Deaf woman calls 911 as she's beaten black and blue by Washington police officers 'because she didn't hear their orders'

[Jordan]

http://www.sott.net/article/262464-Out-of-Control-Deaf-woman-calls-911-as-shes-beaten-black-and-blue-by-Washington-police-officers-because-she-didnt-hear-their-orders

 

 

 

 

 

A Washington woman suffering from mental and hearing disabilities was left with severe bruises on her face after she claims an officer punched over and over her because she could not understand his orders. Megan Graham, 36, of Federal Way, dialed 911 while being arrested last Monday to complain about police brutality after being pulled over by an officer and hit in the face.

Things quickly spiraled out of control during Graham's run-in with police officers, whom the 36-year-old disabled woman had accused of hitting her several times in the face while attempting to restrain her.

The Federal Way Police Department, however, insists that it was Graham who was violent and disorderly. The 36-year-old woman now faces a felony assault on an officer charge. She is set to be arraigned June 10. It all started at around 7.15pm last Monday when Graham pulled into the parking lot of Forest Cove Apartments, where her friend lives. Moments after the woman stopped the car, a police cruiser drove up behind her with its lights flashing.

Graham was under the impression that the officer spotted her using her cell phone while driving. Police records indicate that Officer Justin Antholt approached Graham and asked for her license and registration. Graham showed the officer her license, along with an expired insurance card.

In an interview with the station KIRO-TV, Graham, her face still black and blue and swollen, said that she got out of the car, told the officer she was just going to carry her dog to her friend's unit and offered him to accompany her.

According to Graham, because Officer Antholt was speaking to her from his car with its engine running, she never heard him order her to get back into her vehicle. In the next moment, Graham said the officer lunged at her and grabbed her wrist. 'I pulled my arm back, grabbed my phone and called 911 to call for help,' she said. 'I told the officer I had mental and hearing disabilities, and didn't understand why he was trying to hurt me.'

In the recording of the 911 call obtained by the paper Federal Way Mirror, the 36-year-old woman is heard telling the dispatcher that she is being attacked and asking for help. 'How dare you even touch me,' she told the officer on the call, which captured the officer's voice repeatedly telling Graham 'You are under arrest,' 'put your hands behind your back' and 'stop resisting.'

A second officer, identified as Ashley Crispin, arrived on the scene a short time later and, assisted by the first officer, wrestled the woman to the ground.

'I could taste the blood going into the back of my sinuses,' she said. 'Once I was on the ground, I was hurt. ... All of a sudden there's all these cops on top of me pushing my face in the ground. ... It was just so unbelievably horrific and upsetting.'

Graham said the second officer punched her in the face three times, and one of the cops also threatened to use a Taser on her while she was pinned to the ground.

'It was horrible. I just didn't understand any of it,' said Graham. 'I told him about my condition. Punching me over and over in the eye is obviously excessive force. He could have handled it a lot differently.'

Federal Way police, however, offered a different version of events, claiming that when an officer approached Graham to arrest her, she clenched her fists, took a fighter's stance and tried to strike the cop.

In a photo provided by the police department and posted on the FoxNews.com, Antholt is seen showing what was described as a scratch mark on his cheek, which he allegedly sustained during his confrontation with Graham.

Graham's friend Deborah Fenwick said she witnessed the incident and insists that the disabled woman was not resisting arrest.

'That woman doesn't have a violent bone in her body,' Fenwick said. 'She's got a heart of gold. If she would have understood the officer's commands in the first place, she would have absolutely complied with him.'

Graham said that besides the bruises to her face, she also suffered a concussion. The Federal Way police are currently reviewing her complaint regarding excessive use of force.   

[Spydar]

What is up with those police in america? I keep reading news reports on  these kind of incidents a lot now, it's like they trying to see which police department could make the biggest and most outrageous news report. I just can't wait for the new system where all this will be no more

[ReadYourBible]

High stress job, used to having people resist arrest.  Her behaviour probably seemed consistent to someone resisting arrest to them they respond with force because they believe their assessment of the situation to be true.  

