Officials in Livingston Parish, Louisiana are reviewing a video from a traffic stop by Deputy Chris Sturdivant that resulted in the broken neck of Adam Stogner, 42. Sturdivant believed that Stogner might be hiding drugs in his mouth when he wrestled him to the ground.
Stogner died from “severe coronary artery disease, an enlarged heart, and a fracture of the hyoid bone in his neck.”
The video begins with Sturdivant suspicious about what Stogner had in his hand:
Sturdivant: “What you got in your hand? “Give me your hand,”
Stogner: “I don’t have nothing in my hand, I swear to you.”
Sturdivant later believes that he saw the man put what was in his hand into his mouth.
The Department believes that the deputy acted appropriately despite the rapid escalation of force:
“He was appropriate in his actions. He followed departmental protocol in trying to arrest a subject who tried to resist,” Ard said. Only after two more deputies arrive on scene is Stogner completely cuffed. Keep in mind, the baggy is still in his mouth. It’s then that one of the deputies notices Stogner is having trouble breathing and calls for medical help. “Is he breathing?” one of the deputies asked. “I don’t know,” another answered.
For the full story, click here.
Words fail to adequately express my gratitude for everyone’s kindness. Thank you all. I should also relay that your words meant a lot to the boy’s mother too. It has been tough around here, but things are moving forward. As the weeks move on and the pain fades, I’m sure I’ll be posting more regularly again. Day by day is how I am playing it at the moment. Today was a mostly good day.
It was also a good day when I stumbled upon the Salon here. I’ve been blessed with meeting some very fine people indeed.
BIL:
Very sorry to hear of this tragedy, please accept my condolences, even if you consider me a troll.
NPO:
I think your analysis comes from blinders being on. From a assessment of harm view, what could be gained from wrestling the man to the ground and breaking his neck? An enhanced criminal charge? The force was way over any harm allegedly being prevented, and was very likely to cause more harm.
Additionally, nobody should be forced to incriminate themselves, via the 5th Amendment. To force someone to do anything affirmative so that they can be put into further legal jeopardy is a constitutional violation.
I have followed this blog for some time now.
BIL has been enlightening/entertaining/intelligent and informative.
All my best to you sir.
Buddah:
They say the man upstairs puts no more on us than we can handle,Having walked down that road that you are on many,many years ago,I know that feeling.
My condolences to you and your family and you all will be in my prayers and thoughts.
Bless you and I Know that I am not taking it for granted for I feel you are a friend.
I suppose that’s your idea of taking me to task?
I love good humor any time.
I will not respond to non-contributory remarks, but I am not a cop. Before I judge, I try to understand their perspective.
Well that is obvious, NPO, in your previous posts before we started to take you to task.
FYI,
I will not respond to non-contributory remarks, but I am not a cop. Before I judge, I try to understand their perspective.
When someone decides to struggle or fight, they are taking a chance. The officer is struggling with a druggie, on the side of the road ( mind you a dangerous spot itself), and now, he has to tackle him, and no telling what the suspect might do next. The druggie could have had a needle ( ever heard of needle stick, I wonder) , or other weapons, so before you judge, put yourselves for a minute in the officer’s place. I bet most people who talk behind the safety of their computers, never had to fight the real fight out there.
I suspect NPO is a police officer who general considers himself better than everyone else, and has no problem letting a few “druggies” die while he’s trying to arrest them…after all, they “have it coming” to them.
One wonders about NPO’s childhood, about his father and mother, what went on at home, the abuse, the drinking, etc… Now that mommy and daddy are dead, well, at least older, instead of being angry at them for those painful nights alone in his room crying, he has taken all that energy and, now, wants to hurt and harm those who are less fortunate, even those with a PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE (much like NPO himself). What’s worse, in his sick mind, “they deserve it!”
What NPO doesn’t say is that he would really like to strangle mommy and daddy for what they did to him, but he can’t so he became a cop, and now he enjoys abusing other people in their place. It’s nice when the one you’re violently abusing has little power and little recourse. Big man.
The druggie brought this upon himself. The autopsy says he had coronorary artery disease, an enlareged heart- these two are chronic conditions generally take a long time to develop. So he does some amphetamine, and in the struggle with a cop drops dead, big deal.
Really? What is the big deal here? I mean the fact that his damned neck was broken seems to have escaped your fine investigative abilities.
NPO, somehow I suspect that you have never encountered someone close to you with an addiction problem.
Lets say it were your child with this issue, would you PERSONALLY break his neck because he deserves it?
Sorry, but you are a fruitcake.
The druggie brought this upon himself. The autopsy says he had coronorary artery disease, an enlareged heart- these two are chronic conditions generally take a long time to develop. So he does some amphetamine, and in the struggle with a cop drops dead, big deal.
“NPO: People who do drugs can be very violent, unpredictable, and irrational. An officer’s life can be endangered in a second.”
Nice generalisation…. Now switch around “People who do drugs” and “officers” and you may be on to something here.
I suppose NPO never had a drink in his whole life, may be good for him but please keep the silly puritanism to your own stupid self.
“Nobody is innocent, if you are on this planet, you are guilty, FU, next!” (the late George Carlin)
People who do drugs can be very violent, unpredictable, and irrational.People who do drugs can be very violent, unpredictable, and irrational.
It appears you just described the police officer to a “T”
“Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which is remembered…. Do not then consider life a thing
of any value. For look to the immensity of time behind thee, and to the time which is before thee, another boundless space. In this infinity then what is the difference between him who lives three days and him who lives three generations?”
“When thou wishest to delight thyself, think of the virtues of those who live with thee; for instance, the activity of one, and the modesty of another, and the liberality of a third, and some other good quality of a fourth. For nothing delights so much as the examples of the virtues, when they are exhibited in the morals of those who live with us and present themselves in abundance, as far as is possible. Wherefore we must keep them before us.”
–Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations, From Books 4 & 6
It is hard to judge someone on the field, from the safety behind the keyboards. People who do drugs can be very violent, unpredictable, and irrational. An officer’s life can be endangered in a second. People who do drugs, have these kind of things coming to them.
Buddha:
I just read about your tragedy, and I completely understand your decision. I wish you a bright star as you navigate this tempest and fervently hope our paths may cross again. You have my thoughts and prayers. I echo JT’s sincere sentiments, and would be happy to converse with you on any level you find appropriate, and at any time. JT has my email address and contact information which he can share with you. Stay strong, my friend.
Budah,
some people come and go, some we shall never know
you’ve sown seeds here and we watched them grow
I’m sorry for your loss and so sorry to see you go
Bdaman
Budah we are in this world but we are not of this world. You will see the little one again in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Buddha,
I just read about your family’s loss. I am deeply sorry for you and your family. There is nothing like the loss of a child. We have had it in our family and in friends who have lost children to Leukemia and other ailments and one 3 year old who was hit by a car. Mike S. is correct when he said that there are no words to help in this kind of situation. Hang in there and stay close to the family. The only thing that may help in this situation is time and support from each other.
BIL – You have my sincere condolences. I look forward to your return.
BIL, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, please accept my deepest condolences.