Lee County Jail inmate death ruled homocide by Med Examiner

Why am i not surprised. The Lee County Medical Examiner has rule Nicholas Christie's death at the hands of LCSO jail deputies a homocide.

It's disgusting that the LCSO gets to internally investigate this. FDLE should be the ones investigating how he died at the hands of LCSO jail deputies.

http://www.winknews.com/features/action/44486617.html


Inmate death ruled homicide

A widow tells WINK News her husband died at the hands of law enforcement. Now CALL FOR ACTION has obtained his death certificate, which the Lee County Medical Examiner's calls a homicide.

By Melissa Yeager, WINK News

Story Created: May 6, 2009 at 5:07 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 6, 2009 at 6:33 PM EDT

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nicholas Christie's death certificate confirms pepper spray contributed to his death.

62-year-old Nicholas Christie suffered from clinical depression and heart disease. His wife, Joyce, put out an alert for him when he disappeared from their Ohio home. Lee County Sheriff's deputies found Nick and arrested him for disorderly intoxication and trespass. When Joyce found out Nick was arrested, she went to the Lee County Jail.

"Took medical records. Tried to tell he could go into cardiac arrest. He had a lot of major health issues. They wouldn't listen," Joyce told CALL FOR ACTION in an interview in April.

Joyce never saw her husband in jail but Kenneth Cutler did.

"We could see him from our cell was covered in pepper spray and they... they sprayed him again," said Cutler.

Cutler was arrested for not showing up for a court date and was in jail with Christie.

"You could see his whole face was blue almost purple and he was gasping crying that he can't breath, he can't breath. He's having chest pains," described Cutler, "It's over an hour before the nurse came up. She tested his oxygen level. It was only at 87 percent. And a few minutes after that is when they took him out."

Christie later died at the hospital.

CALL FOR ACTION obtained the death certificate issued by the Lee County Medical Examiner. It shows the cause of death as homicide. It also lists physiological stress following restrain and noxious effects of Oleoresin Capsicum or OC spray as a cause of death.

Where the death certificate asks to describe how injury occurred it says: "restrained and sprayed with pepper spray by law enforcement officers"

"I think this death certificate confirms what we have known based on our investigation and based on what some of the witnesses have indicated, observed is that this is a homicide," Attorney Nick DiCello who represents the Christie family told CALL FOR ACTION over the phone, "And that Nick Christie died a violent and painful death at the hands of the deputy sheriffs who restrained him and who repeatedly sprayed him."

As for the Lee County Sheriff's Office, they have repeatedly told WINK News they are conducting an internal investigation. A Spokesman for the Office says it is against their policy to give any comment until it is complete.

WINK News called them again after we obtained the death certificate and they still will not comment until the autopsy is finished and their investigation is complete.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office says none of the deputies involved in this case have been placed on suspension or administrative leave.

Er, i ment homicide, not homocide.

Er, i meant homicide, not homocide.

wow this dose not sound good at all

Er, i meant homicide, not homocide.

Homocide is when a gay guy is murdered, right?

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the March death of an Ohio man in the Lee County jail, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and an attorney for the man’s widow.

Nicholas Christie, 62, died March 31, after he was restrained and pepper-sprayed in the downtown Fort Myers jail. Christie, a retired boilermaker visiting family in Naples, was taking medication for anxiety.

A medical examiner ruled Christie’s death a homicide.

The federal inquiry is independent of an investigation being conducted by the Sheriff’s Office’s Major Crimes Unit, said agency spokesman Larry King.

“We are cooperating with them,” he said of federal agents.

Douglas Molloy, chief assistant United States Attorney in the Fort Myers office, would neither confirm nor deny an investigation.

Nicholas DiCello, an attorney for Chrstie’s widow, said FBI agents are conducting the inquiry on behalf of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Among other responsibilities, the division oversees the rights of the incarcerated.

DiCello encouraged the investigation by calling the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa, he said.

Christie ended up in the jail after a March 27 arrest for trespassing at a North Fort Myers hotel. He had also been arrested two days earlier, for disorderly intoxication and causing a disturbance.

DiCello said Christie, from Girard, Ohio, was visiting his brother in Naples when he stopped taking his anti-anxiety medication. He was kicked out of the home and ended up at the North Fort Myers hotel.

Christie was placed in the jail’s observation cell, where corrections deputies could keep a closer eye on him, said another inmate on the wing at the time, Kenneth Cutler, 42.

Cutler, who had been arrested for failing to appear at court, said that on March 29, Christie was loud, belligerent and disoriented to the point of asking for his car keys so he could drive home.

Deputies gassed him multiple times, beginning in the early morning hours, Cutler said. When Christie continued being loud, a new shift escalated the spraying, according to Cutler. They used two foggers, which release the chemical into a cell at large, he said, and then restrained Christie in a chair.

“They sprayed this man in the face directly with (pepper) spray while he was strapped to the chair,” Cutler said. “They must have got some in his mouth, because he’s spitting trying to get it out, and so they put the spit mask on him.” Cutler said Christie turned blue and complained of chest pains. He was taken to a nurse station, Cutler said, before being rushed to the hospital in the afternoon.

Christie’s heart failed from the shock of the pepper spray, Medical Examiner Dr. Robert Pfalzgraf concluded in an autopsy. By the time his heart was beating again, his brain had gone too long without oxygen.

The Sheriff’s Office never notified the State Attorney’s Office of Christie’s death, despite a requirement by State Attorney Stephen Russell that his office be informed of in-custody deaths no later than the end of the next day.

Prosecutors only heard of the death from media reports in May.

