I agree with you, FatCatGets. Something similar happened to me when I was younger, but back then,I was told to just buck up and take it like a man.

Do drugs, get rewarded. We, again, are not being given the entire story

Doesn't sound like you read the story.

No. Charge everyone responsible with torture. Stop letting law enforcement get away with this type of crap.

I know it doesn't say anything about it in this story, but according to other stories I read the cell had no sink or toilet.

If there was more to the story, why is the DEA running scared ? Issuing apologies and riding with this young man to the hospital. It seems to me that this is a enormouse error on the part of the DEA, and I hope this guy wins every cent of the $20 million.

And while I agree that he was obviously in a drug house, people do get arrested and thrown into cells for no good reason, don't be naive Uncle Ben.

The DEA is yet another un-Constitutional corrupt branch of our federal government, shut them down !

@uncle

It is MSDNC, the entire story (any story) would be a ground breaking story of its own...5 days and nobody visited his cell???

GSA, SS, TSA, DEA, ATF...kinda think maybe they are all on the wrong side of the bars

I agree that he should get all of the $20 million. I just wish it could be paid for directly from the pockets of DEA personnel instead of by taxpayers.

Just add it to the debt...

Even if he is awarded 20 mil, and I doubt he will, after the lawyers reach a settlement (myguess 1.5 mil)...After the lawyers take there cut, and the Judge gets his kickback, he'll end up with about $3.50

It doesn't matter why this young man was detained or whether he is guilty. The conduct of the DEA is inexcusable. He should get every penny of that money.

I am all for him getting a reasonable settlement, but $20M? I don't think so.

First of all, who do you think pays that money?

It's the price we pay for accountability. If the gov't couldn't be sued, you could bet your arse more things like this would happen.

What was described in this article is certainly not worth that much money.

First, I want to point out that when a person is in custody of law enforcement - that person becomes 100% their responsibility.

So, what do you think being locked in a cell and literally dying of thirst is worth? The average is 3 days without water, I think he -barely- made it 4 because he was not able to move about and was not in the sun. Another day and he would have been stone-cold dead. After just one day, a person starts becoming confused and might have hallucinations. By the 3rd, you are practically insane. What's that worth to you? Being isolated in a cell and truly left to die?

All worthy sentiments, but re-read the original article. He was held in county lockup and, unless the DEA had full-time staff there, he'll either get little or nothing due to the he-did-it she-did-it or the citizens of San Diego County will end up footing the bill.

denver bill 2, it does not matter, who owns the jail, or if the DEA staffs it. They put him in there. All parties are responsible, and can be sued, and likely lose.

Uncle Ben, stick with making rice, logical thinking and deductive reason just isn't working for you.

Kevin,

Likely lose? You are correct when you say all parties can be sued. San Diego County's case will be heard in California where you may be right to think they will likely lose. Cases agains the Federal Government are heard in Washington, DC, by the Federal Court of Claims. It is much less likely he will get anything from the DEA. It's not that the Feds don't have deep pockets, but that they are very picky about who gets the power to spend it.

Denver. when the DEA came out and said.."Whoops, sorry about that" the responsibility of this guy's welfare while detained became completely theirs. I'm stunned they didn't try to pass the buck.

Sam, when have you ever known these Reich-Winger Teabagging types to read, much less read the news article?

Personally, I think $20M is rather low considering he is innocent of anything, was locked up for 4 days without food or water, and no one in the DEA seems to really care about that. All of these "Law Enforcement" agencies, from the DEA, FBI and ATF to State and Local police have been militarized since the GOP, under Shrub, enacted this phony "War on Terrorism" and they have let it go to their heads. They MUST be taught to remember that they cannot treat US Citizens like this and get away with it. At this point, since the police and Fed agencies are doing this to innocent US civilians/citizens, the Terrorists DID win, all thanks to Bush/Cheney and their cronies/minions in the GOP and the Lemmings that follow them/vote for them. Terrorists seek to spread terror and fear, getting us to remove our own way of life for one that is vastly different. That has happened. Obama pledged to change it, but has only increased it. Pols on both sides, though far more on the GOP side (100% of them) cannot be trusted with any power. Nor should any of these "Law Enforcement" types. The laws no give them too much power to do whatever they want and not be held accountable. Vote all the bums out and insist that the laws be changed back to Constitutional ones where this kind of thing doesn't happen.

Drinking urine to survive?

Actually some hermits in some part of the world treat urine as kind of dietary supplement and have lived beyond 100 because of drinking their own urine.

Then he can use the money won from the suit on other things.

RwEvans,

You may believe that an apology is identical to an admission of guilt, but there are tens of thousands of lawyers who would disagree. Let's see how that line of thought works in the Zimmerman trial, which I am sure will be heard and decided long before the DEA case makes a docket.

The DEA should be shut down. What a waste of billions. Most drug laws are just tools to imprison minorities.

The "tax payers" moneys is going to be taken and used anyway. Just a matter of how they use it.. And this is one of the uses.

Better than $75 dollar hammers and new GLOCs for everyone.

SLOW DOWN PEOPLE! Let's keep this in perspective by looking at an example...

If a lady accidentally runs a stop sign with her giant SUV and t-bones another vehicle, killing the driver of the second vehicle, is she charged with murder?

What if the second driver lives? Is the person who blew the stop sign charged with battery with a vehicle?

My point is this... No one in the DEA intentionally or with malice, put this person in a cell for 4 or 5 days to let them die. Clearly there was a mistake, or a chain of mistakes. But how often does this happen. This is the exception to the rules!!!

The DEA should be punished for their mistake. Heads should roll. There are procedures in place for reasons like this. The fact that this is such a rare circumstance is a testimony to the fact that these procedures work. But there was a breakdown that can't be ignored. I'm glad this story has been taken up by the press - to make sure it can't be swept away.

But think about it... $20,000,000... Two decades ago a person was "rich" if they had a million bucks. Now our system of justice grants so many huge settlements, day after day, we aren't even phased by this stunning figure... How many generations of this man's family (if he has a future family) could live without working a single day with that much money - or half that money after fees and taxes (if taxable)? Interest alone on "safe" investments involving $10,000,000 (half) would provide him with a very comfortable income forever. A CD investment that earned just 4% means $400,000 per year if I am looking at this correctly...? And the original settlement would never be touched.

He's in a 5X10 cell, that has a toilet, a sink, and he drinks his own urine

The cell had no toilet or sink. This was already covered in posts above as well as other articles on this story since it broke.

If he hadn't been doing drugs and getting busted for it, then he wouldn't have been in the jail cell in the first place.

He was due to be released, one of the agents apparently even offered to give him a ride home. Last I checked, that means he wasn't being charged with anything. Does it mean he's innocent of getting high? No.... but it does mean he doesn't deserve to be stuck in a cell and allowed to nearly die of thirst. If he was innocent, how much more value would his life and the suffering he endured be worth to you? 25K if he was high on drugs, how much more could he expect if he wasn't?

chong ...hmmm..cheenk will help him sing the blues...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUWD-FflZPI

Too many things in this article don't add up, I label it more msnbc "pot stirring". First, when a person is taken into custody they are searched and at a drug party they would have been searching for the white powdery substance that magically was found in the cell. 2nd, Holding cells don't have beds and comfy mattresses (hiding places), they have Benches and are monitored with cameras, so everything should be recorded. 3rd, they told him he could leave and another offered him a ride? Right! If I was told I could leave, I would have hauled ass. I bet he was a turd and raised a big ruckus.

This story is about a poor minority child that was arrested for being accidential in the wrong place at the wrong time. When will Al & Jesse be there to decry the moral outrage?

Celtic P - you sound as if you have been in a cage or should be in one. BUT there is alot of validity to your rant.

He wasn't busted for drugs, did you even read the article? Did it say he was charged with any crime? The room did not have a sink or toilet. How do you get string out, I thought it was strung out?

If they had left him there a little while longer his family would be suing for wrongful death.

Why do we even have a DEA? The war on drugs was lost before it even began. Don't we have more important problems? Do we need law enforcement busting people for smoking pot in their homes?

I hope he wins big. By the way concernedone what bank is paying 4% interest on CDs?

20 MILLION DOLLARS???? Dude, throw my a@@ in that cell for 4 days without food and water. I'll take half that!! Screw it, I'd take a quarter of that!

3rd, they told him he could leave and another offered him a ride? Right! If I was told I could leave, I would have hauled ass.

What if it was something like "you're free to leave. Just a few more minutes to finish your paperwork so that we can let you out, and we'll be back to give you a ride"?

Too many things in this article don't add up

There are many other articles with more details, so if you want things to add up - you should try reading those as well.

Holding cells don't have beds and comfy mattresses, they have Benches and are monitored with cameras,

You assume they all are monitored. This one obviously was not.

This story is about a poor minority child that was arrested for being accidential in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Not really, you seem to be the first person to allude to his race yet. Who's the one race-baiting, again?

This guy is not a child. He is 23. He is a man.

