Inmate says excessive force by police led to his paralysisBy Glenn Smith (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, July 13, 2008
John McFarland has been paralyzed from the chest down since he mysteriously collapsed at the Charleston County jail five years ago, one month after a run-in with sheriff's deputies and police in Mount Pleasant. The New York native wants someone to be held accountable for his injuries, which have left him permanently disabled. But not everyone agrees how he ended up in this state. McFarland, 43, insists sheriff's deputies and police handcuffed him and rammed his head into a doorjamb after he led them on a pursuit following a December 2003 traffic stop. He maintains that his neck was broken in the process, but that his pleas for medical treatment went unheeded until he collapsed and ended up a quadriplegic. The former corporate auditor has sued the sheriff's office, the town of Mount Pleasant and jail medical providers, alleging that he was the victim of excessive force and negligence. The defendants deny the allegations and dispute McFarland's claims that he was assaulted by law enforcement. They say there is nothing to directly tie his injuries to his encounter with police five years ago. To learn more about McFarland's story, read Monday's Post and Courier. |
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Comments
This article has 5 comment(s)
Posted by darkwing_7 on July 13, 2008 at 12:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A HELL OF A HIT IN THE HEAD TO BREAK HIS NECK IN SEVERAL PLACES. DON'T YOU THINK THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE NOTICED ALL THE BLOOD RUNNING DOWN HIS FACE IF THAT HAD HAPPENED?
Posted by desspec on July 13, 2008 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Should have stopped at the traffic stop ...
Posted by The_Mouth_of_the_South on July 13, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He got what he deserved. I have no sympathy for criminals.
Posted by MeJG on July 13, 2008 at 7:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sometimes a simple hit on a head can cause a neck to break -
It does not require any sign of blood.
He may have not stopped at a traffic stop. What was his other charges?
In America it use to be innocent until proven guilty. We have become you are being charged with..... (WHATEVER) and now you - yes you - must prove you are innocent.
I hope - Darkwing7, Desspec, and The Mouth of the South - have the opportunity to visit a jail (behind bars) and see how you feel.
I have never been arrested - but just last week I was stopped by North Charleston (for speeding) 8 miles of over the speed limit. I was guilty - no problem.
As I was going to the glove compartment to find my insurance and registration. I was told by the officer.
Good thing you found it I would have to take you in if you couldn't prove insurance or ownership.
I am 67 years old and was shocked - Not threatened with a ticket - but arrest.
Yet I did have both registration and insurance.
Posted by RTC on July 13, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It took him one month to become paralyzed? If you break your neck seriously enough for paralysis to set in, it doesn't happen after one month. You can walk around with a broken neck for a time, but not that long.
Is he sure that another inmate didn't exacerberate his "injury" while in the jail?
Too many things aren't being told in this story.