Man left to rot in solitary confinement for nearly 2 years after arrest

[AstroManLuca]

This is pretty horrific. I can't imagine this happening to me. Very glad he was awarded all this money; hopefully it makes things easier for him.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...-solitary-confinement-reveal-dwi-mans-despair

Cliffs:

- Guy gets arrested on suspicion of drunk driving
- Pre-existing depression causes them to put him in a padded cell for the first couple days
- He is then put in solitary confinement for nearly 2 years, during which he has to pull one of his own teeth (no dentist provided). His mental condition deteriorates and no one is responding to his letters for help.
- Finally he is let out, sues the county, and is awarded $22 million.

 

[Saint Nick]

Yeah, read this a few days ago. Truly tragic. Prison system isn't working!

 

[Spoooon]

Sucks for him and glad it was rectified.

Now, would anyone volunteer for that knowing they'd get 22 million at the end of it?

 

[Saint Nick]

Sucks for him and glad it was rectified.

Now, would anyone volunteer for that knowing they'd get 22 million at the end of it?

Hell no. I can't believe some of the comments on that article.

"Yeah! I'd wait in solitary for $22 million"

Fuck that. Solitary can probably drive a man crazy...

 

[Vic Vega]

Sucks for him and glad it was rectified.

Now, would anyone volunteer for that knowing they'd get 22 million at the end of it?

I wouldn't call it rectified... I mean, you can't fix this, that's why they had to pay him.

 

[Spoooon]

I wouldn't call it rectified... I mean, you can't fix this, that's why they had to pay him.

Well, yeah, that is true.

There are definitely some places that you do not want to get arrested in, that's for sure.

Hell no. I can't believe some of the comments on that article.

"Yeah! I'd wait in solitary for $22 million"

Fuck that. Solitary can probably drive a man crazy...

No kidding. He got 22 million because that's what they thought he deserved after what he went through. If it were a piece of cake, he wouldn't have gotten near as much money.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Jeezuz. After two years alone you could forget how to live in the wider world.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Jeezuz. After two years alone you could forget how to live in the wider world.

With $22 million you wouldn't have to.

 

[DesiPower]

Diver stolen vehicle while drunk... rot 2 years in jail, sounds like we are not only shipping jobs but also adopting other policies of those countries!!

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Diver stolen vehicle while drunk... rot 2 years in jail, sounds like we are not only shipping jobs but also adopting other policies of those countries!!

Where was he convicted of those crimes?

 

[DesiPower]

Where was he convicted of those crimes?

I made the comment assuming "No"

 

[Dr. Zaus]

I think I could leverage the 22 mill and get guards to bring me my mac book and coffee, so that I can be creative.

 

[Zeze]

I don't think you guys realize how detrimental solitary confinement is.

No natural light, no entertainment, no clock, no activities, just you and the cell. Days seem like seconds, seconds seem like years, and it's only been 4 days.

Do that for 2 years, you don't come out normal.

 

[rh71]

once again, alcohol was involved.

 

[cubby1223]

I wouldn't call it rectified... I mean, you can't fix this, that's why they had to pay him.

"they" being John Q. Taxpayer.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

Yep. I was forgot in jail for 3 weeks. I could sue them, but they didn't put my DUI on my record when I was released. Nor would they tell me shit.
So, I guess 3 weeks & $400 in the hole with the bank, is a fair trade for keeping a clean record?
Fuck Lake County Jail though, foreal.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

once again, alcohol was involved.

100% this.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The US is so fucked up when it comes to laws and punishments. There is no proper priorities set. It seems software piracy is the worse crime you can do, drunk driving and drugs are probably around second. The actual real serious crimes like murder are usually just put on the back burner for 20 years until they decide to consider maybe looking at it.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

The US is so fucked up when it comes to laws and punishments. There is no proper priorities set. It seems software piracy is the worse crime you can do, drunk driving and drugs are probably around second. The actual real serious crimes like murder are usually just put on the back burner for 20 years until they decide to consider maybe looking at it.

Why is every word you wrote wrong?

I'm just wondering.

 

[Fenixgoon]

if i got stuck in solitary i could catch up on so much sleep!

 

[911paramedic]

That's fucking tragic. I've watched a lot of the jail shows, and the lockup (prison) shows, and as far as standards prisons win...believe it or not. Jails are just holding cells until you get your trial, so you are just a number and a court date to them.

Prison inmates get better healthcare than most of us do I bet, but I wouldn't want to pay those premiums, lol.

No natural light for that long? That will cause all sorts of problems with your metabolism, not to mention your mental state. I'm really glad this came to light, no pun intended, and he got a huge settlement. "Who's policing the police?"

 

[pmv]

The US is so fucked up when it comes to laws and punishments. There is no proper priorities set. It seems software piracy is the worse crime you can do, drunk driving and drugs are probably around second. The actual real serious crimes like murder are usually just put on the back burner for 20 years until they decide to consider maybe looking at it.

Drunk driving is a very serious crime, in my view. I'd throw the book (not sure which book, but some big and heavy one, possibly an encyclopedia of some sort, perhaps wikipedia in book form would do it) at those actually convicted of it.

In this case the point, as I understand it, he never even came to trial, they held him awaiting trial and never got round to actually having said trial. That would be scandalous pretty much regardless of what he was charged with. And the solitary confinement bit is off the scale. Surely that's only justified for those who wreak havoc while in prison?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Drunk driving is a very serious crime, in my view. I'd throw the book (not sure which book, but some big and heavy one, possibly an encyclopedia of some sort, perhaps wikipedia in book form would do it) at those actually convicted of it.

In this case the point, as I understand it, he never even came to trial, they held him awaiting trial and never got round to actually having said trial. That would be scandalous pretty much regardless of what he was charged with. And the solitary confinement bit is off the scale. Surely that's only justified for those who wreak havoc while in prison?

The problem with this particular case though is that he did not actually do it, he was only suspected of doing it. Or maybe he did do it, but it was not proven. It also depends how "drunk" he was. If he was clearly zig zagging all over hitting people then yeah throw the book at him. If he had one beer and just happened to register over but was completely fine, it's kinda harsh.

Sure drunk driving IS bad, but I think they should go to regular jail. Solitary confinement should be for the really insane murderer type people. Maybe child molesters and stuff too.