 

She doesn't understand what is going on, puts up a fight, so it escalates into excessive force.  She's not a small woman either, but it seems from other sources the officer is 6'6.  Sad situation all around.  

 

Most states are installing cameras in their cruisers now, because the camera doesn't lie.  Hopefully there will be some extra footage from that to see who is telling the truth.  The fact she called 911 asking for help.....is interesting.  

Edited July 5, 2013 by cerebral ecstasy

[surfergirl]

Far out..I sometimes watch Bad Boys the Cop show. Those guys are not to be messed. Poor Woman..

 

 

Even the Aussie Cops are becoming rough. One tourist died from a Tazzar.  A friend he is a brother now was a Cop a few ranks up. & Short of a seal. use to tell us all sorts of cases when he was still in the LAW.

Out here they are looking at banning the Tazzars. 

[Jordan]

What is up with those police in america? I keep reading news reports on  these kind of incidents a lot now, it's like they trying to see which police department could make the biggest and most outrageous news report. I just can't wait for the new system where all this will be no more

 

It's called "color of law" they are allowed to see how far they can go to get away with things based on authoritarian principles. The Cato institute cites statistics that show that you are more likely to be murdered or raped by law enforcement then a civilian criminal.  This isn't a one time event, it's very common now. 

 

It's changing, or becoming prevalent for a specific reason - http://www.policemisconduct.net/

 

Honestly people are very misinformed about law enforcement, they think they are there to serve and protect. They don't have to legally do anything of the kind. They are there to server and protect Satans beast and that is all - to keep the law and order for the establishment, right or wrong, they are not there for your protection.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/politics/28scotus.html?_r=0

Edited July 5, 2013 by Jordan

[Jordan]

2010 stats --- are listed at policemisconduct.net but here's one of the charts:

[ReadYourBible]

Stats can be used to prove anything.  Mark Twain said it well, when he said there are lies, damn lies and statistics.  I don't dispute there are certain ones who would use their position to exploit others, but there are still those who are not in it for the power, or the position of authority it grants them.  They do it because they truly do want to protect the people that they care for.  It's not exactly a highly paid job, nor a glamourous one at that.  Definitely no glamour in cutting down a 12 year old kid who has hung himself in the basement of an abandoned home.  

 

They're people just like the rest of us, and Jehovah has seen fit to allow them to remain in positions of authority until such time as he deems fit to remove them.  

 

“Honor men of all sorts." 1 Peter 2:17"

[Spydar]

A few days ago I watched a video with a police officer came to arrest a man who was in a argument with a woman, the officer tazzed him but he stood his ground told the woman he would get her, same time another officer came, and as the man was turning around to go on the ground and take his arrest the officer that just came, jumped on the man and slammed him on the ground then the officer that tazzed  the man jumped on top of them and then one of them was telling the man the most ridiculous thing to do given the situation he is in, one of the officers was telling the man to "turn around, turn around now, turn around"          How could you turn around while you are face flat on the ground and two men are on top of your back? 

Another video I watched is where a man was walking with his rottweiler (it was a big dog and was on a leash) while police officers was in the area. Then the man puts the dog in his car, but the window was half way down and went to the police turned around and they arrested him for whatever reason. Now as the dog saw that he started barking and when they were walking back to the police car the dog jumped out the car and ran towards them. When the owner of the dog shouted at the dog to stop the dog stop but the officers just continued walking to the police car and again the dog came barking towards them and the owner shouted stop and the dog stop . Now to the dog the owner is being attacked and to him it is his duty to help. Instead the officers release the man to take control of the dog they fired some shots at the dog and killed it.  

 

Then I got to thinking do these police officers use their brains and moral sense when making a decision?

[Jordan]

Stats can be used to prove anything.  Mark Twain said it well, when he said there are lies, damn lies and statistics.  I don't dispute there are certain ones who would use their position to exploit others, but there are still those who are not in it for the power, or the position of authority it grants them.  They do it because they truly do want to protect the people that they care for.  It's not exactly a highly paid job, nor a glamourous one at that.  Definitely no glamour in cutting down a 12 year old kid who has hung himself in the basement of an abandoned home.  

