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Stephen Slevin was held in solitary confinement for 22 months after a DWI. The photo on the left shows him after his detainment; on the right is his booking photo, when he was healthier and clean-shaven.
A man who spent 22 long months in solitary confinement in a New Mexico jail, neglected to the point where he was forced to pull out his own tooth because he said he wasn't allowed to see a dentist, will receive $15.5 million for the ordeal.
The settlement with Dona Ana County, N.M., falls short of the $22 million that Stephen Slevin, 59, and his attorney had asked for, but is still one of the largest prisoner civil rights payouts in U.S. history.
"His mental health has been severely compromised from the time he was in that facility. That continues to be the same. No amount of money will bring back what they took away from him," Matt Coyte, Slevin's Albuquerque-based attorney, said on Wednesday. "But it’s nice to be able to get him some money so he can improve where he is in life and move on."
Slevin's story of inhumane treatment in the Dona Ana County Jail, where he was incarcerated from 2005 to 2007 — which he said included his toenails growing so long that they curled around his foot, and fungus festering on his skin because he was deprived of showers — first received publicity last January, when he was awarded the $22 million.
Dona Ana County had been appealing the verdict ever since, refusing to pay Slevin.
But the legal battle ended Tuesday with the $15.5 million settlement, a number decided on in court mediation, according to Jess Williams, Dona Ana County's public information director.
An initial payment of $6 million is expected to be wired to Slevin by the end of this week; he will receive the rest in installments in the following days.
For Slevin — who has lung cancer and has beaten doctors' odds for how long he would survive — the case was not about how much money he could make, his attorney said, but about getting recognition of how poorly he was treated and the scars he still has.
"He's had lots of difficulties over the years. I don't think he will stop having difficulties," Coyte said. "The courage he had in the trial was magnificent."
Slevin's mistreatment by Dona Ana County started the moment he was arrested back in August of 2005, his attorney told NBC News.
"He was driving through New Mexico and arrested for a DWI, and he allegedly was in a stolen vehicle. Well, it was a car he had borrowed from a friend; a friend had given him a car to drive across the country," Coyte said in an interview last January.
Slevin was depressed at the time, Coyte explained, and wanted to get out of New Mexico. Instead, he found himself in jail.
"When he gets put in the jail, they think he's suicidal, and they put him in a padded cell for three days, but never give him any treatment."
Nor did they give him a trial, Coyte said. Slevin said he never saw a judge during his time in confinement.
After three days in the padded cell, jail guards transferred Slevin into solitary confinement with no explanation.
"Their policy is to then just put them in solitary" if they appear to have mental health issues, Coyte told NBC News.
While in solitary confinement, a prisoner is entitled to one hour per day out of the cell, but often times, Slevin wasn't even granted that, Coyte said.
"Your insanity builds. Some people holler or throw feces out their cell doors," he said. "Others rock back and forth under a blanket for a year or more, which is what my client did."
By the time Slevin got out of jail, his hair was shaggy and overgrown, his beard long, and his face pale and sunken, a drastic contrast from the clean-shaven booking photo taken of him when he was arrested two years prior.
"Without that picture, we couldn't have gotten where we were," Coyte said of the lawsuit.
Coyte would not reveal where Slevin is living now for privacy reasons, only saying that he was not in New Mexico. He said he receives support from family and is "doing well" and "feels optimistic" about his treatment for cancer, which is unrelated to his time in jail and was not a factor in his trial.
Williams, the Dona Ana County public information officer, said no jail personnel have been fired over Slevin's treatment. However, he said, the jail has been working to improve the care it provides for mentally ill inmates.
"We now have dedicated wings of the building, one for males, one for females, that are totally dedicated for closely supervised mental health provisions and care," he said. "We've greatly expanded our medical area and we have contracted out at great expense for both medical and mental health services within the facility."
The budget at Dona Ana County Jail for medical care for inmates has nearly doubled since 2005, the year that Slevin was arrested, Williams said.
In a statement released by the Dona Ana County Commission, the jail also outlined plans for a crisis triage center "that will help stabilize mentally-ill persons who have committed no crimes but who represent a danger to themselves or others in the eyes of law-enforcement professionals."
But for Coyte, Slevin's attorney, there's still one more change that needs to be made: Dona Ana County Jail's warden.
"If you were in the trial and heard what the person who ran the facility said, you would be appalled," Coyte said. "I get lots of people [inmates] calling from that jail asking for help. Am I pleased that they've spent more money in the jail? Absolutely. I'm pleased that Mr. Slevin's case has made a difference in the jail. But the same people are running it, and it's an attitude of how you run something."
Related content:
- Man spends 2 years in solitary after DWI arrest
- Letters from solitary confinement reveal DWI man's despair
Leave a Comment:
With stories like these, we want to lecture other countries on human rights...
We are no better in this country in the 21st century then it was in the middle ages........sadistic, inhumane treatment seems to be the norm. The scary part is reading the posts from people who seem to think it is okay treatment.
Honest mistakes are one thing. This is criminal neglect. The crime certainly did not warrant solitary for almost two years. The county settled because they knew the jury award of $22M just might be approved if it went through the appeals process. For those who don't know where in NM this happened, Dona Ana Co. is the area around Las Cruces.
Just who are the REAL CRIMINALS in this country? The GANGS OF BROTHERS who call themselves police and prison or jail guards!
Nobody is ever held accountable.
Herein lies the problem. Law enforcement agencies (and prosecutors) are nearly immune to the laws everyone else must abide by while on the timeclock. Why? There is no valid reason other than law enforcement unions protecting the "brotherhood". It's nearly impossible to differentiate the criminal behind bars with the criminals belonging to the bar and those with a badge.
We must change the laws and ignore the threats of the police unions for doing so.
The REAL TRAGEDY is that NO ONE OF AUTHORITY has been reprimanded, not one day off the job, not one dime of fine, NOTHING. Instead of a "settlement" of 15 million I would give back 10 million to the county if they would fire everyone that was involved in this moral and judicial travesty.
We have the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. We are the only first and second would country that has carried out a death sentence given to a person under the age of 18. Well, the state of Virginia did wait until the guy turned 21, so I guess that's ok, so sentence them to death at 5 for drawing a gun in school and then carry it out on their 21st birthday, that's one way around it.
I remember when I first heard of this story, and my first thought was that whoever was involved in his care at the facility shoul be fired and arrested fo this guys treatment. They supposedly put him there because he was mentally ill, based on whose judgement?! My question remains the same ,Who is the individual that is mentally ill, the prisoner or the jailers? It is a travesty of our judicial system to allow these individuals to keep on working there and not face arrest!
@Emagin1mac
Oh yes, let's paint them all with that same idiotic assumption. We have 794,000 police officers in this country and yet we only hear about a few incidents a week involving bad cops. Even this incident wasn't bad cops. It was negligence, not maliciousness. And as for the US being a 'police state' , you know what we rank in the list of who has the most police officers per 100,000 people? We rank #88. Places like Bermuda, Italy, Spain have over twice the density of police officers as compared to us.
