The family of a Florida woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder has slammed the police department for dragging her down the hallway by her ankles during a court hearing earlier this week.
Twenty-eight-year-old Dasyl Rios was in court for a hearing about her mental diagnosis. As Rios sat on the bench outside the courtroom, she was ordered to walk with Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Johnson. Her mother, Sylvia Rios, says she heard a loud noise and saw her daughter being dragged down the hallway by the shackles placed on her ankles.
Defense lawyer Bill Gelin filmed the incident above. According to the New York Daily News:
“I don’t think I’m ever going to get over this,” said Sylvia Rios, an assistant principal at Plantation High School.
Gelin was in the courthouse for another case and filmed the troubling scene with his cellphone. He provided the video to the Daily News.
“They dragged her off like she was a farm animal,” said Gelin,who runs the JAABLOG. “I don’t even think you can treat a farm animal like that anymore.”
Gelin’s wife also witnessed the incident, saying Rios did nothing to incite the violence. Rios’ mother believes the former honor student was involuntarily institutionalized several times due to her mental illness.
“I was speechless,” DeSanti said. “I was shocked. I’ve never seen anything like this in my 12 years of being a lawyer.”
Other deputies can be seen in the video as Rios and Johnson reach a doorway to the jail. None make a move to lift the woman or stop Johnson.
“I gave you a chance,” Johnson said.
“You didn’t give nobody a chance,” Rios screamed. “All I wanted to do was sob for a few minutes — cry. That’s all I wanted to do was cry for a few minutes, because my life is in your hands.”
Johnson claims he was trying to calm Rios down and said she became disruptive. The woman was transferred to a hospital while officials look into investigating the incident.
SOURCE: New York Daily News | VIDEO CREDIT: News Inc.
