Man dies, CPR DENIED because he was GAY!

[Arreat]

http://www.aclu.org/hiv/gen/24335prs20060302.html

 

CHARLESTON, WV – The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal discrimination lawsuit on behalf of the surviving family members of a Welch man who died of a heart attack after the police chief physically prevented his friend from performing CPR. The police chief blocked the CPR because he falsely assumed that the man, who was gay, was HIV positive and therefore a health risk.

 

“I’m heartbroken that I have lost my son over such ignorance and bigotry,” said Helen Green, mother of Claude Green, Jr., who died at the age of 43. “I can’t understand how someone who is supposed to protect the people of Welch could physically block another human from saving my son’s life. It’s always difficult for a mother to lose a child, but to have lost my son so needlessly will be with me for the rest of my life.”

 

The ACLU filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on behalf of the surviving family members of Claude Green, Jr. against the City of Welch and Robert K. Bowman, Welch’s Chief of Police. The lawsuit charges that Bowman discriminated against Green by preventing others from providing life-saving medical care to Green because of his sexual orientation and/or perceived HIV status. The lawsuit also charges that Bowman violated the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against someone he perceived to be HIV positive.

 

“Bowman’s actions were a frightening abuse of power,” said Rose Saxe, a staff attorney with the ACLU’s AIDS Project. “It’s hard to say what was more shameful: that Chief Bowman assumed Claude Green was HIV positive solely because he was gay, or that Bowman was so ignorant about HIV that he felt you couldn’t safely perform CPR on an HIV positive person.”

 

According to the ACLU lawsuit, Green suffered a heart attack while driving with a friend last summer. The friend, Billy Snead, was performing CPR by the side of the road when Bowman arrived and told Snead to stop because Green was HIV positive. When Snead didn’t stop the CPR, Bowman grabbed Snead by the shoulders and physically barred Snead from continuing CPR at a critical point in Green’s resuscitation. Snead, who had not realized at first that Bowman was a police officer, obeyed his commands.

 

While Green fought to stay alive, Bowman prevented anyone else from aiding Green until EMS workers arrived approximately 10 minutes later. While they were putting Green in the ambulance, Bowman informed EMS workers that Green was HIV positive. Although the EMS workers ignored Bowman’s warnings and performed CPR on Green, he passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital. He did not have HIV.

 

“The job of the police is to protect and serve,” said Andrew Schneider, Executive Director of the ACLU of West Virginia. “This lawsuit sends a message to public officials that prejudice and ignorance about HIV are not only wrong, but can have tragic consequences. We are filing this lawsuit to prevent further tragedies.”

 

Green is survived by his mother, a 19-year-old son, three sisters, and a brother. All of the family members were present at a press conference in Charleston announcing the filing of the lawsuit.

 

“We have brought this lawsuit to stop Police Chief Bowman from hurting more people,” said Green’s sister Anita Tickle, a practicing nurse. “I have spent my life helping sick people, including people with HIV, and I cannot understand how Bowman could possibly justify his actions. We’ve known for two decades that HIV is not easily transmitted and that it is safe to perform CPR on someone with the disease. That’s something a police chief ought to know too.”

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there have been no documented instances of HIV transmission through CPR.

[Darth Andrew]

That's just sad. I can see why,* but still, you don't assume someone has HIV just because they're homosexual....

 

*I didn't know if HIV could be transferred through CPR or not until now.

[StaffSaberist]

Two things:

 

1: This thread would do better in the Senate Chambers

 

2: Not giving CPR just because he's gay is uncalled for and it's a damn good thing the ACLU is suing. Finally, the ACLU stops bashing religion, and defending the rights of this person who, although he was gay, was still a human being. Stupid, stupid, STUPID! The police chief can go to hell.

[Samuel Dravis]

Depends on whether the officer was actually ignorant or not. If he was ignorant, he was doing his job to the best of his ability (though he obviously should have known about the lack of HIV risk and that needs to be taken into account). If not, well, I agree with the 'going to hell' sentiment; at least the ACLU's special version of hell.