Britney Spears wanted 20 Million to do each X-factor, They decided on 15 Million, I think what happened to him was a lot tougher than being a judge on a show, 20 Million is more than fair.

Let me start by saying that $20M seems like too much. Give him a 2-5M, and pay for his post traumatic stress therapy...which I'm certain he will need. Those of you who scoff at the idea of being deprived food/water for 3-4 days are FOOLS. That is a LIFE ALTERING event for sure. And he might possibly have long term kidney damage.

Secondly....few ppl understand how our jails/prisons work. These facilities are NOT maned by law enforcement or police, but rather CORRECTIONS officers. And there is a HUGE difference. A vast majority of these corrections ppl are LAZY ENTITLED UNION members, who are on a second/third career. Or dropped out of the police academy. We pay them $20-50 hr (depending on exp level), to escort ppl from booking to their holding cells. All they have to do is WATCH ppl via monitors/cameras and occasionally walk by holding cells.

To think that some of these corrections officers showed up day after day and saw this man STILL being held tells me one thing.....THEY HAVE NO ONE holding them accountable to their job. And it's a very EASY JOB.

I forgot to add that holding cells/facilities are NOT the same as prisons. I don't mean to condemn the corrections officers who work at high security facilities. Just those at holding facilities. I mean it's a HOLDING cell. Innocent until proven guilty.

Don't you just love how the commie propagandists have this massage board set up?

I'm pretty sure just about everyone would prefer a thumbs down vote instead of seeing perfectly good posts getting collapsed.

I really just think it's poor design, and not so much 'commie propaganda' .... which is honestly a pretty laughable assertion.

Oh no, $20 million dollars. The military might not be able to buy an extra fighter jet this year. You people really need some perspective on just how much money the government spends.

People, go read some of the other articles about this (Yahoo has a more thorough one, including one of the DEA PR's people basically saying the guy deserved it because he was at the raided house to get high). The man was kept in a small holding area while the EIGHT other people arrested with him were processed and released or moved out. He was the only one they forgot about. He was never charged with anything. The DEA is like any other organization; it's made up of people, some good, some bad, most shades of gray. I'm sure there are at least a couple of people who feel absolutely horrible about this. Maybe it's the cynic in me but I have to wonder if he'd been left there a couple of days longer, would we be hearing about it or would it have been swept under the rug?

I fail to see where the taxpayers should be held responsible for the actions of these "law enforcement" dks. Save us some money Just shut down the DEA.

Can you imagine when they opened that door and saw the guy squinting back at them?

I bet their faces had "OH CRAP LAWSUIT" written all over them. lol.

Don't you just love how the commie propagandists have this massage board set up? You either agree with the post or you don't get a vote, true communist propaganda machine at work. The best message boards have thumbs up or down to show if you agree or disagree, they give you a FREEDOM of CHOICE.

While your "commie propagandist" rant is a bit much, I do agree that people would prefer a "down arrow" to having to report comments. The "sister board" for the sports stories has one and I wish this one would follow suit.

I agree with shuklack, no "commie" involved, just bad design. I've been lobbying for a down arrow for a long time ... care to join in?

The DEA is like any other organization; it's made up of people, some good, some bad, most shades of gray.

It's important to note that the DEA are NOT Correction Officers. The DEA simply drop off the suspects to be booked. The problem is more likely with the Correction facility. Or at least their contract with the DEA.

This is related to the point I was making earlier. Holding cells are NOT maned by DEA agents or police officers. They are maned by union member corrections ppl. However I'm sure the DEA will bare the brunt of this media fiasco.

I don't know where this guy feels entitled to 20 mil, there have been innocent people convicted and locked up for years in that didn't get anywhere near that much. Yes he deserves some compensation, but nothing close to what he's asking for. Get some perspective kid.

Yeah and how much money has been spent to keep Dick Cheney alive this long? 20 million is a drop in the bucket. Problem is these jerks "police" themselves. They will settle and I bet documents will be sealed with DEA admitting no wrong doing. People need to be fired, Daniel Chong was their responsibility while in that cell. Multiple people did not perform the tasks they are paid to perform. Anyone in the real world would be fired on the spot and most likely arrested for false imprisonment, kidnapping, abuse, etc. What will happen here? Most likely some arse will get a letter of reprimand put in their folder for a year...maybe. Meanwhile this crap will just keep happening, they have whole prisons "Residential Centers" with double row fences and Concertina wire(razor wire facing in) just waiting for you, they have also built rail lines leading to these facilities......Sound familiar

This man has no case, NONE.

Why because Obama just signed a Defense Funding Bill on 1/1/12 which allows the federal government to detain US citizens without charging them.

That means Obama signed a law that takes away the rights of everyone in the US.

Don't believe me research it quick and painless.

Priceless!

There are many other articles with more details, so if you want things to add up - you should try reading those as well.

Skuklug exactly my point, why aren't all the facts presented.

You assume they all are monitored. This one obviously was not.

So this article says. We just completed a new jail and were required by LAW to have monoriting devices on holding areas. But this liberal Calif. and laws don't apply to them.

I say this article stinks, just like the cell this character was in, must have after 4 days without a toilet!

I am taking this article what it is, BS. If this would have been a 23 year old, white, middleclass male, we would have heard nor seen anything about it. The point got across.

Why because Obama just signed a Defense Funding Bill on 1/1/12 which allows the federal government to detain US citizens without charging them

I'm pretty sure it doesn't allow them to detain citizens in isolation for days without food or water though...

Can you say TORT REFORM . . . . . ?

Can you say TORT REFORM . . . . . ?

@workin hard....right on. The white elephant in the room for many issues in this country...ie Healthcare reform.

We need to start electing politicians who are willing to tackle the insane number of lawyers in this country bilking us out of billions of dollars EACH YEAR. Had our Founding Fathers known how lawyers were going to abuse our system they would have made some provisions in our Constitution to prevent it.

Does it say anything anywhere about the right to deny them food and water?

I am taking this article what it is, BS. If this would have been a 23 year old, white, middleclass male, we would have heard nor seen anything about it. The point got across

Yeah Paul but atleast that white kid/man would have had some human contact, like being pepper sprayed daily just for the heck of it.

Obama just signed a Defense Funding Bill on 1/1/12 which allows the federal government to detain US citizens without charging them.

I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists," Obama said in a signing statement.

How about getting a spine and saying NO. Well it was because they had made some changes to the document giving him more power.

Yeah but who is the one man that keeps speaking and standing up for our rights as Americans protected under the Constitution.

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said the law will accelerate the country’s “slip into tyranny” and virtually assures “our descent into totalitarianism"

The one man that may have a chance in changing the downfall of this country and many of you whine about a few quotes taken out of context. Meanwhile the Right and Left are raping you of your freedoms. Go and see what Ron Paul really stands for, not just some clip of part of a sentence. It's right there on his website unlike the other lying politicians. You can also check his voting records and statements going back decades and they have not changed. He warned us about what is happening years before it really even started. I don't agree 100% with everything he stands for but it is far better than the % of the other candidates. Just think if some of the rights were given back to the states and you were allowed to vote on the things that mattered, you know the way it is supposed to be. Not some out of touch arse in Washington voting yeah or nay without ever reading the bill/law. Watch videos of these idiots when they are caught of guard with questions pertaning to something they voted on or going to vote on, it is sickening. Yeah try and talk to one of these people, you will see how they really care about you(no time for you) but will have hours for the lobbyists and CEOs

Give him all the free dope for life, that should make him happy.

@Bob-613

"I think it would be stupid to give him $20M for this. First of all, who do you think pays that money?"

Taxpayers do, but they also fund every aspect of the DEA. Based off the language you use that follows I highly doubt you are in support of eliminating the agency so, for better or worse, you foot the bill for their mistakes as well.

"Second of all, what has he done to earn $20M?"

He has done nothing, which is the point. He didn't deserve any of what he got; now he wants fair compensation for the injustice he endured and the toll it took.

"What was described in this article is certainly not worth that much money. Your average worker doesn't earn $20M over the course of their life. Why does this suddenly make it worth more?"

This is worth more, Bob, because we have yet to see the long term ramifications of his unwarranted imprisonment. Occurrences like this can stunt a person emotionally and mentally in unimaginable ways. For instance, he is currently in prime age range for onset of schizophrenia, and traumatic events like this, especially having taken place in a tight and confined area, are huge triggers that could have otherwise been avoided. Would you say that if this event made it impossible to function normally in society and lead a socially healthy life as a result of it triggering a latent disorder (the aforementioned schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, etc) it would not be worth $20 million then?

Also, and I don't feel like I should have to point this out, the average worker isn't confined to 50 square feet for over 48 hours and forced to drink their own urine.

"Certainly the people who forgot him should be punished and his medical expenses should be covered, but we can't go around giving people millions of dollars every time there is a mistake made or some sort of injustice."

