Tag Archives: ketamine

Suit Accuses Colorado Fire Department of Ketamine-Related Civil Rights Violation

A Colorado man who was arrested following a traffic stop in 2019, has filed suit against a fire department medic and several police officers for their roles in his arrest. Steven Reycraft filed suit today in US District Court naming the Manitou Springs Fire Department, Paramedic Ashley Wardell, four Manitou Springs police officers, the City of Manitou Springs, and a doctor/medical director.

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Colorado Medics Indicted for Manslaughter

Two paramedics from Aurora Fire Rescue are among five people indicted in the death of Elijah McClain in 2019. Lieutenant Peter Cichuniec, medic Jeremy Cooper, and three police officers were charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of criminally negligent homicide.

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Minnesota Medics Entitled to Qualified Immunity on Excessive Force Claim

The US Eighth Circuit has joined a growing number of circuit courts holding that fire and EMS personnel who restrain a combative patient should not be evaluated under the Fourth Amendment excessive-force analysis that applies to police officers. Rather, fire and EMS personnel are “acting as medical responders, not as law enforcement officers,” and as such may be acting in an objectively reasonable manner when administering a sedative to a patient.

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Ketamine Injection Leads to Lawsuit in Colorado

A Colorado man is suing firefighters and police officers responsible for administering the sedative ketamine during an encounter last year. Jeremiah Axtell filed suit last week naming the Lakewood Police Department, West Metro Fire District and numerous individual officers and firefighters.

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Minnesota Medic Claims Whistleblower Retaliation

A Minnesota paramedic who resigned last year has filed suit in federal court alleging he was retaliated against for reporting the falsification of EMS training attendance records and because he refused a police sergeant's direction to administer ketamine to a patient. Joseph Paul Baker filed suit last week naming the City of Woodbury, the fire chief and two fire commanders.

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