 

They're people just like the rest of us, and Jehovah has seen fit to allow them to remain in positions of authority until such time as he deems fit to remove them.  

 

“Honor men of all sorts." 1 Peter 2:17"

 

 

I promise you most of them are not like the rest of us. Cops don't do anything to bodies, corners and mortuaries do, they are the ones that "cut them down" or clean up the shot gun suicides, I used to work with one in Los Angeles named Abbot and Hast. Growing up in my neighbor hood the cops were the ones that sold the drugs, and I know brothers in Detroit and NY that have said the same thing to me. 

Sometimes I feel if you didn't grow up in inner-city you don't know what's really going on in the real world and develop normalcy bias, something like American is this big benevolent group of loving people that would never do their "own kind" wrong. It's the beast. There's companies that kidnap and sell women and children into sex slavery, get caught, go to congress and get off scott free. I've seen some of the most racist things that I've ever seen in my life perpetrated by law enforcement - no one can tell me other wise because I've seen it over and over growing up. 

 

You can't help get corrupted by the position of power - I'm sure of it, I've worked with it and it's evil past your wildest dreams. It works exactly the same way it does with us in the truth, bad influences and ideologies prevail. That's my take on law enforcement and government from a one time insiders perspective. 

 

Truthfully there's nothing and no one you can trust outside the truth - it's a lot worse then you might think sister.

I say this will all the love in the world to you - really, I do. xoxox

Edited July 5, 2013 by Jordan

[Jordan]

A few days ago I watched a video with a police officer came to arrest a man who was in a argument with a woman, the officer tazzed him but he stood his ground told the woman he would get her, same time another officer came, and as the man was turning around to go on the ground and take his arrest the officer that just came, jumped on the man and slammed him on the ground then the officer that tazzed  the man jumped on top of them and then one of them was telling the man the most ridiculous thing to do given the situation he is in, one of the officers was telling the man to "turn around, turn around now, turn around"          How could you turn around while you are face flat on the ground and two men are on top of your back? 

Another video I watched is where a man was walking with his rottweiler (it was a big dog and was on a leash) while police officers was in the area. Then the man puts the dog in his car, but the window was half way down and went to the police turned around and they arrested him for whatever reason. Now as the dog saw that he started barking and when they were walking back to the police car the dog jumped out the car and ran towards them. When the owner of the dog shouted at the dog to stop the dog stop but the officers just continued walking to the police car and again the dog came barking towards them and the owner shouted stop and the dog stop . Now to the dog the owner is being attacked and to him it is his duty to help. Instead the officers release the man to take control of the dog they fired some shots at the dog and killed it.  

 

Then I got to thinking do these police officers use their brains and moral sense when making a decision?

 

 

Saw that video -- I'm going to post a few of them here that are less visual - just some things that come across my desk daily. Shooting dogs happens all the time - I'll post some... Oh and the reason was he was filming them doing their Job.

Edited July 5, 2013 by Jordan

[Allabord4Jah]

Years ago, I worked for a law enforcement agency. The agent in the group I worked in told me that if I was ever pulled over by the police, to keep my hands on the steering wheel.  If my window was up, to crack it down a little bit before he or she gets to your side of the car.   If he or she tells you NOT TO STEP OUT OF THE CAR or whatever your driving, obey his or her command.   Once you step out, they have no idea what you are planning and they will ponce on you, either by words and or physically put you down on the ground with their bodies and the tazzer.  There are good officers and there are really bad ones.  In this system, as it gets worse and worse, it may be more bad officers then good ones.  And too, I believe someone in here mentioned that a lot of officers are under duress, laws have changed, and some can not make sound decisions.  Fear makes them agressive.   Where I worked, an agent killed a civilian.  It was like the wild west out in a parking lot.  Both were in the wrong, the agent got fired, and fined, the other person, the civilian, who was drunk, got fined and sentenced to jail.    And too, the agency that I worked with, refused to work with rookie young officers from various branches of the State, City and other Federal agencies, because they were to cocky and thought they knew it all.  This could prove fatal out in the line of duty for the experienced officers.   

Edited July 5, 2013 by allabord4jah