The Lee Circuit Court, too, was never notified, and a bench warrant was filed in Christie’s and delivered to the Sheriff’s Office three weeks after his death. The court only learned of Christie’s death two weeks later.

None of the jailers involved were removed from their duties after Christie’s death.

DiCello, the attorney, expressed confidence in the Sheriff’s Office investigation. Major Crimes investigates homicides within the agency’s jurisdiction, as well as fatal shootings involving its own officers.

Investigators with the jail were originally handling Christie’s death, King said, before it was handed to Major Crimes.

“I think (the unit) redid everything and really did a thorough job,” DiCello said.

King, with the Sheriff’s Office, said the agency’s investigation, at more than four months old, was taking so long due to there being more than 90 witnesses to the event.

Once completed, the investigation will be forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office, which will determine criminal culpability.

DiCello said he believed an investigation could show fault with the jail’s medical protocols, although he declined to elaborate. Cutler, the inmate, said in an interview several months ago that nurses should have been aware of Christie’s medical issues from the first of his two arrests.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/aug/03/feds-investigating-lee-county-jail-death/

This is not going to end well.

did anyone stop to think that it's the medical staff who will be found at fault rather than the deputies? After all, medical staff probably could have put a stop to it. Remember the nurse at Bay County who was charged with manslaughter in the 14-year-old along with several COs? Even though they were eventually acquitted, Dear Charlie Crist gave the momma and daddy a cool few million as did Bay County. And that was BEFORE anyone was found guilty of anything. Two disparate autopsy reports, one said the ammonia capsules basicaly suffocated the little scumbag, the other said it was Sickle Cell. I know I hope I get on the jury if any one of the deputies or medical staff is charged by that loser of an SAO we have. And remember, I'm a private citizen, NOT in law enforcement or the medical field.

I hope i get on the jury too. It's already been ruled a homicide by the ME office and attributed to the pepper spray. All that's left to decide is which scumbags are responsible for his death.

I'm glad to hear the feds are investigating this as well. The fact that the sheriffs office never reported the death to state prosecutors is so typical of the LCSO. Trusting them to investigate themselves is a total farce, these guys won't even arrest another deputy for DUI let alone homicide!

This is not going to end well.
I hope it doesn't end well for them, because on March 31st things didn't end well for Nicholas Christie either...

Two the above two posters, get off our message boards,

Ever stop to think this dumb ass put himself in the Jail in the first place. He was a grown as-s adult, but I guess no one is responsible for themselves in today's society.
This idiot drug user was going to die eventually due to his habit, he chose to do it in Jail.

Life is full of choices, he chose to be a *Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU Violations*, now he can embrace the horror of the afterlife!

good damn riddance!

Two the above two posters, get the f-uck off our message boards,

Ever stop to think this dumb ass put himself in the Jail in the first place. He was a grown as-s adult, but I guess no one is responsible for themselves in today's society.
This idiot drug user was going to die eventually due to his habit, he chose to do it in Jail.

Life is full of choices, he chose to be a *Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU*, now he can embrace the horror of the afterlife!

good darn riddance!


Sorry Bucky,your attempt at posing as a Leo failed! Ever stop to think where youd be if you stayed in skool? Now you go round up that cattle boy, and leave this here forum to the grown ass educated ones! You were darn right about life being full of choices! Dont get skeerd but i think *Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU*!

So we hit a stump in the road on this one, but look at the bright side, we have the gang and GTA units!

Any further news on this? I'm beginning to thing the feds are just going to sweep this one under the rug. The guys death was ruled a homicide at the hands of jail deputies and LCSO never properly reported the incident etc.

This needs to be investigated and prosecuted!

lcso is not going to do anything and has turned it over for review, I thinks the feds did or are still looking into it. Overall nothing is going to be done.

Well i didn't expect lcso office to do anything with it other then whitewash the incident. They never even reported his death to the SAO as they are required to do. It's not hard to figure where they stood, they wanted it to just go away and did as much as they could to make it so.

I was more interested if there was anything new with the justice departments federal civil rights investigation? I guess it's time to prod WINK's "CALL FOR ACTION" reporter about the outcome. I hate the way the locals news outfits always make a big splash about these stories, then they never do anything to keep the heat on and follow through!

It's pretty bad when you have to make a call for action just to get the "CALL FOR ACTION" reporter to follow through on their story. :evil:

THIS IS OLD NEWS!!!! Who cares?

THIS IS OLD NEWS!!!! Who cares?


Aww that was uncalled for, and rude ! You asked, so I will speak ! I care ! Someone died, if it was justified and proven he needed to be sprayed to death, then let's put it on the table of justice. If it was accidental then let's put that on the table. I would like some answers to why he had to die. Being a unruley loud mouth does not justify his death. Some things take time, and the scales of justice need be weighed. That's all I will say !

THIS IS OLD NEWS!!!! Who cares?
I care! It pisses me off when non-lethal weapons are misused with lethal consequences. And i care when for-profit private health care providers contracted by the jail fail to provide needed care until it's to late.

This is BS, he had to die because a couple of corrections officers couldn't handle him being a disoriented loud mouthed inmate who was in need of medical evaluation. Instead they pepper sprayed him time and again, restrained him, pepper sprayed him some more, spit gagged him and waited until he was blue in the face before deciding "oh shit he needs medical attention or the SOB is going to die on us!"

As if that isn't bad enough, either by incompetence or worse the SAO was never notified after his death as is required. They had to learn about it via news reports. Who at LCSO is responsible for that failure to report, and is he/she incompetent or worse?

Two the above two posters, get the f-uck off our message boards,

Ever stop to think this dumb ass put himself in the Jail in the first place. He was a grown as-s adult, but I guess no one is responsible for themselves in today's society.
This idiot drug user was going to die eventually due to his habit, he chose to do it in Jail.