And still so many buffoons want to take our guns away.
Hmm, sounds like new mexico has softened up. Back when I lived there, in the fifties, if they didn't like your looks, they would not file any papers, they would haul you out to the dump ground and shoot you in the head. It was their version of rehabilitation, not many repeat offenders.
He might not do any thing crimnal again.. Because of the bleeding hearts we have more people in Prison because of the easy treatment they get, Lay in bed all day have three meals and can bulk up with a gym and get out and miss the easy life in Prison... They go back and the taxpayers support them for the rest of their lifes what the bleeding hearts don't relize that they are paying for this also in their taxes if they pay taxes!!!!!!!!
WTF?? the FIRST thing they should have done was fire the people running the place. They deserve to be put in prison. If you ask me He should get MORE $$ from them.
When will we stop making excuses for bad behavior? The actions of that police department were not accidental, but on purpose. They are supposed to be held to a higher standard and negligence is not included nor acceptable in the criteria of higher standard.
When you spot one cockroach, you can bet there are thousands more that you don't see.
He deserves every penny of that money, I can't believe how this guy was treated. This guy lost not only those years off his life but many from his future. And Who the hell said they want to take your Guns take your meds.
And not all Police or Prison guards A-holes.
Dan-312359
Dan laying around all day is the hardest work you will ever do.
Debi - Chris is correct. The incident wasn't about bad cops; it was about a bad criminal justice system. The cops just picked him up - they did their job. It was the prison and courts that kept him in jail and did not even give him the right to a speedy trial or any medical help. If he is suicidal, they should have had him evaluated by a mental health professional - and most prisons do have one on retainer. He should have been given access to a bathroom and shower, and get groomed - even if they sent him to a prison hospital to have his nails clipped for him (by a podiatrist).
You must have had some issues with police because you're putting them ALL down. I have a friend that when he was young had a cop take him out on a back road and handcuff him to a post. Fortunately, he had called a friend who was on another force just as he was being picked up, and that guy found where he was and saved his tail end (this was back in the 60's in the south, and my friend is black). Even he doesn't have as bad attitude like yours about cops.
The prison should be held accountable - but it should be the person who instituted the rules that kept him there without a trial. That warden should be fired. Whomever did not set up a preliminary trial where bail is set or denied - they should be fired, or the person who deliberately said do not give him a preliminary. They are NOT imune from laws - they have to follow them. The problem is that the victims in these cases are usually either still in jail or are so glad to get out that they don't want to see them again. Oh and it has nothing to do with the police unions.
1. He wasn't in prison debnran, he was in the County Jail in solitary confinement. Stop blaming the prison and court systems.
2. You're exaggerating when you say I'm "putting them ALL down" and therefore, lack any particular credibility.
As long as you and others continue to deny and make excuses for unacceptable law enforcement behavior, the system with which this type of stench is allowed to proliferate will never change.
It's called being an enabler.
Talk about Incompetence ......Not following Protocols.....What about your Phone call within 24 hours....What about a state appointed attorney and due process....Seeing a Judge within 72 hours....WTF?????.....Fire all Personnel who handled him!!!.....No medical care ...left to rot....Stupid Jailers need some Education?......Where was the follow through?.......Seems like everywhere you look Persons in Public Service Have that dreadful Virus called ATEUPWITHTHEDUMBASS..... Time to throw them all out?.....To Our REPUBLIC for which we stand United with JUSTICE for All.
It was the Quaker that experimented with solitary confinement. They believed it would be good for the soul, but found it creates insanity. You can tour the prison, but I pick the gates of hell, strange thing to find in the city of brotherly love. Interesting fact it is the favorite place to take wedding pictures. I'm talk the gates of hell not the prison for the pictures.
The most chilling remark in this story:
"...that will help stabilize mentally-ill persons who have committed no crimes but who represent a danger to themselves or others in the eyes of law-enforcement professionals."
WTF???
Since when can law enforcement officials lock people up who have committed no crime at all?
The United States has become a police state and it's time to do something about it. New Mexico residents, get off your lazy butts and gather outside this prison DEMANDING the warden's arrest and for the laws to be changed regarding law-enforcement knowingly incarcerating people who have not committed a crime.
STOP THE INSANITY NOW before it's too late.
@Debi-1314897
Neither I nor debnran made a single excuse for what happened. I called it negligence and she called for the firing of those involved. So how the @!$%# are we making excuses for them and/or enabling? And I hate to break it to you, you pretty much did tar all law enforcement with the same brush, no matter what you claim. The only one making assumptions here was you. 'See one cockroach there are thousands more' It's you credibility at stake here, not hers. You obviously have an anti-cop bias and lack the maturity to see any other viewpoint but your own. In your world Cops = bad. Fine, get over it and I suggest you don't @!$%# up and get arrested then. The rest of us will go on with our lives and not live in paranoia every time we get caught speeding.
@debi was correct in telling debnran, that it was a jail not a prison, which are staffed by deputies. The statement she made about cockroaches is meant as an analogy, that if you only see/hear of one that there are more we do not see/hear.
Wrong. It was about bad cops which is why the victim is receiving $15 million.
Wrong. The justice system wasn't even aware of him.
Wrong. They failed at their job.
Wrong. He wasn't in prison and he never went to court.
Wrong. To date, no one has been held accountable.
Oh and it has nothing to do with the police unions.
Wrong.
Chris, she called for the firing of the wrong people by blaming everyone/everything else but the guilty.
The saying "seeing one cockroach and betting there are thousands more" means the problem is prevalent, not all encompassing.
Keep your heads in the sand while the rest of us move on without you.
40% in lawyer's fees I assume?
What age do we live in? The 1800's?
The outcome of this situation illustrates how Justice is all about money. Money in, money out.
I bet the guy would rather see some of his jailers do some time and get only half that money.
America, all the justice you can buy.
It's disgusting that this occurred in this country in the modern era. That facility should be purged of every employee from the warden down to the janitor.
I would do 2 years in solitary for 15 million.
Profreedom, this incident is more akin to the 1500's.
The warden of this facility needs to be brought up on charges. From there move on to the people who handle and are in charge of detainees. Then there might be some justice.
The only ones paying the price for the sins and misdeeds of law enforcement are the taxpayers.
Law enforcement is rarely held criminally accountable and the taxpayers wind up paying the settlements/judgments in civil lawsuits.
Often times those involved instead of facing punishment, are rewarded by either being promoted or transferred to other duties.
I wonder how his life will play out. This is similar to the Rodney King incident. He received a big settlement, and pretty much drank, drugged and partied himself to death. This guy's a depressed, drunk with $15.5 million. I don't really care, I'm just curious.
And we are supposed to be hyperventilating because of drones?
