US: Sheriff releases video of struggle with inmate who died

[webfact]

Sheriff releases video of struggle with inmate who died
By MATTHEW BARAKAT

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — A video released Thursday shows a prolonged struggle between a naked, mentally ill inmate and five deputies in biohazard suits who shocked her four times with a stun gun before she lost consciousness.

The inmate, 37-year-old Natasha McKenna, died several days after the struggle, prompting a months-long criminal investigation. Thursday's release of the 45-minute video by Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid comes two days after the county's lead prosecutor announced he would not file charges, calling the death a "tragic accident."

A medical examiner also ruled the death accidental, specifically by excited delirium associated with use of restraints and a stun gun. McKenna's schizophrenia was listed as a contributing factor. The case remains the subject of a federal civil rights investigation.

The video, released on YouTube, begins with a deputy explaining that a special Emergency Response Team is being used to take McKenna, who is African-American, out of her cell at a jail in Fairfax and transfer her to the jail in Alexandria, where she had been charged with assaulting a police officer. The deputy says the team is needed because McKenna had previously attacked one of her jailers and because she had created a biohazard situation by throwing urine at guards.

A report released Tuesday by Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh indicated that deputies were also concerned because medical tests showed McKenna had multiple communicable diseases, including herpes and MRSA.

At the start of the encounter, a deputy says, "Natasha, we're here to take you out," and McKenna exclaims, "You promised me you wouldn't kill me!" Deputies quickly wrestle her to the ground. They struggle for 15 to 20 minutes to get her cuffed and bound in a restraint chair, and warned her that she will be shot with a stun gun if she keeps resisting. It is unclear why she is naked.

The video shows the Taser being used four times toward the end of the struggle. Eventually, the deputies get McKenna restrained in the chair and put a lightweight hood called a "spit sock" on her to prevent her from spitting at them.

A nurse then attempts to take McKenna's vital signs, though it is unclear whether the nurse gets an accurate reading at first.

A few minutes later, after she is taken to a garage area for transfer, another attempt to take her vital signs goes badly, and deputies begin resuscitation efforts.

McKenna lost consciousness, and on Feb. 7 — four days after the incident — was declared brain dead.

Kincaid expressed her condolences to the McKenna family Thursday, and says she will launch an internal investigation now that the criminal probe is concluded.

She said she released the video because there is "no better way for me to share what actually occurred" with the community.

McKenna's death was one of two incidents in the county that prompted questions about excessive force by authorities. In 2013, a Fairfax County police officer shot a man, John Geer, while his hands were above his head during a standoff with police. The officer was charged with murder last month after a two-year investigation that prompted accusations of stonewalling.

Pete Earley, a mental health advocate who serves on a county commission evaluating police conduct, said he watched the McKenna video and questioned the need to use a Taser on McKenna. He said it was clear that deputies had McKenna under control during the encounter, even if they were struggling to put her in restraints.

He said the video runs counter to the portrayal in Morrogh's report that McKenna displayed almost superhuman strength in her battles with deputies.

Despite his concerns, Earley said he was pleasantly surprised by the professional demeanor of deputies, who generally spoke calmly and politely to McKenna during the encounter, and he said he credits Kincaid for taking steps to address the broader problem of mentally ill people being kept in jails when they would be better served in a treatment facility.

Morrogh's report states that a day before the altercation with Alexandria police that led to her arrest, doctors had sought to have McKenna hospitalized, but were advised by police and two separate magistrates that she did not meet the conditions for hospitalizing a person against her will.

Harvey Volzer, a lawyer representing McKenna's family, did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-11

[Seastallion]

I really can't see the need to taze a prisoner who has a spit mask on, and is cuffed hand and foot, and who has 5 biohazard-suited trained men restraining her.

That old guy supervisor seemed out of his depth. So uncertain of so many things.

[MalandLee]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

[HLover]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

Sorry, your experience is as a prisoner or a LEO?

[Bignose]

I have no experience whatsoever in this field, but I believe it to be fairly obvious that governments around the world are abdicating on their responsibilities to look after the mentally ill.

There is "no profit" in looking after people like Ms. McKenna so they are pushed back into a society that is not prepared for them and has no tolerance for them. Ultimately the police force is left to deal with them, first to restrain and neutralize any threat, then to incarcerate or detain. I may be wrong but it appears to me that police forces are generally ill equipped and under-trained in dealing with mentally ill patients.

Yes the recent spate of police shootings shows an unacceptable side of law enforcement in the US, no matter how you "screen" or train LEO's sometimes the inept, unprofessional or even racist officer can be placed on the street.

But, and it's a huge but, their's is generally a dangerous, underpaid and thankless job that not many of us would do. The fact that the video footage has been released is a good thing and should be the standard operating procedure for tragic events like this, perhaps if the general public has more exposure to the "nasty side" of a police officers day then they wouldn't be so quick to assume that they have been at fault when something goes wrong...

[wabothai]

Why not give her an injection to calm her down? Does not seem so hard to me.

[Chicog]

Murderers.

[umbanda]

I got stressed just watching this. Looks like torture to me. Animals!!!

[ggt]

Wonder how many unnecessary prison deaths occur in Thailand and SE Asia in general and are simply quietly swept under the rug...?

The use of excessive force is not just a US problem...at least in the US and many western countries...the officials are held accountable for inmate's welfare...whereas...in many other countries...inmates simply disappear and no one seems to know how or why...

[MaxYakov]

What ever happened to the idea of shooting a knockout/sedative dart from an air rifle as they do with animals?

Or was there ever such an idea or would it appear to be to much like treating humans like animal even though they may actually be acting like animals?

