[Mpls] Thank God for a new police chief

[Louise Bouta]

mpls at mnforum.org

In one week, I went to watch the court for five people whom the police=20=

charged with crimes to cover up the fact that they had beat them for no=20=

reason.  We have become accustomed to these crimes of our officials but=20=

let me tell you about just one case. I heard about this from the=20
Communities United Against Police Brutality. 612-874-7867.

I went to monitor this man=92s arraignment but, unlike every other=20
arraignment I have ever seen or heard of, (I was once an intern=20
Probation Agent), this was held behind the scenes. I called on the=20
phone in the hall to say I was there to watch it. The clerk said if he=20=

were to be charged, they would be out front in the courtroom. Later in=20=

the conversation, she said all the proceedings would be in the judge=92s=20=

chambers, away from public scrutiny. I learned later that the=20
arraignment had been postponed for weeks because they didn=92t want the=20=

Judge to see his face. Before I left the courthouse, the computer on=20
the public service level showed he is charged with one or two DWIs.=20
Today, he is charged with three DWIs.

However, no crime can justify a beating such as he received at the=20
hands of the Minneapolis police.
When they started kicking him, he was cuffed facedown after giving=20
himself up. Jail wouldn't accept him, straight to HCMC, reconstructive=20=

surgery on face,=A0he has been eating out of a straw.
When a family member called the jail and they pulled up his mug shot,=20
the response was "Was he in an accident?" She said the doctor ordered=20
pain pills 4 x a day and he had only had them once that day by 4 p.m.

I called the jail and asked if he could get the pain pills. The woman=20
said, "He's an adult. He can take care of himself."  I thought that was=20=

a terribly insensitive, frivolous remark. I asked if he could get the=20
pills. She said, "That's between him and the nurse." I asked if I could=20=

talk to the nurse. No. That's up to the deputy. Could I talk to the=20
Deputy?  No.
He has a label of bipolar and ADD and is given Trazodone.  He has not=20
been able to sleep nor rest lately. "He just keeps going and going=20
until he drops" That is called akithesia, an effect of a number of=20
prescribed drugs. Like a number of drugs, including or especially those=20=

being prescribed for "mental illness," it frequently has the opposite=20
effect.
I looked up Trazodone on  rxlist.com. Any one of the effects listed=20
could have accounted for any behavior for which the police stopped him.=20=

Among "side effects=94

"that are greater or much greater than placebo among more than 1% of=20
those taking it, are: Syncope (dictionary: A fainting or loss of=20
consciousness caused by a temporary deficiency of blood supply to the=20
brain.) confusion, decreased concentration, disorientation,=20
dizziness/lightheadedness, drowsiness, excitement, fatigue, headache,=20
nervousness, nausea/vomiting. Musculoskeletal aches/pains,=20
incoordination, tremors, head full-heavy, malaise, tinnitus (ringing in=20=

ears), weight gain, and more.   Voluntary Reports received since market=20=

introduction include the following: Agitation, diplopia (seeing=20
double), grand mal seizures, hallucinations, hemolytic anemia,=20
jaundice, liver enzyme alterations, psychosis, stupor, inappropriate=20
ADH syndrome, tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements of limbs),=20
unexplained death, urinary incontinence, urinary retentiion, vertigo,=20
and weakness, cardiovascular system effects and more.=94

An update: After the surgery on his face, he is still drinking his food=20=

out of a straw. Was put in a room covered with feces although there=20
were clean rooms available. There was no place in the room he could sit=20=

down. Was told to clean it up himself. Jail personnel were teasing him,=20=

jeering him, saying, =93Why did you beat up those cops?=94 Has broken=20
teeth, can=92t see, losing hearing, headaches, pain.

His buddy is trying to  raise bail to get him out so that he can get=20
medical attention. Bail was set at $50,000. $10,000 bail bond still in=20=

force so he needs an additional $4,000 for bail.  He is not an escape=20
risk. Where would he go?  Other people have left the State to get away=20=

from the ghoulish mental health system but it is not an option for him.

Let us hope this kind of violence and torture ends with the new police=20=

chief.

Does anyone have some loose money lying around who is willing to=20
contribute to bail so that I can sleep better at night?

Louise Bouta
Kingfield
Well Mind Association of Minnesota
4003 Pillsbury Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55409
Phone: 612-823-8249
wellmindmn at earthlink.net
www.wellmindminnesota.org=