Life is full of choices, he chose to be a *Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU Violations*, now he can embrace the horror of the afterlife!

good darn riddance!

There was an active BOLO on this man and not followed by LCSO the entire time...This was a Husband, Father and Grandfather not a drug addict.

You say life is full of choices ?
Where was his choice to live ?
What choice did the guards make that ended his life ?
Who is going to be held accountable for taken that life ?

Protect and Serve ???
*Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU violations*

Sincerely,
Guess who ?

http://www.andjustice4all.org

P.S
A Civilian Member on this board !

Two the above two posters, get the f-uck off our message boards,

Ever stop to think this dumb ass put himself in the Jail in the first place. He was a grown as-s adult, but I guess no one is responsible for themselves in today's society.
This idiot drug user was going to die eventually due to his habit, he chose to do it in Jail.

Life is full of choices, he chose to be a *Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU Violations*, now he can embrace the horror of the afterlife!

good darn riddance!

There was an active BOLO on this man and not followed by LCSO the entire time...This was a Husband, Father and Grandfather not a drug addict.

You say life is full of choices ?
Where was his choice to live ?
What choice did the guards make that ended his life ?
Who is going to be held accountable for taken that life ?

Protect and Serve ???
*Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*
Sincerely,
Guess who ?

http://www.andjustice4all.org

P.S
A Civilian Member on this board !

Go home you *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Calling LEO cowards while you spam your psycho babble? Please, get a job.

Keep to spamming the Newspress message boards, self righteous *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

[quote="Civilians on the board again":15t9nfaj]Two the above two posters, get the f-uck off our message boards,

Ever stop to think this dumb ass put himself in the Jail in the first place. He was a grown as-s adult, but I guess no one is responsible for themselves in today's society.
This idiot drug user was going to die eventually due to his habit, he chose to do it in Jail.

Life is full of choices, he chose to be a *Edited by Mod 610 due to TOU Violations*, now he can embrace the horror of the afterlife!

good darn riddance!

There was an active BOLO on this man and not followed by LCSO the entire time...This was a Husband, Father and Grandfather not a drug addict.

You say life is full of choices ?
Where was his choice to live ?
What choice did the guards make that ended his life ?
Who is going to be held accountable for taken that life ?

Protect and Serve ???
*Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*
Sincerely,
Guess who ?

http://www.andjustice4all.org

P.S
A Civilian Member on this board !

Go home you *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Calling LEO cowards while you spam your psycho babble? Please, get a job.

Keep to spamming the Newspress message boards, self righteous *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.
[/quote:15t9nfaj]

Did I touch a nerve ?? I'm sorry... :shock:
Gee; Why so personal ? :wink:

Correction: I called "You" coward not all LEO

Why is a dead victim referred to as: dumb ass and idiot and I say COWARD to one and the MOD deletes it ? Double standards are not okay unless the MOD is not being fair and balanced or are they personally known ?
Either way or Neither way; The MOD gave the illusion that I referred to all as Cowards to incite an issue with someone who referred to my post as self righteous and as psycho babbling..Really ?? Standing up for a dead man is a violation , However, Diminishing a life is not.. :roll:

Go home you *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Calling LEO cowards while you spam your psycho babble? Please, get a job.

Keep to spamming the Newspress message boards, self righteous *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Good grief, if there's anyone who needs to "go home" it's you. You need a good long vacation because this is the kind of *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Did I touch a nerve ?? I'm sorry... :shock:
Gee; Why so personal ? :wink:

Correction: I called "You" coward not all LEO

Really? who am I that you are referring to? You made a blanket statement to all LEO, or is my type style somehow unique?

Why is a dead victim referred to as: dumb ass and idiot and I say COWARD to one and the MOD deletes it ? Double standards are not okay unless the MOD is not being fair and balanced or are they personally known ?

Because you are always the victim. ALWAYS. Your website is a sad testament to that, boo hoo LCSO is so terrible.


Either way or Neither way; The MOD gave the illusion that I referred to all as Cowards to incite an issue with someone who referred to my post as self righteous and as psycho babbling..Really ??

VICTIM

Standing up for a dead man is a violation , However, Diminishing a life is not.. :roll:

[Mod 610]

Did I touch a nerve ?? I'm sorry... :shock:
Gee; Why so personal ? :wink:

Correction: I called "You" coward not all LEO

Why is a dead victim referred to as: dumb ass and idiot and I say COWARD to one and the MOD deletes it ? Double standards are not okay unless the MOD is not being fair and balanced or are they personally known ?
Either way or Neither way; The MOD gave the illusion that I referred to all as Cowards to incite an issue with someone who referred to my post as self righteous and as psycho babbling..Really ?? Standing up for a dead man is a violation , However, Diminishing a life is not.. :roll:


I edited your post because you said more than what you are betraying and the way it was said. I will not correct the way it was said other then to delete the item (s) and put my statement as to why there. Other then that part, I left your entire post as is, I even corrected your link you posted. I do not like nor will I tolerate your comments towards me being unfair and balanced or personally known. If you wish to continue posting here and not be banned, please stay within the terms. We are entitled to our opinions, but to post them, they must fit within the terms of usage.

Please keep this topic in line with the Terms of usage or I will lock this thread.

Thank you for visiting LEO Affairs
Mod 610

[quote="go home":1chbnb6w]Go home you *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Calling LEO cowards while you spam your psycho babble? Please, get a job.

Keep to spamming the Newspress message boards, self righteous *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.

Good grief, if there's anyone who needs to "go home" it's you. You need a good long vacation because this is the kind of *Edited my Mod 610 due to TOU violations*.[/quote:1chbnb6w]

Really? You were there? Please tell me more.