Edited September 11, 2015 by MaxYakov

[Gandtee]

Five men and a sheriff crushing and trying to subdue a woman. What a fiasco. This video shows a serious lack of training. If she was known to be mentally unstable why was she not tranquilized by a doctor prior to being moved? The cops seem to like their new toy, the taser and use it at the first opportunity. A bad PR decision to publicize this video by the police dept..

[MaxYakov]

Five men and a sheriff crushing and trying to subdue a woman. What a fiasco. This video shows a serious lack of training. If she was known to be mentally unstable why was she not tranquilized by a doctor prior to being moved? The cops seem to like their new toy, the taser and use it at the first opportunity. A bad PR decision to publicize this video by the police dept..

Yeah, sure, right! Your suggestion sounds like a great way to get a tranquilized doctor, if not an injured one or worse.

Tasers are hardly new, but:

"In 2005, the American Civil Liberties Union stated that at least 148 people had died in the United States and Canada since 1999 after being shocked with Tasers by police officers, and Amnesty International stated that the number reached 500 in 2012.^"

^{Ref: Wiki Tasers}

Edited September 11, 2015 by MaxYakov

[Gandtee]

Five men and a sheriff crushing and trying to subdue a woman. What a fiasco. This video shows a serious lack of training. If she was known to be mentally unstable why was she not tranquilized by a doctor prior to being moved? The cops seem to like their new toy, the taser and use it at the first opportunity. A bad PR decision to publicize this video by the police dept..

Yeah, sure, right! Your suggestion sounds like a great way to get a tranquilized doctor, if not an injured one or worse.

Tasers are hardly new, but:

"In 2005, the American Civil Liberties Union stated that at least 148 people had died in the United States and Canada since 1999 after being shocked with Tasers by police officers, and Amnesty International stated that the number reached 500 in 2012.^"

^{Ref: Wiki Tasers}

If they can tranquilize wild animals without killing them I'm sure they could do it to a human being.

[Credo]

It's not quite so simple as to give a person a shot to tranquilize them. That requires a doctor and most doctors aren't going to do that without first examining the patient. Various drugs are going to react very differently on different people and there is the danger of an allergic reaction.

Hind sight is 20/20.

[Gandtee]

It's ironic that after tasering her four times she is then given further electric shocks to revive her. What ever way you look at the incident, it was grossly mishandled.

[wabothai]

I got stressed just watching this. Looks like torture to me. Animals!!!

So utterly disgusting.

Time for a red card.

[CMNightRider]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

You have 25 years experience doing what?

[CMNightRider]

The reason this inmate was naked is she chose to take her clothes off. If she would have simply put her clothes on and backed up to the door to allow the officer to place her in handcuffs, none of this would have happened.

According to the article, this woman was a walking biohazard along with being schizophrenic. The article further stated she had urine and possible feces in her cell. This inmate had a history of (gassing) throwing urine and spitting on correctional staff. That is why they placed a spit mask over her head.

This inmate gave the deputies no other choice than to extract her from her cell. The deputies filmed the entire incident. The officers asked her repeatedly to stop resisting. Apparently she was strong since it took a long time to get her in restraints. The only thing I would question is the tazer. The deputies did not murder her as one or two simple minded posters suggested, and she wasn't mishandled.

Edited September 12, 2015 by CMNightRider

[MalandLee]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

Sorry, your experience is as a prisoner or a LEO?

Prison officer.... (No idea what your acroynim LEO means)

[MalandLee]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

You have 25 years experience doing what?

Prison officer.

In MY 25+ years I Never needed to use Gun, Tazer, Batton, Mace... We were well trained in Australia. Best weapon is under the nose.... Your mouth!

Talking, solves 95% of "situations" with prisoners NOT affected by drugs. (Even with the mentally ill).

Those affected by drugs need to be watched until the drug is metabolised by their system. Patience is needed in almost ALL situations. Appointments with "whoever" can and are changed on a regular basis.

They contributed to her death.

[CMNightRider]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

You have 25 years experience doing what?

Prison officer.

In MY 25+ years I Never needed to use Gun, Tazer, Batton, Mace... We were well trained in Australia. Best weapon is under the nose.... Your mouth!

Talking, solves 95% of "situations" with prisoners NOT affected by drugs. (Even with the mentally ill).

Those affected by drugs need to be watched until the drug is metabolised by their system. Patience is needed in almost ALL situations. Appointments with "whoever" can and are changed on a regular basis.

They contributed to her death.

It is hard to imagine being a correctional officer for over 25 years, and never having to use physical force. You know woefully little about use of force issues in a correctional setting, and absolutely nothing about cell extractions. Those officers did nothing wrong and the entire incident was filmed to prove it. LEO stands for law enforcement officer.

[stevenl]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

You have 25 years experience doing what?

Prison officer.

In MY 25+ years I Never needed to use Gun, Tazer, Batton, Mace... We were well trained in Australia. Best weapon is under the nose.... Your mouth!

Talking, solves 95% of "situations" with prisoners NOT affected by drugs. (Even with the mentally ill).

Those affected by drugs need to be watched until the drug is metabolised by their system. Patience is needed in almost ALL situations. Appointments with "whoever" can and are changed on a regular basis.

They contributed to her death.

It is hard to imagine being a correctional officer for over 25 years, and never having to use physical force. You know woefully little about use of force issues in a correctional setting, and absolutely nothing about cell extractions. Those officers did nothing wrong and the entire incident was filmed to prove it. LEO stands for law enforcement officer.

@ MalandLee

That is the problem here. You give factual information, which is immediately doubted by others without any experience in the specific subject. But since they know all about everything they have to be right.

[rice555]

There was no need and I speak from 25 years experience. They contributed to her death.

Sorry, your experience is as a prisoner or a LEO?

Prison officer.... (No idea what your acroynim LEO means)

LEO-Cops, CO/Prison Guard-HACK.

rice555