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reginadiggins · May 16, 2008, 12:08 PM

My brother got into a verbal argument with my STBX husband on 4/10/08 outside the courtroom. We were in court because of a TPO hearing against my STBX husband. He lunged at my brother and my brother popped him once in the mouth. My STBX went screaming like a woman that he wanted to press charges (never mind he has beat me for the last 9 yrs). My brother was arrested and got out on bond. He went to court on Tuesday, 5/13/08 and the judge was white. Most of the defendants were white and they were given sentences of 12 months probation hands down for everything for tampering with a controlled substance prescription to firing a gun in the air to DWI. All of the black defendants were receiving jail time from 48hours to 6months for the same type of minor infractions. My brother pled no contest and was given 48hrs in jail, $500/fine, 12mos probation, anger management and he can NEVER go back in that court unless he has official business there. Here comes the question, granted he was angry when they hand cuffed him in the courtroom and you could tell by the look on his face but he wasn't acting out. He was picked up yesterday 5/15/08 from the jail and he was like a walking Zombie. They clearly gave him something and a day later, he is still out of it. Before anyone says he was probably combative and had to be calmed down, I understand that but how do you give someone a tranquilizer in jail without knowing their medical history. He has HBP and he takes 2 pills/day but he assumed he would be going back home that Tuesday so he hadn't taken his medicine since Monday evening. His lip is swollen which leads me to believe the deputies hit him. I am livid since my STBX started this raucous and he clearly got away with it. What can we do about this or does it make sense to hire an attorney? I am thinking of taking the news media to the Sheriff's Dept once I find out what they have drugged him with.

ScottGem · May 16, 2008, 12:15 PM

They are going to claim he got into a fight with an inmate. Since he was arrested for fighting its going to be hard to disprove it.

JudyKayTee · May 16, 2008, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by reginadiggins

My brother got into a verbal argument with my STBX husband on 4/10/08 outside the courtroom. We were in court because of a TPO hearing against my STBX husband. He lunged at my brother and my brother popped him once in the mouth. My STBX went screaming like a woman that he wanted to press charges (never mind he has beat me for the last 9 yrs). My brother was arrested and got out on bond. He went to court on tuesday, 5/13/08 and the judge was white. Most of the defendants were white and they were given sentences of 12 months probation hands down for everything for tampering with a controlled substance prescription to firing a gun in the air to DWI. All of the black defendants were receiving jail time from 48hours to 6months for the same type of minor infractions. My brother pled no contest and was given 48hrs in jail, $500/fine, 12mos probation, anger management and he can NEVER go back in that court unless he has official business there. Here comes the question, granted he was angry when they hand cuffed him in the courtroom and you could tell by the look on his face but he wasn't acting out. He was picked up yesterday 5/15/08 from the jail and he was like a walking Zombie. They clearly gave him something and a day later, he is still out of it. Before anyone says he was probably combative and had to be calmed down, I understand that but how do you give someone a tranquilizer in jail without knowing their medical history. He has HBP and he takes 2 pills/day but he assumed he would be going back home that tuesday so he hadn't taken his medicine since Monday evening. His lip is swollen which leads me to believe the deputies hit him. I am livid since my STBX started this raucous and he clearly got away with it. What can we do about this or does it make sense to hire an attorney? I am thinking of taking the news media to the Sheriff's Dept once I find out what they have drugged him with.

Your brother is at fault for "popping" your ex in the mouth. Your ex may have provoked him - and obviously did - but he didn't strike the first blow.

If you feel your brother received the sentence he received due to racial issues, yes, contact an Attorney on those grounds.

Do you KNOW that your brother was tranquilized and do you KNOW that he didn't take his blood pressure medication - ?

If so, ask an Attorney for advice. I don't know what damages you are claiming or can prove.

My feeling is if you go to the news media and your brother is EVER picked up by the Sheriff's Department again he will have worse problems.