Sounds like we need more concern about and protection from County Sherriffs!
That is typical of a NM layer fee. My wife was injured by an unlicensed driver while we lived out there and we were forced to sue. No Albuquerque attorney we looked into would do it for anything but 40%. Plus they tax it. Many States don't.
This guy was treated worse than anyone, even a real criminal, should ever be treated (except a pedophile, but that is a discussion for another day). He was arrested, but never charged, wasn't allowed to see doctors or dentists, and was shut away for twenty-two months with no human contact. The Sheriff's department, including the guards at the county lockup, need all to be fired and charged with torture and abuse of power, and anything else that can be thrown at them. However, NM is notorious for this type of thing. While we lived out there, the Albuquerque PD Evidence room was cleaned out, prisoners at the city jail walked out through a known hole in the fence (yes fence, not wall), and numerous police and sheriff's deputies were arrested on many charges. Just after we left one deputy was charged with killing his wife and others for either aiding him or ignoring what had happened. That is one city in one county! NM is also the site of the worst prison riot and mass murder in US history because, as the investigation revealed, of the abuses suffered by the inmates, which lead to them taking over much of the old State Penitentiary (it was forced to close after the 1980 riot). Sadly, NM still hasn't changed any. My wife and I are glad we only spent eight years there and moved back when the first opportunity arose for her to transfer back to her old office.
Thats where the death penalty should come into effect for the scum that put him in there and there is lots of scum out there
Was this guy held without trial for 2 years? It never says he was convicted of DWI. Just that he was arrested and held in solitary for 2 years. WTF!?
this world is fckd and the people running it when THEY let this kind of stuff go on power has to be taken away
The good old evidence room clean up trick huh? I've seen it happen in a case in the city of Littleton Colorado. One judge and cops were a special bunch in the late 90's, the old West cowboy types. The "Honorable" got retired though and they have a normal judge (a woman) now.
So it's not just in New Mexico. I'm pretty sure excesses are committed throughout the country from time to time. Probably the main reason people hate the Law when it comes to themselves as there's an unpredictable risk of unfair treatment. Their ace. The Law for others is never hard enough.
Is this what it takes?!
Too late. No back peddling now... You're all Fk'd. Pay up....
no hearing, no appearance before the court,no charges filed by the D.A., no jail report on persons being held, no attorney appointed to represent him,no medical exam given; all are civil rights violations; now we have indefinite detention without trial on the books; we are all in danger from a overactive government.
I grew up in NM, and it was known by even us kids that our police were corrupt....for example, in NM there are squatters rights, we own land, meth cooks came to the land and removed my grandmother (70's/ sole occupant because my grandfather died the month prior) and put her in a home with black mold all over the walls, they hired men to move her away from her own land (we grabbed her up and moved her to AZ with us)....and now they cook meth on it...its been 8 years in court, were broke, lost every dime, we lost 6 acres in court to the cooks...and they are still active today...right there cooking away off the La Plata hwy....the sheriff protects them in the name of squatters rights.
First impressions? That Elizabeth Chuck is sketching a plot for her fist mystery novel. Well.... maybe it's set in the 1830s. Or maybe it's set in the Soviet Union, Cuba or China. And, no, it does say New Mexico, so I beat my brains and figure, well, maybe we gave New Mexico back to Mexico and I missed it because I wasn't watching FOX.
After realizing that this must be the truth, I figure there must be something missing from the story. In the US, when something like this happens, it's plastered all over the place and the feds and state get involved. But, all we have here is a civil lawsuit and a few more dollars thrown at the jail so that the people who thought this guy was being treated properly could continue with their jobs, probably at more pay. Unbelievable!
Just curious, if the guy were black or Hispanic, would the story have read the same?
$15.5 million for 22 months. That comes out to be $700,000 per month. Where can I sign up?
witchrunner:
That's what we would like to believe happens here in the U.S. Truth, justice and the Lone Ranger rides in to save the day.
Instead, things like this are more and more often kept at a quiet civil level, the victim is paid off (by us taxpayers), the guilty are promoted and the calvary (the state and the feds) never arrive.
Many people view law enforcement as their incorruptible and irreproachable saviors, and until they're recognized as fallible human beings who need to be removed from their pedestal and supervised by non governmental people outside of their own fiefdom, nothing will change.
I though this was a story in the former Soviet Union, but not in the United States. I think part of the settlement should be that the victim gets 30 minutes to beat the sh!t out of the person running the jail while that individual is strapped to a chair. And than fed a bowl of cow sh!t for good measure. That might give the State of New Mexico a small sample of what hell this guy went through. How in the hell can you forget someone you put in solitary confinement for two years? Absolutely inexcusable and barbaric.
"$15.5 million for 22 months. That comes out to be $700,000 per month. Where can I sign up?"
I can guarantee you won't voluntarily stay in solitary confinement, just as this man was, for 22 months. After about a week you'll feel "stir-crazy" start to become something.... more...
Even with that kind of pay you'd be out in a month or less if you were allowed.
well america defintley has lots of human rights violations. some ppl just dont live in the areas to see it. im from south jersey so i see it everyday. america has more ppl in jail then anyone else in the world. we have 25% of the worlds inmates. hundreds of thousands in soliatary cofinement, many in there for victimless or non violent crimes such as drugs and other reasons. many are just suspects and not even the correct suspect. the prisons have CEO's and for each inmate they house they get a good amount of money out of the taxpayers. and if thats then america also has argubly the worst animal rights violations where a vast majority of pigs are in confinement in gestation crates meaning they cant even turn around a day in thier life. we have monsanto controlling our enviroment with its chemcials so they can be poweful. were losing everything in this country to the power of corporations and money greedy corrupt people. all this country comes down to is money. the richest goverment and corporations in the world and as a result we all suffer. the one thing problem with our nation is people do not voice thier opnion or protest. slowly by slowly we are a dying nation. this story has a happy ending where the guy is now free and will recive $15.5 million but if we remain silence then even a $15.5 million wont be happening anymore. and think about it, the guards who did the crime are not paying, guess who is? the taxpayers. the goverment doesnt lose anything from this. we do. they have a system all figured out perfectly where the only ones scewed are the citizens and not the goverment. monsanto and the goverment has it all figured out perfeclty. the system is so perfect to allow them to get rich and 300 million people not do a thing about this corruption. its crazy.
It's not something to be compared with a paycheck. The county cannot give this man back the 22 months he spent suffering needlessly in solitary. There is no way to make up for this wrong, not even with money. But money is all there is to compensate for his horrid mistreatment - and even that won't erase the memories nor take away the scars that will last him forever.
This was not a frivolous lawsuit, and the rest of us should be grateful that he was awarded the money. That sends a message to any county jail YOU may find yourself in someday - not to treat YOU like that. YOU could be arrested for something, even if you didn't do anything wrong. It happens. A lawsuit like this does the rest of us a lot of good, because it just may keep it from happening to one of us.
