Guards Let Man Die In Jail Cell After Misdemeanor Pot Offense

[green73]

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1447363/thumbs/n-SAFFIOTI-large570.jpg?6

Today's story is part drug war, part police indifference and callousness, part police cover-up. It comes by way of a lawsuit filed by the family of Michael Saffioti.

Saffioti failed to make a court date on a misdemeanor charge for pot possession. In July of last year, he surrendered himself to Snohomish County, Washington authorities, who promptly jailed him. (The streets of Snohomish County were a little safer that day.) When it came time for breakfast the following morning, Saffioti is seen on video having a conversation with a guard while holding his tray. Presumably, he was inquiring about any dairy products in the meal. Saffioti had a severe allergy. He's then seen taking a few bites of some oatmeal. (You can watch the video here (http://www.kirotv.com/videos/news/video-video-shows-man-dying-inside-jail-of-food/vCHS2x/).)

The awfulness that followed is detailed by KIRO TV. (http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/man-dies-food-allergy-shohomish-county-jail/nbhYh/)


Within a few minutes, Saffioti was back at the guard desk, using his inhaler.

According to the legal claim, he asked to see a nurse.

Instead, he was sent to his cell.

Over the next half hour, the video shows other inmates looking in Saffioti's cell as he jumped up and down.

The legal claim says he pressed his call button and was ignored.


It also alleges that the guards told him he was "faking."


About 35 minutes after he ate, a guard found Saffioti unconscious in his cell. The guard called for help and Saffioti was dragged out.

Nurses arrived and performed CPR. Everett firefighters took over and rushed Saffioti to the hospital where he was pronounced dead a half hour later.


Then the coverup began. County officials stonewalled Saffioti's mother's attempts to obtain video of the events leading to her son's death, first by denying its existence. After Saffioti's family discovered the police had lied about that, they turned over only non-incriminating portions of the video. The family was eventually able to force them to hand over the entire thing. So far, attorneys for the family have also been barred from interviewing jail staff or responding medical personnel.

This is the eighth death in the Snohomish jail in three years. Johnathin Vankin reports that "a recent investigation by the National Institute of Corrections found that the jail’s health department is seriously understaffed and that overcrowding in the jail has caused serious safety hazards."

But New York criminal defense attorney Scott Greenfield points out that this is about more than just staffing and funding.

cont.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/06/todays-drug-war-outrage-m_n_4225995.html

[tod evans]

Die druggie, die! :mad:

[Origanalist]

This was covered here. I'm not saying it's not noteworthy, just not new.

Having witnessed the behavior of Snohomish County jail guards firsthand , not really surprising either.

[green73]

This was covered here. I'm not saying it's not noteworthy, just not new.

Having witnessed the behavior of Snohomish County jail guards firsthand , not really surprising either.

My bad.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?432605-Today-s-Drug-War-Outrage-Man-Dies-In-Jail-Cell-After-Misdemeanor-Pot-Offense

And AF was on it over a year ago
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?392639-WA-Mom-coaxes-son-to-quot-turn-himself-in-quot-on-minor-pot-charge-24-hours-later-son-is-dead

[GregSarnowski]

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/man-dies-food-allergy-shohomish-county-jail/nbhYh/

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. —

Video obtained by KIRO 7 through a public records request shows a Snohomish County Jail inmate questioning the breakfast he was fed that ultimately killed him.

Michael Saffioti, 22, was no career criminal.

He had turned himself in because of an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for marijuana possession.
The video comes from jail module E-4 on the morning of July 3, 2012.

Around 5:46, a group of inmates arrived to serve breakfast and men began lining up.

While others sat to eat, the camera first captured Saffioti at the guard's desk, holding his tray.

Saffioti suffered from extreme dairy allergies and took regular pains to protect himself.

Because he had been at the Snohomish County Jail once before, guards had a medical file on him.

"Our theory is that they absolutely knew about Michael's medical needs," said Cheryl Snow, the attorney for Saffioti's mother, Rose. Snow has filed notice of a $10 million claim against the county, which says no special diet trays were sent to the module that morning.

The video shows Saffioti apparently discussing his food with the guard, servers and fellow inmates.

Eventually, he took a few bites.

"We know that he asked questions and made inquiries and he was assured the oatmeal in the food was safe for eating," Snow said.
Within a few minutes, Saffioti was back at the guard desk, using his inhaler.

According to the legal claim, he asked to see a nurse.

Instead, he was sent to his cell.

Over the next half hour, the video shows other inmates looking in Saffioti's cell as he jumped up and down.

The legal claim says he pressed his call button and was ignored.

About 35 minutes after he ate, a guard found Saffioti unconscious in his cell, cell. The guard called for help and Saffioti was dragged him out.

Nurses arrived and performed CPR. Everett firefighters took over and rushed Saffioti to the hospital where he was pronounced dead a half hour later.

