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The Police Tried to Make Me Medically Examine a Man Against His Will
It’s illegal to treat someone without consent. That doesn’t stop some of my colleagues.
“Just make him do it! ” A voice rang out, followed by the sound of metal grating on metal.
I leaned past my computer screen toward the triage area to see a young man in handcuffs chafing at the bony prominences of his reddened wrists. Fading charcoal gray lines of graphic tattoos on his left forearm were almost indecipherable against his dark skin.
“I didn’t do nothing!” the prisoner shouted.
“That’s enough out of you!” a police officer commanded. “Listen, we have to take your vital signs. Put on this gown.” The voice was from Carl, the charge nurse assigned to head the nursing team for the shift.
“I ain’t doin’ nuthin’. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to put on that gown. I’m not doin’ nuthin’.” The young man looked away — away from the charge nurse who tried to stare at him straight in the face, away from the officer who looked only at the nurse, away from the audience comprising the full ER occupants, who were intently watching the show.
His white shirt, made brighter still by the contrast of his chocolate skin, quivered with every shallow exhale…