I looked up the "medical director" who was prescribing the drugs without seeing the guy. Apparently he's a naturopathic doctor, which according to Wikipedia is in most states an unregulated specialty, does not require medical education or licensing (didn't look up NM laws). Hope there is a way to prosecute or discipline this pseudo-medical professional.
jobseeker: Sure, 22 months of solitary may not sound all that bad for $15.5 million, but that's not what happened to the guy. Would you take the $15.5 million if you were to be locked up, no one knows you are there and you have no clue whether you would ever see the light of day again? Oh, and add to that the fact that you don't know you are going to get $15.5 million. Let's face reality here, the guy undoubtedly spent most of those 22 months believing he was going to die there. And then there's the way he was treated. So, care to rethink your statement?
I am not a lawyer, or maybe I missed something here, but when do they call someone a "Prisoner" before a conviction? {And since when do prisoners have Rights? They have had their Due Process, and can be denied anything, even their lives, so how is it they still can have Rights?) (Oh, that's Right, dope smokin, hippy liberals)
Are they not "Arrestees"? Not sure of the exact legal term (the accused?), but unless I am mistaken, they do not refer to someone arrested, awaiting trial, as a Prisoner? Do they? So how can this be a case of "Prisoner civil rights"? Should it not be a case of..."That verdict was one of the largest federal civil rights settlements in history." as reported by www.santafenewmexican.com
So was he convicted or not? Where are the comments from the Dona Ana County defense? They can in fact convict in abstentia, if the accused presents certain dangers, but that is extremely rare. What other things did Slevin do while in jail? Just because this 'reporter' didn't mention it, how do we know, that Slevin did not assault officers while in custody? This is some pretty one sided reporting. I am left with the impression that he did nothing wrong, an innocent babe in the woods. Uh huh...riiigght.
They also confirm, he was not convicted, as well as you guessed, other bad behavior by our 'babe in the woods"
Then we have Comments like this:
claims to be "an original Eisenhower Republican" jumps to the conclusion, based on insufficient data, that this is criminal neglect. Maybe you (as well as the others that jumped on your bandwagon) are correct, but how can you come to that conclusion without knowing the whole story.
And you are correct, the crime did not merit 22 months in solitary, but again, from this article, we do not know what else may have occurred that would warrant a longer stay.
All we have is this guys side of the story, and based on what few other reports I have found, he was no angel, and therefore his version, at least to me is suspect. And I have seen several jury verdicts that were overreaching, if not completely wrong as well, so don't say I am wrong because the jury awarded such a large judgement. With his criminal history, I could easily see this as a scam, and he refused treatment. (no mention of this in this article, but he did decline an offer to join the general population) Do we know that he did not pull his own tooth as part of this scam?
Laughingcat, maybe you need to study your Party History a little closer. Maybe you can tell me where in our history "I am a traditional Republican. If you've made a lot then you'll pay a lot, since to live in this society offers many opportunities to make a lot." the Republican Party ever had this as a Plank. (maybe I am the one lacking in historic knowledge)
@ saxon
I agree whole heartedly, and did you catch the CNN report with Rand Paul on the Drone issue? And the liberals want to disarm the American Public, wow. I guess they just can't seem to connect the dots.
*********
I am not trying to excuse what happened to this guy, it may all very well be true. And if it is, then he deserves every penny of the settlement. I am merely trying to point out some options to this scenario. Things are not always as they seem, and you are not likely to get the full story from MSNBC.
Debi..
Certainly there were sins and misdeeds in this situation but I don't feel sorry for the taxpayers of this county. They elected the officials who appointed the the leadership of the Detention Center. They elected the officials who are supposed to oversee the welfare of the community and the prisoners. They should have to shoulder their share of the settlement...they should actually have to shoulder the entire burden which they are not. I would also think the state should send in auditors to assure that those being held in this detention are not victims of tremendous civil rights violations perpetrated by those who are charged with their care. Sadly, people actually vote other into power without fully understanding the weight and responsibility of that decision.
It seems like this detention center belonged a bit father south geographically and morally (think Mexico). Detention without a conviction. None of the almost 200 employees had the decency to advocate for this man. But then why should they bother with the Gringo who was cut off from the world and held captive by an unjust system. Not just detention but to hold a man who is not pronounced guilty of any crime for two years in solitary. El Commandant of the detention center must feel very empowered...especially since those who perpetrated this horrendous act against this man are still employed and exhonerated of any responsibility. Maybe just maybe someone should check in on the juvenile side of this facility.
Seems that there ought to be a case for charging some of the jail officials with violating his civil rights if nothing else. The whole criminal justice system in this county needs to be completely investigated and purged of the people responsible here.
Soo.. hold it. They disappeared this man for 22 months, without trial or any other evidence of a judicial process, into a dungeon and now they still won't admit they did anything wrong? Nobody got fired?
Gosh, at least the DEA apologized for leaving that guy in San Diego for dead in their cells...
I agree that the man did not deserve $22 million for what he went through.
.
.
What he deserved was $222 million from the county and $22 million from each of the persons responsible. And any appeals judge should have laughed at the county's attorney just before s/he rejected any attempt at an appeal.
No wonder the public is loosing all trust and respect for police in this country. The youtube videos and the news reports of police abusing citizens and even handcuffed criminals of which is uncalled for. As this gets worse you can see in the news reports of police officers being shot or killed all over the country. They have got to start policing themselves and get the bad apples out. That blue line crap has got to go,
To Chris and others who defend the police and the jail staff and claim that it's just a few bad apples making all law enforcement look bad. These are not just a few rare incidents of corruption or a lonely cop out of control. Bad deeds and police corruption are being reported everyday, thousands per year.
The police, courts, and every member of "law enforcement" that turns their heads or a blind eye to what is happening are just as culpable as the perpetrators themselves. Debi has laid it out for everyone, but for whatever reason, you just deny it and put your heads in the sand. They are very lucky to only have to pay this man. There are many people who would have killed every one of them over this, and justifiably so. Just like the father of the 7 year-old girl killed by a police grenade in Detroit when the police raided the wrong house. Just like the unarmed man murdered by the Garland police department, tasing 8 year-olds, beating old men on tractors riding in a parade. We can go on and on and on and on listing the many crimes committed by the criminals with badges.
The scary part is they still walk the streets, and still have their badges and guns. Keep pretending it could never happen to you.
So it's the taxpayers fault because they failed to look into their crystal ball which would have made them aware of what was to take place in the future? Get real.
Isn't it time the taxpayers stop getting shafted over and over again due to the misdeeds of others? We've got to stop pushing responsibility off the guilty and onto ourselves. Frankly, I'm fed up with it. What ever happened to taking personal responsibility for your own actions?
I don't often agree with the "Sue Happy" world we live in, but in this case I'm in total agreement.
What happened to this poor man is a disgrace.
The people responsible for this should ALL be fired.
