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John G. Laughon
Steven WeintraubBy Kyle Meenan
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A Duval County Jail inmate is at Shands Jacksonville being treated for breathing difficulties following a violent altercation with corrections officers early Tuesday morning.
Police are quick to point out the inmate, John Gregory Laughon, was transported to the hospital not for treatment of injuries, but for his mentally violent state.
According to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief Steven Weintraub, Laughon was originally arrested last November on a marijuana charge. On January 25, 2005, he was sentenced to serve 6 months in jail on those charges.
Police went on to explain that, this week, Laughon was being treated by the mental health team at the jail.
According to police reports, on Sunday, February 20, 2005, police arrested Laughon again, alleging that he assaulted a corrections officer with his fists. At that time, he was pepper-sprayed by two separate officers.
Late Monday night, corrections officers responded to Laughon's cell where he was reportedly banging on the glass, cursing and spitting at officers through the food flap. As an officer opened the cell door, Laughon allegedly punched the officer in the face. He was booked once again on another battery charge.
About four hours later, just before 3 a.m. Tuesday, officers went to the isolation cell where Laughon was being restrained. The inmate was placed in a restraint chair, but according to police reports he had somehow freed himself and was sitting on a bench.
The police report says, "As the officer looked into room, the inmate immediately charged the door. Before the officer could react, he was violently struck by the door and thrown against the wall to land of the floor." It goes on to say, "A second officer attempted to exit the jail control booth but was immediately charged by Laughon forcing her back into the booth. The inmate violently attacked her and shoved her against the cell wall. He cornered her against the wall and forced her to the floor with violent strikes with his fists about her body and head area."
Police tell First Coast News more officers then responded. They say it took four officers to restrain Laughon.
Two corrections officers went to Shands for treatment of possible broken bones.
Laughon was placed in full restraints and transported to Shands for treatment of minor injuries because of his mental state.
Once at the hospital Laughon was placed in a secure waiting room by a security guard and a JSO officer. A short while later he began to have breathing difficulties and was rushed in for treatment.
Right now there is no word on Laughon's condition. The JSO Homicide 'Use of Force Team' was called in to investigate at both the jail and the hospital.
Created: 2/22/2005 12:53:44 PM Updated: 2/22/2005 7:09:29 PM
© 2006 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=32899
NOTES:
First, I have to correct Weintraub in saying John Laughon was sentanced on January 25, 2005. He turned himself in to serve his 6 months on January 25, 2005. His trial was in 2004, he was sentanced then and was given time to work and put money in the bank to pay his bills while he served his 6 months for possession. He was so little of a threat to public safety they allowed him time to get his affairs in order being going to serve his time.
John was not having difficulty breathing when he arrvied at Shands, the witness we met said she didn't notice if he was breathing when he was taken out of the sheriff's van hog tied with shackles behind his back. If they thought he was having difficulty breathing why didn't they call an ambulance or life flight? Was he beaten to a pulp in the jail or somewhere along the way? Then they go on to say he was taken to Shands " not for treatment of injuries, but for his mentally violent state." Okay, so which is it? Was he having difficulty breathing or was he taken because of his mental state? He has not received treatment for any mental condition at Shands to this day.
They admit to two officers using "pepper spray" on John. They go on to claim John "was placed in a restraint chair, but according to police reports he had somehow freed himself and was sitting on a bench." I guess he was a magician then. I have seen an article about a football player who was restrained in this chair by JSO and he did not free himself.
The article goes on to say that "Laughon was placed in full restraints and transported to Shands for treatment of minor injuries because of his mental state." and "Once at the hospital Laughon was placed in a secure waiting room by a security guard and a JSO officer. A short while later he began to have breathing difficulties and was rushed in for treatment." Here we go again, was he transported because he had minor injuries, was he having difficulty breathing, or for his mental state? He was not "rushed" in for treatment, a nurse who was passing by notice he was not brathing and started CPR.
The article says that police reports say about one of the guards: "The inmate violently attacked her and shoved her against the cell wall. He cornered her against the wall and forced her to the floor with violent strikes with his fists about her body and head area." You will see in other articles to use the word "pummel." To pummel someone is to "beat" them. You will see that the guard they claim was pummelled only got a scratch behind their ear. If a person were coherent and pummelled someone, the person being pummelled would have more then a scratch. This goes to support that John was having seizures and was not coherent. John has never hit a female in his life on purpose. I should know I am his sister. He has had seizures in my home and did not harm myself, my husband nor my daughter, who was about 3 years old at the time.
John's condition was known at the time of this report but they did not want the public to know he had 11 broken ribs, both lungs collasped, injuries from head to toe and was on life support since that would not support their claim he only had minor injuries or he was only taken to Shands for his mental condition.
If they needed to restrain John, why didn't they use an "extraction team" and video tape it? After all, that is procedure. The subject of video tape will come up later also.
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