County will not pay medical bills for toddler hurt in Habersham raid

[Dr. Strange]

Habersham County officials say they do not plan to pay for the medical expenses of a toddler seriously injured during a police raid.

Bounkham Phonesavah, affectionately known as "Baby Boo Boo," spent weeks in a burn unit after a SWAT team's flash grenade exploded near his face. The toddler was just 19-months-old and asleep in the early morning hours of May 28. SWAT officers threw the device into his home while executing a search warrant for a drug suspect.

Habersham County officials are defending their decision not to pay, but the child's family isn't giving up.


More at http://m.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/lawyer-county-refuses-pay-medical-bills-toddler-hu/ng3s9/

Fucking fuckery.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

1. Sue the bastards!

That's the only way to get their attention. They caused the injuries, so they can damn well pay for them.

[PeoViejo]

2. The County must have learned that from the Insurance Company.

..assuming they have any Insurance in the first place.

[PowerToThePeople]

3. I can not comment on this

as I feel disembowelment of all the cops who were involved with this would be justified..

[Lurks Often]

4. If they pay the bill, it would be considered an admission of liability in the coming civil suit

This is the county's lawyers at work. If they do something that legally would be considered proof of liability, then any chance of a settlement or winning the court case goes out the window.

[badtoworse]

7. You're dealing with this logically, but the issue is being discussed on an emotional plane.

[woo me with science]

14. It's being discussed on an ethical plane. nt

[tkmorris]

9. True enough, but...

What I don't understand is why someone in authority there doesn't say, privately at least, "But we ARE responsible! We did this and the only right thing to do is pay her bills". It would be the ethical thing to do don't you think?

Call me naive but I still believe in morals and principles and refuse to accept that crassly acting in one's own self-interest even when clearly wrong is defensible.

[Lurks Often]

15. There are lawyers involved now

Since the civil suit will could result in the county paying anywhere from millions to hundreds of millions, they don't dare to do anything that would be considered an admission of liability.

[Dr. Strange]

13. Good point.

I'd hate to imagine the kind of society we'd have if the government started owning up and taking responsibility for the things it does.

[Tsiyu]

5. The entire Special Response Team should be incarcerated

for what they did to that child.

They need to pay, be made to pay, or it's open season on the people of that county.

If you or I harmed a cop the way they blasted that baby's chest open, we'd be doing time.

I am so sick of one law for the people, another for the cops.

[Dragonfli]

6. It has become quite clear that cops and alphabet agency operatives are quite above he law.

Anything from mutilating babies, killing unarmed people, and even torturing folks are within the rights of the so ordained.

[Tsiyu]

10. It appears that way

but their game works both ways.

Fortunately, I live where cops don't pull that crap. But if I were to go to any city right now? I'd be scared to death of any cop and would view them as suspected killers and abusers.

This is what happens when they don't pay for the murders and assaults they commit. The rest of us have no choice but to believe most cops are killers/abusers.

Get rid of the bad ones and people will view cops with respect. Until then? I'm assuming any non-local cop is a murderous thug.

That's the bed that many cops have made for themselves. They have no one else to blame but themselves if most of us loathe and fear them.

[hack89]

8. This is seriously fucked up. nt

[Abnredleg]

11. Sovereign and Governmental Immunity has been around for a long time

In North Carolina sovereign immunity applies to the state, while governmental immunity applies to local governments. They are different but related:

Governmental immunity is immunity from tort liability only and is based not on
sovereign immunity and the “king can do no wrong” concept but instead is based on the policy
decision that governmental agencies should not have to pay money damages.

Here's a primer on local government liability in North Carolina - don't know about laws in other states.

Needless to say, it can lead to great injustice.

[Shrike47]

12. Yes, they will pay the medical bills in the end, after the law suit.

Meanwhile, they garner even more terrible p.r.

[CanonRay]

16. Put me on the damn jury, they'll pay

[JEB]

17. K&R for exposure.

[Doctor_J]

18. what a shame we have for profit health insurance instead of

actual health care. The parents would not have to pay a lawyer to sue to get their six figure bill paid a few years from now.

[groundloop]

19. Contact information

Habersham county sheriff contact us:

http://habershamsheriff.com/?page_id=32

Phone: [phone] Fax: [phone]


Habersham County Commissioners:

http://www.habershamga.com/commissioners.cfm?lid=191

Phone: [phone] or 706-839-0200
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

[BuddhaGirl]

20. There is a Facebook page to support this sheriff

https://www.facebook.com/isupportjoeyterrell?fref=ts

Also a page for Habersham County:

https://www.facebook.com/habershamco?fref=ts