For sure a sad story. Glad he is getting a settlement. Now, the question is, for $15.5 million, would you spend 2 years in isolation? At my ripe old age of 33, I absolutely would.
@ DumbFarmBoy "jumps to the conclusion, based on insufficient data, that this is criminal neglect."
The 15.5 million settlement in the title of the article would argue it is criminal neglect. The first sentence of the article says confirms that. The second sentence reinforces it by telling us that it is "one of the largest prisoner civil rights payouts in U.S. history."
How on earth can you have a 15 million dollar civil payout without some related crime? If we were talkining, maybe thousands of dollars I could see that kind of payout for an honest non-criminal mistake. If someone owe's you 15 million for what they did to your person, it must have been criminal?
You people are correct... there are to many people in jails... time to get rid of them.
ANYONE in for life... end it.
ANYONE in for child molestation... they're done, too (can't rehibilitate them)
ANYONE in for murder... they won't change, so end them too...
Drugs... might as well get rid of them, they're just going to go back to thier old ways...
This guy had a DUI... and in for two years?? Come on... where were all his relitives?? You mean no one missed him for two years?? And as far as the toe nails.. find that kind of strange... he couldn't cut his own nails, what was he, stupid??
Sorry folks... something just didn't sit right with me on this one...
Sadden American:
Your point of view appears more recognizable as Middle Eastern than American.
@ Bounty
Yep, right on cue! and you believe everything reported here is the whole truth? That is scary.
You either have a reading comprehension problem, or you have a problem of not finishing what you start. Did you read my entire post? NO. you jumped to conclusions just like all the other idiots.
"And I have seen several jury verdicts that were overreaching, if not completely wrong as well, so don't say I am wrong because the jury awarded such a large judgement."
Remember the Liebeck case, the jury awarded her $2.86 million for dumping coffee in her lap, the judge reduced it to about $600k if memory serves. Just because there is a big settlement does not PROVE anything. It just means the jury may have been gullible. And how many juries have convicted innocent people, i.e. been completely wrong?
Here is what it says at the end of my post "it may all very well be true. And if it is, then he deserves every penny of the settlement."
Being a critical thinker, I do not make decisions or judgements, based on one sided information. I would just like a little more information, especially from the county, or about this Slevin guy before I decide if this is a valid judgement, or if this was criminal negligence. I have found no reports on the original trial itself, (of course I have not had much time to look). And I said before, this guy had a criminal history, (NOT Reported here was it?) so was he gaming the system? I do not know. And no one else here does either.
Yet most of you jump on the bandwagon and demonize the justice system, "We have to do something so this never happens again." Since no criminal charges have been filed, can we prove anything really did happen? Remember, a civil suit is based on the "Preponderance of Evidence", meaning "in all Probability" not beyond a Reasonable doubt. We know from this report he pulled his own tooth, have we heard from the other side if he even filed a request to have his teeth looked at? I mean, how easy is to say he was denied services, if he never requested them? Where is his proof he asked for them? Maybe he had that proof, but it is not present in this article.
All I was asking people to do was to ask some sensible questions, before siding with these guys, "against the establishment", I was not saying, and am not saying these abuses didn't happen. Just suggesting their may be an alternative reason to why they did, if they did, or to what extent.
Remember, this is MSNBC, and they have an agenda, (or at least it appears that way from some of the truly poor and one sided reporting I have seen here)
DumbFarmBoy:
As a self described "critical thinker", who "does not make decisions or judgments based on one sided information", do a little research (google "The real story behind hot coffee") and if interested, watch the award winning documentary available on DVD. It will change your opinion as to who was really at fault in the Liebeck case, once you have the facts and not just the flapping gums of some highly paid public relations firm. Things are not always as they seem when portrayed by the side who is able to make the most noise:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_coffee_case
@ Debi
Yes I am aware of the whole story behind the coffee thing. And yes I am aware that McDonald was aware of the issue too.
Was the McDonald's coffee too hot? depends on who you ask, those who get the coffee to go, and drink it later, (the ones who want it hot enough, so that it is not tepid when they get to where they are going) or the ones who drink right in the store. I personally ask for a cup of ice to go with it so I can cool it down when I eat at the restaurant, but I also like it scolding hot, so when I get to work, it is the right temperature.
The thing is, a reasonable person knows coffee is hot, and should be handled with care, and a flimsy paper/Styrofoam cup of the stuff should not be placed in near proximity to the genitals. PERIOD.
The problem is there are getting to be fewer and fewer REASONABLE people in this country. I know, I deal with product liability issues on a regular basis. Did you know that I am an Engineer? Not sure if I mentioned that here, but I have else where. And I am constantly asked to design stuff to be used by the incompetent and stupid. And no matter how well my fellow designers and I improve a product, there is always an improved idiot out there to hurt themselves with it.
When are people going to accept responsibility for their own incompetence? Never, so long as we have a tort system that rewards stupid behavior. Now, if the coffee had melted through the cup, then I would have agreed she had a claim. But she intentionally removed the lid, one of the safe guards, as well as an integral support structures for the cup, which collapsed under the pressure of her squeezing knees, thus spilling the coffee in her seat. Had I been on that jury I would have awarded damages (court costs) to McDonalds.
Oh, yeah, and when I do get coffee to go, I transfer it to an insulated travel mug, unless they fill it for me. (some stores will refill a travel mug, for you) and I make sure that I do not have it directly over any part of my body when I do, to prevent burns, and was doing so well before this incident.
SCALDING:
McDonald’s had a policy of serving its coffee at temperatures ranging from 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit to enhance flavor and ensure that to-go cups were still warm when they reached their destinations. (The coffee that you brew at home probably comes out at around 140 degrees, so there’s a significant difference.) Moreover, experts testified that skin can burn quickly when contacted by liquids at these temperatures.
Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/26862/real-details-hot-coffee-lawsuit#ixzz2N2yXRhz6
And yet, McDonald's revealed that MANY previous lawsuits against them were for HOT COFFEE burns..... and yes, they finally lowered the temperature.
@ RI Mom,
Yes I am aware they lowered the temp of the coffee. I noticed it one morning when I got to work and my coffee was almost cold. I quit going to McDonalds. And if you the closing arguments in the case, the emphasis was on the large amount of Revenue McDonalds generates, its Profitability, and it focus less on the actual incident. I would surmise it left the jury with the impression that McDonalds was the "evil corporation" and this was a mere pittance to them. In other words, it was complete emotional drivel. (one of the reasons the judge, more less, immediately dropped the judgement to a 1/4)
And do you realize that hot liquids are dangerous and should be handle with care, right? How many times have you scalded the roof of your mouth, or your tongue? did you sue who ever served you the hot food? In all likelihood, you went "Ow", and resolved not to do it again. I mean you aren't going to stick your hand in a lawn mower to remove a blockage, or something while its running are you? I would hope not. And if you did, how is that the fault of the maker of the lawn mower? Why is it McDonald's fault these people didn't take the proper precautions when dealing with a hot liquid? There are many dangers we face every day, and we take precautions to avoid them, or at least I do. Like I said, there are getting to be fewer and fewer reasonable people.
