HOLY SHIT IT HAPPENED ON 4/20 TOO

Quote :

"Chong told the AP that he went to his friend's house April 20 to get high, part of a national, annual countercultural ritual. Chong slept there that night and, the next morning, agents stormed into the house. "

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/03/california-student-left-in-cell-for-five-days-files-20m-claim-against-dea/#ixzz1tnSQm0IC

Quote :

"SAN DIEGO – The California student who was forgotten about by agents and left alone in a holding cell for five days without food or water filed a $20 million claim Wednesday against federal drug officials. Attorney Eugene Iredale sent the demand notice on behalf of UC San Diego senior Daniel Chong, 23, to the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) general counsel, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Chong had been picked up in a drug sweep but was never arrested or charged. "The deprivation of food and water for four and one-half days while the person is handcuffed the entire time constitutes torture under both international and domestic law," the claim said. Chong has said he was eventually forced to drink his own urine to survive after being detained and locked in the five-by-10-foot windowless cell after a drug raid on April 21. He was discovered April 25 and rushed to the hospital, where he spent five days being treated for a perforated lung, possible kidney failure and other illnesses. Earlier Wednesday, the DEA issued an apology to Chong in the form of a statement from the top federal drug agent in San Diego, acting special agent in charge William R. Sherman. "I am deeply troubled by the incident that occurred here last week," the statement said, without mentioning Chong by name. "I extend my deepest apologies to the young man and want to express that this event is not indicative of the high standards that I hold my employees to. I have personally ordered an extensive review of our policies and procedures." The repercussions from the incident reached Washington on Wednesday, with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, set to review the case. "Chairman Issa and the Oversight Committee will be asking the DEA for an explanation of this outrageous incident," Issa's spokesman, Frederick Hill, told the Union-Tribune. Meanwhile, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting an investigation. At a news conference Tuesday, Chong said he screamed and kicked at the door of his cell but days passed while he was locked inside. "I heard them around me," he said. "Every door opening around me." The engineering student said he became badly dehydrated and began hallucinating after two days. He bit his eyeglasses to break the glass and scrawl the words "Sorry Mom" on his arm. He also tried to eat some of the glass amid his confusion. "I had to recycle my own urine," Chong said. "I had to do what I had to do to survive." Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/03/california-student-left-in-cell-for-five-days-files-20m-claim-against-dea/#ixzz1to5g5oRe "

[Edited on May 3, 2012 at 9:07 AM. Reason : .]

5/3/2012 8:56:10 AM

Quote :

"UC San Diego senior Daniel Chong, 23, to the Drug Enforcement Administration's"

lulz

5/3/2012 8:58:03 AM

I don't know about the jail cells there, but the ones here, you can definitely hear people through the doors. There's no soundproofing at all. So, if he heard other doors being opened, they could hear him. But, since it was a drug bust, maybe he was hallucinating the sounds of other doors opening around him.

Seriously though, that's terrible.

[Edited on May 3, 2012 at 9:02 AM. Reason : asians can't get a break in California]

5/3/2012 9:01:54 AM

Quote :

