Repulsive Brutality by Oklahoma Cops Captured on YouTube

The cop turned on another emergency professional tasked with saving lives, who wears a uniform and a badge- without a hint of professional respect or professional conduct. Welcome to Oklahoma.

(OKLAHOMA CITY) - Viral YouTube video of police brutality is in the news again. This time the place is Oklahoma City and the victim is a black ambulance driver with a patient who was enroute to the hospital when he was pulled over for not yielding to a cop.

There is an unwritten rule in the law enforcement/fire/ambulance world that allows drivers to go fast, really fast, if they are indeed code-3 and deem it necessary. But how is one emergency driver to know when they are expected to pull over for another? The driver apparently believed the cop was escorting the ambulance.

In this case, regardless of how many cops pop up to defend the behavior shown on these tapes, there is a whole new problem that even transcends tasering great-grandmothers (If that is actually possible) and beating suspects who were just rendered unconscious in a high-speed car crash; these cops turned on another emergency professional tasked with saving lives, who wears a uniform and a badge without a hint of professional respect.

The state trooper is identified as Daniel Martin. Believe it or not, he is actually under investigation tonight by his own department. Of course that typically isn't even allowed to happen on the west coast, where officials actually try to avoid conflicts of interest.

I realize this is Oklahoma, but they still should be operating in a more modern fashion when it comes to self-investigating. As it turns out, Martin has what could only be considered a checkered past and when he was fired from a law enforcement job in Fairfax, it was accompanied by a unanimous vote for his firing.

"Yeah, I remember him," store clerk Linda Burgess said. "That's a sore subject around here. He left quite an imprint on this community, and not a good one, either. He was a bully with an attitude.

So after Martin was let go with disgrace from a smaller agency, the Oklahoma State Police picked him up. I fear for the people in this state.

The list goes on. A barber shop owner in Fairfax named Linda Bevill says Martin is a bullish man who ran off teenagers from cruising Main Street and continually accused residents of drinking alcohol during an endless stream of "unnecessary" traffic stops.

She said, "He struck me as a man who probably didn't have any control over any part of his life growing up, someone who needed control and power." Bevill added, "I remember he even went and bought one of those portable police lights for his own car. He just needed to play cop even when he was off duty."

The ambulance driver Martin was so intent in delaying and arresting in the middle of a medical transport, Paramedic Maurice White Jr., is a Creek Nation paramedic.

He has his own problems in his employment past but there is a mix, whereas there are few supporters putting their neck on the line for Martin.

The video reveals what could only be described as a violent confrontation between the pair of first responders standing beside an ambulance with a patient inside receiving absolutely no regard from the police.

Sources in Oklahoma report that Trooper Daniel Martin actually placed his hands around the neck of a paramedic, and it is clear from the video clips below.

Underscoring the integrity of the Oklahoma State Police, Martin and the other officers who attacked and hassled the ambulance driver remain on duty.

"The highway patrol officers, the troopers, are not being placed on any kind of administrative leave," OHP Captain Chris West told News9.com.

"If the investigation shows there were some violations of department policy or procedure, we'll address those accordingly."

KOTV reports that the patient was finally taken to the hospital where she was treated and released.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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Daniel June 27, 2009 9:22 pm (Pacific time)

Clearly officer Martin is NOT choking mr White , he is only trying to straighten Mr whites tie , unfortunately Mr white was not wearing a tie at the time .

David in Houston June 23, 2009 6:29 pm (Pacific time)

Sorry for the double post, I was not sure whether you would want a cross-post, but this site has the most comprehensive info I've found, including excerpts and additional video. But again, I'm not sure you want to approve post of another news site. Maybe you will find it personally informative. http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/2009/05/must-see-tv-ems-crew-member-and.html

David in Houston June 23, 2009 6:24 pm (Pacific time)

Couple of corrections on the story. The Ambulance driver never thought he had an escort, he simply didn't see the OHP until the medic in the back informed him. For a detailed account, see the statements of the EMTs and some observers here: http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/Ambulance_Incident_Reports%5B1%5D.pdf http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/Statement%20from%20witnesses.pdf http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/Patient_Statement.doc These statements came out before the dash cam was released, and IMO they describe almost exactly what happened. Trooper Martin had so much road rage that frankly his memory shouldn't be trusted. Oh, one other thing, Martin had his wife in the cruiser the entire time.