And I still agree 100% with McDonalds. You all seem to think this is just another evil corporation, with money grubbing CEOs. Tell me, how is this their fault? The coffee was hot, yes. It is supposed to be. And anyone over 5 years old knows this, or at least should. A woman of her age should have known that coffee is hot. She should have known that a Styrofoam cup is flimsy. Common sense would dictate that if I put a flimsy container between my knees and squeeze, it is going to collapse.
And we are way off topic here, I was using this as an example to demonstrate to 'Bounty' that just because a jury awards a stupidly huge judgement, doesn't necessarily prove the other side is guilty.
And I don't know why I am wasting my time, you'll never "get it".
Waaaa:
My coffee was cold & I never read the case history so RI Mom "doesn't get it"
Waaaaaaaa:
Snivel, whine.... Waaaaaa....
.
.
After receiving the order, the grandson pulled his car forward and stopped momentarily so that Liebeck could add cream and sugar to her coffee. (Critics of civil justice, who have pounced on this case, often charge that Liebeck was driving the car or that the vehicle was in motion when she spilled the coffee; neither is true.) Liebeck placed the cup between her knees and attempted to remove the plastic lid from the full cup. As she removed the lid, the entire contents of the cup spilled into her lap.
The sweatpants Liebeck was wearing absorbed the coffee and held it next to her skin. A vascular surgeon determined that Liebeck suffered full thickness burns (or third-degree burns) over 6 percent of her body, including her inner thighs, perineum, buttocks, and genital and groin areas. She was hospitalized for eight days, during which time she underwent skin grafting. Liebeck, who also underwent debridement treatments, sought to settle her claim for $20,000, but McDonalds refused.
During discovery, McDonalds produced documents showing more than 700 claims by people burned by its coffee between 1982 and 1992. Some claims involved third-degree burns substantially similar to Liebecks. This history documented McDonalds' knowledge about the extent and nature of this hazard.
@ Rhode Idiot Mom.
you really should read the previous posts....
So what is your point? That 700 other people are just as stupid as this woman, yourself included?
Coffee is supposed to be hot. One is expected to handle it with care. Where is the personal responsibility? Like I said, would you be so eager to pity the person who stuck his hand in a running lawn mower or would you think, what an idiot?
I bet you are the type that looks at the Darwin Awards and laughs at those idiots. But just because this is McDonalds and other people scalded their tongues, you jump on the band wagon and sue?
Maybe if the prison system actually attempted to treat or rehabilitate inmates, they would be less inclined to repeat visits...
rehab doesn't work. Why spend resources on people who make bad choices when kids need who haven't need more resources. Doesn't excuse what happened.
Villl I now a few people who have been in prison, came out and entirely changed their lives...so it does work...not for all, but your blanket statement is simply wrong.
Villum1, that's nonsense. Rehab works to the degree the person wants to be rehabbed. This guy may have been DUI, but that does not excuse inhumane treatment. If it happened to you, even through an honest misunderstanding, you'd be singing a different tune.
wow , i had to reread it , for a min , i thought they were talking about a mexican prison & i was thinking , good luck getting that money , then i saw NEW MEXICO & i couldnt believe what i was reading. those ppl need to be fired PERIOD!
Not a good idea. If they didn't come back, then the prison industry has lost a cash cow. Do it often enough and no one will be in prison and they will all go bankrupt. Why do you hate capitalism?
Villum 1,
Saying everyone that has made a mistake is not able to change their life, is as bad as saying all the police, correctional officers, and those who supervise them are as bad as these were in this case.
Lighten up!
Byron, excellent theory, most likely factual. when you take the justice system and privatize it like we do then the bottom line above all else is making a profit, we all know that corporations will go to great lengths to make a profit, and since most inmates in prison are convicted felons, its very easy to disregard human rights, how many people truly care about felons rights. Well, they do have basic human rights, and its the prisons job to rehabilitate inmates so when they get out they are less likely to end up back in prison, Yeah right. thats not in a corporations best interest, repeat customers are. I am against privatized prisons and so are many states that have outlawed private prisons. im pretty sure that the U.S. and israel and great briton are the only countries that have for profit prison systems. prisons themselves as well as medical services, food services, inmate transportation, among other things are privitized. there are over 107 private prisons in the us. and since private prisons started booming seems like americas prison populations skyrocketed. i see a pattern, do you? Another thing that has to be factual, is the cost to house inmates at private prisons has to be astronomical compared to a state run prison, i could go on and on about this issue. they need to be banned and the corrections corporation of america, incorporated in 1984, are making tons of money, but hey were a capitalist country, right? and its just simple capitalism, god forbid the government would take over a private institution, the 1% would cry foul, and how there rights are being violated by socialism.
Only in America...we are so lost...
For that amount that the county had to settle with this negligence I think it is just right to put the "Jail Warden" into Slevin's position so he will pay attention to his repsonsibilities, WTF!
Johnny, you have a very optimistic worldview if you think that this sort of thing append only in this country. By comparison I dare say this falls to the more humane side of person treatment than what one might expect in many it her countries. I do, however, completely agree that we are so lost, though perhaps for different reasons than you.
For what he got in a settlement there should be a clause that states if he's arrested again for the same offense then restitution back to the state will have to happen. I don't condone the negligence, but the huge sums of money in our country through lawsuits are bankrupting us and he would never have been in solitary confinement if he didn't get a DWI. But why should we ever look at what he did. now he has 15 million to go get wasted again and this time kill someone and now has the money to get off clean. got to love the system.
This sounds about standard for our prison system. How about we lock all the judges, lawyers police officers and prison guards up for 2 years in solitary.
How about start with the Jail Warden itself, what the @!$%#!
Perhaps the federal government needs to investigate the flagrant abuse of those incarcerated in this jail without a trial.The warden should be tried and if convicted sentenced to solitary confinement for two years.What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
GBR -- that will teach them, it will teach them all, because they are all responsible for this! And cleaning lady -- you're right! We don't need the rule of law, what we need is more unjust punishment to solve these kinds of issues.
How about all the bleeding hearts!!!!!
Not every prison system is like that one. I know people who work in the prisons in my state - and it's one of the hardest jobs around, and those men and women are hard working. They don't take crap from the inmates, but they don't abuse them either. These people have to walk a fine line - if they get too friendly with the inmates, they can be taken advantage of by the inmates, and if they are too strict, they can be accused of things (even if they didn't do it). Without knowing this guy's background in the prison - the part about the health care is that he may have refused care when they asked him if he wanted a dentist or a doctor. If they refuse care, they cannot force them to have it. But there is no excuse for not having a trial - even a preliminiary one where they set bail or deny it - unless there was one and we haven't been told about it.