Roid rage? Little girl, sometimes grown ups talk to each other in ways you don't understand. Please feel free not to comment in the future.

I'm sure this is just Karma 4 All posting again to agree with herself and her other self important proclamation, when will she be banned?

[karma4all]

[quote="1 tear 4 U":62het4ao]
Did I touch a nerve ?? I'm sorry... :shock:
Gee; Why so personal ? :wink:

Correction: I called "You" coward not all LEO

Why is a dead victim referred to as: dumb ass and idiot and I say COWARD to one and the MOD deletes it ? Double standards are not okay unless the MOD is not being fair and balanced or are they personally known ?
Either way or Neither way; The MOD gave the illusion that I referred to all as Cowards to incite an issue with someone who referred to my post as self righteous and as psycho babbling..Really ?? Standing up for a dead man is a violation , However, Diminishing a life is not.. :roll:


I edited your post because you said more than what you are betraying and the way it was said. I will not correct the way it was said other then to delete the item (s) and put my statement as to why there. Other then that part, I left your entire post as is, I even corrected your link you posted. I do not like nor will I tolerate your comments towards me being unfair and balanced or personally known. If you wish to continue posting here and not be banned, please stay within the terms. We are entitled to our opinions, but to post them, they must fit within the terms of usage.

Please keep this topic in line with the Terms of usage or I will lock this thread.

Thank you for visiting LEO Affairs
Mod 610[/quote:62het4ao]

Fair enough as long as the rules apply to all and Thank you for making the correction.

Just to clarify one thing, I did not posted the other comment and usually sign in whenever commenting , With the exception of this thread, However, Not hiding.

The facts remain the same that to call this man names is disrespectful from whoever wrote it.

Karma did you pay the newspress for the photo you have on your website. Clipping it would be illegal, wouldn't it! :cop:

[quote="1 tear 4 U":1uj204kv]
Did I touch a nerve ?? I'm sorry... :shock:
Gee; Why so personal ? :wink:

Correction: I called "You" coward not all LEO

Why is a dead victim referred to as: dumb ass and idiot and I say COWARD to one and the MOD deletes it ? Double standards are not okay unless the MOD is not being fair and balanced or are they personally known ?
Either way or Neither way; The MOD gave the illusion that I referred to all as Cowards to incite an issue with someone who referred to my post as self righteous and as psycho babbling..Really ?? Standing up for a dead man is a violation , However, Diminishing a life is not.. :roll:


I edited your post because you said more than what you are betraying and the way it was said. I will not correct the way it was said other then to delete the item (s) and put my statement as to why there. Other then that part, I left your entire post as is, I even corrected your link you posted. I do not like nor will I tolerate your comments towards me being unfair and balanced or personally known. If you wish to continue posting here and not be banned, please stay within the terms. We are entitled to our opinions, but to post them, they must fit within the terms of usage.

Please keep this topic in line with the Terms of usage or I will lock this thread.

Thank you for visiting LEO Affairs
Mod 610

Fair enough as long as the rules apply to all and Thank you for making the correction.

Just to clarify one thing, I did not posted the other comment and usually sign in whenever commenting , With the exception of this thread, However, Not hiding.

The facts remain the same that to call this man names is disrespectful from whoever wrote it.[/quote:1uj204kv]

No less disrespectful than you calling Deputies, or even one Deputy a coward. Why do you think this is O.K.?

It is O.K. to be disrespectful to Law Enforcement then? How do you know who ever posted that was Law Enforcement? Simple, you don't.

And yet, as most do, you condemn Law Enforcement from a vantage point of your perceived misconceptions.

You were not there when this man was incarcerated. TRUTH

You also have never dealt with an aggressive inmate or someone going through cocaine induced hysteria. TRUTH

Yet you feel free to judge and persecute someone you don't know for something that didn't happen in your presence? FACT

I for one am sick of your bashing of Law Enforcement. FACT

Really? You were there? Please tell me more.

Roid rage? Little girl, sometimes grown ups talk to each other in ways you don't understand. Please feel free not to comment in the future.

I'm sure this is just Karma 4 All posting again to agree with herself and her other self important proclamation, when will she be banned?
LOL, Oh really? really? you were there? Let me give you a little tip, don't bother applying for detective anytime soon.

For the record i'm the one who started this topic and made many of the follow up replies as "guest". Until you showed up and started freaking my comments have been serious and focused on the matter of Mr Christie's homicide at the hands of jail deputies. Let me repeat that... this mans death was rules a homicide buy the Lee County Medical Examiner. Pepper spray was listed as a contributing factor to his death, and the only ones with access to him and pepper spray were the deputies at the Lee County Jail.

Afterward his death was NEVER properly reported to the SAO. Who at the LCSO was responsible for reporting his death to the SAO? And were they acting incompetently when they did not report it, or worse are they part of a conspiracy to cover up the facts surrounding Mr Christie's death?

Oh, and another thing. Never mind the SAO wasn't properly notified, why was his death kept so quite that the court never knew he died while in custody? The judge issued a bench warrant for him 3 weeks after his homicide, never knowing he had died while in custody, and it took the Sheriffs department another 2 weeks to relay what happened back to the court. WTF!?

Yeah, no shenanigans going on here, move it along folks... nothing to see here. I guess i should just shut up before i get picked up for something minor and suffer a similar mishap. I've already said to much...

Really? You were there? Please tell me more.

Roid rage? Little girl, sometimes grown ups talk to each other in ways you don't understand. Please feel free not to comment in the future.

I'm sure this is just Karma 4 All posting again to agree with herself and her other self important proclamation, when will she be banned?

