Trooper Daniel Martin was defended by his attorney Gary James today at a press conference. Trooper Martin was the Trooper who assaulted a Paramedic on May 24, 2009 while the Paramedic transported a patient in the back of the ambulance.

James said that Trooper Martin was within his legal authority to stop the ambulance, that he was not told there was a patient on board, and that supposedly Trooper dashcam videos are not admissible evidence. He further states that Trooper Martin’s arms were bruised from his scuffle with Paramedic White.

I have to wonder if James watched the video of his client applying a choke hold and slamming Paramedic White into the side of the ambulance. That’s the one that will probably be very admissible in court. I also have to wonder if he realizes that you can hear the entire family as well as EMT Franks tell the Trooper there is a patient onboard, since the video from the Trooper dashcam where Paramedic White clearly tells Trooper Martin this and asks to finish this at the hospital is inadmissible. Finally, I’m truly curious to know how Trooper Martin maintains Legal Authority when he is obviously abusing it and Oklahoma has a law against interfering with medical personnel in the discharge of their duties. Doesn’t Trooper Martin at that point have a Legal Obligation to arrest himself? Maybe James needs some updated law books… something with an insanity plea in it because that is really the only thing that would possibly work for him here.

James also explained that Trooper Martin was a “hometown hero” until the “undue publicity” following this incident. Undue? Really? I don’t think so. In fact for that matter I think this atrocity has deserved every bit of publicity. I only wish Anderson Cooper or CNN would highlight this like they are the cops in Texas who are seizing money for personal use. You reap what you sow.

Oh, and those bruises that James is alleging were from the scuffle? Since the photos were reportedly taken 4 days after the incident… how can they prove it was Paramedic White who did the damage? Did Trooper Martin get an EMS report done? No? Well now that sucks, doesn’t it?

As the great political activist V said, “People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.” Just ask the Government of Iran what happens when you act shady and get caught.

The truth is that James had the opportunity to completely de-escalate this situation, which was a word a few EMS providers threw around regarding how Paramedic Maurice White should have acted initially. As patient advocates we need to be able to speak up for a patient when they cannot, and that includes to a Peace Officer having a tantrum.

Why should we be the ones to de-escalate a situation we did not escalate in the first place? It’s time Trooper Martin became a man and owned up to his mistake. Sadly, he won’t because he still obviously has an ego issue.

It’s your move Oklahoma Highway Patrol. It’s time to terminate Trooper Martin who abused whatever authority you invested in him and put this behind us.