If you can, in your mind, simplify this down to a "mistake" and "some sort of injustice" I question your integrity and ability to empathize. How easily people brush aside this type of travesty without thinking for a moment what would happen if the shoe were on the other foot.

If i were in his place, i would be seeking 50% wage garnishment for next 10 years from the salaries of all the @!$%#s involved in this debacle and at least a 5 year prison term for them.

What good is gonna come out of taking 20 million from the tax payers ? How are we responsible for the actions of DEA personnel ?

Skiddy - Am i missing something ? From the previous article i read i thought he was cleared of everything. He did not do drugs. He was supposed to be let go and then they put him in a cell and forgot about him.

No ?

Thank God he wasn't in the custody of the Secret Service....they would have taken him down to the "Boom Boom Room" and forgot about him in the VIP area until he was lap-danced to death!

Seriously folks, why is the US government hiring mentally challenged employees to fill key positions when life and liberty are at risk?

lol, None of you on here supporting him knows the real story. He was just on the news talking about how his hands were handcuffed behind his back, so how was he able to undo his pants to drink his urine., then he made the claim he broke his glasses to write a suicide note on his arm to his parents, but if hos hands are handcuffed behind his back, how could he do that as well, and he showed his arm where he claim to have tried cutting a message into s arm, and there is no signs of cuts on it.

This kid is a junkie/fraud.

We are only hearing one side of the story. If he was going to be released and not charged (but he was busted for smoking pot with others), then why put him in a holding cell in the first place?

This should never have happened, but since it did, the victim should be compensated. But I say $20Mil is too much. $100k is plenty, and the people in charge at that facility lose their jobs.

To those whining about the taxpayers having to pay for this. Well what do you expect? Us taxpayers are the ones that fund the DEA and continue to re-elect bozos that push for draconian drug policy. So yeah we are responsible and we should have to pay when those we hire screw up. The thing more then a few of you also seem to miss is that it's a typical tactic in negotiations to ask for far more then you expect to get. Not to mention the lawyers carving out their share.

Perhaps we should send Kragg a bill for $20 million. While I have no qualms with firing and fining the individuals responsible, I do mind that the taxpayers are being bilked for something we had no control over. When some of you whine about not receiving Social Security when you retire, you may want to look up your old friend Daniel Chong. Enjoy working until you're 80!

Beth 440386,

Absolutely. Please tell me how. I am not an unbending kind of person. I try to be objective and open minded. Although I do get a bit passionate, zealous and carried away sometimes I try to be a (not wishy washy) a type of person that shown a better way to change for the better.

Vote for those that will end the DEA and you won't have to waste anymore money on stuff like this.

10 mill for him and 10 mill for the agent who "forgot" him, all at the taxpayers expense. I can see why he's got a new perspective on life.

Wow, just wow. You come to a headline like this and you think just another person trying to game the system. This is insane. He deserves the money. But I'm betting nobody will lose their job because it is the government. Some jackass cost the tax payers millions and it will be a memo in his file. There is most likely 3 to 4 people that failed in this instance. They should all be fired.

This isn't Mayberry and the 1950's. Their has to be procedures clearly written when someone is incarcerated. Also some jackass most likely was responsible for daily walk throughs. If not, than that in itself is negligent.

He doesn't know if he'll return to college, because his view on life has changed? $20 million will change anyone's view on life.

"Seriously folks, why is the US government hiring mentally challenged employees to fill key positions when life and liberty are at risk?"

government, mentally challenged......think about it ;)

I'm sorry but 20 million is ridiculous. Why does everyone seem to think that suing someone should be the same as winning the lottery? Give him a few tens of thousands buy him a beer and send him on his way.

there is NO mention of sink/toilet in this or other articles just what has been posted. Also, did you notice he said the cell wasn't wide enough to stretch out...10 f''n feet is plenty to stretch out if the dip$hit would have figured to turn 90 degrees. But, thats a druggie for ya!!!

Give him a few tens of thousands buy him a beer and send him on his way

Here's some money out of petty cash kid, sorry we almost killed you. It's kind of funny when you look at it, something to tell your kids. Come on, let me buy you a couple beers and then I have to get back to work. I guess I'll start checking the cells for now on, lol. I know it is my job to check but the agent never logged you in. He is the one who should be buying the beers but he is at a convention in Maui.

$208,333.00 an hour for his troubles.... give me a break

this man doesnt deserve 20 million for this, he was selling drugs excuse, are you guys seriously are absent minded , or just all criminals?? I mean seriously, if ANY of you people think this man deserves anything are idiotic!! He is a drug dealer. if you think for once he deserves anything then you people should start taking the drugs he was selling. If we going to start rewarding people because they sell drugs heck might as well just close the united states down.

This guy look healthy for 4 days incarcerated with no food or water, excuse me i think this guy is lying somewhere, was he 300 pounds over weight?? or something? Yeah the DEA admit leaving him so i doubt he was in his sane mind. Regardless he doesnt deserve 20 million. he deserved 30 bucks thats all, enough for 4 days of food.

lol, None of you on here supporting him knows the real story. He was just on the news talking about how his hands were handcuffed behind his back, so how was he able to undo his pants to drink his urine., then he made the claim he broke his glasses to write a suicide note on his arm to his parents, but if hos hands are handcuffed behind his back, how could he do that as well, and he showed his arm where he claim to have tried cutting a message into s arm, and there is no signs of cuts on it.

This kid is a junkie/fraud

No Arieus. Learn how to listen and understand. If you even looked into this more you would know that he was cuffed to the wall. So if sitting then his hand is behind his back. They even showed stock photos of the facility with the cuffs hanging from the wall. You know these a-holes like to show off there new cages when they are built. So I think if you watch that video again you will see what I'm saying.

What ever happened it still gives them no reason to leave him locked up there with no food or water for almost 5 days.

DEA San Diego Acting Special Agent-In-Charge William R. Sherman said in a statement Wednesday that he was troubled by the treatment of Chong and extended his "deepest apologies" to him. He has ordered an extensive review of his office's policies and procedures.

More news: San Diego DEA agent Amy Roderick said earlier on Wednesday in a statement that Chong was caught in a home raid on a "suspected MDMA distribution organization" that also netted several weapons, 18,000 MDMA ("ecstasy") pills, marijuana, and hallucinogenic mushrooms. "The individual in question was at the house, by his own admission, to get high with his friends," she wrote. She admitted in the statement that Chong was "accidentally" left in one of the holding rooms, while eight other suspects were either released or transfered to the county jail. Chong also told agents he ate a packet of white powder he found in his cell, which turned out to be meth. "DEA plans to thoroughly review both the events and detention procedures on April 21st and after," Roderick wrote.

By the way Yahoo news has about 5 times as much info regarding this case

While I think it's horrible that this happened, and while I think that marijuana should be legalized, the fact is - this guy wouldn't have been in this position if he hadn't been breaking the law to begin with.

We are only hearing one side of the story. If he was going to be released and not charged (but he was busted for smoking pot with others), then why put him in a holding cell in the first place?

Why would they ignore him completely for five days if they were going to charge him? Everyone else they brought in with him was let go. In the vast majority of jails it doesn't take that long to be brought before a magistrate for arraignment.

20 mil may sound high, but for living through (barely) an Edgar Allen Poe story? It's not too unreasonable.

(Cask of Amontillado- a guy bricks someone into an alcove for revenge, leaving him with no food or water, but able to hear people nearby, until he dies)

While I think it's horrible that this happened, and while I think that marijuana should be legalized, the fact is - this guy wouldn't have been in this position if he hadn't been breaking the law to begin with.

If he was breaking the law he would have been charged with something. That line is a load of bull@!$%# and you know it.

@workin hard - Can you say gross negligence? This young man nearly died. Three days in intensive care because his kidneys nearly failed. Who knows what long term affects that may have on his health? That incident could result in him having to be on dialysis in the future. Since the DEA agent(s) responsible will not be held accountable (they enjoy immunity) there has to be a way to ensure that something like this never happens again. How is this achieved? Does the DEA just put out a memo stating "Be more careful when handling detainees"? No. Sue the crap out of them. When the government has to fork over a large settlement then you can be sure that there will be real change as a result.

Also stated in another article:

"When they(agents) opened the door, one of them said:"Here's the water you've been asking for,'" Chong said. "But I was pretty out of it at the time."

?? so they could hear him.

Nevermind that but the lights were also out for most of the time, the only light coming through a small peep hole/window in the door.

He was handcuffed but not behind his back which is often done with none violent offenders or even someone just there for questioning. As cops usually put it"We are doing this for our protection"

One other thing that really irks me is that that an investigation into this matter will be performed by the DEA?? I will bet that the rug is going to have mighty large lump due to all the crap that will be swepted under it.

Support LEAP.CC Go ahead and google it, watch some of their videos and see how this "War" is really going. These members of LEAP are not just some ordinary folks, they are current or past Law Enforcement, Judges, D.A.s, Police Chiefs, etc...you name it Texas alone has built over 200 prisons and in that same time has had no increase in money on education and rehab. It has also been documented through the government that the % of addicts(1.3% population) has not changed since 1914 but yet we have spent trillions on this 'Prohibition'.