"SAN DIEGO | After two days of being handcuffed in a tiny holding cell and desperate for food and water, Daniel Chong said he realized he had to stop wondering when he'd be let out and start thinking about how to stay alive. Entering what he called "survival mode," and already drinking his own urine, he futilely tried to trigger an overhead fire sprinkler for some water, stacking clothes and a blanket and swinging his cuffed arms in an attempt to set it off. Chong, 23, a student at the University of California, San Diego, had been picked up in a drug sweep but was never arrested or charged. He spent four days forgotten in the windowless cell before Drug Enforcement Administration agents opened the door. "I just couldn't believe that this was legal," Chong said in an interview Wednesday with the Associated Press. "I'm thinking 'no way.'" After his release, he spent five days in the hospital for dehydration, kidney failure, cramps and a perforated esophagus. He had lost 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms). His attorneys filed a $20 million claim Wednesday against the Drug Enforcement Administration, saying his treatment constitutes torture under U.S. and international law. The five-page notice, a required precursor to a lawsuit, was sent to the DEA's chief counsel in Washington. The $20 million figure refers to the maximum Chong and his lawyers would seek. The top DEA agent in San Diego, William R. Sherman, said in a news release that he was "deeply troubled" by what happened to Chong. Sherman said he has personally ordered an extensive review of his office's policies and procedures. The agency declined to say what those were. Chong said no one has contacted him personally to apologize. The incident stands out as one of the worst cases of its kind, said Thomas Beauclair, deputy director of the National Corrections Institute, a federal agency that provides training and technical assistance to corrections agencies. "That is pretty much unheard of," he said, noting that, in his 40-year career, he has heard of instances where people were forgotten overnight but not for days. A federal law enforcement official familiar with DEA operations said the agency's protocols require that cells be checked each night. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said the cell where Chong was held is not intended for overnight stays because it does not have a toilet. Federal lawmakers are demanding a thorough investigation. Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer sent a letter Wednesday to Attorney General Eric Holder. "Please provide me with the results and the actions the department will take to make sure those responsible are held accountable and that no one in DEA custody will ever again be forced to endure such treatment," the letter stated. Chong told the AP that he went to his friend's house April 20 to get high, part of a national, annual countercultural ritual. Chong slept there that night and, the next morning, agents stormed into the house. The raid netted 18,000 ecstasy pills, other drugs and weapons. Nine people, including Chong, were taken into custody, according to the DEA. Chong was questioned then agents told him he was not a suspect and would be released shortly. He signed some paperwork, was put in handcuffs and sent back to the holding cell. As the hours dragged into days, he said he kicked and screamed as loud as he could. At one point, he ripped a piece of his jacket off with his teeth and shoved it under the door, hoping someone would spot it and free him. Chong said he ingested a white powder that he found in the cell. Agents later identified it as methamphetamine. Chong said he ingested it to survive. The next day, hallucinations started, he said. They included Japanese animation characters who told him to dig into the walls to search for water, which he tried, tearing apart the wall's plastic lining. People can die from dehydration in as little as three to seven days, said Dr. Wally Ghurabi at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. Ghurabi said Chong was wise to drink his own urine to stay hydrated. As the days dragged on, Chong said he accepted that he would die. He considered taking his own life rather than withering away by dehydration. "I thought 'wow, this was a terrible way to go,'" Chong said. "I just wanted to have a little bit of dignity." He sat in the dark, his hallucinations deepening, his breath getting shorter and shorter, even the urine running out, and he screamed for the agents to at least let him have a quick death. "That's when the lights turned on and the agents opened the door with very confused looks on their faces," Chong said. "They said, 'Who are you? Where'd you come from?'" Chong was not going to be charged with a crime and should have been released, said a law enforcement official who was briefed on the DEA case and spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak about the ongoing investigation. Chong said he has no criminal record. U-T San Diego was the first to report the ordeal. Doctors said Chong's wounds should heal, but he said he still breaks down in tears. "I'm very glad they found me," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Alicia A. Caldwell and Kevin Freking in Washington, Elliot Spagat in San Diego, and Amy Taxin in Orange County, California, contributed to this report. "

http://www.aurorasentinel.com/email_push/news/article_14d7736e-951e-11e1-bc62-001a4bcf887a.html

5/3/2012 9:02:14 AM

Classic case of "somebody fucked up" right here

5/3/2012 9:04:52 AM

"Oh whoops, sorry dude. You're like free to go."

5/3/2012 9:05:26 AM

HOLY SHIT IT HAPPENED ON 4/20 TOO

Quote :

"Chong told the AP that he went to his friend's house April 20 to get high, part of a national, annual countercultural ritual."

5/3/2012 9:06:04 AM

I mean that sucks and everything but I would gladly do that for $20 mil

5/3/2012 9:06:51 AM

That's messed up.

20 Million seems a bit high though.

5/3/2012 9:08:58 AM

I don't think I would voluntarily be handcuffed in a dark room for 5 days with no hydration for any amount of money. They literally almost killed him, his body was starting to shut down.

5/3/2012 9:08:59 AM

^^ Sounds about right, especially since the hospital and the lawyers will take a big chunk of it

5/3/2012 9:11:46 AM

It's not like he's going to get $20 million. You sue for a really high amount and settle for less. Seriously doubt this even sniffs trial.

5/3/2012 9:13:03 AM

I wonder if they would try to say he is a terrorist it could be thrown out.

Either way...he'll be the guy with the green

5/3/2012 9:14:45 AM

The worst thing is that nobody will lose their job over this.

5/3/2012 9:15:03 AM

Sweet prince...

5/3/2012 9:26:14 AM

fuck the DEA

5/3/2012 9:39:39 AM

Quote :

" "I thought 'wow, this was a terrible way to go,'" Chong said. "I just wanted to have a little bit of dignity." He sat in the dark, his hallucinations deepening, his breath getting shorter and shorter, even the urine running out, and he screamed for the agents to at least let him have a quick death. "

Don't get me wrong, it's bad but that's a bit dramatic. I read an account for a guy who was lost at sea on a raft for like three months that wasn't as melodramatic as this.

5/3/2012 9:42:51 AM

lol at them trying to explain 420

5/3/2012 9:46:43 AM

Lay down with dogs.. wake up with fleas... Lay down with drug dealers... wake up in prison!

5/3/2012 9:49:21 AM

Quote :

"ANNUAL COUNTERCULTURAL RITUAL"

5/3/2012 9:50:35 AM

how the hell is the power in the cell....finding it in the dark?

5/3/2012 10:00:52 AM

Quote :

"Don't get me wrong, it's bad but that's a bit dramatic. I read an account for a guy who was lost at sea on a raft for like three months that wasn't as melodramatic as this."

you're an idiot

5/3/2012 10:18:20 AM

^ And now the insightful TWW comments come out.





