Georgia Man Suing After Being Tased While His Face Was Against the Wall in a County Jail

Says county refuses to pay medical bills

via WSB-TV

Carlos Seals is suing the county of Richmond, Georgia, and two deputies who tased him while he was in custody at the county jail, seeking $20,000 to cover medical expenses from being tased in the head back, WSB-TV in Atlanta reports.

In their incident report, police claimed Seals was being combative and did not comply with their orders. Seals admitted to WSB-TV that he had cursed at the officers, but says he was complying when tased. The video shows Deputy Donnie Crawford tasing Seals while Seals was against the wall with his back facing the deputy. The other deputy had tried to tase Seals earlier but failed to connect. Two more deputies show up, and it takes more than a minute for any of them to check Seal's pulse.

The county says Crawford was fired but no action was taken against the other deputy. Neither does it appear that Crawford has been charged with a crime. Seals' attorneys filed a federal civil rights lawsuit. Why Seals was in custody in the first place is not being reported. The incident occurred on August 30.

Watch the WSB-TV segment, which includes footage of the tasing, below:

Comments

[Mainer2]

Let's not go jumping to conclusions here. Remember we're only hearing one side of the story. We don't actually know what happened before the video. These good officers may very well have had reason to fear for their safety, and had to make a split-second decision in a life-or-death situation. If you've never worn the uniform, you have no idea what it's like and really have no business spreading misinformation and your misguided opinions about matters you know nothing about. Let's grow up and just wait for a full and fair investigation, which will conclude that the police were following standard procedure, even if unfortunate mistakes were made in this tragic situation. These brave heroes are, after all, under-staffed, under-paid, and under-appreciated and their training budget was severely slashed in the latest round of budget-cutting.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

Cameras don't pick up the Silent But Deadlies.

[loveconstitution1789]

You know what is brave? Reporting fellow police officers that violate the law and People's rights on the job.

Oh wait, most cops are not THAT brave. Any sympathy I have for the tough job, is tempered by what police tend to actually be like or allow their fellow officers to do.

[sarcasmic]

The whole point of the job is to be able to do whatever you want, and no one will stop you. That's why cops don't intervene when other cops commit criminal acts. It violates the core principle of the job.

[Brochettaward]

Once you've failed to comply, you're already guilty of the greatest sin and future compliance won't make up for it.

[$park? is totally a Swifty]

Tased in the head? I'm surprised that didn't kill him or at least blind him. In any case, if you're going to act like a thug then you're going to be treated like a thug.

[straffinrun]

I believe he cracked his head on the concrete floor when he fell. Either way the obvious solution is to get the cameras out of the jails. It's not widespread if we don't see it.

[Hamster of Doom]

... to cover medical expenses from being tased in the head...

-.-

[straffinrun]

Free thought Project claims it was shot into his back. Did Ed make a mistake?

Carlos Seals was harming no one and being entirely compliant when Richmond County deputies deployed a taser into his back causing him to fall backward and hit his head.

[straffinrun]

Yes, Ed did.

"I watched him come through the door and he said, 'pop his a**.' As soon as he said that, dude shot me in my back," Seals said.

[Ed]

thanks

[straffinrun]

NP 🙂

[Brochettaward]

Interesting article from RT on recent remarks made by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to the Senate.

Highlights include:
1. Republicans wanting a no-fly zone in Syria that would ground Russian and Syrian forces. McCain scoffs at the idea that this would lead to a war.
2. Blaming of Russia for breaking the flimsy ceasefire.
3. Admittance that there is no legitimate force to oust Assad, and that are continuing insistence there is fucking stupid and dangerous.
4. Complaints about funding, specifically for defense contractors who can't be expected to operate in such an uncertain environment.

[Brett L]

If the average defense contractor (GD, Lockheed, GE) doesn't have eight years worth of operating capital tucked away, they've better have several small tropical islands populated exclusively with whores who process cocaine for snorting off their asses.

[loveconstitution1789]

What we did see, is this guy's head slamming against a concrete floor and then medical staff trying to fix this serious head injury.

But hey, he's a criminal so he got everything he deserved. Ammirite?

Prison Industrial Complex gotta PIC!

[The Late P Brooks]

Sovereign immunity is awesome.

[loveconstitution1789]

If its good enough for kings then its good enough for the Nanny-State.

[SIV]

I realize it's just yokel-infested flyover country to you but this isn't "Richmond, GA" it is the Richmond County jail in the city of Augusta, GA.

[BearOdinson]

A relatively minor, but interesting point, is that he is only suing for $20,000 for actual medical expenses. Not 1 million dollars for pain and suffering or anything. That would seem to make his case even more legitimate. Any lawyers want to comment?

[loveconstitution1789]

It could "seem more legitimate" but many of these cases that have great evidence are settled without jury trials.

The Plaintiff can always amend his complaint for more damages after testing the water to see if the public is on his side. This guy could have a criminal record a mile long, so sympathy might be an issue at jury trial. hard to argue with a settlement covering just medical expenses which is covered by insurance.

Either way, he has a creative attorney. A cut above as they say.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Twenty grand? That's nothing. That's why these places have insurance.

I wonder which area police department ended up picking up new free agent Donnie Crawford?

[dantheserene]

I'll place my bet on Crawford ending up in DeKalb. They could probably use a(nother) deputy with his particular set of skills.

[loveconstitution1789]

Or Clayton County. The Sheriff, Victor Hill, shot a friend "accidently" or without due regard as they say, and pled to a $1000 fine.

[Proud Infidel]

He also left the scene without giving a statement that day and did not go to jail. Just...went home.

[sarcasmic]

It's probably a matter of principle. If they pay then they have to admit that they did something wrong. They can't do that. It might harm the public trust.

[You Sound Like a Prog (MJG)]

Two more deputies show up, and it takes more than a minute for any of them to check Seal's pulse.

Jesus. Fuckin animals.

[sarcasmic]

Depraved indifference is a job requirement.

[loveconstitution1789]

They ain't trained to fix 'em, only fuck 'em up.

[Juice]

That looked like a pretty hard concrete floor. He landed head first. You bet your ass that's a law suit.