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A lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court accuses NYPD officers of disregarding a man's weakened condition and medication needs after they arrested him for driving with a license that had been suspended for unpaid parking tickets. 50-year-old Glenn Seldon of Queens was battling colon cancer when police arrested him in May 2007; his wife says that when she tracked him down to the 108th Precinct station house, she found him handcuffed to a chair and sitting in his own waste. From there Seldon was taken to Central Booking, and when he was finally released from jail four days later, he was "gaunt from dehydration, incontinent, and weeping uncontrollably." Not only that, his infection had worsened and his blood platelet level was dangerously low. Seldon died days later of a cardiac arrest, but his wife tells the Daily News she "believes the stress and the trauma accelerated his death."
Sick Man Dies After Being Jailed For Parking Tickets, Family Sues
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I really hope these police are fired and charged for the mistreatment of this man. Really sad story.
i feel sorry for this guy, but at the same time people driving with suspended licenses really get on my nerves. this never would have happened if this guy didn't think he was above the law or whatever reason he had for ignoring the tickets, the court dates, notices, etc.
The title for this article is misleading and obviously biased. If you didn't fully read the article, you'd believe that this guy got a parking ticket, went to jail for it and died in jail.
Lets look at the facts, he got his license Suspended for not paying parking tickets. Suspended. So when the cops arrest him, does it matter whether it's for not paying his tickets, not paying alimony or having a previous history of dwi? No, suspended means, he's supposed to go to jail!
Central booking is a mess. Not only for him, but for anyone locked up. This system is horribly deficient. His case is no different from any one else that goes to jail. It sucks and it's stressful. If it was fun, people wouldn't mind going to jail. Last point. He didn't even die there, he died after he was released. Days after. Of a heart attack. Not from complications due to his condition, but of a heart attack. As usual these people are lawsuit happy. Remember it's usually in the city's best interest to simply pay, saves them money. Every frivolous lawsuit comes out of the pockets of hardworking, taxpaying NYer's. I have absolutely no sympathy. That is all.
His arrest was because of paperwork over expired meter fines and he deserves to sit in jail for 4 days without medication and die due to the deteriorated condition that induced? Give me a break, parking tickets are pure revenue to the city, he didn't kill anyone, he didn't rob anyone, he didn't deserve to be treated like this. Some people deserve no sympathy but I don't see it in this case.
Are you sure you didn't mistype your handle? Sounds like it should be "inhuman," not hanuman. Being arrested is not an excuse for being denied necessary medication. That's not how the system is supposed to work. Convicted felons and even people on death row get medical treatment. Nothing gives cops the right to be judge, jury and executioner. And how can you be absolutely sure his mistreatment didn't accelerate his death? Are you a doctor? Did you examine him? I doubt they did an autopsy on him, so the death certificate isn't going to be very detailed as to the cause of death. You're not lacking sympathy. You're lacking humanity. Maybe you should apply for a job at NYPD.
Sure that's real mature, you don't like my opinion so you resort to attacking the person and name calling. I'll bite, but note that I don't attack your character. Obviously we are in disagreement, but I'm capable of discussing the points not the person.
I didn't say it's fair for him to sit in Central booking for days. I think it's terrible. In fact if you read my post again, I think the system is severely flawed that anyone has to go through that. They should rectify this not just for this guy, but for everyone. Also if you've never been locked up, then you don't know the process. Each person is screened by medical personal whether they request it or not. He was screened by independent medical personal just like everyone else, not police personnel, but medical personel.
And to no, I'm not a doctor, but I don't see a medical opinion in the article either, so all we have are opinions. The family's opinion is he died of a heart attack, mine is he didn't. That's my opinion and I'm in no way qualified to be examine anyone, but that's why I'm here on gothamist (a blog, where people voice opinions), and not a hospital. That is all.
I'm "attacking" you because you display no trace of humanity and have no idea what you're talking about. The family did not say it was a heart attack. The death certificate does, as it says in the Daily News article you claim to have read. If you know anything about what a death certificate is, you'd know the family has no say in what is listed as the cause of death. It's strictly a coroner's determination. First you write that he died of a heart attack, then in replying, you say he didn't. Which is it? If we've never been locked up then we don't know the process? Hmm. I'm guessing since you claim to know the process, you've been deservedly locked up. Or are you just winging it?
Nobody said he couldn't have been held. But if an obviously sick man asks for his medication, give it to him. That's the humane thing to do. Where's the harm in that? And again, this was over parking tickets. He wasn't an immediate danger to society.
My apologies. I wasn't clear, he obviously died from a heart attack. My opinion is its not the NYPD's fault that he died from being incarcerated. You seem to have issue that he wasn't given medical treatment while he was in custody. If you read the article again it states. "His wife was able to track him to the 108th Precinct stationhouse and from there, to Elmhurst Hospital Center" So he was clearly being treated at a hospital. What's the issue here? I simply don't understand all the finger pointing?
Also, this wasn't about tickets. It's about driving with a suspended license which will get you arrested no matter who you are.
four days in jail for what's really a motor vehicle offense? wow.
I'm reading a lot of colon cancer deaths lately. I've always thought it was one of the more curable diseases.
like prostate cancer.
Thanks hanuman for your thoughtful response. Too many sheep on here and in NYC read a title to an news story and immediately criticize the cops for the totality of problem.
First and foremost this guy and this guy solely is to blame for being arrested. I pay my tickets when i get them, why does he not have to? Revenue making or not...many parking tickets are well deserved and hazardous ( fire hydrant, bus stop, double parking, sidewalk, etc...summonses. Secondly, once you are stopped by officers for a suspended NY license while driving there is no discretion. Cops must arrest you. If the cops would have let this guy go and he struck someone with his vehicle, all the cop hating hypocrites would be calling for the cops' head for not arresting this guy. How comical and ridiculous that would have been. HYPOCRITES...cops can't win. If i was one I certainly would do the bare minimum if hyporcrites would alway be able to monday morning quaterback me.
So, this guy is the SOLE REASON for being arrested. As for being in the system for 4 days how is that NYPD's fault. Once the guy goes into the system and is lodged he is in custody of corrections. NYPD has little to do with how long he is in for before he is arraigned.
And of course his heart attack came after his release which he so mightily contributed to. This family deserves not one penny. And you cop hating hypocrites should take a look in the mirror and cut out the unreasonable cop hating nonsense. A cop can't win with anything he does in this city.
I smell bacon.
nycnyc, do you only reply to nypd posts?
what's a sheep? don't you mean sheeple?
What does it matter if I did only respond to such. My choice. And no, i mean sheep. Follower. Wza, I smell a dirty criminal in you.
yep, it's bacon.
haha your mama loves my bacon..trust me. Yea wza sound like a pig
yep, it's a Classic BLT without the L and T.
from the info I've heard, I agree with nycnyc and hanuman...he broke the law, he was arrested. It's a shame what happened, he should have gotten his meds, and he certainly shouldnt have been left sitting in shit, but would the meds have done anything to prevent a heart attack 5 days later? I think the officers should be punished or fired for leaving him that way, but suing the city for cash seems a bit opportunistic, as dirty as that might sound.
The guy's registration must have been suspended-not his license if he did not pay parking tickets. Whatever the case, there seems to be more to this story than what is being reported. Instead we are given sensational details such as the cancerous man being handcuffed to a chair sitting in his own feces with pants draped around his ankles. He dies days later after missing a few days worth of medication. He must have been in horrendous shape prior to his arrest to deteriorate so quickly. I feel badly for the family, this man's final weeks were horrific.
that's sick