County jail, not a prison, no excuse for any of it.
So Dan, you're saying that what happened to this guy is perfectly acceptable to you?
Time to call Saul.
Its a wonder more people dont come back for real pay back
County jail IS a prison... it's not like the one's you see in the movies...
I don't know about locking everybody up, but I would like to see long prison sentences for those responsible for this barbaric treatment of a prisoner. This definetely qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment, therefore prosecutions and convictions of the perpetrators are in order.
I agree. NO ONE should be put in charge of a person when they are so lacking in meeting basic human needs. EVER. They should be prosecuted and never put in a position of trust again. The people who did this to this man are sub-human.
Wow..$7.5 million per year...
That's pocket change for this kind of unnecessary suffering. My freedom and independence are worth more to me than all of the money in all of the world's treasuries combined!
Yeah, Irish, what a lucky guy. Sheesh...
You give up some of your freedom and independence when you go out and commit a crime. This wasn't some victimized innocent person, he could have killed someone.
I don't think he should have spent time in confinement with the neglect he had but he damn well deserved to be in jail.
He also deserved to be charged, have a lawyer, and an actual trial. Do you actually favor locking people up for an indefinite period without at least some kind of court hearing?
desreved to be there Kiru hmmm not a case of the smarts there
Kiru, read the Constitution some time. Remember the sixth amendment, a right to a speedy trial. The Constitution is the highest law of the last, and it was violated. That means someone broke the law, and it wasn't the suspect. He was never found gulity, and therefore didn't deserve ANY time in jail.
it can happen to anybody, look how many politicians that have duis, judges too, and there supposed to have good judgement.
The current Republican governor of New Mexico, Susana Martinez, was District Attorney during the time in question.
exactly..what happened to a speedy trial he never got? This is failure at all levels.
Aha! So? This is her term duh not a good political news for her if that's the case. Sound racism to me against white am I right? This is a good example of it.
Javadanny -- you implying that Martinez is responsible? Because I happen to know that the warden and several of those prison guards involved are democrats.
YEAH, you're right!! Has she said why she didn't do anything about it. Did she even make the rounds at Christmas time and ask the inmates what they were there for?? Or, was she too busy getting ready for Christmas. I'm from New Mexico. I think I know the answer: she was too busy kissing butt with Heather Wilson and Pete Dominici.
Jogrinder, it doesn't matter that the warden and guards are Democrats--- their heads should roll. They are not immune. The State should go after them for negligence and help Dona Ana County pay what they owe to Slevin. How do you like them apples??
Was she the DA in Dona Ana County?
Wow..pays to spend some time in prison these days..become a millionaire easy!
Starting a new book.."How to become a Millionaire without really trying".
You call this "easy"?????
Sign up for a trip into solitary for two years.
You might even lose enough sanity to eat the money when you get out.
That is, if you can survive without fastfood, he-he-he
Wow, Suicide prevention is disgusting and ignorant.
A shame he couldn't have taken his life in some sort of way instead of being locked away for 2 years and rotting
Forcing someone to stay alive just so they can be tormented for 2 years of their life in what is basically a cage?
People are F***ing pathetic.
People have a right to die.
Um, Random, What are you talking about?
Um, Maning, What are you talking about?
Pretty obvious...
Great conclusion to an unbelievable and horrific situation following the inhumane treatment of a fellow American! This story portrays the violation of this man's human rights--right here in the US of A!
More often than not, the mentally ill are housed in correctional facilities, rather than mental hospitals. Ergo, the screwup in the jail, with no mental health professionals to check on him. Very sad and speaks volumes for our society that doesn't care about the 'throwaways!'
"mentally ill"? how pathetic, get over yourself. People have a right to die.
Something smells fishy here. What if the guy was acting crazy and they kept him from harming himself. I see people living under bridges all the time in Fl. They look just like this guy. If he hurt himself wouldn't the state be responsible. There has to be another side to the story. If not the people that put him away should go to jail now.
The point you miss is there has been a case and a trial. The state would have presented their version, and they lost.
Amen to that "Frankly True". Straightforward "Villumi-3935507" just frankly true. Do you think the State Attorney will allow this to happened if there were not a case and a trial? They had lost because of the negligence of their Jail Warden. Needed to be put on Slevin's place so he will fathom his responsibilities as such.
Even the crazies should have some level of due process. Otherwise the cops can lock up anybody indefinately for whatever reason by claiming "sorry, I thought he was crazy."
A county jail is not qualified to determine mental illness, nor is it legal for them to do so. Did you look at both pictures? The one on the left is what he looked like when arrested--not that that really matters even. If there was another valid side to the story do you seriously think someone is paying out $15 million??
Maybe the reason you see people living under a bridge who look like this guy is because he wasn't allowed to shower or shave for 22 months, moron.
Then there should at least have been a petition for civil commitment filed. Either way it is a huge violation of the right to due process. I recently met a guy who was packed off to a mental institution for the criminally insane for years as "mentally ill and dangerous" after a suicide attempt--but no petition for commitment was ever filed. He spent 8 years in the system before a lawyer filed a habeas corpus petition, with state appeals judges ruling in his favor and stating how appalled they were by the failure to follow due process. He now has a pending federal lawsuit against the county prosecutor and director of the institution (MN case)
This isn't worth $15MM.
Try it yourself if you can say that. Every seconds that is taken from your life without a justifiable reason or reasons is priceless. Negligence from the part of the jailer is priceless as well. Get it? His lawyer is excellent and doing his job well done, period.
his lawyer is now even more rich, he doesnt care about his client with the paycheck he's getting for winning this case. lawyers are the scum of the earth.
His mental health has been severely compromised from the time he was in that facility. That continues to be the same. No amount of money will bring back what they took away from him," Matt Coyte, Slevin's Albuquerque-based attorney, said on Wednesday. "But it’s nice to be able to get him some money so he can improve where he is in life and move on."
Really?? he needed 15 million dollars to improve his life?? something his lawyer calls "some money"
Money can never return what he lost. He deserves every last dime. But he also deserves some justice wherein those responsible pay a price. They broke the law.
cuadrado, while I would agree that a lot of lawyers aren't worth the oxygen they use, consider that without an attorney Slevin's case never would have been heard. He would have nothing.
Remind me never to drive though NM.................................
not that bad a state certainly some nice scenery and some nice people
Never to drive in NM as well as in Arizona particularly at Maricopa County.
Well, at least never drive drunk in NM or AZ. They have a nasty habit of enforcing their laws as if they really mean something mr than a politician's talking points. Though the man certainly should not have received the treatment he did, he was arrested for an act that cold easily killed many. He should have received a trial and if convicted received the punishment of his evil deed.
I have no problem with him getting arrested with being
drunk. I have huge issues with him never seeing a judge. Never getting to see a
lawyer. Never getting to see a doctor and all the rest.
