted by newster1 at 09:39 PM : Jul 25, 2008
AMEN!
The tazer is a deadly weapon. The reason that it is not treated such is that foolish politicians believe the lies of the tazer manufacturer instead of looking at the results. When someone dies coroners do their best to blame it one some other factor but it is the shock that creates the death scenario. When you talk to any politician at any level let them know that this is deadly force.
I know it is and act accordingly.
I would hope you were joking but intodays day and age there are a lot of sick puppies out there. I apologize if it was meant as humor.
You are one sick demented individual and have no business working security. Your employer will eventually pay for your actions. I have worked security and law enforcement. The last thing i want to do is harm someone, much less thinking about scenarios to do so.
Posted by patriot12436 at 09:43 PM : Jul 25, 2008
I''m sure you know I was just jesting, don''t you?
I agree with your assessment but i also think they are better determent than deadly force for security and law enforcement. Proper trainig is the key. Law enforcement go thru training where they are tazed so they know what it is like. There may be more to this story and hopefully the truth will come out about what really happened. May justice prevail.
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