By Carlos Miller
It started off a regional story in Oklahoma that would have probably have gone nowhere had it not been for Youtube and the blogosphere.
It is now getting national attention from the major news networks.
On Tuesday, the paramedic who was placed in a chokehold by Oklahoma State Trooper Daniel Martin was interviewed by CBS in the above video on The Early Show. When asked what he thinks should happen to the trooper, Maurice White stated the following:
The bottom line is that at this point we would like to take his badge and gun away because of the total disregard he showed for this patient and because of the statements yesterday…..he doesn’t think he did anything wrong…and neither does his superiors.
However, Oklahoma officials believe he did nothing wrong. Prosecutors declined to file charges against the Trooper and Oklahoma Highway Patrol Chief Van M. Guillotte has yet to take action against Martin, even though he insists it is still “under investigation” as Martin remains on paid administrative leave.
Meanwhile, a petition that is calling for the termination of the trooper is averaging a thousand signatures a day since it was introduced on this site late Saturday. It now has more than 3,500 signatures.
Check out the two videos of the incident.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Related posts:
- Oklahoma trooper once again accused of using excessive force
- Oklahoma EMT sues lying cop
- Oklahoma trooper’s lawyer says EMT escalated situation
- Oklahoma cop proves to be a liar after dash cam is released (sign petition to get him fired)
- Oklahoma cops refuse to release dashcam video of chokehold incident
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Fernandez, as I mentioned in a 
The paramedic is articulate and well spoken. In the court of public opinion, that ‘roid-rage induced choking is going to be nothing but grief for the OHP and the Trooper, IF he still works there any time from now.
Oh, and Carlos? You keep talking about the wife? No other articles I’ve read ever mention her.
OK statute 21650.3: §21-650.3. Delaying, obstructing or interfering with emergency medical technician or other emergency medical care provider – Punishment.
Every person who willfully delays, obstructs or in any way interferes with an emergency medical technician or other emergency medical care provider in the performance of or attempt to perform emergency medical care and treatment or in going to or returning from the scene of a medical emergency, upon conviction, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six (6) months, or by a fine not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Added by Laws 1990, c. 320, § 1, emerg. eff. May 30, 1990
In essence, the Trooper could not arrest the EMT at the stop, and once the EMT has said “patient” the Trooper was violating the law. I’m finding LEOs falling on both sides of this issue, but FDs and Ambulance Services are on the side of the EMT with qualifications. FD Association (sic) in OK points out that they normally run without siren/lights with heart patients to reduce anxiety, and that the EMT is responsible for the Unit.
The LEOs against the Trooper point out his rage, that the Ambulance did not fail-to-yield but did so in a reasonable way, that the gesture is something the Trooper has no right to react to and detain for, and that “patient” ends the stop immediately. There is no consensus within LE on this one.
Carlos, I am going to add this on your earlier posts, delete them if you feel that my doing so is unnecessary.
To be fair to Jones, I think that all LEO’s should be trained to talk to the EMT in charge of the patient when pulling over ambulances. And all ambulances should be equiped with at least five cameras-with one of them trained on the driver’s middle finger.
i’d venture a guess that the “hand gesture” was one of “go ahead and pass me, i’m over now” – rather than a middle finger.
Either that or it was an italian shrug gesture. Either way, harmless.
Simon,
The wife is mentioned in this article, even though they haven’t been mentioning her lately. But both sides confirm his wife was in the car at the time.
http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/2viewgc/story/OHP-chief-to-decide-troopers-fate/Myoi7Vffsk28uOg8o_NhXA.cspx
No I will not sign this petition. The trooper was trying to stop an ambulance that was speeding. That is an emergency. He swore to uphold the law. That is what he did. The EMS driver gave Martin the finger in his mirror as he tried to pull him over. It is against the
for an ambulane to speed without proper lights showing they are en route.
The finger is clearly being pointed because of race. I have done much research on this subject and believe it was wellwithin the troopers rights to stop this lawbreaker. Not only that but the dashcam (shown in full) clearly proves the trooper did no wrong. Maybe he was overly aggressive, but wouldnt you be if some a**hole just shot you the finger then tried to say.”oh, there is a patient in the ambulance.”
I will not partake in the reverse racism anymore. I agree racism is alive and well in America, but it is also used as a crutch for people to use in order to save their own skins.
I plan on emailing everyone on your list an telling them the same thing. These guys put their lives on the line. All too often EMS are involved in deadly accidents where they were traveling at high rates of speed without emergency signals. We had a case recently here in Charleston where a college student died. Thank you Daniel Martin.
To those of you looking to sign this, dont be swayed…do your own research.
are you kidding watch the video
Nikki,
You have a truly unique reality. You may find this helpful in your quest for understanding your reality.
Nikki,
You have your “facts” wrong. The trooper was NOT trying to pull the ambulance over for speeding. Speed has NEVER been mentioned by ANY party in this case, INCLUDING the trooper. This was about the trooper feeling that the ambulance didn’t pull over fast enough when he was on his way to a call, THEN the trooper feeling like the driver of the ambulance disrespected him with a hand gesture. And giving hand gestures is NOT against the law.
I, too, am sick of people seeing racism when there is none (as well as I am sick of actual racism!), but to claim that “The finger is clearly being pointed because of race” is just wrong, considering that only a few uninvolved people (a very small percentage of commenters here and on the mainstream media sites) have attempted to claim racism. The parties involved in the case have NEVER tried to claim there was racism involved.
I realize that accidents have happened with EMS speeding without lights and sirens, and that is a tragedy which needs to be talked about. But you are showing a prejudice in this instance, just as those who are claiming racism. The difference is their prejudice is based on race, and your prejudice is based on an ambulance transporting a patient without lights and sirens.
Nikki have you even read the news reports? Which one of them mentioned “speeding”?
By the way, that is a first. Police apologists are even willing to throw EMTs under the bus. Those same EMTs that rush to the scene to save your life if something goes wrong, you label them as reckless maniacs. Shameful.
To a police apologist, a cop can do 1,000 things wrong but if the other person does just one thing wrong, it was the other person that escalated things. It’s amazing how much leeway you gives cops just because they wear a badge and a uniform, Nikki. Behavior that would be totally unacceptable to everyone else is OK if you’re a cop.
This trooper obviously over used his power.
This cop needs to go through his training again and still loose his gun. He obviously doesn’t have a clue.
This cop needs to be kicked off the force. The majority of our cops are good people who do their job well. We cannot let the bad apples continue to give the good cops a bad image.
When police become “overly agressive,” they can ruin your life. In public perception, medics save lives. Police have the power to take lives, and do. Thus, police have an extraordinary responsibility to be extremely mindful of their actions. Sadly, many officers are not. I don’t think the public wants robocops dispensing “letter-of-the-law” instajustice. Reason and common sense seems to be sorely lacking in many law enforcement situations.
Yes Nikki,
You’ve proven that racism is alive and well in America.
Do some real research next time.
Nikki OMG it had nothing to do with speed
Wait till your loveone hasa heart attack and an officer stops the ambulance