New Mexico's state motto is "Land of Enchantment."
I've heard it refered to as "Land of Entrapment." Having lived there for three years myself.
As to "never drive through NM as well as Arizona especially Maricopa County" I have discovered something long ago. If you don't do anything wrong, I don't care where in the world you are, you have no fear of getting picked up by the cops.
"As to "never drive through NM as well as Arizona especially Maricopa County" I have discovered something long ago. If you don't do anything wrong, I don't care where in the world you are, you have no fear of getting picked up by the cops."
You sir/ma'am, live in a white bread bubble of niavete'
I think you're the one living "in a white bread bubble of niavete'." Google Innocence Project.
I have discovered something long ago. If you don't do anything wrong, I don't care where in the world you are, you have no fear of getting picked up by the cops.
Yes, though unbelievable, there are still those who will argue till the cows come home that Santa Claus exists and is proven because he has a mailable address in the North Pole. Lol
To those who feel that the money is over kill, I ask you this: Would you agree to two whole years of solitary confinement if you knew you would get $15 million when you got out? Would you really? Not a chance in hell that I would.
I would take that deal any day.
Well, duckdog-sedona, I'm sorry you have a such a crappy life. The rest of us wouldn't trade our freedom and our sanity for any amount of money.
we are currently losing our freedom and sanity for nothing except the lies from our government--give me a drink and tell me where to drive--the scenic route please.
Amen to that "JrzWrld" Amen! He really don't get that 15M net. Aside from taxes there is maybe 40% taken out of it from the Attorney's fee and maybe more for associated fees of the litigation. Claimants lawyer take a case without pay until the case are decided. So this lawyer is one of the best at this field take that into consideration "duckdog-sedona" my question to you is, do you still want to duck with it?
wrong theche- there is no federal tax on a jury award that makes a claimant whole.
How this could happen and not be on purpose is crazy, or was it shown to be on purpose? My understanding is they just "forgot" about the guy? I could see that happening in a large facility like Cook or L.A. County but New Mexico? $625,000.00 a month for compensation, wow.
And we expect the !@1!!@ government don't tax him on this money as it was the government who did this atrocity.
IRS would never miss this one "rocketero2011" did you missed your taxation class? Especially that this case is blewn up in the media. Information feeding to the IRS and you will get what you want. Taxation is the oldest business in this planet which includes prostitution, oil and slavery. So, for those who are asking of no taxation like the "Tea Partier" that's baloney! Just ask the NJ Governor after the Sandy storm. State cannot stand alone without the Federal assistance. We need taxation to balance the budget. No income nothing to spent simple...
thechef- you must have missed "taxation class", whatever that is, the federal government does not tax jury awards/settlements that make a person whole. stop making sh*t up.
No one that did this to the guy was fired or arrested...WTF is wrong with this system..The idiot that was running the place and some of the guards should be thrown in jail.
Start with the head I suggest the Jail Warden first or the Sheriff whoever is incharge.
He got the authentic American prisoner treatment. Throw the problem away and hope no one finds it; act shocked someone finds out; promise it will never happen again.
For that kind of money, lock me up. That's the way criminals should be treated. Perhaps a little too long for a DWI, but some of those prisoners derserve it and more.
I work for a living, have dental and health insurance. Neither pays much for a tooth extraction...so I pulled my own tooth with no pain drugs of any kind. Suck it up sissy boys. Life sucks and no one compensates me.
There's no excuse for unlawful/inhumane punishment, Get over yourself.
YOUR MAD if you think you could stand solitary confinement for 2 years. They couldnt pay me enough money to go through what he went through. Id have to kill myself first
The prison was expanding to take in mental health patients and yet they cant take care of one person, they want to continue. Shut down that prison..
Hey ajvenom, Are you sure you didn't pull some brain out with that tooth.
What brain?
@ajvenom. what's the big deal on pulling their own tooth, I had pulled 3 of them in my life time. big deal. the case here is not about a tooth extraction, but the illegality of the whole case.
Money or no money, there is no excuse they did not take the guy out of the cell, give him an occasional shower, cut his nails and hair, shave him, etc.
Everyone misses the main point--the fact that he never saw a judge or got a trail, so unconstitutional, that if it were up to me not a single person who was ever even in the same building with this guy would ever work in the legal field again and many of them would be up on civil rights charges. Our justice system is FAR from perfect but it is a darn sight better than what most other countries have and this makes a mockery of it.
In jail, no trial, no contact....must be a terrorist.
I'm surprised they didn't try to use that line of crap. Oh, I forgot, LE or govmnt can now call any of us a terrorist even if there is no proof at all and treat you just like that man. Doubt it? Then you're not reading the laws that have been passed since 9-11.
"Land of the Free? Whoever told you that is your enemy!" - Rage Against the Machine
Now something must be done, about vengeance, a badge and a gun...
Great tune bro, thanks for puttin it in my head today.
the system in new mexico is so stupid =.= this further proves it... i hate this state sometimes lol
where do we send the police who are a danger to others in the eyes of citizens??
Wow. Only in America can you commit a crime, go to jail, and collect your Two-Hundred, er, I mean 15.5 MILLION BUCKS!!! This is absolutely absurd!!! How about this novel idea, obey ALL of the laws of the land and do not go to jail in the first place?!
I have to wonder, how many other MILLIONS will we be paying out to convicts and criminals? Why in the hell should lock up be a trip to the Hilton? You're in jail for pity's sake!!!
You are retarded, you know. You do know that, don't you? Have you noticed how people look at you funny?
There's no excuse for unlawful/inhumane punishment Sonia, get over yourself
I just love Christians.. the most evil-minded, cold-hearted, bloodthirstiest "believers" in the world.
The fact that they keep pretending they're not, even with evidence like Sonia here, is what makes them the worst.
The warden who kept him there needs to face a judge and be sentenced appropriately otherwise justice is a SHAM in NEW MEXICO
Stephen, There is no need to insult the truly mentally handicapped. Sonia is just a mean and venal person. She obviously knows how to read, write, and operate a computer so she can't claim to have a mental handicap, she is just ignorant and pathetic.
Sonia dear, now read this very carefully: do you not understand that he was NEVER convicted of any crime whatsoever? Try reading the story again, he was NEVER brought before a judge!
If you condone such abuse in America or any other country, then let's put the shoe on your foot and see how it fits.
We don't even know if he was guilty of the original DUI charge. Could be he failed a field test but was not intoxicated. There was no trial since the govt forfeited its right to try him. . . even though we was found not competent to stand trial, by then any speedy trial opportunity was very long gone
I find it shameful that this man endured 2 years of HELL on a misdemeanor charge. I also find it shameful that NBCNEWS.com is willing to put more weight on "highly recommended" posts than to have the posts weighted by conversation and responses to that conversation instead. Even the most highly rated posts do NOT allow a direct reply, only a reply to subsequent replies. This is VERY WRONG!