Minnesota Lawsuit Takes on Involuntary Sedations

July 16, 2018

An attorney for a Minneapolis, Minn. man is drawing parallels between his client’s lawsuit and the recent debate over police urging paramedics to sedate unruly people.

Forty-eight-year-old John Powell says he suffered breathing problems and needed emergency care after suburban police allegedly asked paramedics to inject him with the powerful sedative ketamine three years ago.

Powell filed a federal lawsuit in December against North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale and the Robbinsdale and Brooklyn Center police departments. The three parties have denied any misconduct.

Powell tells the Star Tribune he spent a day in the hospital unconscious.

The Star Tribune reported last month on a draft report questioning whether Minneapolis officers inappropriately urged paramedics to sedate people with ketamine. City officials have appointed former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates to investigate whether police acted inappropriately.

Topics Lawsuits Minnesota

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Latest Comments

  • July 17, 2018 at 10:16 am
    Fair Playing Field says:
    From the Star Tribune: "Police were called to North Memorial (add: hospital) on the night of July 17, 2015, on a report of an armed man in a car. Powell was detained at gunpoi... read more
  • July 16, 2018 at 1:41 pm
    insurance mom says:
    one more 'damned if you do, and damned if you don't.' The officers would otherwise have needed to restrain him with 'excessive force.' It would be helpful if the article inc... read more

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