Woman’s Arm Amputated Because Police Put Her Handcuffs On Too Tight

[Jeff]

If ya ever had the misfortune of wearing the chrome bracelets yes they are always placed to tight ( for some reason it seems the cops enjoy that ) But this is the first I have ever heard of them being so tight that it causes someone to lose a limb. Looks like one more step closer to a police state .



The Allegheny County Sheriff claimed that there was nothing spectacular (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/01/she-feels-that-her-life-is-ruined-woman-sues-police-over-arm-amputation/) about the arrest; that the officers were following routine procedure. I wouldn’t doubt that the cops’ actions are commonplace, but to suggest that there’s nothing wrong with what they did is a different story.There was a warrant for 35-year-old Amy Needham, a mother of three, for failing to appear at a preliminary hearing to answer to a charge brought against her. The charge had apparently been reduced to “disorderly conduct.” Maybe a cop had bumped into her.



http://lastresistance.com/4228/womans-arm-amputated-police-put-handcuffs-tight/

[Boris The Animal]

I smell a lawsuit.

[darin]

Now, she’s suing them for $75,000

HOLY HELL! $75k??? Jeezus, that should be $7.5M. Or $75M.

Fuckin' disgusting.

[Jeff]

I smell a lawsuit.


No Doubt but according to the article this lady is only seeking $75,000 Makes ya wonder why she is only asking for that amount ?

[Boris The Animal]

No Doubt but according to the article this lady is only seeking $75,000 Makes ya wonder why she is only asking for that amount ?There may be more to this than just the 75 large. this was clearly poor policy on the part of the PD.

[fj1200]

Looks like one more step closer to a police state .

Horrible, but not evidence of a police state, just bad coppin'.

[Jeff]

Horrible, but not evidence of a police state, just bad coppin'.


Agreed, But these stories seem to be happening more and more fj , every time I open the paper it seems like there is another story.

[fj1200]

Agreed, But these stories seem to be happening more and more fj , every time I open the paper it seems like there is another story.

I blame the internet. Every anti-government/anti-police state blogger is looking for any story, not to mention 24-hour news channels, by trolling for news that reinforces their POV. I'd rather be around today when crap like this can be shown for what it is instead of 60 years ago when no one was looking and no one cared if it was found. Sometimes bad cops are just bad cops.

And you read the paper?!? :eek:

[Gaffer]

If you have to wrestle them when putting on the cuffs, the cuffs go on tight, They can be adjusted later. If the person is cooperating there is no need to put them on tight. Just tight enough they can't slip them off. To do that much damage they had to be on for hours and there's no excuse for that. The story said she lost her arm. Handcuffs would only effect her hand and wrist. hmmmm.

[fj1200]

If you have to wrestle them when putting on the cuffs, the cuffs go on tight, They can be adjusted later. If the person is cooperating there is no need to put them on tight. Just tight enough they can't slip them off. To do that much damage they had to be on for hours and there's no excuse for that. The story said she lost her arm. Handcuffs would only effect her hand and wrist. hmmmm.

Things apparently went downhill.


According to her attorney, Marvin Leibowitz, the tight handcuffs caused her to suffer compartment syndrome, a limb- and life-threatening condition that occurs after an injury. It happens when there is insufficient blood supply to muscles and nerves due to increased pressure within the compartment, such as the arm, leg or any enclosed space within the body.

“They never sent her a doctor. Never took her to the doctor. She developed a septic shock. The infection went over and she almost died and they had to take off her arm to prevent her from dying.”

[Missileman]

The injury could just as easily have been from her struggling against properly tightened cuffs. No idea how they'll be able to determine too tight now. The real grounds for a lawsuit might be the refusal of medical attention when she needed it.

[DragonStryk72]

HOLY HELL! $75k??? Jeezus, that should be $7.5M. Or $75M.

Fuckin' disgusting.

Actually, if they did a proper amputation, then they should have been able to reattach the hand after removing the cuff.

However, her getting her hand back does not obviate the need for restraint in the application of cuffs on a suspect, especially when they are only wanted on a petty misdemeanor. Why on Earth is there a regulation that requires that cuffs be put on so tightly that blood flow is lost to the hand?

[gabosaurus]

Everyone hates the police until they need them? :rolleyes:
If you don't want to be placed in handcuffs, don't break the law.