Just look at how many people stopped smoking ciggs due to education alone, a number that has approched or surpassed 50% of smokers have quit.

LEAP.CC or Google Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Everything with this country is about war anymore. War on Drugs, War on Terror, War on WMD, War on Dictators, War against your freedoms

Ron Paul 2012

youtube.com/watch?v=V36MT5lAMrc&feature=related

Youtube search: Ron Paul This Speech Gave Me Chills

Just think...This country is going to Hell and many of you keep voting for it and then complain when you get what you voted for. I think many of you peoples problems with Ron Paul is with rights and some governing go back to the states. Heck you would have to go vote on issues concerning your freedoms and liberties instead of being a internet Ninja.

Wake Up.

Vote:Ron Paul 2012 or you will see much more of this stuff that happened to Daniel Chong and maybe even first hand.

Where the F was this individual cell located...I mean I find it amazing that there isn't a walk through of a place like this every day. Just absurd.

Here's some money out of petty cash kid, sorry we almost killed you. It's kind of funny when you look at it, something to tell your kids. Come on, let me buy you a couple beers and then I have to get back to work. I guess I'll start checking the cells for now on, lol. I know it is my job to check but the agent never logged you in. He is the one who should be buying the beers but he is at a convention in Maui.

I'm sorry but that's pretty much what it should be. It would be different if he were really seriously harmed, but since the potential wasn't realized he shouldn't become a millionaire. Especially since this award will do nothing to prevent it from happening again. It isn't their money for God's sake. What do they care?

One of the things wrong with our justice system is this mentality that a scare equals a lifetime's worth of money. I'm sorry it doesn't. Not even the loss of a finger should equal 20 million dollars.

Hello. The DEA has admitted culpabilityand will and should write him a large check. Period. No trial, no attorneys fees from his payment. The attorney should bill separately. They were wrong and they have really expensive insurance we already pay for. If this were my son I would want more. They almost killed him for smoking pot. They placed him in isolation and he will never be the same. Black and white, cut and dried.

It always amazes me at how so many people can read the EXACT same story and see things that are absolutely not in the written words they read. For example, the story in NO WAY says he was doing or did drugs. It doesn't even say there were drugs at the party. It states, "Chong said he was at a friend’s house in University City celebrating 4/20, a day many marijuana users set aside to smoke" nothing in that statement says he was doing drugs that the party had drugs at it. Second of all if he did have drugs in his system when they questioned him he would have been actually arrested.

Next there is all the supposition from so many that have never been in a holding cell in their lives, but seem to know exactly what they look like. Not every holding cell is identical and not every one looks like what you see on episodes of Law & Order. There are holding cells in the DEA, Homeland Security, and the FBI that are single cells that do not have running water or toilets in them. They are not meant to hold people for more than a few hours so he could very well have been in a room like he describes.

Now for all the people who have commented about him eating a white substance on the floor. You go days without food or water and see what you wouldn't be willing to eat. Three days without food isn't honestly that hazardous. Unless you have a medical condition the average person can go three days without food. I had a bout of food poisoning Monday afternoon and I am on day four without any food. Lack of liquid on the other hand is a big deal. Dehydration will make you hallucinate and will shut down your kidneys.

Urine could be a short term solution, but keep in mind your body's method of getting rid of waste and impurities is in your urine and feces so by drinking his own urine he is putting the very toxins his body is getting rid of right back into it. This does cause other problems.

Now for the 20 mil. It is standard practice to double what you would like to get in any lawsuit because they are not going to give you what you ask for. So lets figure 10 mil. From that his lawyer is going to get roughly 47%. He is going to have to pay taxes and if he is in a state that has a state tax he will have to pay that as well. So of that 10 mil let's say he comes out of this with approximately 4 mil. I say being left in a cell for 5 days with no human contact, no food, and no water is worth 4 mil.

The thing he needs to keep in mind is by filing this lawsuit against the Feds they are going to dig into every single crack and crevise of his life. They will get a court order for a hair sample and they will run drug tests on it that go back 5 years to tell them each and every drug he has done and how recently he has done it. This will go to character. Saying he consumed drugs in a DEA holding cell is going to be extremely difficult to prove because you can bet the DEA will produce statements from the cleaning service that read that cell was cleaned prior to his placement in it.

He isn't going to get anywhere near 20 million and he will win some type of settlement which he deserves, but it won't be a walk in the park getting to it. His lawyer will come out much better than he does in the end and he didn't have to spend one day in that cell.

RonB

I said "tort reform", not send him home with a $20 in his pocket. What is the right number?? $20B, $20T?? The taxpayer is picking this up. I didn't do anything wrong. How much should I pay?

@Fisherman

While I agree with Ron Paul on his plans for government, big business, and foreign policy, I DO NOT agree with him on civil rights, women's rights, and the environment. Reading Ron Paul's policies and looking at his voting records makes me think he wants to take this country back to a place before civil rights even existed. I am not cool with that. I am not cool with being treated as a second class citizen in my own country. I'm not cool with women being told what to do with their bodies and how by the government. I'm definitely cool with his screw the environment and the EPA rhetoric.

While I would like to see Ron Paul's ideas implemented as far as dealing with Congress, the deficit, and a lot (though not all) of his foreign policy ideas, I think there is a reason he is not the front runner in this election. It's not just because of a media blackout, I'll say that much.

I'd have to agree with Kevin. He certainly deserves a reasonable sum, but 20M is a little much. What they did to him was monstrous and I hope all the people accountable get a full punishment and not just a little slap on the wrist.

20 mill thats it? If that happened to me I would bankrupt the DEA and also fight to get it disbanded. By the posts on this board you can tell the intelligence of these trolls with no life who are talking down on this kid who is basically lucky to still be alive. When I say your intelligence is lacking its because you have no clue of how important water is to the human body. If I was you I would research one of the basic necessities of life before you try to post anything having to do with any knowledge. So basically the 20 mill is the price for his life that was in jeopardy over nothing. If i had to put a price on my life by having it in the hands of those people who almost killed me I would be suing for the DEA under my ownership and shut it down overnight. The sick thing about this story is how many homeless and poor people with no family has this happened to where the people die instead of being able to be brought back to life in a hospital and then it get covered up. DEA is gonna get pwnt by a 23 year old and I wont miss a wink of sleep for it. 20M aint @!$%# compared to basically almost dying for nothing because he smoked some weed or did some meth something that basically everyone in the world has done at least once. Same idiots talking smack on drugs have prescription bottles from a doctor so guess what you do drugs to so stfu and educate yourself ignorant zombies.

Sue the officers in charge at the station, not the state ot=]r the taxpayers. Make those responsible for his incarceration pay with their paychecks. This way, they will learn to stay on top of things and not f**k up so much while on the job.

Also, when officer are this irresponsible, it's time to start handing out some pink slips.

The taxpayers should not be held accountable for these officers action (or lack of) and so should the police station itself.

Sue them, not the state, and make them pay out of their own pockets.

25k should be more than enough to compensate this pothead.

20 Million is a ridiculous price and no doubt his lawyers want in on the action. Nobody gets that kind of money even if they are involved in a class action suit. If this had been a prison, I doubt you would have heard about it. Do I think he should get some money? Absolutely! At least 1 million for pain and suffering.

P.S. How did he get the meth? Unless that was the reason why he was in the holding cell? Something about this article smacks of MSNBC "innovative" journalism.

As for being without food and water, there were days when I was so sick that I never would have missed both . I know I have been at least 3-4 days without food and water so I know you can easily survive without both. People fast all the time. If you are going crazy after 4 days, then it more of a question of mind games rather than anything else.

Correction: Maybe it was coming off the pot that led him to eat glass and scar his arm with "Sorry Mom".

Second of all, what has he done to earn $20M?

First off, he's not asking for Income, BOB... he's asking for a penalty to be imposed. So stiff... that it just might cause the idiots who were responsible to think about fine-tuning their operating procedures before they go messing with other people's lives - and where quality of life for Human Beings is at stake.

Secondly, these DEA miscreants (and not just because of this one issue.. consider no-knock raids on the 'wrong house' and the number of innocents who've been killed because of their stupidity, etc, etc, and this nonsensical War on Americans with drugs.) this is because they hold us to a certain standard, BOB... with NO exceptions.. According to their rules, when we make a mistake... WE PAY.

And so by the same token... when they mess up .. they should be held to a fanatically higher standard. They can't ask us all to walk the straight line, and be mistake free.. if they're not going to do the same.

And when the tax payers get tired of footing the bill for their outrageous disconnect.. they will either vote these bastards out of office... or make sure the people who are in charge are held accountable.

Doobie....

Absolutely. Please tell me how. I am not an unbending kind of person. I try to be objective and open minded. Although I do get a bit passionate, zealous and carried away sometimes I try to be a (not wishy washy) a type of person that shown a better way to change for the better.

