Police tie man to chair, Pepper spray his face for 20 Mins.

If posted already Mods feel free to delete.
This happened in Maine a last year the video somehow just got leaked now. The inmate had spit on a cop so they took the logical action (sarcasm) and tied his hands and feet to a chair put pepper spray on his face one officer rubbed it on with a gloved hand holding his hand over the inmates eyes for about 20 mins.

The video and related documents recount how Capt. Shawn Welch, an official at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, used pepper spray on an inmate who was bound in a restraint chair, then left him in distress for more than 20 minutes. A story about the incident appeared in this week's Maine Sunday Telegram.

Scott Burnheimer, superintendent of the medium- and minimum-security prison, fired Welch over the incident, but that decision was overruled by Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte, who gave Welch a 30-day suspension, according to the documents and interviews. The newspaper story and video posted on the paper's website led the chairmen of the Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee to seek a review of the incident. The committee plans to review the incident in the context of the department's experience with use of force and its policies for investigations, said Rep. Mark Dion, D-Portland.

30 day suspension! are you f****** kidding me? this is blatant torture of a human being. The video is disturbing to say the least. Even though he is a criminal and spit on a cop this should never be a course of action. Slap him a few times leave him in a cell for hours okay sure, but rubbing pepper spray on a guys face, I cannot even imagine that pain. You can hear him in the video saying "Captain I can't breath! Please take his hand off my eyes Please!"

The video is only on the portland press's webpage, I can't find it on youtube but if someone can that would be great. Here are the links to watch.
Portland Press Article

The 17Min Video

reply to post by Agent008


I worked in a prison for 6 months. I watched them do this very thing to an inmate who spit on a nurse over some medication. He begged them to help him, but they just ignored him. Not sure what ever happened to him. The next morning they opened the cells for breakfast and this inmates best friend came out onto the gallery and drove 7 inches of steel into a co-worker of mine. Stabbed him over fifteen times. It was payback for what was done to his friend. I quit the next day. I understand the frustration, but it isn't necessary to torture someone over some spit.

reply to post by Agent008


Would you please fix your title being its not accurate.

The man was not tied to a chair and pepper sprayed for 20 minutes straight.

Your source -

When one officer pinned his head to the chair, Schlosser struggled and spit at an officer. Welch sprayed him at close range with pepper spray, called OC spray, from a canister intended to be used on multiple people at a distance of 18 to 20 feet, according to an investigator's report.

Welch then refused to let Schlosser, who said he couldn't breathe, wash his face for 24 minutes. A spit mask was placed over Schlosser's mouth and nose, trapping the pepper spray against his face.

Secondly I have been pepper sprayed numerous times (training as well as fighting with people). While pepper spray is annoying its just that, annoying.

On average pepper sprays are rated anywhere between 500k and 5 million Scoville Heat Units. A jalapeno pepper is rated around 5k heat units.

To specifically address and comment about the actions in the article.. If they are validated then yes, the people involved should be investigated and if appropriate face discipline / prosecution. Performing an action based on personal animosity in this line of work is incompatible and just plain stupid.

reply to post by VeniVidi


I don't blame you for quitting I would too. That's another question, how do the officers just stand by? How de-humanized are these guards that they ignore a persons cries for help. Makes my gut churn.

reply to post by Xcathdra


I apologize. Mods feel free to change the title if you wish. I just typed something attention grabbing, my bad.

That was pretty brutal!
Because he took his dressing off, and spit in an officers shielded face. You would think you would have to do something pretty damn bad to deserve this.
Looks like torture to me.....

I lose respect for law enforcement everyday.

Originally posted by Agent008
reply to post by Xcathdra

 

I apologize. Mods feel free to change the title if you wish. I just typed something attention grabbing, my bad.

After reading my post I changed the tone of it. I did not intend for it to come across in the manner it did. My apologies.

Originally posted by llmacgregor.
I lose respect for law enforcement everyday.

More like every time I open a news feed some cop is beating, spraying, baton-ing, somebody! Most of the time its peaceful protesters they love torturing them.

Something similar happened at my police department. Woman was handcuffed to a chair, then repeatedly tazed. Had burn marks on her wrists, was probably beaten (last part is a rumor, but not an outlandish one) What happened to the offending officers? Well, they had a suspension for a while, but are all currently back on the same force. Justice indeed.

This is spirit crushing. How is that boy ever going to forget this?

No matter what he did, he was restrained - i have no words.

reply to post by Exitt


He won't forget it, he won't be "reformed" and be able to live in a peaceful society without holding on to anger and resentment for law enforcement officers or any authority figure. Another street rat.

This is another good example of why there shouldn't be police unions. Those thugs get away with this kind of stuff because the union will protect them. All of the officers involved should have been dismissed. If officers are fired for these types of infractions instead of being put on paid leave, then maybe there will be more thought about consequences.

Well - the corrections department isn't too happy about the video getting out..

Maine officials seeking pepper-spray video leak

The Department of Corrections has assigned an investigator to determine how the information got out.

"Your possession of that indicates a breach of security on our part and we absolutely do need to look into that," said Associate Commissioner Jody Breton. "We certainly will be tightening up security -- where (information) is stored, who has access."

Breton said the probe is not being conducted because the story and video cast the department in a poor light, but because it revealed private information about an inmate.

Ummmmm...ok.. yeah. That's why they are investigating the video leak.

Anyone that believes that please let me know. I have a bridge for sale that you'd probably be interested in...

reply to post by Agent008

The inmate had spit on a cop so they took the logical action (sarcasm) and tied his hands and feet to a chair put pepper spray on his face one officer rubbed it on with a gloved hand holding his hand over the inmates eyes for about 20 mins.

Seems like a logical response by the CO’s.

Sometimes people need to be taught a lesson. Maybe the inmate learned not to act like an animal. At least they didn’t taze or beat him. This dude got off easy!

reply to post by Frogs


Good point. I know why the video got "leaked" it was because one person felt guilt about what had happened. What happens when one individual is the only one standing up for basic human rights and has no where to turn? Set it loose on the last free domain we have left. The Mighty Internet.

But no that isn't important, find the security breach and eliminate him/her.

This reminds me of what to do very recently about whistleblowers - to hunt them down and vilify them or murder them outright.

When Hitler did what he did it took a long time and a lot of whistleblowers to put a stop to him and his henchmen.

Is this not considered "cruel and unusual punishment"? Why pepper-spray someone that's already subdued and strapped to a chair?

This is borderline torture imo.

Pack of animals. I feel sorry for any children they may have.

Originally posted by Xcathdra
reply to post by Agent008

 

Your source -

When one officer pinned his head to the chair, Schlosser struggled and spit at an officer. Welch sprayed him at close range with pepper spray, called OC spray, from a canister intended to be used on multiple people at a distance of 18 to 20 feet, according to an investigator's report.

Welch then refused to let Schlosser, who said he couldn't breathe, wash his face for 24 minutes. A spit mask was placed over Schlosser's mouth and nose, trapping the pepper spray against his face.

Secondly I have been pepper sprayed numerous times (training as well as fighting with people). While pepper spray is annoying its just that, annoying.

But did you get the chance to wash your face and eyes or did you have to sit there for 24 minutes inhaling it inside a mask?

I believe there's a BIG difference here.

Peace

reply to post by Agent008


Because the see it as an "us" and "them" situation, they dont see non cops as people but as enemies. And they know they will get away with it anyway.