Mike H. June 23, 2009 11:55 am (Pacific time)

Unchecked gun show sales, I have no idea about that one. I assume there are gun shows where people can purchase guns without a background check? It is understandable that the NRA would support that, but they are probably not looking at the flip side. Anybody can get a gun there, criminals as well. Which, whether they support it or not, I guess it doesn't really matter. Criminals will get guns anyhow, whether they are allowed to or not. Thats why our second amendment is so precious. Here is a URL to a video on youtube which explains why I am so for the right to bear arms. The video does have a few profane words but makes a very good point, the main point of the right to bear arms. It is from the perspective of a criminal supporting gun control, though the voice of the video is against gun control. Very interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngsKzdKNAmo&feature=player_embedded

Sorry for getting so off track here. This article isn't about guns or gun control at all.

Daniel Johnson June 23, 2009 11:00 am (Pacific time)

JB: You'd like everyone to mind their own house? The whole world is our house. As astronaut Sandra Magnus said when she was interviewed while at the ISS: “Up here I've seen the world from a different viewpoint. I see it as a whole system, I don't see it as a group of individual people or individual countries. We are one huge group of people and we're all in it together.”

Lynn June 23, 2009 6:03 am (Pacific time)

With all due respect to the good people of Oregon Tom King needs to come to Oklahoma and find out some things. Polls indicate that very few people in Oklahoma supported trooper David Martin covered in this video and he does have a track record that is a bad reflection on the OHP. His comment pertaining to "this is Oklahoma" shows how little he knows about this state and its people. It is a shame that someone with what is his apparent limited knowledge is writing articles. Oklahoma is a very proud state of hard-working Americans who believe in an honest day's work for a day's pay. I am certain the State of Oregon also has some bad police officers as does everyone.

Editor: First of all, my name is Tim not Tom. I know that is a rub but let me tell you that I have spent time around people from Oklahoma and in all truth, in spite of the number of good people who undoubtedly live in your state, you have serious problems when it comes to law enforcement. The agency didn't even suspend him when this happened, that is outrageous. No offense with that comment, glad you're paying attention. Good luck with these cops. watch your six.

Mike H. June 23, 2009 1:56 am (Pacific time)

If I am not mistaken I think Vic might be Canadian too. How does Salem-News manage to attract so many northern neighbors? Regarding the article, I don't think emergency vehicles have to yield to each other. If anything the ambulance should have had the right of way, not the power hungry cop speeding to get to the gas station where there seemed to be no problem. I mean, who cares if someone needs medical attention when there is a cop that feels the need to express his authority, right? I wouldn't call anything in here brutality though. It was a horrible display of behavior from what is supposed to be a cop,though. Tim, if you don't mind me asking...where do you stand on the issue of gun control?

Tim King: Mike, Vic is from Oregon. Our writer Yousef is in Gaza City, Professor OOi keat Gin is from Malaysia and Anthony Wright is an Aussie living in Mexico. My life is partly international and I really admire and appreciate the voices of the world being part of our scene. We have several writers in California and other states.

I am not against guns and I am a gun owner. I was raised by a responsible gun owning father who was a hell of a shot, Having said that, it infuriates me when the NRA gets into these things because I don't believe in the integrity of any group that would support the unchecked gun show sales issue.

JB June 22, 2009 9:35 pm (Pacific time)

Editor, ok but we, US meddle in everyone elses affairs and our neighbor to the north has plenty of it's own issues. I would just like everyone to mind their own house.

Editor: Salem-News.com is his house, that is the point I am making. Be glad to hear from our writers in other countries, they have a lot to share that matters.

JB June 22, 2009 8:46 pm (Pacific time)

DJ, Don't you have anything in Canada to worry about?

Editor: JB, DJ writes almost exclusively about our neighbor nation to the north and he is an awesome contributor to Salem-News whose viewpoint is not only typically interesting and worth listening to, but always welcome and encouraged. If you have things to say then by all means say them, but don't pull any nationalistic crap, cool?

Daniel Johnson June 22, 2009 5:49 pm (Pacific time)

White cops and black EMT. Tell me it ain't so.

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