First of all: HD is genetic, incurable and fatal. It manifests itself in too many ways to count, including mental and physical disability. Spasms, jerking, difficulty talking are all common. So is rigidity in hands, arms or legs.
It killed Woody Guthrie. It's killing my stepson Andrew. Fortunately he has no children, and at this point he can only walk a few feet with help.
He inherited it from his father, my wife's first husband, who didn't exhibit symptoms until he was in his 60s. If you have it, you can pass it on. The chances are exactly 50:50 that a child will have the mutant genes.
So I have a vested interest in the unacceptable behavior of three Westover, W. Va. cops on Sept. 6, and I'm angry, too.
According to the local newspaper, "Jeffery Brian Bane, 39, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer and battery on an officer."
(Sound familiar?)
In a dry news police-beat report, the newspaper wrote,
according to criminal complaints Westover Police Officer Colin Sheridan went to Holland Avenue in response to a report of someone abusing children. Officers later encountered Bane outside Frank’s Place.
Bane had two infant children with him, which he said were his. According to police, he appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, handled the children roughly and became agitated as officers spoke with him about the children.
Sheridan and his two buddies, being medical experts, knew for a fact that Bane was just a regular guy who was whacked out:
"Bane struck the stroller violently with his hand, pushing it forward abruptly while his infant son was still seated inside,”
so they decided to push him to the parking lot and, later, the three figure the right therapy is to sit on him.
When officers tried to restrain Bane, he began to fight officers, kicking one and trying to spit on others, according to the report.
In short, Jeffrey Bane was taking his kids down the street
as best he can. Someone (who? the usual unknown 911 caller) called the police to report a child abuser because Bane didn't look normal enough, apparently, as he tried to manage a stroller.
The upshot is three cops sitting on a man who can't control his muscles, telling him to control his muscles. You see, they don't know Huntington's Disease or another physical handicap from their own arses, they simply assume he's drunk or stoned, and proceed to inflict injury.
The video is very clear. In it you will hear Cop #4 who is on hand to hassle the woman shooting the video, Sara Bostonia. She posted it to YouTube without knowing it involved a terminally ill man. She didn't like the look of it or the sound of it.
Surveillance camera view of Bane making his way past a building minutes before the police show up.
The cops-choking-and sitting video.
Here's the video, zoomed.
The HD community took notice. The Cure HD blog ran an excellent and evenhanded followup on Sept. 16, interviewing Bostonia and Bane's nephew Josh. The nephew now has a Facebook page, Justice4JeffreyBane.
According to the blog:
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” she said. She then started filming.
“I’ve never done that, never,” she continued. “Once he started the gurgling and screaming for help, I could tell he was completely pinned to the ground. I said ‘stop it’ while I was getting out of my car.”
In the video, as the officers hold Bane to the ground, he displays frequent episodes of chorea.
“Stop it!” the officer holding Bane’s head to the ground shouts. Another says: “Stop fighting us.”
“I can’t breathe, goddamit,” Bane says desperately. “Help me. I can’t breathe…. Help me, sir, please help me.”
As Bane appears to choke, one of the officers orders him to “stop spitting.”
“Help me, please,” Bane pleads again. “I’m not trying to fight you guys.”
The officers misinterpret involuntary movements in Bane’s legs as attempts to kick them. They clearly had not been trained to assess the possibility that such actions resulted from HD (or any other condition).
On the Facebook page, Josh Bane notes:
WESTOVER is the department responsible for Jeff's arrest. Granville PD was on scene, but Westover made the arrest and has the case. Please direct emails, calls, and letters their way. http://www.local.wv.gov/...
And indeed, the Westover police are really, really interested in "the preservation of order."
This raises two questions: Did these three medical experts from a police department ask Bane if he had any medical issues? The Huntington's Disease Society of America issues cards that explain the holder has HD. Bane didn't have the card, but it's doubtful this crossed their minds anyway.
Second: What didn't they understand about "I can't breathe?" You don't have to have a fatal illness to suffer serious injury or death when three cops decide to sit on you. Does Sheridan, with his heroic companions, give a rat's ass?
Dave Johnson, Mayor Without a Clue
Probably not. Westover's mayor doesn't give a rat's ass. He told local TV news it is a “non-issue.” The Cure HD blog relates:
"The outrage of anything even close to police brutality in the case of Jeff Bane is totally unwarranted,” Westover Mayor Dave Johnson said in a statement released to the station. “If I had any doubt whatsoever I would be the first to bring the officers involved to the carpet, so to speak.… The City of Westover has moved on."
Now there's a mayor who is dedicated to preserving order, and to paying out a large sum of taxpayer money once the lawsuits hit. Where have we heard this before?
Said Cure HD:
It’s a reminder that police should all be exposed to the Law Enforcement Training Guide produced by the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, and that those afflicted by the disease would be wise to carry the “I Have Huntington’s Disease” cards recommended by HDSA.
More Coverage
Man, this crap makes America look like an Idiot-cracy to the rest of the world.
The Daily Mail: Article
... and ...
Local newspaper report (warning - typical crummy website with autorun commercial video)
Another noncommittal local news report on WDTV.
5:29 AM PT: QUICK UPDATE: Added a link to the Facebook page. It is https://www.facebook.com/....
8:15 AM PT: Thanks, all, for Rec List. That's something new for me ...