This time Oakland police beat an Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran, a man who is a part ownerof a local Brew Pub. The police who beat him badly lacerated his spleen and didn’t provide him medical attention for 18 hours. And he wasn’t even at the site of the Occupy Oakland camp.
He was held in a cell and not allowed medical care even as he was vomiting and suffering from diarrhea. He was in so much pain he couldn’t stand up and was forded to crawl from his holding cell to the bathroom. He’s scheduled for surgery at the same hospital where the other Iraq Vet, Scott Olsen, was taken after being shot in the head with a tear gas canister, Highland Hospital.
His name is Kayvan Sabehgi.
Here’s the link to the story at The Guardian:
Kayvan Sabehgi, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, is in intensive care with a lacerated spleen. He says he was beaten by police close to the Occupy Oakland camp, but despite suffering agonising pain, did not reach hospital until 18 hours later.
Sabehgi told the Guardian from hospital he was walking alone along 14th Street in central Oakland – away from the main area of clashes – when he was injured. […]
“There was a group of police in front of me,” he told the Guardian from his hospital bed. “They told me to move, but I was like: ‘Move to where?’ There was nowhere to move.
“Then they lined up in front of me. I was talking to one of them, saying ‘Why are you doing this?’ when one moved forward and hit me in my arm and legs and back with his baton. Then three or four cops tackled me and arrested me.” […]
After he was booked at the jail he requested help. This is what they provided to him:
A nurse was called and recommended Sabehgi take a suppository, but he said he “didn’t want to take it”.
He was allowed to “crawl” to another cell to use the toilet, but said it was clogged.
“I was vomiting and had diarrhoea,” Sabehgi said. “I just lay there in pain for hours.”
The Oakland Police have yet to issue a statement.
Update [2011-11-4 20:35:49 by Steven D]: A new story from ABCincluding an interview with Kayvan Sabehgi’s sister:
Before he went into surgery, Sabeghi told his sister that he was walking to his home near Frank Ogawa Plaza when he was stopped by police, hit in the abdomen four times and then arrested and taken to jail where he could not receive medical treatment.
“I am absolutely furious,” [Sabeghi’s sister Shoole Sabeghi] said. “I’m absolutely furious at the way they treated my little brother. I’m so mad. They hurt him and then they refused to help him.”
Sabeghi underwent surgery at Highland for about two hours. […]
“At one point he asked for assistance and they told him to stop taking heroin,” Sabeghi said. “Another time they told him he was an alcholic and a diabetic, neither of which are true.”
According to this report Sabeghi is out of surgery and recovering in intensive care.
