A lawsuit has been filed by a man from Marion against officers from Spruce Pine, alleging they used excessive force during an incident where he was in diabetic shock. The suit claims the officers tased and struck him while he was experiencing a medical emergency.
Jillian Snider, who has experience as a New York Police Department officer and is currently an adjunct lecturer at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice, reviewed the surveillance footage of the incident. She stated that if the officers were uncertain about why the individual was not complying with their commands, “medical aid should have been requested.” During her 15-year tenure with NYPD, she noted that it was standard procedure to call EMS or an ambulance immediately if someone was unresponsive or slow to respond.
Snider emphasized the importance of this case for law enforcement protocols: “No matter what, I believe this case underscores the need for improved law enforcement protocols and training when dealing with potential medical emergencies,” she told the Citizen Times on June 12.
According to Snider’s analysis of the video, when officers first arrived at the scene, they appeared relaxed as they stood near the driver’s side window. This demeanor suggested that they did not perceive Ledford as a threat.