[Edited on May 3, 2012 at 10:23 AM. Reason : ]

5/3/2012 10:22:31 AM

that poor man must be scarred for life. 20 mil isn't enough.

5/3/2012 10:22:57 AM

5/3/2012 10:27:53 AM

lol 5 days without food or water and you expect the guy to retain his health/sanity

you do know you can die of dehydration in under a week?

Quote :

"After his release, he spent five days in the hospital for dehydration, kidney failure, cramps and a perforated esophagus"

[Edited on May 3, 2012 at 10:30 AM. Reason : .]

5/3/2012 10:28:53 AM

Quote :

"The worst thing is that nobody will lose their job over this."

5/3/2012 10:29:26 AM

^Except probably the student if he had a job.

5/3/2012 10:31:03 AM

Quote :

" Chong said he ingested a white powder that he found in the cell. Agents later identified it as methamphetamine. Chong said he ingested it to survive."

LOL

5/3/2012 10:33:11 AM

What a horrible ordeal. I would at least have tried to smear my feces on the jacket shred in hopes the smell would attract the guards.

5/3/2012 10:33:23 AM

Quote :

""After his release, he spent five days in the hospital for dehydration, kidney failure, cramps and a perforated esophagus""

He wasn't too concerned about his health if he was taking ecstasy.

5/3/2012 10:33:41 AM

Quote :

"He bit his eyeglasses to break the glass and scrawl the words "Sorry Mom" on his arm"

that broke my heart

5/3/2012 10:36:05 AM

Quote :

""He bit his eyeglasses to break the glass and scrawl the words "I burst into tears, yo" on his arm""

5/3/2012 10:40:12 AM

Also, and I doubt this entered his thought process and he still would have been locked in the room, its possible to get out of traditional handcuffs by breaking the small bone in the base of your thumb. I'm sure this is incredibly painful, but you'd think a better option than just sitting there waiting to die.

5/3/2012 10:41:59 AM

give me a break

5/3/2012 10:48:14 AM

Quote :

"He wasn't too concerned about his health if he was taking ecstasy."

wut? ecstacy is one of the safest drugs when taken properly

also your point is irrelevant

5/3/2012 10:49:24 AM

one of the safest drugs

5/3/2012 10:49:56 AM

^4 He should have been all

5/3/2012 10:50:18 AM

Five days in the dark, and they let you drink your own urine? Must be tough!

5/3/2012 10:51:22 AM

Quote :

"" Chong said he ingested a white powder that he found in the cell. Agents later identified it as methamphetamine. Chong said he ingested it to survive.""

So, not only are they coming to terms that they suck at running a jail and lose people for days, but they also have meth in their holding cells.

5/3/2012 10:51:35 AM

Quote :

"I read an account for a guy who was lost at sea on a raft for like three months that wasn't as melodramatic as this."

If he survived 3 months, he at least had water.

Several days without water and you die.

You're clearly a bright one.

5/3/2012 10:53:03 AM

Quote :

"So, not only are they coming to terms that they suck at running a jail and lose people for days, but they also have meth in their holding cells."

The meth is complimentary, they obviously know their customers. Meth is even safer than e...true story.

Quote :

"If he survived 3 months, he at least had water."

Not for 3 three months he didn't. His solar still broke down long before he was rescued.

[Edited on May 3, 2012 at 10:56 AM. Reason : %]

5/3/2012 10:53:23 AM

welll i mean nowadays the police arent allowed to search anyone without a lawsuit so im not surprised meth creeps up into the holding cells every now and then

5/3/2012 10:55:28 AM

^^

a human cannot survive for 3 months without water. you are full of shit.

5/3/2012 10:56:53 AM

Quote :

"welll i mean nowadays the police arent allowed to search anyone without a lawsuit so im not surprised meth creeps up into the holding cells every now and then"

If you bring someone to jail, you can search them. I don't think a court has ever held otherwise (that wasn't overturned).

5/3/2012 10:58:45 AM

lol at people trying to defend the DEA on this...

but he was SMOKING WEED!!!!

5/3/2012 10:59:57 AM

I just read about Admiral Stockdale. Holy shit, that dude is hardcore. Also his name is 'James Bond' Stockdale

5/3/2012 11:00:15 AM

^

5/3/2012 11:01:06 AM

i mean that exacerbated his hunger how inconsiderate of the police to not consider this.

they probably didnt forget about him he was probably being a smart mouth dickhead the whole time and they skipped giving him a meal or two here and there, but im sure they fed his ass

and the definitions for "dehydration" are very loose. pissing yellow means youre "dehydrated"

you can find any quack doctor to give that diagnosis to help your case

[Edited on May 3, 2012 at 11:03 AM. Reason : e]

5/3/2012 11:02:30 AM

Quote :

"a human cannot survive for 3 months without water. you are full of shit."

Seriously, can I change my story?

I know that. But he didn't have water for all 76 days...but that wasn't my point. My point was that this story reads like an overly dramatic lifetime story. How he had to drink tears and piss while writing love letters to his mom.

5/3/2012 11:04:30 AM