Student left in cell for 5 days wants $20 million from DEA

[joseephuss]

$4 million per day seems fair. :rolleyes:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/05/college-student-cell-dea.html

Student left in cell for 5 days wants $20 million from DEA

Daniel Chong, a 23-year-old UC San Diego student whose five-day ordeal behind bars has made national headlines, plans to sue the Drug Enforcement Administration over the incident, his attorney said.

The DEA apologized Wednesday to Chong, who was accidentally left unattended in a holding cell for five days and reportedly drank his own urine to survive.

San Diego attorney Gene Iredale said his client was "still recovering" from the ordeal. The attorney submitted the initial paperwork needed for a lawsuit Wednesday. The claim seeks $20 million in compensation for the incident.

"He is glad to be alive," Iredale said of Chong. "He wants to make sure that what happened to him doesn't happen to anyone else."

News of the incident came to light when Chong told a San Diego television station he spent nearly a week in the cell without food, water or access to a toilet after an April 21 raid on a house in San Diego.

The DEA, which identified Chong only as "the individual in question," said he and eight others were swept up during a raid of a suspected Ecstasy distribution operation where agents found guns, ammunition, 18,000 Ecstasy pills and other drugs.
The nine suspects were taken to a DEA area headquarters, where they were fingerprinted, photographed and interviewed, the agency said. After processing, seven were taken to a county detention facility and one was released.

Chong, the agency said, was "accidentally left in one of the cells." He told NBC San Diego he kicked the door "many, many times" in a futile attempt to get agents' attention.

When they finally found Chong, he was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he spent five days. Iredale said Chong, who was close to kidney failure and had trouble breathing, spent three of those days in the intensive-care unit.

[BrAinPaiNt]

I'm Hungry.

Think I will have some steak off the grill when I get home...maybe a nice warm glass of urine to go with it.

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

:puke:

[vta]

Don't do drugs dude...

[Hoofbite]

I'd bet he wants more for almost dying than the time he actually spent behind bars.

[zrinkill]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/zrinkill/grylls.jpg


I am really disappointed nobody made this comment.

[jnday]

The DEA has had some major screw-ups over the last few years. This is not as bad as many of them.

[Dallas]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/zrinkill/grylls.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/zrinkill/grylls.jpg)


I am really disappointed nobody made this comment.

:bow: :laugh2: :laugh2:

It's 8am at 15k feet. Im thirsty! Think I'll drink my urine.

[Faerluna]

The DEA has had some major screw-ups over the last few years. This is not as bad as many of them.

Worse that leaving someone handcuffed in a windowless cell without food and water for 5 days? :eek:

[joseephuss]

Worse that leaving someone handcuffed in a windowless cell without food and water for 5 days? :eek:

Mike Leach has no problems with it.

[CowboyMcCoy]

20 million to the incarceration system is nothing. I say let them pay it.

[Doomsday101]

It was not until his friend Cheech went to the DEA to find out where he was. :laugh2:

[joseephuss]

20 million to the incarceration system is nothing. I say let them pay it.

That is not the point. They screwed up, but he isn't deserving of $20 million dollars. There have been guys falsely imprisoned for years, even decades that don't get $20 million.

[joseephuss]

It was not until his friend Cheech went to the DEA to find out where he was. :laugh2:

They knocked to check on him, but he kept saying "Dave's not here".

[Doomsday101]

They knocked to check on him, but he kept saying "Dave's not here".

No man I'm dave. :laugh2:

[CowboyMcCoy]

That is not the point. They screwed up, but he isn't deserving of $20 million dollars. There have been guys falsely imprisoned for years, even decades that don't get $20 million.

Yeah, but they almost killed this guy in a matter of 5 days. I think that falls under cruel and unusual punishment.

Just as we are responsible for our own individual actions, the state should be responsible for theirs--lest they pay the price.

[joseephuss]

Yeah, but they almost killed this guy in a matter of 5 days. I think that falls under cruel and unusual punishment.

Just as we are responsible for our own individual actions, the state should be responsible for theirs--lest they pay the price.

But that price is not $20 million. Bring that number way down. And it wasn't punishment. Punishment implies they did it on purpose. They made a mistake, a bad mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.

[Doomsday101]

I would bring in an arbitrator to see if he thinks the guy’s life is worth 20 mill.


After long and hard consideration we think your life and all body part included are worth 1 buck 50. :laugh1:

[Sarge]

Gimme 10 cases of PBR and I'll walk away - no questions asked.

[casmith07]

Don't do meth.

[jnday]

Worse that leaving someone handcuffed in a windowless cell without food and water for 5 days? :eek:

Yeah, kindda sad . They are not as bad as the ATF though ( Ruby Ridge , Waco).

[burmafrd]

I would say a few million unless he has permanent health damage. Then more.

