A California man whose skin was practically seared off after police held him against a burning hot pavement is now seeking $26 million from his city.
On June 23, 2017, eight officers from the Citrus Heights Police Department responded to a report that a shirtless person was behaving strangely at a KFC restaurant and that he had hopped over the counter and attempted to steal the manager's wallet, the Sacramento Bee reports.
When law enforcement arrived, at least two officers forced James Bradford Nelson to the ground on a scorching hot day, when the temperature of the parking lot's surface would reach 170 degrees—enough to fry an egg and then some.
He was held there for at least five minutes.
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"During this time on the ground, Nelson was screaming and yelling in excruciating pain," his claim reads. "However, the officers forced his head down onto the hot pavement, leaning onto it with such force that Nelson could not move it for relief, exposing the right side of his face and neck to the scorching heat of the concrete."The 28-year-old man, who reportedly has paranoid schizophrenia, would suffer second- and third-degree burns to his chest, legs, face and buttocks.
Nelson was then placed in an ambulance about 20 minutes later, after having his flesh peeled away from the stove-like surface.
He slipped into a coma and would not wake up for another three days.
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"I've got to live with these scars for the rest of my life," Nelson told the Sacramento Bee. "I wake up and ask myself how and why this happened to me."
His claim states that as of last month, his medical expenses totaled $1.8 million—he spent nearly two months in the hospital receiving skin grafts as well as treatment for kidney and liver failure supposedly caused by the incident—while he's also asking for $25 million for "general damages."
Additionally, Nelson is seeking an undisclosed amount of punitive damages from the officers who participated in the incident.
Citrus Heights Police Chief Ronald Lawrence failed to respond to a Daily News request for comment regarding Nelson's allegations that he was "assaulted and battered."
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Still upset over how her son was treated, Tarsha Benigno said, "If someone’s talking to themselves and yelling at things that aren’t there, you can clearly see he’s not mentally stable. Why didn’t you try to calm him down and help him?" (THE SACRAMENTO BEE)
In September 2017, the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office announced that in light of the "unique facts and circumstances" of his case, they would only pursue allegations that he violated parole.
However, court records show that Nelson is currently incarcerated at the Sacramento County jail for larceny and drug offenses.
His family declined to address the details of those charges.
When law enforcement arrived, at least two officers forced James Bradford Nelson to the ground on a scorching hot day, when the temperature of the parking lot's surface would reach 170 degrees—enough to fry an egg and then some.
He was held there for at least five minutes.
Mass. cop broke man’s nose, falsified police report about it
"During this time on the ground, Nelson was screaming and yelling in excruciating pain," his claim reads. "However, the officers forced his head down onto the hot pavement, leaning onto it with such force that Nelson could not move it for relief, exposing the right side of his face and neck to the scorching heat of the concrete."The 28-year-old man, who reportedly has paranoid schizophrenia, would suffer second- and third-degree burns to his chest, legs, face and buttocks.
Nelson was then placed in an ambulance about 20 minutes later, after having his flesh peeled away from the stove-like surface.
He slipped into a coma and would not wake up for another three days.
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"I've got to live with these scars for the rest of my life," Nelson told the Sacramento Bee. "I wake up and ask myself how and why this happened to me."
His claim states that as of last month, his medical expenses totaled $1.8 million—he spent nearly two months in the hospital receiving skin grafts as well as treatment for kidney and liver failure supposedly caused by the incident—while he's also asking for $25 million for "general damages."
Additionally, Nelson is seeking an undisclosed amount of punitive damages from the officers who participated in the incident.
Citrus Heights Police Chief Ronald Lawrence failed to respond to a Daily News request for comment regarding Nelson's allegations that he was "assaulted and battered."
Cops say video shows teen pulling weapon before he was killed
Still upset over how her son was treated, Tarsha Benigno said, "If someone’s talking to themselves and yelling at things that aren’t there, you can clearly see he’s not mentally stable. Why didn’t you try to calm him down and help him?" (THE SACRAMENTO BEE)
In September 2017, the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office announced that in light of the "unique facts and circumstances" of his case, they would only pursue allegations that he violated parole.
However, court records show that Nelson is currently incarcerated at the Sacramento County jail for larceny and drug offenses.
His family declined to address the details of those charges.
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