Well, your "commie" remark was hardly objective.

However, to do things better ... how about following up on your suggestion on changing the board? Maybe if enough of us do that ... we can get that down arrow.

MrMiller - Your caps lock seems to be stuck when you type my name. Cute way of trying to get your point across. So you're saying that a $20M penalty that we have to pay will get some special point across to the DEA? Not the greatest theory, but OK.

I would be more inclined to pay this kids medical, and maybe something else on top of that for suffering (well below $20,000,000, which is ridiculous). You folks are so obsessed with treating the symptom and that's a problem. You want to throw money at the kid to punish the "symptom," when in fact you should want to affect change that solves the cause of the problem. That money should be spent on an independent investigation into the DEA. If gross negligence and/or abuse of power is found, the investigation should be expanded to the entire operation (Dept of Justice). Since the DoJ has an incredible amount of power in our country they should indeed be held to high standards and should be held accountable for their actions.

If the actions of members of the DEA are found to be criminal they should be charged and tried. There would be sanctions blah blah blah, you get the idea. But of course typical of many Americans, throw money at the symptom and hope it goes away.

bob - better?

(Please note that the caps are simply for emphasis - and that absolutely no spell check feature was harmed during the formation of this missive.)

This is about a line in the sand THAT THEY DREW. Not us. They started it. We didn't.

When you can legally use the incredible and awesome force of the power of the State to affect people's lives, and to hold us to a certain standard - you'd better, by God, be willing to pony up when you, yourself blow it.

Their cause calls for ZERO Mistakes on our part - and when we break the rules - again.. we don't just get off with a slap on the wrist... we can't just pay their medical bills and go home... we go to JAIL. Some people languish in jails for YEARS because of the restrictions and penalties they impose.

When you can wield that sort of power over the lives of others - you'd better darned well have a fool-proof system for making sure you meet the same standard you ask of everyone else. And if you don't - you pay in equal proportions. It's only fair. (Now there's a word you hear a lot these days.)

And even if you do find the DEA personnel guilty and they have to pay, it's nothing compared to what an individual would have to pay, because of their systematically blowing it with the lives of other people.

The consequences for We, the great unwashed, blowing it... are extremely severe - all I'm asking is that the same standard apply to the folks who MAKE THE RULES.

20 million! somebody should just string your azz up for asking for that. jeez how stupid. along with these pompous jackassed who agree with you. you people are frikin idiots, get damn jobs and quit suckin everyone elses wallet. screw you "CHONG" I seriously hope someone robs and kills your sorry pot smokin azz.

Fair enough, Mr. Miller, but my question to you is this: How does paying this kid $20M apply said standard to the folks who make the rules? All it does is harm you and me.

With all due respect, and I mean that sincerely...

"You and Me" are the folks who hire the people who are making these horrific mistakes. (How would you feel if you were paying a surgeon and they messed up at 'this level?)

These are the same people who applied for these jobs.. and sat through interviews.. and said to the interviewer in so many words.. "Here's why you should hire me.. because I'm the best person for the job.. I can get the job done much better than the OTHER guys out in that office waiting to sit in this chair.)

You and me have the power to make our voices heard and vote the idiots in charge out of office.. or at least demand that they tighten with great intensity, the screening and qualifications process for positions which maintain this level of great responsibility - this responsibility for human lives.

When (or perhaps I should say "if") the people (who've mostly and sadly been educated in government schools) who are ultimately footing the bill for this crap realize how much they are being screwed by these ineffective and incompetent turds.. perhaps ... just maybe... they will wake up and demand greater accountability from them.

Until then, they'll just have to keep paying.

Get used to this kind of treatment under the New American Order. NDAA has virtually made this country a guilty until proven innocent country.

I'd be fine with a much smaller amount (not that he'd get 20m anyway) if they were also responsible for any and all medical treatment for issues that may be related to this for the rest of his life. He was dehydrated to the point of kidney failure- who knows what long-term damage may show up later in his kidneys and other major organs. A transplant is pretty darn expensive....

How did this happen? This is the incompetence of our penal system. Ouch, we are in more trouble than I expected. I guess we need to a talk with ourselves about how stupid the morons are that are supposed to be protecting us. Or am I just mad at the one mistake that has happened that we know of in the last 237 years we had been a great country. This is a very bad deal done by a very stupid group of individuals that were probably hopped up on adrenaline after the big bust. They probably should not be allowed to carry firearms any more. I am a little more than concerned that this level of stupidity might be more common in our DEA than I originally suspected. I know they are not very smart to begin with. Any DEA agent knows how dumb they are if they go back and check their ACT scores. They should have been smart enough to know the war on drugs is a stupid idea. But no, they are just that dumb. Anything to make a buck on. DEA should be DEAd. I have nothing against our DEA agents personally, except for their outstanding stupidity of what they think they are doing. I just think we don't need that agency any more. We lost the war on drugs before it began. Drugs started thousands of years ago. Lets defeat it now........duh. If there wasn't a war on drugs would this boy have went through all this?

DEA......DeEducated Arssholes. Ya just got to love em' or they will shoot you or/and throw you into jail forever.

DEA 1: Hey Bob did you let that Gook out of jail?....

DEA 2: Na Fck em.

DEA 3: Let em rot in the tunnel like his granddaddy.

DEA 4: Lets get drunk and screw some 'hos. Didn't you bust one last night 1

Knock Knock

Who's there

DEA Agent 1

DEA Agent 1 Who

DEA Agent 1 just fckd your wife and you are one dead MFr Homie.

I am sorry to all DEA agents out there who are good people. You guys just took a big hit. Please just delete my posts but let me live......PLEASE.....PLEASE don't rape my wife again.

I am guessing the writing is on the wall America. The United States is coming undone. Are we to blame. Hell yes. What can we do about it.....Vote. For who????? Good question.

Here's one lawsuit I can actually get behind. I hope he wins every single cent.

The prison system in America is as backwards as the school system. I wouldn't be surprised if they were controlled by the same group.

It's all about profits for the prison system, on our dimes.

No the prision system for the most part simply produces better criminals. As for this story there are some parts I believe, others I do not. That a crime was done to this individual is apparant. As for 20 million, I do not think so.

I'm sure it does that as well, but look at all the prisons across the US that have the inmates working fish farms and other businesses that bring in loads of revenue for these prisons. It's more prevalent than most would think or like to believe.

Sure is , they are trying to get contracts from the state government that ensures them 90% full capacity. They sell the labor for cheap.

Welcome to the new era concentration camps.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/private-prisons-buying-state-prisons_n_1272143.html

Corrections Corporation of America, the nation's largest operator of for-profit prisons, has sent letters recently to 48 states offering to buy up their prisons as a remedy for "challenging corrections budgets." In exchange, the company is asking for a 20-year management contract, plus an assurance that the prison would remain at least 90 percent full, according to a copy of the letter

This guy deserves to be compensated, but $20 million dollars is completely absurd. Maybe a couple of million is in order, but certainly not twenty. If just irritates the hell out of me that this druggie is going to get set up for life on the taxpayer's dime because of a couple of incompetent DEA agents.

As for his comment

"He said he does not know if he will return to school because his perspective on life has changed since his isolation."

I call BS. His decision not to go back to school has nothing to do with his experience, it has to do with the fact that he is going to get millions from the taxpayer so he will never have to work a day in his life. The idea that he would spout ridiculous tripe like this only infuriates me even more. I wish there was a way to give this kid nothing, if for no other reason than his attitude, but I realize that will not happen. This druggie hit the jackpot due to some incompetent DEA agents and is laughing his ass off at the government over it.

If just irritates the hell out of me that this druggie

Demonization just makes dehumanization easier.

Prison systems are causing huge financial burdens on states and feds. One option to alleviate the burden is to privatize parts of the incarceration/rehab systems. In order for private entities to invest the cash, they want to be sure the prison population will support a return on investment. But this has the benefit of savings to the taxpayers. The private companies running the prisons aren't arresting, convicting, and sending people to prison. That's still the job of the government. Stop acting like inmates are victims. Inmates HAVE victims, which is why they're inmates. And inmates SHOULD work. Think of it as inmates making restitution for their crimes against society, not as big bad business taking advantage of poor, helpless inmates.

Is it true that we have the highest incarceration rate in the world? Apparently, we don't create enough of an incentive for people to not commit crimes. I say make them work, and make them work HARD. It just might give some of them enough incentive to make sure they don't go back.

People as a rule do not view intoxication as inherently immoral. Private prison systems lobby for draconian laws because they are paid per prisoner.

BOB-613 - THANK YOU Why the heck were his comments collapsed?

I agree that the money needs to come out or the WAGES of the people involved, not from the general budget of the agency.

Because he's a troll.

For those not following the story, he was arrested in a drug bust. It was never stated that he sold or distributed narcotics, but he was present and even admitted to doing narcotics. Probably not the biggest fish they wanted and decided to release him.

