St. Jude patient in bloody takedown at checkpoint
#1
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St. Jude patient in bloody takedown at checkpoint
http://wreg.com/2016/06/30/disabled-...irport-police/
All charges thrown out.
Mods: can the title of this thread be changed to "St. Jude Patient..............." rather than passenger?
Cohen told us she tried to tell TSA agents her daughter is partially deaf, blind in one eye, paralyzed, and easily confused, but said she was kept at a distance by police.
“She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,” said Cohen.
“She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,” said Cohen.
Mods: can the title of this thread be changed to "St. Jude Patient..............." rather than passenger?
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 962
I've pulled the docket and first amended complaint. They'll be tracked in my case folder for Cohen v TSA together with any updated filings. (Give it a bit to sync.)
I've also FOIA'd everything involved.
I've also FOIA'd everything involved.
#5
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I didn't watch the video - mainly because my blood pressure won't take it - but did actual screeners physically grab her? Or the police? Screeners are not allowed to be grabbing or tackling passengers - I am trying to sort out what happened here and still keep calm.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 962
MEM denied my Tennessee FOIA request because I'm not a Tennessee citizen and the TN law only applies to TN citizens. If you are one and willing to help get this released, please contact me. ETA: Done via MuckRock:
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26634/
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26635/
I'm simultaneously pursuing federal FOIA, but I would bet against getting anything from TSA without two years and litigation … whereas the state might be much more responsive.
They didn't post any AFAIK.
Not clear to me based on the complaint.
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26634/
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26635/
I'm simultaneously pursuing federal FOIA, but I would bet against getting anything from TSA without two years and litigation … whereas the state might be much more responsive.
They didn't post any AFAIK.
did actual screeners physically grab her? Or the police?
Last edited by saizai; Jul 5, 2016 at 4:17 am
#7
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An infuriating story, to say the least, but let's be sure to get the facts straight:
1) This happened on June 30, 2015. The story regained prominence today because the lawsuit was filed on June 30, 2016.
2) It was not TSOs who brutalized this young woman, it was the MEM airport police. Whether the police were called to the c/p by TSA, or whether they happened to be on station there, was not mentioned in the story.
I am fully on this woman's side in this case, but like any case I'm sure that the mom is leaving out a few salient points. I want to see the video of this incident; I'm sure it will be incredibly damning to everyone in a uniform, be it TSA or MEM PD, but I prefer to have all available facts before making a final judgement.
The lawsuit is somewhat vague on details and timeline. The video, if Sai's FOIA request is able to procure it, should fill in the blanks.
1) This happened on June 30, 2015. The story regained prominence today because the lawsuit was filed on June 30, 2016.
2) It was not TSOs who brutalized this young woman, it was the MEM airport police. Whether the police were called to the c/p by TSA, or whether they happened to be on station there, was not mentioned in the story.
I am fully on this woman's side in this case, but like any case I'm sure that the mom is leaving out a few salient points. I want to see the video of this incident; I'm sure it will be incredibly damning to everyone in a uniform, be it TSA or MEM PD, but I prefer to have all available facts before making a final judgement.
The lawsuit is somewhat vague on details and timeline. The video, if Sai's FOIA request is able to procure it, should fill in the blanks.
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,526
MEM denied my Tennessee FOIA request because I'm not a Tennessee citizen and the TN law only applies to TN citizens. If you are one and willing to help get this released, please contact me.
I'm simultaneously pursuing federal FOIA, but I would bet against getting anything from TSA without two years and litigation … whereas the state might be much more responsive.
They didn't post any AFAIK.
Not clear to me based on the complaint.
I'm simultaneously pursuing federal FOIA, but I would bet against getting anything from TSA without two years and litigation … whereas the state might be much more responsive.
They didn't post any AFAIK.
Not clear to me based on the complaint.
#9
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#10
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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There is a link to the complaint in the article that you posted in the first message of this thread.
#12
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From @AskTSA:
Reports on the unfortunate situation in Memphis are inaccurate. Police responded when the passenger refused screening or to leave.
That's when the situation between Hannah and the TSA officials became violent:
"She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,"
"She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,"
Of course, TSA claims it didn't happen that way.
Last edited by essxjay; Jul 6, 2016 at 9:20 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts
#13
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,685
MEM denied my Tennessee FOIA request because I'm not a Tennessee citizen and the TN law only applies to TN citizens. If you are one and willing to help get this released, please contact me.
I'm simultaneously pursuing federal FOIA, but I would bet against getting anything from TSA without two years and litigation … whereas the state might be much more responsive.
They didn't post any AFAIK.
Not clear to me based on the complaint.
I'm simultaneously pursuing federal FOIA, but I would bet against getting anything from TSA without two years and litigation … whereas the state might be much more responsive.
They didn't post any AFAIK.
Not clear to me based on the complaint.
#14
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Posting to follow this thread. Sorry, on phone and couldn't figure out how to just subscribe.
Like others, I feel like there are many, many missing pieces to this story. I'm trying to reserve judgment until more is known/confirmed.
Like others, I feel like there are many, many missing pieces to this story. I'm trying to reserve judgment until more is known/confirmed.
#15
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 962
My gdrive is synced. Here's the folder, and here's a direct link to the first amended complaint.
I need a Tennessee citizen to help with the state level FOIA. ETA: Done via MuckRock:
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26634/
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26635/
Getting it from TSA will probably take a year + litigation. I'm planning to sue them under FOIA shortly anyway, so will include this, but state would probably be much faster. Also, TSA may not have some records, e.g. police report, that state does.
Any Tennessee citizen interested, just contact me. I can provide a document that just requires inputting your own info as the requester.
Might also be helpful to track down any news stories from last year. I've not done that yet.
My interpretation of the complaint is that the TSA interpreted Hannah Cohen's reaction as refusing to be screened, TSA called cops on her, the cops resisted her for "causing a disturbance" or the like and arrested her using force (probably a takedown to the ground) for "resisting".
I've looked at the Shelby County criminal records search and found no indictments filed against either plaintiff. Could be that the search sucks (the website is horribly coded); could be that they didn't record it because there was an arrest but no actual charges filed. The complaint says the daughter was "arraigned", but it may have been dropped before there was an indictment.
I'll follow up w/ the criminal court clerk after the weekend, but again this is something for which a Tennessee citizen would be very helpful.
Both Reason and RawStory are pure reposts of the WREG post. It has no new information.
BTW I diffed the original & amended complaints; the amendment only changes typos of the TSA's name.
I need a Tennessee citizen to help with the state level FOIA. ETA: Done via MuckRock:
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26634/
https://www.muckrock.com/foi/memphis...cuments-26635/
Getting it from TSA will probably take a year + litigation. I'm planning to sue them under FOIA shortly anyway, so will include this, but state would probably be much faster. Also, TSA may not have some records, e.g. police report, that state does.
Might also be helpful to track down any news stories from last year. I've not done that yet.
I've looked at the Shelby County criminal records search and found no indictments filed against either plaintiff. Could be that the search sucks (the website is horribly coded); could be that they didn't record it because there was an arrest but no actual charges filed. The complaint says the daughter was "arraigned", but it may have been dropped before there was an indictment.
I'll follow up w/ the criminal court clerk after the weekend, but again this is something for which a Tennessee citizen would be very helpful.
Both Reason and RawStory are pure reposts of the WREG post. It has no new information.
BTW I diffed the original & amended complaints; the amendment only changes typos of the TSA's name.
Last edited by essxjay; Jul 6, 2016 at 9:22 pm Reason: Derogatory reference