An Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper who pulled over and choked
a paramedic on his way to delivering a patient to hospital has
suspended for just five days and ordered to attend an "anger
assessment."
The incident occurred in late May on Highway 62
near Boley in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma.
As we detailed in our
report at the time, trooper Daniel Martin and his
colleague were responding to a call of their own and were evidently
annoyed that Maurice White Jr's ambulance did not yield and
give way to them on the road.
Video shot by the patient's son on a cell phone
showed Martin grab Mr White in an attempt to put him in an arm
lock and cuff him. Mr White resisted, a scuffle ensued and Martin
grabbed the EMT by the throat.
After pleading that he was a doctor, with a patient,
on the way to the hospital, the troopers finally relented and
left the scene.
The incident made headlines after the video went
viral on Youtube.
Watch the video:
(Article continues below)
It later emerged that trooper Martin had a history
of misusing authority and was fired in 2000 as
Chief of Police in Fairfax, Oklahoma, for violent and bullying
behavior.
Now, as J.D. Tuccille of the Civil
Liberties Examiner reports, Martin has gotten away
with a proverbial slap on the wrist, being suspended for just
five days for "conduct unbecoming an officer" and
ordered to undergo an anger assessment.
What's more, Martin's official suspension
letter even justifies the stopping of the ambulance
and condemns EMT Maurice White's actions in attempting to return
to his vehicle and take his patient to hospital.
"Daniel Martin was out of line, acting like
a cartoon cop outraged that somebody didn't 'respect mah authoritah.'"
Tuccille writes. "While letting his bruised ego run wild,
he behaved unprofessionally and, potentially, put a life at
risk."
An Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper who pulled over and choked
a paramedic on his way to delivering a patient to hospital has
suspended for just five days and ordered to attend an "anger
assessment."
