[BLANK_AUDIO] On the morning of September 8th, 2017,
Craig Ridley, an inmate at Florida State Prison Hospital,
struck a corrections officer in the face.
The officers tackled Ridley to the ground face first.
Ridley told them his neck was broken.
The officers said he was faking.
He wasn't.
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>> Sergeant Meadows was attempting to counsel with him about his attitude.
Getting up to go to work for food service this morning,
at which time he struck Sargeant Meadows on the left hand side of the face.
I assisted Sergeant Meadows and placed an inmate on the ground right here.
At this time the inmate's refusing to walk, to go to medical for
his post use of force physical and pre-confinement.
We got a wheelchair on the way.
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[INAUDIBLE] He may need your assistance, sir.
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>> 3:33 AM.
>> Yep.
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>> What a night.
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>> Don't let him
fall off.
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>> My neck is broke.
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>> He's in this wheelchair and he says his feet ain't working.
>> Lean forward a little bit.
Lean forward. >> I can not.
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>> I cannot move.
>> You don't need to move.
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>> Please put
me back.
>> We're getting a reading on your hand.
The longer you whine, the longer it's gonna take.
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Your blood pressure and all is fine.
You ain't paralyzed.
>> Ridley I'm gonna cuff you, okay?
I want you to put your hands in front of you while I cuff you, okay?
I want you to lean forward so I can get your hands.
>> [INAUDIBLE] That's too far.
That's too far forward, ma'am.
Can you push me back?
[BLANK_AUDIO] >> I gotta get to your hands.
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>> Sarge,
can you move
my head to
the left?
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[INAUDIBLE]
[BLANK_AUDIO] >> Stop.
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Officers took Ridley to confinement, where he sat for five days,
paralyzed and unable to move, with other inmates begging staff to help him.
Trays of food piled up.
Finally, an officer decided Ridley should go to an outside hospital.
He was intubated and fell into a coma.
A month later, he died.
A medical examiner ruled the case a homicide.
The causes of death were listed as blunt impact to the head and neck,
a major spinal cord injury, and complications of quadriplegia,
the paralysis of all four limbs.
No charges were brought against any officer.
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