Breaking News Update (2/14/08)
Attorney General calls for review of wheelchair case
Attorney General Bill McCollum today released the following statement
regarding the case of the Hillsborough detention deputy who tossed a
quadriplegic from his wheelchair:
"I have viewed the video of Mr. Sterner's treatment, and I am appalled by the
situation which so clearly unfolded in these images. I have forwarded the
evidence to my Office of Civil Rights for our immediate review, and I have
asked the director of the office to take the appropriate action.
"We have been in communication with the sheriff and have been assured of his
full support and cooperation."
(source)
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Who is Brian Sterner?
He's a person, just like you and I. He's a quadriplegic and an athlete--he is also a Life Rolls On Hero. He's an academic. He's also a victim of a Tampa area Police Department that apparently doesn't understand appropriate ways to interact with people in wheelchairs. If you haven't seen the story read this excerpt from MSNBC:
It’s hard to shock people in this modern wired
world, but even the chief deputy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s
office in Florida found the security camera video of a jailer dumping a
paralyzed man out of his wheelchair appalling.
“It
can happen to anybody at any time,” the man in the wheelchair, Brian
Sterner, warned TODAY co-host Meredith Vieira on Wednesday in New York.
“Hopefully, that’s what will come out of this, that this negative way
of dealing with life and people will change.”
The
incident, captured on surveillance video and viewed by thousands on the
Internet, occurred on Jan. 29 when Sterner was being booked in the
county jail on a warrant for a traffic violation. It came to light only
in the past week when Sterner, still angry at the treatment he
received, called a Tampa television reporter, who obtained the tape and
broke the story.
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Want more background on Brian Sterner? Read his LRO Hero Bio:
"I'd
like to nominate my son Brian who is making a difference in the lives
of those with spinal cord injuries in the State of Florida as the Florida Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center (FSIRC) Director."
Brian
also contributed to the ThinkFirst program which made awareness and
education videos that were (and are) distributed to "at risk" youth
aged 18-25.
From
the FSIRC website, "Orginally from Ocean City, Maryland, Brian earned a
masters degree in philosophy at Gonzaga University in Washington state.
In 2000 Brian began work on a Ph.D. at the University of South Florida.
Also as a teaching assistant, he has taught Introduction to Philosophy,
Critical Thinking, Medical Ethics, and a course on Disability Studies.
He is currently researching his disertation which will compare and
contrast the emerging field of disability studies with existentialism
and post-modern thought. In January of 2004 Brian took over as Director
of FSCIRC. In his spare time he is an active participant in wheelchair
sports. He is a member of the Tampa Generals wheelchair rugby team and
also enjoys pushing a wheelchair racer and swimming."
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Coverage of this incident is fanning out across the nation. I've embedded video above of the incident and included links to a number of the stories. Add your take below or add it to one of the other blogs and discussions taking place on this site.
External Links:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23144420/
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/002098.html
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=73747
http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/02/deputies-suspen.html
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/02/12/deeson.fl.disabled.man.dumped.wtsp
Blogs and Discussions On Disaboom:
Quadriplegic Dumped from Wheelchair (blog)
ON FOX NEWS TODAY: Deputy dumps man in wheelchair on the ground (blog)
If You Drive Through Tampa Bay Florida... (blog)
Tampa, FL Man Dumped from Wheelchair by Police (discussion)
