Video of 35-year-old Michael Sabbie being pepper sprayed repeatedly and placed in a chokehold by officers in Texarkana has been released.
The jail footage, which resembles the tragic fate of Eric Garner, shows Sabbie pleading with the officers, “I can’t breathe”. Sabbie was held at a private prison owned by LaSalle Corrections, located at the Texas and Arkansas border, where he repeatedly asked for medical help. For three days he complained of difficulty breathing and possible symptoms of pneumonia.
The Huffington Post released the footage Wednesday and detailed what happened in Sabbie’s final days.
A day after being arrested on July 20, 2015, Sabbie a father of four told officers that he was having difficulty breathing while laying down. He was taken to the nurse where she determined that he had a low level of oxygen in his blood and informed him to sit up if he couldn’t breathe. On July 21,2015 he was found on the floor of his cell before being taken to a judge for his court appearance on misdemeanor charges of domestic assault. The nurse once again saw Sabbie where she determined that he did not have pneumonia and sent him back to his cell to be transported. While appearing before the judge, Sabbie again complained of having difficulty breathing and the judge along with the bailiff noticed that he was indeed experiencing a medial emergency. When the judge noticed him breathing heavily and coughing he stated that Sabbie may have asthma or bronchitis. However, Sabbie informed the judge that he had been coughing up blood and asked to be taken to the hospital.