[TK-8252]

I just freaking LOVE how the most ignorant of society can be in such positions of power. That way, a helpless person of a minority can be left to die on the street while a bigot with a badge tells rescue workers not to dare help someone who's dying right before their eyes.

 

The police chief should be charged with murder, or at the very least negligent homicide.

[IG-64]

I don't "agree" with homosexuality, but I also think this is a sad case. I think even if he did have HIV, and even if you could easily transmit it that way, the officer should be held accountable. The friend was going to do it on his own free will and should not have been stopped.

[CapNColostomy]

Interesting that this obviously lopsided bit of story telling doesn't mention how long the man had been in his condition, and how long CPR had been performed on him, yet they include that they know it took ten minutes for EMS to arrive. Sounds like an excuse for a greiving mother to cash in, to me. Also, suppose the man vomited during CPR (it happens). I'm not saying that he shouldn't be helped, by any means, but they make it sound impossible to catch HIV from CPR, which is nonsense. Whatever.

 

I like the part where they mention that they've brought up the law suit to stop the police cheif from hurting other people. I almost pissed myself laughing at that gross misrepresentation of honesty and greed. Oh yeah, taking that city's/counties revenue for the next twenty years in your bazillion dollar lawsuit will be a great way to educate people, and stop this from happening again. Idiots.

[IG-64]

And don't they have those little mask things with the pump on it they can use?

[Black Knight of Keno]

I don't think police carry them around, even in their car. Medics instead have oxygen masks made for professional use, but it won't do much good if he's already dying because someone hasn't even tried to give CPR

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

[off topic]Did anyone else get the ad from "toseeka.com" that asks if you're "looking for Hiv"?[/off topic]

 

On this subject, I don't really know what to say without hearing what the police chief has to say. It's one thing if he had malicious intent, but it's another if he was just ignorant and thought what he did was justified.

[RoxStar]

Aren't they required to wear faceshields? Even I have a CPR faceshield.

[ET Warrior]

I'd like this thread to remain civil AND on-topic. Off-topic or spammy posts will be deleted.

[TiE23]

Well, that officer is either an a-hole or just really really stupid.

[manoman81]

Yeah, he's stupid. It is kind of crazy hearing stories about giving CPR. My mom is a nurse and we both have been CPR instructors. While at work, she had to do it for 45 minutes and if you have done CPR, even on a practice dummy, you know how tiring it can be.

 

And, just a side note, for those of you that are still nervous about doing straight mouth-to-mouth, there are little masks you can use that will block 99.9% of disease transmitted orally. Which, are not many.

 

As for porko down in W. VA, he is a a-hole, facist, biggot,...um...I mean the list could go on for ever.

[Kjølen]

I have nothing to say that hasn't already been said, except that one of the biggest problems in our world is that people feel the need to have someone to blame. Revenge only causes more suffering. I'm sure after this, the chief is probably much m ore informed on the subject, and probably isn't feeling too good about himself. Let's let the poor guy be.

[Joe©]

I think the Mom is just being greedy after reading about "not harming anyone else" but the officer was still criminally ignorant, and as far as we know the victim would have survived if he had received CPR.

But if it keeps the ACLU from getting into trouble I guess its worth it

[Sabretooth]

That's major ****. Somebody needs to get a shot on that police. But other than that, I'm really speechless. When will this gay-bashing stop? When will people be aware?

[toms]

Forget suing him for discrimination, they should be pressing for him to be charged with manslaughter... surely preventing someone from saving someone else's life is manslaughter, or even murder? Many countries have good smaritan laws where even failing to help is a crime, let alone preventing somone else from doing so.

 

Still, if the guy was his friend you would think he would have been sensible enough to tell the police office to go to hell and carry on CPR... i know i would have.

[Jeff]

I think the whole thing is just rediculous.