By Carlos Miller
The paramedic who was placed in a choke hold by an Oklahoma State Trooper while a patient lingered in the back of an ambulance has filed a lawsuit.
Maurice White Jr. filed the suit in federal court today, claiming his civil rights were violated by Trooper Daniel Martin.
Martin said he pulled the paramedics over because the driver refused to yield for him when he sped by with his lights and sirens wailing. Martin also claims that the driver of the ambulance, Paul Franks, made an obscene gesture to him as he drove by.
But Martin also claims that White assaulted him when he stepped out of the ambulance after being pulled over, which proved to be a lie once the dash cam video was released.
The only thing that is certain is that Martin placed White in a choke hold even though White did not physically provoke him, an incident which was caught on video by the son of the patient in the ambulance.
White, who only listed Martin as a defendant in his suit, is asking for more than $10,000 in damages.
Meanwhile, Martin remains on administrative leave. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it has concluded its internal investigation into the matter, but have yet to release its findings.
But White is not holding his breath.
“Mr. White does not think the state will take responsibility for the actions of trooper Martin, and will thus take matters into his own hands,” said Richard O’Carroll, White’s attorney. “Mr. White therefore asked that we conduct an aggressive discovery into the past behavior of trooper Martin … and find out how he ended up an employee of the state.
“We’ve waited long enough.”
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9 responses so far ↓
1 Pinandpuller // Jul 22, 2009 at 2:41 AM
No immunity for Martin+preponderance of the evidence= slam dunk for Mr White IMHO.
He fought the law and…he won.
He fought the law and…he won.
2 Arkie_man // Jul 22, 2009 at 11:07 AM
This is why cops frighten me, all cops frighten me.
3 xdamousex // Jul 22, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Wow. This video amazes me each time I watch it. This officer made the entire world stop and wait so that his ego could be stroked. The woman in the ambulance, the drivers, the family following. All had to stop and put their lives on hold while Daniel Martin made sure everyone respected his authority.
4 Simon Jester // Jul 22, 2009 at 1:33 PM
I still have yet to hear anything from the family of the woman in the ambulance.
You think that she would be suing too.
5 Michaelk42 // Jul 22, 2009 at 1:53 PM
“Mr. White therefore asked that we conduct an aggressive discovery into the past behavior of trooper Martin … and find out how he ended up an employee of the state.”
This could be very interesting.
6 ClintJCL // Jul 22, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Good point… The family should sue too!
7 Nemo // Jul 22, 2009 at 5:01 PM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32077998/ns/us_news-race_and_ethnicity/?GT1=43001
Different case, and played as “racism”. Me, I see it as another citizen ‘guilty’ of “contempt of cop”.
I hope Mr. White wins, and wins in a big way, one that publicly humiliates this jerk’s department. Maybe that will adjust their attitudes a bit. Kudos to White for not playing the race card here, and for keeping the spotlight where it needs to be, on the out-of-control cop.
8 John // Jul 23, 2009 at 2:39 AM
The Daily Oklahoman ran a background story on White and Martin several weeks back (newsok.com). The officer was fired by an Oklahoma small town because he was abusive and always accusing citizens of being drunk. White is going to get paid. The only reason cities who employ A-holes like Martin ever listen is if they have to pay judgments.
9 Tom // Nov 1, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Wow. Stunning lack of judgment by that officer and very calm, cool and collected behavior under fire by that EMT. The state should pay dearly for his behavior. Unbelievable. The EMS provider was simply trying to get his patient to the hospital. The officer was trying to compensate for his apparently short stature and/or genitalia.
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