Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

December 23, 2011

Cleveland resident Joyce Christie was understandably concerned when her 62-year-old husband, Nick, who suffered from emotional problems, suddenly took off to visit his brother in Ft. Myers, Florida. Nick had recently been prescribed Lexapro, a potent anti-depressant, and when he arrived at his brother?s house his behavior became dangerously erratic.

Joyce called the Lee County Sheriff?s Department to ask them to find Nick and get him the help he needed. Deputies soon arrested the retired boilermaker on trespassing charges. While in the County Jail over the next 43 hours, Nick was repeatedly shackled in a restraint chair, hooded, and attacked with military-grade pepper spray. The chemical assault was so intense that it left other inmates gagging on the fumes. Nick, who suffered from respiratory and heart disease, pleaded with deputies to remove the spit mask because he couldn?t breathe. One inmate described how Nick turned ?purple and almost blue? as he suffocated.

When medical personnel arrived to check on Nick, they were overwhelmed by the pepper spray residue. The victim died of heart failure two days after his arrest. The death was ruled a homicide ? but the State Attorney?s office insists that there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the deputies who tortured Nick Christie to death.

Let us take back the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.