Police give the knuckles to old man who called an ambulance

[King Ghidorah]

An elderly man called 911 for his wife who suffers from dementia, but before paramedics could arrive, the police showed up, and the man was allegedly brutally beaten by the officers for no apparent reason.

Elbert Breshears, 78, says he called an ambulance to his home because his wife needed medical attention, but police suddenly showed up, and that’s when things escalated.

“The wife and I were standing about here, that's the window she knocked out,” explained Breshears to KSPR. “I was standing here holding her hand and she was wavering hollering help. [The] police car drove up, he bailed out ran over and knocked me down. He told me to get up, I told him I couldn't. First thing, I know they grab me, threw me out there on the gravel. One of them sat down on my back, the other sat down on my head. They were trying to get handcuffs on me. I told them I can't get my hands up. I have no objection to being handcuffed.”

When paramedics finally arrived, both Breshears and his wife were taken to the hospital for injuries. Breshears now has a black eye and had to get stitches.“He dug out the gravel out of my head and sewed my head up,” Breshears described of his treatment at the hospital.

According to police, Breshears faces charges of assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and abuse of the elderly, all three of which he adamantly denies.

Breshears’s wife, who suffers from dementia, is currently being cared for at a facility, while Breshear himself faces charges. He’s not taking them lightly, however, as he’s already hired an attorney and plans to press charges against the police officer who assaulted him.

www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/elderly-man-beaten-police-after-calling-ambulance-his-wife-dementia-video

[Capt Lunatic]

"My wife knocked out a window and was yelling for help out it while I was holding her...I have no clue why the cops would throw me down and arrest me."

[rapidfire187]

Apr 22, 2014 20:19:29 GMT -5 Capt Lunatic said:

"My wife knocked out a window and was yelling for help out it while I was holding her...I have no clue why the cops would throw me down and arrest me."

...umm...yea? Cops aren't supposed to just charge in like dumbasses and start throwing people around. Dude could have simply walked up and observed the situation, maybe...y'know...ask a question or a something first.

[Mayonnaise]

Apr 22, 2014 20:31:55 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

Apr 22, 2014 20:19:29 GMT -5 Capt Lunatic said:

"My wife knocked out a window and was yelling for help out it while I was holding her...I have no clue why the cops would throw me down and arrest me."

...umm...yea? Cops aren't supposed to just charge in like dumbasses and start throwing people around. Dude could have simply walked up and observed the situation, maybe...y'know...ask a question or a something first.

Because when you pull up to what appears to be a major domestic violence situation with windows knocked out and a lady flagging you down shouting help you really want to rely on the people involved to tell the truth.

Anyway, I'd rather wait to hear the actual story than one from a source promoting controversy who sourced it from a place promising to air out everyone's dirty laundry.

[rapidfire187]

Apr 22, 2014 20:51:11 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Apr 22, 2014 20:31:55 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

...umm...yea? Cops aren't supposed to just charge in like dumbasses and start throwing people around. Dude could have simply walked up and observed the situation, maybe...y'know...ask a question or asomething first.

Because when you pull up to what appears to be a major domestic violence situation with windows knocked out and a lady flagging you down shouting help you really want to rely on the people involved to tell the truth.

Anyway, I'd rather wait to hear the actual story than one from a source promoting controversy who sourced it from a place promising to air out everyone's dirty laundry.

I still don't see how it looked like domestic violence unless she was trying to get away. I'm not trying to get all into this because like you said, we don't know the exact details, but it sounds like the officer made a stupid decision to me.

[Mayonnaise]

Apr 22, 2014 21:32:35 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

Apr 22, 2014 20:51:11 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Because when you pull up to what appears to be a major domestic violence situation with windows knocked out and a lady flagging you down shouting help you really want to rely on the people involved to tell the truth.

Anyway, I'd rather wait to hear the actual story than one from a source promoting controversy who sourced it from a place promising to air out everyone's dirty laundry.

I still don't see how it looked like domestic violence unless she was trying to get away. I'm not trying to get all into this because like you said, we don't know the exact details, but it sounds like the officer made a stupid decision to me.

“I was standing here holding her hand and she was wavering hollering help."

Combine that with the injuries (which they called an ambulance for) and broken windows, you have the markings of a major incident where she is trying to get away but cannot. 