That being said, how on earth does $20 million dollars fix everything? He did not lose that money as he probably would never make it in a lifetime. Yes he should be awarded damages, but this is extreme. Those that left him there should be terminated and he should receive a reasonable settlement--not $20 million. I doubt he will ever see that much money once the case goes through court or is settled.

nd inmates SHOULD work. Think of it as inmates making restitution for their crimes against society, not as big bad business taking advantage of poor, helpless inmates.

So what about those not incarcerated, why are you okay with taking their jobs away? and how can anyone condone making sure the prisons are filled 90%? Prison for profit is immoral .

It is big bad business making a profit and an incentive to arrest people and fabricate crimes. But thats okay with you I suppose. Lets hope you're law enforcements next victim. its the only way fools learn.

People fast all the time. Maybe coming off the pot led to his delusional state. Maybe that's why he decided to eat glass instead and scar his arm. Only someone who was Psychotic would act that way and make it seem bigger than it was. A normal person would scream and yell, but then would have the sense to sleep most of the day to conserve energy. Not him, though.

Overly dramatic I'm beginning to think. However I do think he should get 1 million dollars (tops). The fact that he's asking for 20 Million is the lawyers doing. They smell money coming.

20 million! somebody should just string your azz up for asking for that. jeez how stupid. along with these pompous jackassed who agree with you. you people are frikin idiots, get damn jobs and quit suckin everyone elses wallet. screw you "CHONG" I seriously hope someone robs and kills your sorry pot smokin azz.

Kragg referred to me as a troll. I guess it takes one to know one.

Unhappy- fasting is going without food, not water. Maybe if they were planning to leave him in there for 5 days and he knew that, he'd know to conserve his energy. Instead, he was told he was being released, and obviously knew he was forgotten, and so was trying to get people to realize he was still there.

My above posts would fit better here. Chuck, unfortunately in our country we will buy anything we think we can make a buck on, stealing a line from Frank Fritz of American Pickers.

They want to punish the DEA for this? I agree, and I have a suggestion.

End the @!$%#ing DEA. Those @!$%#ing nosy nobodies who love the power trip they get when they prevent people from doing what should be a perfectly legal thing. If I could, I'd piss all over Hearst's grave, burn his mansion down, and light up a joint with the embers.

UncleBen did you READ the article? The guy was possibly smoking pot at a friends house. He was basically kidnapped (at a minimum "Unlawfully detained"). Do you seriously believe the DEA would trot out one of their top stud ponies to cough up an official apology BEFORE that same agency completes it's own internal investigation if there wasn't more truth than fiction in this young mans statements? Maybe you are just of the mindset that "if he/she is in jail then they HAD to have done SOMETHING because the police are always right".

Ben, read more about this story and many of your misconceptions will be corrected. There was no toilet or sink (obviously) - I don't think someone is dumb enough to drink their own urine if a toilet with water in it is nearby... lol seriously...

Also, there WAS people around (again, if you bothered reading the article) Chong said he could hear them talking and moving about, yet his banging and shouting for someone went unanswered.

As for ingesting the powder (the article didn't say snort) - who knows what his state of mind was. It is apparent he was trying to kill himself, and after a few days with no water - one can start hallucinating. A person becomes confused after just a couple of days and incapable of using logic and reason on the 3rd.

So that begs the question; how many days have you gone without water?

@ Marc Was he alone at his friends house? Why was the DEA even there? How come none of his friends were picked up by the DEA? The drugs were his, the DEA didn't search him properly, so he ingested the drugs to get rid of the evidence. He started a chain of events, that so far, didn't work out too well for him. He shouldn't get a dime. Nowadays, it's politically correct to apologize whether your right or wrong, that's not an admission of guilt, by the DEA.

Ben, again - you are asking questions that have already been covered in the articles on this story. You make a lot of assumptions about things that are dead-wrong.

He wasn't alone - it was a 4/20 party (this is even stated in the article we are commenting on)

DEA was there because apparently they got word from somewhere at sometime that drug use was going on there.

His friends WERE picked up, the cops just forgot about HIM.

No article has said where the substance came from, it's possible that the interrogators left it in the room. They told him they were letting him go, so why then would he feel the need to EAT meth that he had on him?

Hey Marc,

You seem like you have it all figured out. How long was the DEA investigating this guy before he was arrested? Was he the one that had been selling meth to teenagers? Was this "innocent" man the one who had been breeding unique strands of marijuana and giving it to his little brother to pass out at middle school to get his name and product out? I don't know. Didn't read that in the article. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that the DEA does not go after kids smoking joints. He was into something else and this was their probable cause to pick him up. Was it right that they forgot about him? HELLLLLL NO!!!!!! It sure wasn't and everyone involved should have their rear ends kicked. But, give the DEA a break. Have you ever heard of anything negative about them before? Just remember that these are the guys, just like the military, who are out at night beating back the bad guys so you can sleep peacefully. There are bad apples everywhere and they ruin it for the good ones. Plus with the media grabbing all of these types of stories and running with them, the country will eventually implode. You never read about the good stuff that the DEA (or military) does. But, as soon as something negative comes up, there is a page full of experts like yourself. Good luck with that.

Once again Uncalben read the story he was to be releast . as to why he was not im not shure but you keep comming off like it is his fault and it is not. Thay screwed up WE dont need the DEA and thay dont deserve a break at all thay should be put in a cell and forgot just like the did to him

Benny, my boy, your stated assumption that someone who is arrested and jailed is not "innocent" is one of the more blind and stupid comments you've made, and basically makes you an obvious opponent of the concept of "innocent until proven guilty", a concept upon which our democracy was founded. I hope you never get picked for a jury, but I'm sure that they will kick your butt off the panel after about three seconds of the voir dire process. You seem to be an ardent apologist for the jack-booted thugs who represent the various drug enforcement agencies, and probably think that anyone who smokes pot should be imprisoned for life. You are one sorry excuse for a human. I do hope this young man takes the DEA to the cleaners, just because I know it will have you weeping, wailing, and rending your garments, as well as grinding your teeth all night. As a matter of fact, I hope they give him 50 million.

He was into something else and this was their probable cause to pick him up.

It was the house he was at that was the target, they found various drugs (mostly pot, ecstasy, and hallucinogens) - they picked him up just because he was there. Just because he was at that house having a 4/20 party (you know what that is, right?) doesn't mean he's a dealer, or some hard user. He's an engineering student.... I mean, have you ever been to college? He was due to be released with no charges.

Uncle Ben is a troll...stop replying to his comments.

There's no way anybody could be as ignorant as he makes himself to appear to be...or could they.

Doesn't mean he was innocent either. Did you get out of my reply to Marc that I hadn't been to college? Amazing! Absolutely amazing! You're amazing Shuklak. Good for you buddy. As far as being an engineering student, what in the world does that have to do with anything?

Point being....... He was not just smoking pot at a party. Something that you nor I will ever know was going on.

Which brings up another question. If he was due to be released? why was he not? There has to be more to the story.

Thank you Corey! That is my whole point.

Doesn't mean he was innocent either.

As far as the law was considered, he was. Anyway, last I checked - 'isolation and death by thirst' isn't the appropriate punishment for getting high.

Did you get out of my reply to Marc that I hadn't been to college?

I asked that because you seem to be ignorant of what a lot of college kids do...

Something that you nor I will ever know was going on.

ah, my favorite logical fallacy: Argumentum ad ignoratum - arguing that because we don't know what he was doing, that it's somehow OK that he was locked in a cell without food or water for 4 days.

If he was due to be released? why was he not? There has to be more to the story.

They are investigating why they seemingly forgot about him - but honestly it sounds like they just straight up forgot about him. Basically, the DEA left the county lockup they were using and forgot to let him out and forgot to tell anyone else it seems.

If he was at a friends house, and was picked up by the DEA, along with his friends, and his friends were released, and he wasn't. Why didn't any of his "friends" wonder where he was for 4 days? He was not at home, not at school and not at a friends house, and no one called the DEA? His friends knew who picked him up. No one checked up on their "friend," missing for 4 days. "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"

Nope! It wasn't ok that they forgot about him. I said that in my first post. I also said that everyone who was involved should have their butts (rear ends) kicked. Again, all I am saying is, there is alot to this that we don't know or will ever know. But, I am in agreement that it was wrong for him to be put through that type of treatment.

And, just to squash this, yes I have been to those parties and yes I was a dumb kid too. It happens

I was taught that as a matter of Rights, guaranteed by the US Constitution, that we are all presumed to be innocent "until PROVEN guilty - IN A COURT OF LAW". Plus there is the 5th, 6th, and 7th ammendments that appear to have been violated.

Amazing the amount of "Americans" who seem to have NEVER Read the US Constitution.

@ Mymomdidnotraiseafool, your daddy did.

Why didn't any of his "friends" wonder where he was for 4 days?

Seeing that it was finals week - and they were potheads that just got arrested - it's not far fetched to assume that they simply figured he was at school and avoiding them.

