Posted: 7/2/2008 at 02:20 AM
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We all remember the wheelchair dumping incident that occurred this winter in a Florida jail. Doubting Brian Sterner,a paraplegic, was truly disabled, a deputy dumped him from his wheelchair onto a concrete floor. The sheriff of the county offered an apology for the treatment Mr. Sterner received. Until today, however, I haven't heard anything from the person responsible for tipping Mr. Sterner face-first out of his wheelchair, Charlotte Marshall-Jones. The deputy eventually resigned from her position just days before she was charged with abuse of a disabled person and today was her day in court.
Charlotte Marshall-Jones could have easily served time in jail for her offense, but Brian Sterner and his attorney instead asked the judge that the former deputy spend her time in an 18-month diversion program. Ms. Marshall-Jones accepted the offer and will serve around 100 hours of community service. As a final stipulation of the deal, Sterner requested that Ms. Marshall-Jones serve her time working with people with disabilities. There's no word yet on where exactly she might serve her community service.
[Photo caption: Still shot from the video released showing Brian Sterner lying on the floor with the uniformed deputy holding his wheelchair tipped forward. Three other employees are visible in the scene observing the act.]
What do you think about this punishment?
I fully respect the wishes of Mr. Sterner above my own hypothetical musings because he actually experienced this horrendous act. Still, I do (of course!) have my own thoughts on the matter. First, one of the things that bothered me most about the video was the number of people standing around that watched this abuse and did nothing. The sheriff stated empathetically that this behavior was not an indication that his staff lacked training in working with wheelchair users. If that's the case, how does he explain the fact NO ONE intervened before, during, or after the assault? What consequences did these people face in their contribution to his abuse?
Finally, I disagree with the suggestion that Charlotte Marshall-Jones should redeem herself by spending more time with the people she victimized. Her only released statement that she'd like to, "get on with her life" doesn't exactly sounds like she's going to embrace the experience as a learning opportunity. It seems more like she feels lucky to have escaped jail but bitter to be bothered with this whole event. When a child abuser is handed down their punishment, we don't sentence them to more time with children. We don't assign those charged with animal cruelty to volunteer at the nearest humane society. And we don't mandate domestic violence perpetrators spend more time in a women's shelter or an all-girls dorm. I don't think it should be the responsibility of other people with disabilities to somehow reform this woman. Her problem is not necessarily rooted with us but a general disregard of humanity with a lack of empathy. I don't know of any of my friends with disabilities that I'd like to sacrifice their pleasant mood by spending any time with her.
Those are my thoughts on the ruling, but I'm looking forward to hearing yours so leave them below!
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If this deputy is that big of a jerk, I doubt that jail will improve that. If anything, jail might make her worse. Until she's where we are, she just won't get it.
Kara,
My first instinct was to disagree with you, but the more I thought about it, the more I began to agree. However, I think the most appropriate punishment would be for her to work in a sheltered workshop. That would open her eyes and give the community something back in terms of work.
I was in Florida at the time this happened visiting a friend and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I think she should get some time in jail or one full year working with the disabled. Thats my thoughts. Take Care Now, Sandy
It's really hard to believe this lady's actions......in the first place. I don't think.......even if she were to work with the disabled......she'd develop.. ANY empathy........learn ANYTHING......I think there's just something basically LACKING..........an no........it's NOT our responsibility to teach her ANYTHING............maybe punishment and a complete change in the type of work she does......is the only answer...........Peace and love.......Norma
Actually her punishment should have been a spinal block and a month in a chair in the local mall. Coyote
Seeing this really saddened me because I always wonder what would happen to me if I am ever arrested. Not that I am doing anything to be arrested for. I have Post Polio and one of my arms can only unbend to 90 degrees. Also my arm could never go behind my back. If I told them this, would they take my word or would they force it back there until it breaks? Just writing this comment is making me breath hard and makes me feel like crying. I have a friend who is disabled and I saw him be arrested. We tried to tell the cops who were trying to sweep his feet apart to feel for weapons that he was disable, but they would not listen. I heard him say to them please don't put the handcuffs on me because I use my hands to balance as I walk. I saw one cop show the arresting cop this mans cane to show OK there just might be some truth to this but they did not care. When they saw that he could not walk unless his hands were free they just dragged him to the car stood him up by the car and told him to get in. As he tried to left his leg to get in car with no one to accesit him not even his own hands to help him balance as he got into the car. He feel to the ground. Now cops are mad so one cop goes to other side of car and reached across and drags this poor man body into the car on his stomic. So I am sure that if I was arressted they would not listen and break my arm trying to put handcuffs on me.
What the hell is wrong with jail time and this being done? I don't get it, what is up with keeping people that do these kinds of crimes out of jail? If you ask me this person who did this to this man should get the same only more so.. She sould get the same treatment she gave this man and the best place for this to happen is in jail, I am sure there are some inmates that would treat her in a manner that she needs once they found out why she is there.. Then and only then she should be trusted to maybe work with the handicapped and give them the respect the deserve, if it was me she did this to the last people I would want her around is more handicapped people with out her first learning what she did was wrong and some just need to learn this by living it..
I would have liked to see her get handcuffed---both legs---to a wheelchair for 18 hours a day while she serves her community service. I hope that working with the disabled will giver her more empathy but I doubt it will. What's a few hours going to do to counteract a life time of callousness?
Wow. I. am. so. stunned. outraged and horrified.
I hadn't heard about this before. This person was on a huge power trip -- I don't know how I feel about the punishment. Still trying to wrap my mind around what happened.
I understand your point completely. I wouldn't want to be the one she has to work with. I actually hate when people who don't want to help me do so just because they have to. It's hard to explain, but I can remember being in situations like that. It sucks. I don't want help from people who don't want to give it.
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