LOL, Oh really? really? you were there? Let me give you a little tip, don't bother applying for detective anytime soon.

To late, I guess I am stuck with it.

For the record i'm the one who started this topic and made many of the follow up replies as "guest".

Cookie for you, so you made "MANY" of the replies, congratulations on your typing skills.

Until you showed up and started freaking

What? I guess I missed something.

my comments have been serious and focused on the matter of Mr Christie's homicide at the hands of jail deputies.

Please tell me more of this negligence, was there intent? A motive? Or do you enjoy creating your own scenarios? Please quote the exact medical examiners report, not what the Newspress reported.

Let me repeat that... this mans death was rules a homicide buy the Lee County Medical Examiner.

Once again, quote FACTS, not what you read on the internet.

Pepper spray was listed as a contributing factor to his death,

So, contributed to, not the sole cause of. You see this is where your personal opinions get the better of you. Guess what a contributing factor of Cocaine Psychosis is? Here's a clue, Pepper spray. That does not make the Deputies guilty of anything other than not knowing the signs of a medical condition.

and the only ones with access to him and pepper spray were the deputies at the Lee County Jail.

WOW, I'll just move past this one.

Afterward his death was NEVER properly reported to the SAO.

Tell me the EXACT details of this. You don't know, yet again.

Who at the LCSO was responsible for reporting his death to the SAO?

Since you have already condemned the LCSO and the Deputies involved, and have researched this thoroughly before slandering Law Enforcement, why don't you tell me. Because you can't, it wasn't in the Newspress article. Don't believe everything you read at the Newspress.

And were they acting incompetently when they did not report it,

Who was? Name someone, or are you insinuating a conspiracy? Really?

or worse are they part of a conspiracy to cover up the facts surrounding Mr Christie's death?

Yes, that must be it, thank you for your insightful investigation into the further wrongdoings of people you don't know, doing things you've never seen, reported by people that don't know. Keep up the great work!

Oh, and another thing. Never mind the SAO wasn't properly notified, why was his death kept so quite that the court never knew he died while in custody? The judge issued a bench warrant for him 3 weeks after his homicide, never knowing he had died while in custody, and it took the Sheriffs department another 2 weeks to relay what happened back to the court. WTF!?

Yeah, no shenanigans going on here, move it along folks... nothing to see here. I guess i should just shut up before i get picked up for something minor and suffer a similar mishap. I've already said to much...

Something minor such as clipping a picture you did not pay for. Already reported.

[karma4all]

Oh, and another thing. Never mind the SAO wasn't properly notified, why was his death kept so quite that the court never knew he died while in custody? The judge issued a bench warrant for him 3 weeks after his homicide, never knowing he had died while in custody, and it took the Sheriffs department another 2 weeks to relay what happened back to the court. WTF!?

Yeah, no shenanigans going on here, move it along folks... nothing to see here. I guess i should just shut up before i get picked up for something minor and suffer a similar mishap. I've already said to much...

Something minor such as clipping a picture you did not pay for. Already reported.

This is not from Me... :shock:

My Insurance agent told me it's better not to comment for a while, I knew this would turn into a karmafest and I'm out !

Despite your misgivings I am not karma4all and your rantings are too asinine to justify debate. I'm done with this too. The Feds and the lawyer representing Mr Christie's family will deal with this in good time. That is all.

Karma did you pay the newspress for the photo you have on your website. Clipping it would be illegal, wouldn't it! :cop:A copyright violation at best and seeing as there isn't any profit involved, a very minor one at that. If you reported it to the News Press the most they will do is send her a take down notice, if that. Big woop, you reported it. If you want to make trouble for her you really need to step up your game. This has FAIL written all over it.

Oh, and another thing. Never mind the SAO wasn't properly notified, why was his death kept so quite that the court never knew he died while in custody? The judge issued a bench warrant for him 3 weeks after his homicide, never knowing he had died while in custody, and it took the Sheriffs department another 2 weeks to relay what happened back to the court. WTF!?

Yeah, no shenanigans going on here, move it along folks... nothing to see here. I guess i should just shut up before i get picked up for something minor and suffer a similar mishap. I've already said to much...

Something minor such as clipping a picture you did not pay for. Already reported.

This is not from Me... :shock:

My Insurance agent told me it's better not to comment for a while, I knew this would turn into a karmafest and I'm out !

Victim, it's always about you being victimized isn't it.

So your insurance agent told you not to post here? LOL, you are a piece of work.
Please don't go away mad, just go away!

[karma4all]

Oh, and another thing. Never mind the SAO wasn't properly notified, why was his death kept so quite that the court never knew he died while in custody? The judge issued a bench warrant for him 3 weeks after his homicide, never knowing he had died while in custody, and it took the Sheriffs department another 2 weeks to relay what happened back to the court. WTF!?

Yeah, no shenanigans going on here, move it along folks... nothing to see here. I guess i should just shut up before i get picked up for something minor and suffer a similar mishap. I've already said to much...

Something minor such as clipping a picture you did not pay for. Already reported.

This is not from Me... :shock:

My Insurance agent told me it's better not to comment for a while, I knew this would turn into a karmafest and I'm out !

Victim, it's always about you being victimized isn't it.

So your insurance agent told you not to post here? LOL, you are a piece of work.
Please don't go away mad, just go away!



Mr Westman, I have hardly posted here after seeing the way people are treated here..You show no respect for each other and expect others to bow to your badge..I am not a Victim, I help victims just like the Christie family and I regret to inform you that it is people from this site that write to me with information that the media does not mention or know. Believe it not, I receive several emails a week from LEO, Those who want the bleeding to stop in this department ..Those with dignity who really want to Protect and Serve and Want those who disgrace them exposed..
Not all LEO like this site, They are embarrassed by the behavior which pushes them away from here. As a citizen, reading all the threads daily; I normally walk away shaken my head without comment.