[Zaxor]

I'm Hungry.

Think I will have some steak off the grill when I get home...maybe a nice warm glass of urine to go with it.

do you prefer French Piss or something more local

[Sam I Am]

20 million to the incarceration system is nothing. I say let them pay it.

Excuse me? Those are tax dollars. It's not *them* that pay, it's the US tax payers.

[Yeagermeister]

Gimme 10 cases of PBR and I'll walk away - no questions asked.

Ok that will cover Saturday. What about Sunday?

[AmarilloCowboyFan]

Mike Leach has no problems with it.

:laugh1:

[big dog cowboy]

Ok that will cover Saturday. What about Sunday?

A couple of sammich's.

[kapolani]

I bet if the government made it possible to sue individual LEO's instead of the tax-payers footing the bill for these lawsuits these types of incidents would dramatically decrease.

[Heisenberg]

I think he should get a gift card to the Sizzler.

[Yeagermeister]

A couple of baloney sammich's.

Fixed :laugh1:

[Denim Chicken]

Regardless of the money, someone should loose thier Job.

[CowboyMcCoy]

Excuse me? Those are tax dollars. It's not *them* that pay, it's the US tax payers.

They owe him, though.

[The30YardSlant]

They owe him, though.

But the citizens of the state of California don't, and NOBODY owes him $20 freaking million.

[ABQCOWBOY]

Mike Leach has no problems with it.

With Ice Machines, cable TV, AC and the like. Yeah, James should pay Mike Leach for the accommodations in that place.

:laugh2:

[ABQCOWBOY]

Gimme 10 cases of PBR and I'll walk away - no questions asked.

10 cases in 5 days will not be enough for you Sarge and we both know it.

[ABQCOWBOY]

do you prefer French Piss or something more local

Not French, I try to stay away from the imported stuff thank you.

:laugh2:

[SwingPass9]

Damn, normally I'm against huge lawsuits but this seems justified. Maybe if you have some DEA friends, you can stage this and split the dough lol!

[hipfake08]

Don't do drugs dude...

or Hang with people who deal them.

[vta]

or Hang with people who deal them.

That too. It's worse being busted for some fools folly than your own.

[CowboyMcCoy]

But the citizens of the state of California don't, and NOBODY owes him $20 freaking million.

That's a drop in the bucket for CA. Maybe they should train their employees and have a checks system so this doesn't happen. Only costing them a portion of their funds will make them think about this sort of negligence in jails/prison system.

[joseephuss]

That's a drop in the bucket for CA. Maybe they should train their employees and have a checks system so this doesn't happen. Only costing them a portion of their funds will make them think about this sort of negligence in jails/prison system.

It doesn't matter if it is a drop in the bucket. That has no bearing on the situation. What happened is not worth $20 million. Period.

[dexternjack]

I don't know what this kids' rap sheet looks like, but if I had anything on it at all my plea would be...erase everything on my record, give me 25k and let me start a new beginning.

The cops really dropped the ball on this one but it does not warrant 20 mill. I realize he could have died due to lack of water, but is 5 days worth that much money? Bear Grylls says we can survive a week w/o water :)

[CowboyMcCoy]

It doesn't matter if it is a drop in the bucket. That has no bearing on the situation. What happened is not worth $20 million. Period.

After mediation the number won't be nearly that high. Only a jury could make a settlement worth that amount. Even then, the defendant's attorney should be able to get that knocked in half and then some. But you never know.

[BraveHeartFan]

They owe him, though.

They do.

The citizens of California don't owe him a dime and they're the ones who would be paying for it.

Really easy for you to fork over their money since it won't cost you a penny.


But the citizens of the state of California don't, and NOBODY owes him $20 freaking million.

Agreed.



That's a drop in the bucket for CA. Maybe they should train their employees and have a checks system so this doesn't happen. Only costing them a portion of their funds will make them think about this sort of negligence in jails/prison system.

Again they're not going to learn anything or be out anything. Cause the people who live in California will have to pay the bill.

If you lived in Cali how much of your cash would you like to fork over for the mistake of others?

[CowboyMcCoy]

They do.

The citizens of California don't owe him a dime and they're the ones who would be paying for it.

Really easy for you to fork over their money since it won't cost you a penny.




Agreed.





Again they're not going to learn anything or be out anything. Cause the people who live in California will have to pay the bill.

If you lived in Cali how much of your cash would you like to fork over for the mistake of others?

Don't they have a fund where they expect to get sued x amount of dollars?

[BraveHeartFan]

Don't they have a fund where they expect to get sued x amount of dollars?


If that is the case I must admit that I'm not aware of it. So I honestly can't say for sure on that.

The question there is where did they get the money for such a fund? Through taxes of the people? Through traffic tickets? Where would they be getting the money to put aside for such a thing?