Also, and this is just me guessing, with how they are reported to arrived and the scene they came to, it would not shock me to hear that a neighbor or passerby called into 911 with a domestic violence report. Again, that would just be a guess though.

This is where it'd be nice to have some sort of system that first responders have access to, where info like this is stored but that opens up another can of worms.

[rapidfire187]

All I'm going to add is that the police are not meant to carry out justice, just enforce the law. Regardless of what the officer thought the man did, he should have only used force if the suspect was resisting or becoming violent. When you add in the fact that it was an elderly man, I really don't see why the cop didn't treat the situation with more delicacy. Maybe there IS more to the story, but that's purely speculation.

[Ryback on a Pole!]

I can understand why the cops were suspicious. I mean, they didn't know the old woman had dementia and the old fella was trying to help.

But talk about going overboard and using excessive force. Again, I get why they were suspicious and in some ways, it's good they acted quick because if it was domestic violence, they could have saved the woman from serious harm. But, there's no denying they used excessive force and went way overboard. Surely there would have been calmer, more sensible and less aggressive ways to deal with it.

[Sektor]

Apr 22, 2014 20:51:11 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Apr 22, 2014 20:31:55 GMT -5 rapidfire187 said:

...umm...yea? Cops aren't supposed to just charge in like dumbasses and start throwing people around. Dude could have simply walked up and observed the situation, maybe...y'know...ask a question or a something first.

Because when you pull up to what appears to be a major domestic violence situation with windows knocked out and a lady flagging you down shouting help you really want to rely on the people involved to tell the truth.

Anyway, I'd rather wait to hear the actual story than one from a source promoting controversy who sourced it from a place promising to air out everyone's dirty laundry.

He's 78, was putting him down hard really the only rational course of action? I don't think it's unreasonable to say that they could've subdued him without beating his ass, and then assessed the situation. It's understandable that they thought they were looking at domestic violence, but they still overreacted.

[Mayonnaise]

Apr 23, 2014 11:48:38 GMT -5 Sektor said:

Apr 22, 2014 20:51:11 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Because when you pull up to what appears to be a major domestic violence situation with windows knocked out and a lady flagging you down shouting help you really want to rely on the people involved to tell the truth.

Anyway, I'd rather wait to hear the actual story than one from a source promoting controversy who sourced it from a place promising to air out everyone's dirty laundry.

He's 78, was putting him down hard really the only rational course of action? I don't think it's unreasonable to say that they could've subdued him without beating his ass, and then assessed the situation. It's understandable that they thought they were looking at domestic violence, but they still overreacted.

They came to a scene where a woman appeared to be held against her will by someone who had beaten her up so yes it was. An officers first duty is to protect life, and this scene made it appear her's was in great danger. Age does not mean anything as elder people fighting, one striking another and causing a death is not unusual.  

Until I see something that isn't from a complete joke of a source, I'm going to side with the officers having been there myself.

[Dr. T is an alien]

Apr 23, 2014 8:22:36 GMT -5 Ryback on a Pole! said:

I can understand why the cops were suspicious. I mean, they didn't know the old woman had dementia and the old fella was trying to help.

But they should have known that since HE CALLED THE COPS HIMSELF AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND ASKED FOR HELP. Seriously, I cannot stress that enough. They should have known the situation and even if they did not they should have ordered him to let go and step away with his arms behind his head. Violence should not have been the first option, even if they (or their department) were so incompetent to not bother knowing what the situation was ahead of time.

[Ryback on a Pole!]

Apr 23, 2014 22:58:07 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

But they should have known that since HE CALLED THE COPS HIMSELF AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND ASKED FOR HELP. Seriously, I cannot stress that enough. They should have known the situation and even if they did not they should have ordered him to let go and step away with his arms behind his head. Violence should not have been the first option, even if they (or their department) were so incompetent to not bother knowing what the situation was ahead of time.

Maybe I'm wrong but didn't the old man call the paramedics and not the police?

I don't think the story says who phoned for the police. I can't see the old man calling the cops when a wife having a panic attack due to dementia isn't a police problem.

If it was the neighbours (who I think it was) who called the police, then the coppers who showed up on scene would have no idea what was happening.


I agree with the second part, I mentioned that in my post that they acted way over-the-top and handled the situation badly.