The purpose of this forum is to bring the public citizens and LEO together as stated in the rules, Most made the choice to hide behind avatar names and for good reasons; We have all seen that retaliation runs deep. I have no purpose to hide and find it rather amusing that the more attacks on me, The higher volume of readers I get on my site and more emails I receive from LEO with 99% positive, In the last year, I had only received 3 negative responses and all sounded similar.

Sadly, The public posters here feel the animosity and the hatred to the citizens in the way that makes people inflamed, I believe that both moderators would agree that even a hidden poster can cause damage to the entire department when acting like a Life does not matter or everyone who has an opinion is chastised for freely posting comments that disagree with others.

My insurance agent comment was a "Joke" ; I know that is hard for you to believe..

As for the picture clipping: I will be attending a meeting with the NP this week and if they would like me to pay for it, I will..It is a much better picture than some I have and I believe those in the picture would agree. However, I Think ; I have not heard yet from them with any concerns and if I do; I will address them privately.

I do not leave here mad, I leave amused and somethings sad when I read each others responses.
As long as the Moderators allows citizens and myself to be welcome here, I will continue to read daily and post as needed..

Regardless of your opinion, I still believe that there are many more Good LEO than Bad and If I were trying to attack the entire department my website would not be as small as it is, I only call it as I see it and all is public information, anything that is not on my site and states that documentation is available is for the purpose of anyone who wants to claim libel or slander ( CYA clause ) and can be publication if I chose.

In closing to Mr Westman ; If you want me to stay away: Stop calling me back with your brief fill in the blank comments, It sounds like a scorned victim of my site and that Sir; Will cause more successfully repeat readers..

To everyone:
Have a great weekend, Be safe and Yes; I do mean that regardless of the illusion portrayed by some and Thankfully not all .

This month marks the 30th anniversary of a Amazing LEO who had Humor,Honor, Integrity and Dignity, Loved his work, family and friends and the community..This man was my friend and I do value the work that he did and others do everyday, every second and thanks to LEO like him, I can be Thankful and Respectful to those who earned and deserve that respect.

I have never used this smile before today, However, I find it deserved:
:cop: EOW 10/23/89 :cop:

Must every post by Karma be about her being victimized by LEO who don't appreciate her website or slam her on this one?

You claim to not post anonymously, and yet by your own words have stated that you do. I could care less, but when you preach about your transparency of posting and then log on as different anonymous users to bash LEO and agree with yourself what does that mean?

Bashing LEO, yes, when you call Deputies you have never met, COWARDS, excuse me if I don't believe your great respect for Law Enforcement.

Standing up for victim's rights, Good for you, as long as your motivation is honest. When you come onto a Law Enforcement website and comment on stories you have read in the Newspress, where is your compassion and restraint for Law Enforcement?

If you do not have all of the facts, how can you persecute a person, Deputy or not, in an open forum?

Stating the number of people who visit your website tastes of grandstanding. Really, does that make you a better person. You have posted this numerous times on this forum, we know, we get it.

Stating that dozens of Law Enforcement call you and tell you of all the evils of our department is a baseless claim and borders on fabrication.

If you have such information, and are such a crusader of rights, what have you done with this information?

Please enlighten me to your obviously higher path, as a humble Deputy, I have not seen all of these perceived wrongs that you are privy to.

I will state that if you have a valid claims, I can have them addressed.

Please share, if you have anything worth sharing.....and your insurance agent allows you to post here

I guess her insurance agent doesn't want her posting,

Oh wait, she just posted about the Ferrante lies rant, agreeing with him of course.

Published in the Fort Myers News-Press.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20091018/COLUMNISTS02/91017042/1003/NEWS0101


Ohio widow wonders when justice will call her
Husband killed while in custody

By Sam Cook • scook@news-press.com • October 18, 2009

No news isn’t good news for Joyce Christie.

Widowed last spring after 40 years of marriage, life is empty without husband Nick Christie.

“You should be in my shoes,” she says by telephone from Girard, Ohio. “Those jail guards not only killed my husband, they took my life. This should never have happened.”

The circumstances surrounding Nick Christie’s death were horrendous.

Her wait for justice is almost as agonizing.

“I think Nick’s medication caused a manic reaction,” his wife says.

The victim took medication for his heart, lungs and depression. While vacationing in Lee County, he was arrested March 27 for disorderly intoxication and again two days later for trespassing.

While held in the Lee County Jail mental health section March 29, he was restrained in a chair and repeatedly pepper-sprayed by corrections officers, according to prisoner, Ken Cutler, incarcerated five cells from the victim. Jail officials took Christie, 62, to Gulf Coast Medical Hospital. He died March 31.

“I would like to confront the guards who did this to Nick,” says his widow. “Why are they still working? Why weren’t they charged with his death?”

She hired Ohio and Florida attorneys to work the case, but has heard nothing in 61?2 months about the investigations.

“I’m sitting here crying,” she says. “I have so many unanswered questions. What’s wrong with Florida? Where is the justice for Nick?”

Sgt. Larry King, Lee sheriff’s spokesman, says his office completed its death investigation and turned it over to the state attorney’s office.

“(Nick Christie) died at the hospital,” King says. “He wasn’t, technically, in our custody.”
Spokeswoman Samantha Syoen says the state is reviewing the case. She couldn’t estimate when it would be finished.

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI also are investigating if there was a civil rights’ violation.

“We’re reviewing it to see if a federal crime was committed,’’ says Special Agent David Couvertier, FBI spokesman in Tampa. “Once we identify that, we’ll decide.”

