The Latest Police Outrage

This time in Kansas City, Missouri. A pregnant woman was pulled over by police for a traffic violation. She tells them she’s pregnant and bleeding and they ignore her and take her to jail instead. The result was quite tragic:

Salva, a Sudanese native, was pulled over Feb. 5, 2006, by officers Melody Spencer and Kevin Schnell, who had seen her affix a fake temporary tag on her car’s back windshield.

“She told the officers repeatedly over the course of 45 minutes that she was bleeding, she was pregnant, she needed medical attention,” Protzman said. “And they ignored her request and refused to listen to her and refused to take care of her.”

Salva was taken to jail and kept overnight on traffic violations and outstanding city warrants. The next morning, Salva claims, she was released and delivered a premature baby boy who died a minute after birth.

“If Sofia could have her baby back, she would love to have that,” Protzman said. “But the police took that opportunity away from her. She’s pursuing the only recourse that’s available to her under the law.”

The suit, filed Friday in Jackson County Circuit Court, seeks actual damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages to punish and deter such conduct in the future.

The videotape seems pretty damning:

Seems pretty outrageous to me. And yet further evidence that the whole idea of “to protect and serve” doesn’t mean much anymore.

H/T: The Agitator