[DragonStryk72]

Everyone hates the police until they need them? :rolleyes:
If you don't want to be placed in handcuffs, don't break the law.

Yeah, but getting caught on a rap of "civil disorder" should *not* cost you an arm from the cuffs being on so tight that they completely stop blood flow, and induce sepsis.

[WiccanLiberal]

It's not just the time in the cuffs. Once the pressure causes an initial injury, even after the object is removed, the tissue continues under pressure created by the fascia. This can extend up the limb and cause death of tissue and massive infections as well as kidney and other organ failure. See this link for more info on compartment syndrome.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002204/ (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002204/)

and this is what a fasciotomy looks like. The procedure releases pressure but must be done in a timely fashion.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRNQhAn7O5M76HChCiXuTfVfchq9zur2 BrW5q4S4PRDPRha5WNi




My feeling is that once a person is in custody, they no longer have any control over what is happening. They cannot be responsible for themselves. Therefore law enforcement is responsible for not only keeping them in custody but keeping them SAFE. And that means being reasonably prompt in providing a medical evaluation and appropriate treatment. I think it is reasonable to expect that a prisoner be seen by an MD if they complain of a potential issue. It is safer for them and safer for the system. At this point we have a woman with a permanent disability and a group of officers under suspicion of not doing what I perceive as their job. Neither is a good outcome. Possibly she did resist the cuffs and contribute to her own injury. But in any case she wasn't treated as a reasonable person might expect. Certainly if she had been able to do so, she would have sought medical care herself. Legally deprived of her liberty, it was the obligation of the system doing so to seek attention for her.

[Missileman]

Yeah, but getting caught on a rap of "civil disorder" should *not* cost you an arm from the cuffs being on so tight that they completely stop blood flow, and induce sepsis.

I'd like to see your proof that the cuffs were too tight.

[gabosaurus]

Some people have less tolerance to pressure and/or circulatory problems. The police do not know this. Some of you are way too soft on crime.

[DragonStryk72]

I'd like to see your proof that the cuffs were too tight.

I'd like to see you prove that her arm just ruptured itself, and went into sepsis on its own.

[Missileman]

I'd like to see you prove that her arm just ruptured itself, and went into sepsis on its own.

As I've already stated, the injury might have occurred from her struggling against properly tight cuffs. You've already convicted the police on this with no proof and to be honest, no evidence. It could indeed have been overly tight cuffs, but there's no way to prove it now.

[Jeff]

Some people have less tolerance to pressure and/or circulatory problems. The police do not know this. Some of you are way too soft on crime.


Gabs I some what agree with your point on don't do the crime if ya can't do the time, but to lose a limb for a disorderly conduct charge ?? Seems a bit harsh.

[jimnyc]

Everyone hates the police until they need them? :rolleyes:
If you don't want to be placed in handcuffs, don't break the law.

In principle I agree with you. (gotta wonder why your stance changes when it comes to terrorists). But just because I agree that people shouldn't break the law if they don't want to face the consequences, doesn't mean that they should be abused in anyway either. Remember the motto of the police, at least around here - "To serve and protect". IF this is accurate, there's no need to place someone in a position where danger may result, especially if it wasn't what I would call a dangerous arrest. This is of course assuming that she was in fact damaged by their wrongdoing.

But I also agree with MM, as this seems to be in the early stages, and could very well be someone who damaged themselves and now want to hold the police responsible.

[DragonStryk72]

As I've already stated, the injury might have occurred from her struggling against properly tight cuffs. You've already convicted the police on this with no proof and to be honest, no evidence. It could indeed have been overly tight cuffs, but there's no way to prove it now.

Um, yeah, they would've determined cause at the hospital. Especially since there's a lawsuit. Gotta figure the lawyer is sitting on evidence of that, right? Oh right, we CAN do forensic analysis these days.

So basically, you have no proof of your assertions, but hypocritically decided that I should have proof of mine.

[Missileman]

Um, yeah, they would've determined cause at the hospital. Especially since there's a lawsuit. Gotta figure the lawyer is sitting on evidence of that, right? Oh right, we CAN do forensic analysis these days.

So basically, you have no proof of your assertions, but hypocritically decided that I should have proof of mine.

I'm not the one making the absolute statement, you are. I said "MIGHT". If a lawyer were sitting on evidence that the cops had injured this lady with handcuffs and caused her to lose an arm, he'd sure as hell ask for more than $75K.