The death certificate lists stress from restraint and pepper spray as two contributing factors, along with cardiac arrest and low blood pressure caused by heart pump failure.

Dr. Robert Pfalzgraf, deputy chief medical examiner who signed the certificate, says in 99 percent of the cases the person sprayed doesn’t die from the irritant.

“(Pepper spray) didn’t kill him in the sense that it was toxic or poison,’’ he says. “But (it did) in the sense it was an irritant. It was a stressor to his heart.”

Pfalzgraf says Christie’s heart couldn’t stand it.

“I can’t ignore the fact that he died while they were doing stressful things to him,” he says.

Joyce Christie’s heart can’t stand it either.

“I’m having an awful, terrible time,” she says.

She sits in her Girard house, 1,244 miles from Fort Myers and wonders when justice will arrive.

“What is there to review?” she asks. “It’s black and white. Nick goes to jail. They restrain and pepper-spray him. Two days later, he’s dead.”

It sounds simple, yet she knows better.

“I hate it when people tell me the system failed Nick,” she says. “The system didn’t fail Nick. The system killed him.”

The widow is bitter.

Can you blame her?


What's with Kings disclaimer that “He wasn’t, technically, in our custody” at the time of his death?

Regardless of where he physically died... at the time of his death was he still an inmate of the Lee County Jail or not? If he wasn't released then he was still in the legal custody of the jail. Is this the technical excuse the LCSO used for not notifying the State Attorneys Office of Christie's death, as the SAO requires them to to?

Hmm, Sheriffs office records says he was released 03/30/2009 at 01:39 AM (Surety Bond). SSDI lists his date of death as 03/31/2009 (P)* *Proof of death observed. Was his bond posted before or after he was taken to the hospital for treatment? Did the jails medical staff send him to the hospital or did he seek out medical treatment after being released?

According to the Lee clerk bond was posted on 3/29.

[karma4all]

Published in the Fort Myers News-Press.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20091018/COLUMNISTS02/91017042/1003/NEWS0101


Ohio widow wonders when justice will call her
Husband killed while in custody

By Sam Cook • scook@news-press.com • October 18, 2009

No news isn’t good news for Joyce Christie.

Widowed last spring after 40 years of marriage, life is empty without husband Nick Christie.

“You should be in my shoes,” she says by telephone from Girard, Ohio. “Those jail guards not only killed my husband, they took my life. This should never have happened.”

The circumstances surrounding Nick Christie’s death were horrendous.

Her wait for justice is almost as agonizing.

“I think Nick’s medication caused a manic reaction,” his wife says.

The victim took medication for his heart, lungs and depression. While vacationing in Lee County, he was arrested March 27 for disorderly intoxication and again two days later for trespassing.

While held in the Lee County Jail mental health section March 29, he was restrained in a chair and repeatedly pepper-sprayed by corrections officers, according to prisoner, Ken Cutler, incarcerated five cells from the victim. Jail officials took Christie, 62, to Gulf Coast Medical Hospital. He died March 31.

“I would like to confront the guards who did this to Nick,” says his widow. “Why are they still working? Why weren’t they charged with his death?”

She hired Ohio and Florida attorneys to work the case, but has heard nothing in 61?2 months about the investigations.

“I’m sitting here crying,” she says. “I have so many unanswered questions. What’s wrong with Florida? Where is the justice for Nick?”

Sgt. Larry King, Lee sheriff’s spokesman, says his office completed its death investigation and turned it over to the state attorney’s office.

“(Nick Christie) died at the hospital,” King says. “He wasn’t, technically, in our custody.”
Spokeswoman Samantha Syoen says the state is reviewing the case. She couldn’t estimate when it would be finished.

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI also are investigating if there was a civil rights’ violation.

“We’re reviewing it to see if a federal crime was committed,’’ says Special Agent David Couvertier, FBI spokesman in Tampa. “Once we identify that, we’ll decide.”

The death certificate lists stress from restraint and pepper spray as two contributing factors, along with cardiac arrest and low blood pressure caused by heart pump failure.

Dr. Robert Pfalzgraf, deputy chief medical examiner who signed the certificate, says in 99 percent of the cases the person sprayed doesn’t die from the irritant.

“(Pepper spray) didn’t kill him in the sense that it was toxic or poison,’’ he says. “But (it did) in the sense it was an irritant. It was a stressor to his heart.”

Pfalzgraf says Christie’s heart couldn’t stand it.

“I

can’t ignore the facthat hehe died while they were doing stressful things to him,” he says.

Joyce Christie’s heart can’t stand it either.

“I’m having an awful, terrible time,” she says.

She sits in her Girard house, 1,244 miles from Fort Myers and wonderwhen j justice will arrive.

“What is there to review?” she asks. “It’s black and white. Nick goes to jail. They restrain and pepper-spray him. Two days later, he’s dead.”

It sounds simple, yet she knows better.

“I hate it when people tell me the system failed Nick,” she says. “The system didn’t fail Nick. The system killed him.”

The widow is bier.
.

Can you blame her?


What's with Kings disclaimer that “He wasn’t, technically, in our custody” at the time of his death?

gardrdless of where he physically died... at the time of his death was he still an inmate of the Lee County Jail or not? If he wasn't released then he was still in the legal custody of the jail. Is this the technical excuse the LCSO used for not notifying the State Attorneys Office of Christie's death, as the SAO requires them to to?

