East TN Maverick: KPD officers must be held accountable for death in custody

WALKER KINSLER Columnist

On Feb. 5, 60-year-old Lisa Edwards was arrested by members of the Knoxville Police Department outside of Fort Sanders Medical Center for not leaving the premises. What transpired afterward was not only humiliating for Edwards but ended up costing her her life the next day. The despicable actions by KPD personnel involved must be held to account.

Edwards had been discharged from Fort Sanders that morning after seeking additional help following a stay at Blount Memorial Hospital for abdominal pain. Despite her insistence that she felt unwell, Fort Sanders security guards demanded she leave the property and called for KPD officers to arrest her when she didn’t.

On Feb. 23, the body cam and squad car footage was released to the public and shows a harrowing, disturbing video.

When KPD first confronted Edwards at Fort Sanders, she told the officers she had a stroke and could not walk. The officers did not care and demanded she leave or be arrested and sent to jail. Eventually they called a jail transport van and attempted, with the driver, to place her inside. In the video, she is clearly in medical distress, wheezing terribly and pleading with the officers that she couldn’t breathe or stand.

The entire time, the officers mocked or get frustrated with Edwards, ridiculing her with words like “dead weight” and claiming she’s “playing games.” Later, one pulled her hair to lift her unconscious head.

After struggling for about 30 minutes, they instead placed Edwards in the back of a cramped squad car, where she is never once able to sit upright. The officer drove away with her in the seat on her side, wheezing and sounding desperate for help. She would end up losing consciousness during the ride and died from the effects of a stroke on Feb. 6.

The Knox County District Attorney’s Office has announced that none of the officers involved will face charges, claiming that “at no time did law enforcement interaction cause or contribute to Ms. Edwards’ death.”

Let me be clear: the officers and transport driver involved in the incident ignored Edwards’ medical emergency and contributed to her death. There are no excuses. Anyone, regardless of their medical knowledge, can see in the video that she is in medical distress. KPD personnel showed a constant lack of care and empathy in response to her pleas, and her death is on their hands.

The officers in the video clearly treat Edwards differently because they perceive her as no better than a “vagrant.” There is a serious problem with police officers treating people as a part of two classes: those they see as more “clean and respectful” and those they see as “dirty and poor.” That is not up to them, or anyone for that matter, to decide. Every single person should be treated equally, no matter their life circumstances.

Some people, like Edwards at times in the video, are also not able to fully articulate their needs and condition to authorities. This lack of articulation should not be regarded as someone being less of a person. The officers present should have been her voice, recognized her medical distress and gotten her help. They should have served and protected her.

Fort Sanders should also be scrutinized closely for their involvement. The hospital discharged and tossed Edwards out over her distressed objections, and then called for the police to deal with a situation that did not need them. Hospitals should care for and listen to their patients, not view them with contempt. Fort Sanders must go through a dramatic cultural and practical change after this.

Those officers involved should face criminal charges. Sgt. Brandon Wardlaw, officer Adam Barnett, officer Timothy Distasio and transportation officer Danny Dugan are currently only facing an internal affairs investigation by KPD while on paid leave. Unfortunately to those familiar with such matters, an internal affairs investigation will most likely not bring about the justice needed to

Edwards’ death. There might not even be a slap on the wrist.

KPD’s police chief Paul Noel, a recent appointment of Mayor Indya Kincannon, has said for the past few months he wants to make the department more equal, fair and respectful. Noel will fail miserably if these officers are not held totally accountable. Kincannon by extension should face criticism if her new chief’s department fails to act.

You can help hold the personnel responsible by attending the March 7 city council meeting at the City-County Building and decrying their actions. If nothing changes, the community must continue to show up at future city council meetings until change comes. Look up their meeting schedules and sign up to speak during the public forum by calling the City Recorder’s office at 865215-2075, or by signing up with the City Recorder on the night of the meeting.

If we do not get involved, no justice will come to Edwards and her terrible death. It is up to us to deliver it, and shame on us if we fail to act.