Officials insist exchange did not impede care

12/01/2006

Phil Helsel , Register Staff

MILFORD — As Nicholas Brown became ill from a fatal cocaine overdose in a police holding cell last month, the dispatcher who called paramedics said Brown was "doing the funky chicken," according to transcripts of the call police released Thursday. The exchange got civilian police dispatcher Steven Gifford fired Thursday and resulted in the termination of Fire Department dispatcher Teresa Burrows Wednesday night, for what officials from both departments termed "unprofessional" conduct.

Police Chief Keith Mello and Fire Chief Louis LaVecchia insist the joking conversation played no role in the care that Brown, 24, received. But the transcript of the call shows at least a dismissive attitude as Brown went into convulsions after being arrested Oct. 19. During the arrest he was shocked twice with a Taser stun gun and swallowed drugs.

When Gifford called Burrows at 9:17 p.m. that night to request emergency medical assistance, Burrows responded, "Oh come on, ’cause I really have a headache today," the transcript says. After Gifford told Burrows that Brown had swallowed drugs and was hallucinating, she ended the call, saying Brown "really should have double-bagged it or something," the transcript says.

Brown died of what the state medical examiner ruled accidental "cocaine toxicity" at 10:21 p.m. Oct. 19, about an hour after he began sweating and going into seizures while in the police station holding area.

Police had arrested Brown shortly after 5 p.m. that evening outside the Red Roof Inn on Rowe Avenue, and officers shocked him twice with a Taser stun gun when he tried to run away and kept reaching into his pockets, police said. During the struggle, Brown put something in his mouth and swallowed it, but he allegedly told officers that he swallowed the ends of two marijuana cigarettes.

After being taken to the police station for booking on tampering with evidence and interfering charges, Brown started sweating and became profusely ill while in a holding cell about 9:17 p.m.; he died en route to Milford Hospital.

Mello released a statement calling Gifford’s behavior "insensitive, disturbing and inconsistent with the type of conduct we expect from our employees." Police refused to comment further because Brown’s family has threatened to file a lawsuit.

A lawyer representing Brown’s mother, Lori Brown, filed documents Nov. 20 at Superior Court in Bridgeport indicating she intends to bring a wrongful-death suit against the city and the Police Department.

The documents, filed by Bridgeport lawyer Paul L. Brozdowski, seek evidence and information relating to what occurred that night, and says the department has offered "no explanation" for Brown’s death. Brozdowski said the joking nature of the emergency call was disturbing.

"The statements and attitude of those involved is shocking and raises grave concerns about the treatment of Nicholas Brown while in police custody," Broz-

dowski said. "The family of Nicholas Brown is still grieving over their loss and look forward to letting the investigation and legal process take its course."

Although the transcript shows Gifford and Burrows were joking about Brown’s condition even as he became gravely ill, Daniel Hunsberger Sr. of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, a union representing firefighters and related staff, said that the gallows humor displayed is somewhat commonplace at firehouses and police stations around the country.

"If every single police officer, EMS person, or firefighter had their conversations recorded, we would have no police officers, EMS or firefighters," he said. "(Burrows is) embarrassed by the comments and certainly did not mean anything by them, but she did her job."

Gifford’s attorney, Mark Ciarciello, could not be reached Thursday. Dumas said Gifford was first hired as a dispatcher on Jan. 17, 1997, then left to take another job in late 2000, and returned to the Milford police department on Aug. 17, 2003.

Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. said the dispatchers’ attitudes during the call "reflected poorly on their departments and the city." The mayor also said that the joking manner displayed in the transcript didn’t contribute to Brown’s overdose death or impede the emergency response.

Mello said the Police Department is conducting an internal review of Brown’s death and whether use of the stun gun was justified. The final report has not yet been made public.

Phil Helsel can be reached at 876-3028 or phelsel@nhregister.com.