Published 12:17 IST, August 29th 2020
Jacob Blake no longer tied to hospital bed after his release from police custody: Lawyer
The victim of US police shooting, Jacob Blake, is no longer shackled to his bed and the police have stopped monitoring him, said his lawyer on August 28.
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The victim of US police shooting, Jacob Blake, is no longer shackled to his bed and the police have stopped monitoring him, said his lawyer on August 28. Blake, an African-American, was paralysed after a white police officer shot him seven times in the back point-blank in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which triggered protests against police brutality.
Blake was reportedly tied to his hospital bed and being watched over by police because of a warrant against him stemming from a domestic violence case. Blake's father, Jacob Blake Sr, was outraged after seeing his son restrained, with one ankle shackled and told CNN in an interview that it was an “insult to injury”. He said that his son couldn’t get up even if he wanted.
MCSO statement
Blake's attorney Patrick Cafferty reportedly said that the cuffs have been removed from Blake and the deputies watching over him have left his room. Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said in a statement that Blake remained in custody on a Kenosha County felony arrest warrant issued in July as he received treatment at a local hospital.
The sheriff's office stated that it assisted with the hospital watch for much of this period and worked very closely with the hospital and Blake’s legal team to ensure a “safe and dignified environment” for the patient. The monitoring was stopped after the department received information about his release.
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— Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office (@MCSOSheriff) August 28, 2020
Earlier today, Mr. Blake posted the bond underlying the arrest warrant, enabling his release from custody. The hospital watch was discontinued immediately after receiving this information from Kenosha authorities.
Blake was shot multiple times from behind at point-blank range by police who were following him with guns drawn as he walked away from officers to his car and opened the vehicle’s door. The incident sparked civil unrest as video footage of the incident surfaced online. Blake’s lawyer informed that bullets shattered some his vertebrates, leaving him paralysed from the waist down. This comes months after the death of George Floyd in police custody which triggered Black Lives Matter protests worldwide.
12:17 IST, August 29th 2020