Paramedic accused of rape in CT

[paramedicmike]

Well, if nothing else, if this guy is acquitted he can sue the newspaper and reporter for libel.

It does sound fishy. It will be very interesting to hear the facts in the case.

[DwayneEMTP]

Well, if nothing else, if this guy is acquitted he can sue the newspaper and reporter for libel...

I don't believe that he can, as the paper quoted the police dept and are not making accusations of their own. I mean, of course they are, simply by the lopsided way that the story is reported, but I don't see how you can hold them to it...

Dwayne

[MP-EMT22]

I would hate to be in this guy's shoes. What really matters if he's innocent is not whether or not the court of law finds him not guilty, but whether the court of public opinion does. As a police officer, I have seen numerous occasions where a false rape accusation can benefit the supposed victim whether it be sympathy, or a diversion of an accusation against themselves. Another thought is whether the accusation is rape, or sexual assault. In some states, its defined as one in the same. But for most, they can be articulated in two completely separate categories. I can see it more if its a sexual assault accusation. One hand in the wrong place for too long on the opposite sex, and you have a free ticket to the state pen for sexual assault. (Palpation with the back of the hand) Rape on the other hand would be far less subtle. But either way, im sure that the news agency that reported it could care less whether they differentiated between the two and used the proper term. I can only hope that justice is served swiftly if he is truly guilty, or he can recover whatever reputation he has left and rebuild if he is innocent.

[b.anderson]

I don't believe that he can, as the paper quoted the police dept and are not making accusations of their own. I mean, of course they are, simply by the lopsided way that the story is reported, but I don't see how you can hold them to it...

It's unclear as to what's true and what is not in this article. Due to the obvious double negative as the incident is presented as both allegations, and as fact. It's difficult to discern if the police presented the incident as allegations or fact originally. Either way, the newspaper should have taken better care to not have the double negative, which immediately reduces its credibility. I doubt that, even if the newspaper is the one in the wrong (in terms of libel) that any case would be made against them--the medic in this article is likely concerned about other issues at this point--guilty or not.

I do hope, for the sake of the profession, that this turns out to be another case of greed on behalf of the accusing party. If not, I would hope that he gets more than a $25,000 fine for sexual assault.

To me, this appears to still be considered an accusation, and a big one at that. I highly doubt that a person, whom has been accused of sexual assault with any verifiable evidence would be released on bond, with only an administrative leave from their employer.

I do hope that readers outside of the EMS community are diligent enough to understand that accusations do not represent guilt, and that a single case of wrongdoing in a particular profession does not represent the profession as a whole. Only in a perfect world though.

The sad part in this case, for the accused medic, should he be found not guilty is that this article will likely be forgotten in the eyes of the public. It will be dinner table discussion for a while, and it will disappear. For the medic however, this will leave a lasting mark on (as MP-EMT22 said) whatever reputation he has left. I'd be surprised if we heard much of anything going forward regarding this particular incident.

[nypamedic43]

I've been trying to find updates on the story, to no avail so far.

[JPINFV]

The warrant says Powell at first denied any inappropriate contact but then said he touched the woman's breasts and genitals "to elicit a response from or awake the female." The warrant says he expressed remorse to police.

http://www.emsworld.com/news/10611546/conn-emt-admitted-sexually-assaulting-patient

Well... alrighty then.

[DFIB]

http://www.emsworld....aulting-patient

Well... alrighty then.

Yep, he is well deserved toast.

[JPINFV]

Hopefully he'll spend a few years in prison regularly being "checked for responsiveness" by his fellow inmates.

[tcripp]

Since when is nipple tweaking an appropriate exchange for the sternal rub? I must have missed class that day...

[nypamedic43]

I'm pretty sure I missed that lecture myself Toni.

This is the story in the New Haven Register

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2012/01/09/news/metro/doc4f0b325a4180c238579975.txt?viewmode=fullstory