Mr Christie was in the custody of LCSO when he arrived at the hospital, Mrs. Christie was refused to see him until she bonded him out of jail..
He had coded at least 2 times prior to the bond..Which by the way; she wasn't informed by LCSO that she could bond him out while begging to be with her husband, Someone else told her to do it when they heard that refusal from *Edited by Mod 610 TOU Violation*. .
She then ran to the bondsman and back to the hospital, When she got back to the hospital, the nurses told her to run like Hell to his room; because they knew he wouldn't make it
After he was out of LCSO custody he was still barely and clinically alive, However, Brain dead from the lack of oxygen, It was her decision to remove him from life support .

Sgt. King is clearly looking at the date of death as an excuse to say he wasn't "Technically" in custody.

He was however in custody for the 6 hours of barrel mace being emptied on him even while restrained in a chair with a spit mask on, Still with an active welfare BOLO and No medical treatment until he turned purple and blue and lost enough oxygen that then the guards call for a nurse, She said his oxygen level was at 87% and then he was taking to the hospital, Not blocks to Lee Memorial but miles to Gulf Coast.
Upon arrival the medical staff said he was so soaked in mace that it effected their breathing .

I want to add, I do NOT think he died he vain. For the lives he saved he will NOT know. For the corrections officers that could not handle this mans mentality, he who judges you best has heard the news, and may he have mercy on your soul's.

Pony up boy's and get that posture straight, justice is on it's way !

Fearfull and drowning for oxygen, is No way to die !

HEY KARMA!!

HOW ABOUT ANSWERING SOME OF THIS, BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO BASH LEO ON EVERY WEBSITE;

Quoted from Westman's post

Must every post by Karma be about her being victimized by LEO who don't appreciate her website or slam her on this one?

You claim to not post anonymously, and yet by your own words have stated that you do. I could care less, but when you preach about your transparency of posting and then log on as different anonymous users to bash LEO and agree with yourself what does that mean?

Bashing LEO, yes, when you call Deputies you have never met, COWARDS, excuse me if I don't believe your great respect for Law Enforcement.

Standing up for victim's rights, Good for you, as long as your motivation is honest. When you come onto a Law Enforcement website and comment on stories you have read in the Newspress, where is your compassion and restraint for Law Enforcement?

If you do not have all of the facts, how can you persecute a person, Deputy or not, in an open forum?

Stating the number of people who visit your website tastes of grandstanding. Really, does that make you a better person. You have posted this numerous times on this forum, we know, we get it.

Stating that dozens of Law Enforcement call you and tell you of all the evils of our department is a baseless claim and borders on fabrication.

If you have such information, and are such a crusader of rights, what have you done with this information?

Please enlighten me to your obviously higher path, as a humble Deputy, I have not seen all of these perceived wrongs that you are privy to.

I will state that if you have a valid claims, I can have them addressed.

Please share, if you have anything worth sharing.....and your insurance agent allows you to post here :devil: :devil: :devil:

I want to add, I do NOT think he died he vain. For the lives he saved he will NOT know. For the corrections officers that could not handle this mans mentality, he who judges you best has heard the news, and may he have mercy on your soul's.

Pony up boy's and get that posture straight, justice is on it's way !

Fearfull and drowning for oxygen, is No way to die !



:D

[karma4all]

HEY KARMA!!

HOW ABOUT ANSWERING SOME OF THIS, BEFORE YOU CONTINUE TO BASH LEO ON EVERY WEBSITE;

Quoted from Westman's post

Must every post by Karma be about her being victimized by LEO who don't appreciate her website or slam her on this one?

You claim to not post anonymously, and yet by your own words have stated that you do. I could care less, but when you preach about your transparency of posting and then log on as different anonymous users to bash LEO and agree with yourself what does that mean?

Bashing LEO, yes, when you call Deputies you have never met, COWARDS, excuse me if I don't believe your great respect for Law Enforcement.

Standing up for victim's rights, Good for you, as long as your motivation is honest. When you come onto a Law Enforcement website and comment on stories you have read in the Newspress, where is your compassion and restraint for Law Enforcement?

If you do not have all of the facts, how can you persecute a person, Deputy or not, in an open forum?

Stating the number of people who visit your website tastes of grandstanding. Really, does that make you a better person. You have posted this numerous times on this forum, we know, we get it.

Stating that dozens of Law Enforcement call you and tell you of all the evils of our department is a baseless claim and borders on fabrication.

If you have such information, and are such a crusader of rights, what have you done with this information?

Please enlighten me to your obviously higher path, as a humble Deputy, I have not seen all of these perceived wrongs that you are privy to.

I will state that if you have a valid claims, I can have them addressed.

Please share, if you have anything worth sharing.....and your insurance agent allows you to post here :devil: :devil: :devil:

After reading several different threads , I seen that replying to Westman is Moot...

He/ She seems to have issues with too many people here and I'm not going to be party to it any further..

I made my comments concerning the Christie Murder, Any other information you may want search it out your self on my website.

are you guys serious... ooo nooooooooo it was ruled a homicide.. well NO shi) Sherlock.. that means his death was NOT accidental, which any person with some REASONABLE intelligence would think that people on this forum would find a good thing, me however.. based on the info you've given (and the fact that the only news on this is news from blogs like this.. ie not REAL news.. just opinion) it sounds as though the old man was having problems breathing because he was having an anxiety attack.. which in his innebriated state probably caused a heart attack. as for O2 level of 87... dude he was doing good for someone who had supposedly been pepper sprayed.. as for being able to SEE the pepper spray on a person.. well since its clear i imagine it could look just like sweat from being drunk and from having an anxiety attack or getting ready to have a heart attack.. come on people.. please THINK before you speak.. if you must. or at LEAST research what the h3ll your talking about BEFORE you post it.. oh and by the way... if your an inmate and you have aids or any other communicable disease.. and you SPIT on someone.. its called attempted murder!! look it up!