Wife Sues Cops After Husband Put in Coma

(CBS)  Christopher Harris remains in a coma with life-threatening skull fractures after a Seattle police officer threw the 29 year-old head-first into a concrete wall when they thought he was involved in a crime.

The entire May 10 event was caught on surveillance video tape.

A review by the sheriff's office found the deputy had done nothing illegal, and used a standard takedown procedure to stop Harris who they believed was a criminal suspect in an assault.

Harris' wife Sarah Jorgensen said on "The Early Show" Tuesday Harris was running away from police from a dark area into a well lit area because he didn't know who was chasing him.

However, police contend uniformed officers were chasing Harris and told him to stop, and when he didn't, the deputy took him down to the ground.

Now, Harris' family is suing King County, Wash. for $25 million.

Jorgensen appeared on the broadcast for an exclusive "Early Show" interview with her attorney, Sim Osborn.

Osborn said Harris had given up. "There are witnesses that said (he said), 'I didn't take anything, I didn't steal anything, and I don't have anything.' And he had his hands up in front of him, that's not a push, that's a hit like an NFL linebacker on the sideline. That's just absolutely unnecessary."

Jorgensen said her husband hasn't been given a positive prognosis from doctors.

She said, "All the doctors that we have spoken to and the neurologists are all told us that the injuries to his brain are going to be permanent brain damage, and that he will live that way and have to be taken care of 24 hours a day for the rest of his life."

She told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith she's suing because she wants be able to bring her husband home to a familiar environment and make sure he gets the best care he deserves.

To watch more of "The Early Show" exclusive interview with Sarah Jorgensen and her attorney, click on the video below:


Watch CBS Videos Online

[slyradr]

fact he was the wrong guy fact even if he was guilty you need to go to court to recieve your sentence the officer does not administer comas for life as punishment i vote for the lawsuit

[ksmit2]

This is a terrible tragedy. Let's take a look at what happened without
the usual hysteria. What did the drug screen detect, if anything, why
does an innocent person run, unless you have very bad eyesight, you
can tell a policeman from "something else". I deeply regret this person's
situation and the loss for his family, let's just try to figure out what
happened. The question is not lost on the general public that, is it
really necessary to "smash" a non threatening subject into anything?
(with all due respect).

[wyodutch]

Things like this are why I would never render any assistance to a cop. If I saw a half dozen folks stomping a cop.. I'd just figure they were friends and family of some man or woman that the cop had put into a coma... and I'd drive on by.

[britbabe18]

Thanks, I hope what you said happens to you and cops just drive past. Things happen no one is perfect, I am not saying what this officer did was right, but your comment is just sick. Most people serving us are great people.

[fontek]

I did look at the surveillance video and what I saw was disturbing, just unbelievable. I have seen enough episodes of the TV show "Cops" to know that this is not an acceptable procedure to take down a suspect. After this guy has been seriously injured this cop is dragging him around and putting cuffs on him? He knew then and there that he really screwed up, his body language looks guilty to me, but he is thinking about how this looks to those movie patrons who are coming out for a better look. I bet the sheriff who apparently dismissed this out of hand as a "normal procedure" won't do so well in the next election.

[TheMasses2002]

I saw the video.
The guy hit full force on the wall with his head.
The cop slung him around like a rag doll when he was knocked out.
Police brutality.

[erasmus111]

With all the abusive crap going on with the cops lately, I'd be freakin' running too!

[bigmo47]

Yeah, I just saw the tape, There is no reason that the cop had to hit him like that. The guy was turned toward the cops with his hands up. Then this cop comes and just rams him into a wall. If the officer was truly concerned about the guy having a knife, the smart thing would be to draw your weapon and order the guy to the ground so you could search him instead of throwing your body onto him and the "suspected knife" could have ended up cutting you or cutting the suspect. The fat cop was just pissed off because he had to run and wanted to take it out on the guy.

Police are supposed to be professionals there was no technique or procedure to this unless he was trying out to be a linebacker for the Seahawks.

People run for all sorts of reasons, maybe the guy heard that the police in this neighborhood are known for beating people to try to get answers (their behavior suggests they might do something like that). Cops, being professionals should have the discipline to keep their anger out of the situation.

Another life lost at the hands of the cops (even if he lives, he will need 24-hr a day care). Once again the cops response is Oops, we followed procedure, didn't mean to kill him, it was just his bad luck that the brick wall was there. If this guy had landed on the grass or simply not have cracked his skull on the wall, the cops would have been hi-fiving each other while watching the video talking about Good Hit!!! I hope the family gets every last penny if that 25 million!!!

[gramto8]

The takedown did look like some linebacker hitting someone, only the someone that he hit had no protective equipment available and severe injury resulted. That idiot of a cop should have noticed that his target was not responding when he was being handcuffed, in fact, PRIOR to being cuffed. After a hit like that one, he could have very well have broken his neck and the movements the cop did to him could have displaced any trauma to the cervical spine. The cop was wrong, period. They need to have to go through a minimum of EMT training during their schooling so that they will know when they should not move a person. Even without the depressed skull fracture that resulted from this hit and launch, this could have been deadly.

[jt92202]

http://www.kirotv.com/news/20546576/detail.html Here is the video off of Kiro news. The cop was a full speed when he hit this man and knocked him up against the wall. Don't know if the cop had time to stop when the man finally decided to stop himself.

[morebeer]

He had plenty of time as an eye witness said.

[cs4466]

The cop(s) in questions should be prosecuted for first degree murder.

[PatDaddy67]

Twit! He's not dead, yet...