"With friends like that, who needs enemies?"

His friends sound like they suck, but who knows how close they are. Some people are more like 'smoking-buddies' than actual friends - which is actually probably the smarter thing to do when you're hanging out with people that deal in drugs. Ever see Pineapple Express? You don't make friends with your dealer.... you just smoke with them =P



Amazing the amount of "Americans" who seem to have NEVER Read the US Constitution

Indeed, even more strange is the number that never read it yet wave it around and thump it. The Bible is afflicted with much the same sort of treatment.

The bible is something you CHOOSE to believe or not believe - It's your choice.

The US Constitution is NOT a choice. Live here, live by it.

I'll thump it loudly, it's my RIGHT (First ammnedment).

I'll thump it loudly, it's my RIGHT (First ammnedment).

By all means, but read it and understand it first please.

Bob, You didn't read anything in that article that was worth that money? Did you miss the part about him being in ICU for three and just escaping kidney failure? But he's just whining and looking for easy money, right?

DeeBus, I don't think the kid is just whining and looking for easy money. Let me ask you this: What do you gain out of trying to put words in my mouth? It makes you look kind of silly.

If this article tells the truth he certainly went through a horrible ordeal and should have some form of compensation. What I'm saying is that $20M far exceeds what he should receive.

People like you are too concerned with making sure this kid receives so much money that he never has to work again, and not concerned enough with finding a solution to the core problem.

Why do you feel he deserves to live comfortably for the rest of his life on our dime because of this?

If this article is spot on I feel sorry for the kid, but there's no way he deserves a ton of money over this.

4 days without water, he's lucky to be alive. The average is 3 days, and before that you go through some seriously psychological issues - you are pretty much driven to madness because your brain can't function. Have you ever been thirsty? I mean, truly thirsty? How about put into a cell and literally dying of thirst?

Bob, and his fellow government shills like Uncle Ben, would not care if the young man actually died, and would still maintain the view that anyone who is arrested must be guilty. These are the kind of people who will gladly betray democracy, without regard to the consequences. Pretty lame, if you ask me.

Bob you uncaring and not needed on this post. I feel he deserves the money and to watch the DEA agents that did this to him HANG !!!!! If i did this to a person and got busted the same would happend to me from this so called justice system we have in this country

@ Mymomdidnotraiseafool, Yourdaddydid; I said he was not an innocent. I didn't say he was guilty. And the human herd is long overdue for a culling. As for betraying democracy, I'm a Vietnam Veteran, USMC, scout sniper. Human life is overrated and overvalued. What have you done for your country?

That's interesting. So because I feel that $20M is overkill and that he doesn't deserve to be supplemented financially for the rest of his life over this, I am not only a government shill, but also uncaring. Haha OK I see what kind of people I'm dealing with. No use in asking questions or having a conversation with folks like you.

$20 million of our dollars is pocket change compared to the other ways our federal income tax money is wasted.

@Superskunk

OK, maybe I worded it wrong. I am tired of one cent of our tax dollars being used to pay for some ignorant federal employee's stupidity, pocket change or trillions, it does not matter.

It's the price we pay for accountability.

62mga, I got what you were saying and this kid won't get $20 million. The DEA killed Donald Scott for no good reason and his family only received $5 million.

@Superskunk

Your reply proves that you do not get my point. The DEA did NOT kill Donald Scott. A federal employee did. The employee did not pay one cent to Donald's family. Our tax dollars paid them. Why are we paying the fine for the DEA employee's crime? The employee should be responsible for his / her own actions, not you, not me.

@62mga

Your last comment proves that you do not get superskunk's point.

When a business or government agency hires someone and gives them extreme control over other people the business or government is responsible to hire stable competent people and give them adequate training and oversight. They should also include safeguards to maintain a high level of accountability of all their staff.

We as citizens must demand that our government acts responsibly and thus we should pay when our shortsightedness (budget cuts, constant demand for lowering costs yet increasing punitive action, apathy to individual rights and government abuse and police brutality etc.) results in abuse of power. They almost killed this man and he likely will have emotional scars for a long time.

Maybe you don't care but most people aren't sociopaths and if they bother to pay attention will agree that our government shouldn't be allowed to do such things. That is why a civil suit makes sense in this context and that is why we need to hold organizations accountable and not just individuals.

Well said Emily !

62mga the federal employees are considered agents of the federal government when doing the business of the federal government. as agents of the government they make their employer liable for their conduct. let's make an example of a difference. if the federal agents had imprisoned mr. chong a prisoner during their off duty time that would not make the government liable because during their off duty time they are not considered agents of the government. but as soon as "they punch the time clock" and are in the process of doing the government's work they not only make themselves liable for their conduct, their employer is liable also. if a deliveryman has an accident on his off duty time he is liable. if he has an accident while in the doing company business in a company vehicle or while doing company business in their own car they make the company liable.

The one thing I am tired of is the fact that WE did not do anything wrong

We keep electing those that push these laws.

@EmilyinIowa and Superskunk

Both of you are missing MY point, so I guess I am not communicating correctly. I don't care what the employee does. The employee is the person that did it. If the employer's supervisor didn't properly vet the person before hiring him / her, that is the supervisor's problem and they should then be held accountable as well. My problem is that there is NO accountability with anybody anymore. If the employee does something wrong, they get fired at worst. How is that fixing the problem? Trust me, budget cuts have not been the cause of these kind of problems. We, as citizens, continue to elect officials that take no responsibility and make excuses for their actions, so why are we shocked when they hire irresponsible people and then end up with incompetent people. I too agree that our government should not be allowed to do such things. We have to demand MORE accountability from ALL government employees! The money saved could do a lot of good things for many, many people. If we didn't have this kind of crap going on, and our budget shortfalls would be $30M less, (after we get done paying all of the lawyer's fees), etc. The largest problem with no accountability is that nobody ever learns a thing. It's not their money, they make excuses, and go on with their lives, (like the GSA). @EmilyinIowa, P.S. I am not even close to being a sociopath. Please make your arguments with logic, not name calling.

@Man in fla I also said he could have been cupping his hands to catch his urine. Are you saying he pissed in the dry toilet and then drank from it? And, the only other way to ingest something is by licking and swallowing it. Is that what you do in lockup? Lick powder off the floor, or toilet, and then swallow it even though there's no water and you're dying of thirst. My comment was supposed to be posted on the first thread, and instead was posted as the 4th comment, so I re-posted it.

Lick powder off the floor, or toilet, and then swallow it even though there's no water and you're dying of thirst.

Ben did you not read? Do you not know what happens to one's mind when they go without water?

The article and others stated that there was a packet of powder in the cell so he would not have to lick it off the floor or toilet, which there was no toilet or sink as it was a holding cell ment to hold someone for a short time until processed. Many of the holding or processing cells these days(not this one) have dry toilets(if any), this is so they can then check the tank for contraband/drugs that may have been flushed instead of having to dig up the waste pipes. I know about the pipes as the cops took my brother from his own property into "protective custody" even though he was at his house. They tricked him to coming out to the street them grabbed him when he was next to it. They then would not release him to a family member. So what did he do? He tore up the blankets and pillows and flushed it clogging up the pipes under the street. They had to dig up the street to remove the clog as they could not locate it.(before the days of fiber optics or locators) and also destroyed one snake that got jammed in the pipe. Wool is pretty tough when hung up in a crusty old pipe. He was then charged with distruction of property. The case was thrown out as it was proven he should have never be in the cell in the first place, along with having to pay no restitution. You figure the cops would learn their lesson even after the judge told them to stop harrassing him. Ha fat chance. They then almost everyday for months pulled him over, sometime even 2 or more times per day. He then ended up sueing them and winning, chaulk one up for the good guy in which he was. Guess who lost their job, him as he was an on the road Caterpillar mechanic and the one cop who stood up for him. Oh yeah that cop also won a suit against the local police also.

These a-holes have been doing this shlt for decades and getting away with it. There is a problem as they "police" and answer to themselves unless there is overwhelming evidence showing otherwise. Then when someone does come forward they better move

"he was attending a 4/20 party instead of being where ever else he was suppose to be."

You must be the guy who never got invited to the parties, so you make yourself feel better with self-righteous talk of always being where you are "supposed" to be and worn out stereotypes about college students.

I hope a life of always being where you are "supposed" to be and doing what you are "supposed" to do, has made you happy thus far. Seems a bit dull and pointless to me.

Cheffy has never had a fun day in his life, and the thought that someone, somewhere in the world is having fun gives him apoplexy and interrupts his sleep every night.

Maybe we'll have one less idiot complaining about student loan debt for a degree that everyone else is getting so not it's not marketable.

An engineering degree is not marketable?

Hyperbole & Mymomdid- I have actually managed to balance my personal and professional life rather well. I have been where i needed to be and still had fun on the side. If parties are your measure of success then I'm sure your mom will let you throw another one in her basement where you rent your room. maybe this time she will let you invite girls over.