"This video shows Michael clearly made his needs apparent, that his needs were ignored. Once he suffered distress he was further ignored," Snow said.

Snow had to file a public records complaint against the county to get the video, which she says backs up what witnesses have told investigators.

Her complaint says the county originally claimed the video didn't exist.

Snow says she has also been prevented from interviewing officials from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office and responding Everett firefighters, despite early promises to Rose Saffioti of transparency from county officials.

"Instead of us having transparency we have come up against a brick wall," Snow said.

[coastie]

When will it ever end?

[aGameOfThrones]

Her complaint says the county originally claimed the video didn't exist.

Snow says she has also been prevented from interviewing officials from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office and responding Everett firefighters, despite early promises to Rose Saffioti of transparency from county officials.

Defend this you apologists.

[donnay]

Absolutely disgusting--no regard for human life. So another young person's life is diminished over the war on drugs.

[DamianTV]

Nobody freaks out when its all "part of the plan".


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0AXgaFqEas

Death Penalty for an action to which there is no Victim. This really is the End of America.

[roho76]

I guess drugs do kill. The state was right everybody. Let's pack it in guys. /s

[angelatc]

5 threads and counting ....

[green73]

5 threads and counting ....

If we got it to a hundred threads would you be annoyed 20 times more?

[LibertyEagle]

That is so sad. There are no words. :(

[angelatc]

If we got it to a hundred threads would you be annoyed 20 times more?

Is that why you started another thread - just to annoy me? Or was it actually to make sure you got the attention you feel you deserve?

Sites don't work well when people want to be the center of attention, instead of providing a hub of information.

I like to be organized. One topic - one thread. Sue me.

[Natural Citizen]

One topic - one thread.

I agree with this completely. Is one of the biggest problems I have with this particular site. I know that there are a lot of people here and so we don't always know that the discussion is already happening but this is something that moderators should be on top of.

It becomes a genuine problem when a single issue spans a year or so and information needs to be shared regarding current events that pertain to it. When we have new things relative to an existing thing popping up everywhere and scattered throughout then the information chain of events is lost. The relevant terms of controversy are lost. People basically remain uninformed and perhaps even disinformed because of the lack of organization or someones personal take on a single element of an existing problem that may be much broader in scope then they perceive based upon whatever view they are getting from a given author of a single article or paper. I know that's a big old run on sentence so hopefully it makes sense.

[green73]

Is that why you started another thread - just to annoy me? Or was it actually to make sure you got the attention you feel you deserve?

Sites don't work well when people want to be the center of attention, instead of providing a hub of information.

I like to be organized. One topic - one thread. Sue me.

I admitted my mistake early. It happens all the time on a forum. Most see it as forgiveable. Others are just cows.

[green73]

Oh and as far as that shit about me posting here just to get attention for myself: go fuck yourself.

[cajuncocoa]

I admitted my mistake early. It happens all the time on a forum. Most see it as forgiveable. Others are just cows.

I don't see the problem. Not sure why others do .

[Natural Citizen]

I don't see the problem. Not sure why others do .

Isn't a problem directed toward a person. Just in scope. The process. Meaning the general disorganization of the flow of information. I wasn't really harping on green. As I said, I know how it happens. Just don't know why it isn't corrected when it does.

[dillo]

pot doesnt kill people, prison food does

[green73]

Isn't a problem directed toward a person. Just in scope. The process. Meaning the general disorganization of the flow of information. I wasn't really harping on green. As I said, I know how it happens. Just don't know why it isn't corrected when it does.

It happens. The search engine sucks here. Though it's not always to blame. But usually a mod remedies the situation and merges. To bitch about and attack people is beyond the pale. Some people have serious issues.

[Natural Citizen]

It happens. The search engine sucks here. Though it's not always to blame. But usually a mod remedies the situation and merges. To bitch about and attack people is beyond the pale. Some people have serious issues.

The search is kind of useful. Not always though so I agree with you. I had mentioned this just the other day in the relevant thread for those kinds of things. Even if you have moderators checking these mishaps we can't just assume that they know where a given discussion is relevant to an existing one either. And that's not to pee on the moderator's Cheerios or anything. Is just the way it is. Human nature.

[green73]

The search is kind of useful. Not always though so I agree with you. I had mentioned this just the other day in the relevant thread for those kinds of things. Even if you have moderators checking these mishaps we can't just assume that they know where a given discussion is relevant to an existing one either. And that's not to pee on the moderator's Cheerios or anything. Is just the way it is. Human nature.


In this case it doesn't matter. There weren't five other threads. She was lying. The thread posted earlier today has been deleted, presumably by a mod (it had no comments). AF posted on this case 12 months ago. How horrible of me to post again on it with a current news item. Five threads? I definitely didn't find that. But at the end of the day, it's just another excuse for a very unhappy person to vent about something.