In February 2020, Carl Grant, a 68-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran with early-onset dementia, was paralyzed by a police officer in a hospital emergency room. The incident followed a confusing day for Grant, who left his Georgia home for groceries, ended up in Birmingham, Alabama, and mistakenly tried to enter a stranger's house, thinking it was his own.
Despite showing signs of confusion and dementia, police encounters escalated, culminating in an officer using excessive force in the hospital, causing Grant's paralysis. He died nearly six months later, with his death certificate listing the cause as paralysis from a "physical assault with body slam."
Hospital surveillance footage captured an incident where Larry forcefully grabbed Grant's arm and executed a maneuver, flipping him onto his back in a manner described by the police investigation as a "hip toss" not instructed in their training. The impact caused Grant's head to bounce approximately four inches off the ground, leaving him limp.
In his early 60s, Grant started experiencing increased fatigue and confusion, leading to a diagnosis of early-onset dementia. He also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and health complications related to Agent Orange exposure from his time in Vietnam. Following his diagnosis, he relocated from California to Conyers, Georgia, to live closer to his brother and sister.
Grant's story highlights a broader issue of excessive force used by police, particularly against vulnerable individuals, and pushes conversations for better training in handling such situations. Despite the Birmingham Police Department recognizing the officer's use of excessive force, the response was a mere 15-day suspension and retraining.
A civil lawsuit filed by Grant's family emphasizes the necessity of improved training for first responders. However, the case was dismissed on procedural grounds, with an appeal ongoing. This tragic case not only reflects the personal loss of Grant and his family but also signals systemic issues within police practices.
Link: AP News
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