Notes on Police Violence
Salt Lake City nurse arrested after refusing demand to draw blood from unconscious patient
By
Trévon Austin
2 September 2017
Hospital surveillance and police bodycam footage released this week shows a nurse, at University Hospital in Salt Lake City, being unlawfully arrested and assaulted by a police officer.
The incident occurred July 26, at the University of Utah, when a semi-truck driver was brought into the hospital after being struck by a driver fleeing Utah Highway Patrol.
At the time, Alex Wubbles was working as the charge nurse. After refusing his demand to draw a blood sample from the injured patient, in accordance with hospital policy, Wubbles was arrested by detective Jeff Payne.
In the video, Wubbles can be seen explaining that a policy agreed upon by the hospital and police department indicates that blood cannot be taken without the consent of the patient, a warrant from a judge, or if the patient was under arrest.
As Detective Payne continued to demand a blood sample, a representative can be heard on Wubble’s phone asking, “Why are you attacking the messenger?” Payne responds, “She’s telling me no.”
Told that he was making a mistake by threatening a nurse, Payne escalated the situation by telling Wubbles she was under arrest. He then violently grabbed Wubbles and pushed her outside the hospital. After placing Wubbles in handcuffs, Payne had a short exchange with other staff at the hospital where he was told that his actions were unnecessary. Payne responded that “I’m doing my job” and “I’m leaving now, with her.”
Throughout the encounter, Wubbles complained to the officer that he was hurting her.
The video ends with Wubbles being placed in a police vehicle. As is common in such cases, Wubbles was placed…