Drowning- It wasn't a direct reference to his degree choice, especially since it's not stated in the article. I would hope that people know by now that a Business Management Degree and a degree in "General Studies" no longer separates you from the crowd.

country- since you claim to know that nobody is worth 20mil, then what is your opinion of the actual monetary worth of a human being- say someone in your family or even yourself?

countryguy, if he is making this up why is the DEA backpedaling faster than Deion Sanders in man coverage against Jerry Rice ?

THAT says all I need to know.

Warren Buffet is worth billions! Every person, even scumbag, has unlimited worth potential, maybe except countyguy ;)

Three days in intensive care, suffering kidney failure, dehydration, lost 15lbs, hallucinating and you're suggesting he made this up? What a way to try to spin the story. You must be a Republican.

"He wound up in jail for doing drugs-Maybe he hallucinated this whole story"

Certainly you know nothing about the effects of illegal drugs, especially marijuana. Should anyone be put in jail for "doing drugs"? If so why don't we include the users of caffeine, alcohol, or ED pills - all recreational and unnecessary substances?

As for what countryguy (and his opinion) is worth...about 2 cents.

Can you just imagine the amount of bitching he and HIS lawyers would be doing if HE had been the one illegally locked in a cell for 5 days?

Heck no, he has to be a liberal.

Well I think countryguy guy would say a value for a human is about a couple hundred bucks as this is most likely what he sold his daughter or sister (for him they are one in the same/inbred) for or maybe trade them for a horse. He probably also had them chained up in the basement...some people are such morons

Besides no person is worth 20 million dollars.

Unless of course that person sits in a board room or spends many days on the golf course, like a CEO. Then not only are they worth $20mil, but they're worth $20 mil PER YEAR!!

I propose a new corporate arrangement. CEO's can get paid that much, but once a year they must be put in a holding cell for 5 days without food/water. Who's with me?

As for all you repliers as to the truth to the story.There is no way of knowing the validity of this story.He was arrested for drugs-suppose he was on drugs and was actually left in the cell for 5 days without food/water.What kind of drugs was he doing?Maybe he was a chronic drug user,even over the counter drugs.Lots of school kids from elemantary through college are habitual users of tylenol,advil and any number of cough syrups and the plethora of energy drinks so pravalent.And to answer the question of drug effects,as I am a paramedic of almost 20 years I cetatinly know the effects of alcohol and drugs.I have been smart enough to stay away from both but ceratinly lay the blame for those that abuse any drug on the user as no one else makes them do it.Any of the drugs above can cause liver and kidney damage,even drinking too much water can cause kidney damage.

People are worth what worth they put on themselves.What they do in the corporate world is not their personal value.Everyone has value to themselves or their family and the real sense of their worth is reflected in monetary terms.So I ask what are you worth,dead or alive?In simple terms-how much life insurance do you carry on yourself.That is what you perceive yourself to be worth so why should anyone else think you are worth more than yourself?

Lastly,to answer HyperBole,yes you should be locked up for doing drugs.They are illegal,everywhere according to federal law and drug users-both legal and illegal create a huge drag on the economy,specifically the health services of this country.

And to all,I would be labeled a strict conservative.

I had a different label in mind.

The war on drugs needs ended yesterday with all criminal records for such removed from any record. This has ruined our nation this holier than though prohibition of a sliver of drugs. As mentioned we are okay with caffeine which kills thousands each year. But only 1500 or so hard drug deaths per year total! So what are we being protected from? These nanny laws have created a huge burden on our economy. I'm one of the millions of people that have been caste to the side with only the handouts. I've never been nable to vote or bear arms as a civilian my entire adult life even though I'm an honorably discharged overseas veteran! The war on drugs is a falsehood. If all drugs were legal that means non-users would all of sudden become addicts? Get real, get informed, and realize that we could shave 1.7 trillion dollars off our budget over the next 10 years just by ending this "war" that will never be "won". In addition to all the gang violence going down (will take perhaps 20 years for them to run through the massive cash resevoir from the black market we created out of lies, deception, and corporate greed) we'll have a massive revenue source. Couple that with properly taxing the rich as well as never fighting any war in the future w/o tax increases we wll be on track in no time! Shame it's so easy it's stupid easy and why it won't be done.

After three days, it had eaten it's own staples and used the last one to staple his head to the floor.

Reminds me of a cab driver I knew that lost his keys for 5 days then came to find they were in the ignition the whole time!

" Ha, Thats called Life buddy."

Are you serious? Have you ever been deprived of water for four days? Has anyone you know?

I have to disagree, since the DEA runs around like the fascist gestapo foot soldiers they are, terrorizing a good number of innocent people along the way, it's their turn to pay. I know it won't happen but I would LOVE to see them shut down over this. Hopefully a good number of agents and their bosses get fired.

The DEA's existence is un-Constitutional, and even if it wasn't they stink at their job. Since the inception of the DEA has major drug use and sales decreased significantly ?

While I would normally agree with your statement as an accident or a mistake is still in the dictionary, this is beyond someone accidently forgetting to bring him lunch or dinner. After 1 day it turns into gross negligence. Forgetting about someone who has been detained is unforgivable. I don't know about $20 million, but he is certainly owed a lot.

maybe it was an accident or mistake, but this kid was almost dead as he was tortured for 5 days. it's not like he fell down the stairs or off a horse.

It was neither an "accident" or a "mistake", it was negligence...and that we settle with money.

Try looking that up in Websters.

Yea hes a crybaby Iwould be to if i where driven insane from not haveing water for 5 days but hey buck up right yup hes a crybaby blackhorse and your an uncaring person

Can you just imagine how hard blackhorse and HIS lawyers would be bitching if it were HIM that had been locked up for 5 days with no food or water? He'd have his lawyer on speed-dial. Hypoctrite.

blackhorse-That is the most intelligent thing you have ever posted! I am amazed at how your reading comprehension has improved, you know, for a 3rd grader and all. If this same thing happened to you, your Mom and Dad would be really, really mad!

The problem is it's the DEA doing the investigation - unbelievable.

Imagine if your negligence put your employer in a position of facing a $20 million lawsuit. Then, they let your co-worker buddy do the "internal" investigation.

Look for a WHOLE bunch of CYA from the DEA.

Ramond Do you meen hes lying about being locked up? because the DEA said he was

Yeah. And it was really clever of him to fake kidney failure and severe dehydration. Way to go the extra mile, Chong!

you dont know what his condition was before thats why he was taking drugs smoking the hemp because he had kidney problems, dont you see that!

My gawd. only a criminal would support criminals.

The "government" didn't make the mistake the idiot DEA agents did so take thier $20 million yes tjharris But we are accountable for what thay do as agents so there you go its our dime .

We, the citizens and taxpayers, are not accountable for the idiot agents' behavior, they are. So sue them.

Welcome to the liberal media, Thats the way it is.

Welcome to the liberal media, Thats the way it is.

The media's not liberal, it's LAZY. There is a huge difference.

Yes, but before all of this, we just had the village idiot screaming about someone's barn being on fire.

i am not a lawyer, but this is close to attempted murder by the DEA. they should all get life in prison with their first 5 days without food and water. the guy should get way more than 20 million...

attempted murder? Criminal negligence, possibly, but attempted murder? Hardly not. As for this guy getting way more than 20 million, Sargent, feel free to kick in whatever extra money you happen to think it's worth. We don't mind. Does he deserve something? sure he does. But 20 mil or more? Nope. And no, i've never gone 5 days without water, but I have gone that long without beer, and it's truly torture.

Hahaha-your analysis is exactly why you're not a lawyer. Think about the word attempted. $20million is hugely excessive, he'll probably settle for $5 million or so...

I'd take it. In a heartbeat.

It's not attempted murder. Yes, the DEA guys screwed up. Badly. Like really, really horribly screwed up. But they didn't attempt to kill him. They didn't take him into custody and immediately think, "You know, I think I want to kill this guy." They didn't stand outside his cell rubbing their hands together in glee or twirling their little evil mustaches as he was slowly dying from dehydration. They didn't mean for him to suffer. It was a stupid accident.

That having been said, accidents like that cannot happen. A man almost died because someone dropped the ball. So while it was just a stupid mistake and not a murder attempt, the DEA and its negligent employees still need to pay the price and Chong deserves to be generously compensated. He's probably going to struggle with this for years, and that's just mentally and emotionally. There's no telling if he'll have any long term physical damage, like perhaps to his kidneys.

I completely understand what you're saying and I agree with you, but we Americans complain to easily over a lawsuit like this and don't complain of our federal government wasting about $500 BILLION to $1 TRILLION on military annually. Or how about the $100+ million CDC healthclub ?

There are many more ways that our un-Constitutional federal income tax dollars are wasted that I would rather speak up about before this.

This kid won't get that much anyway, they'll probably settle for a few million I'm guessing.

4 or 5 days with out water try it and tell me how it works out for you SIESTASIS