News

Police use Taser on nurse who refused to let them see wanted patient

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.,None — Police in Lawrenceville say they have arrested a nurse and used a Taser on her after she refused to grant them access to a patient.

Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh was at the Gwinnett County Jail as the nurse walked out surrounded by her family Monday afternoon.

Police said the nurse was obstructing police officers. Her brother said she was just following hospital policy.

"No, I'm not OK," Marthe Bien-Aime told Kavanaugh as she walked out of the jail.

Bien-Aime works as a nurse at the Summit Ridge Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Lawrenceville.

Police said they were at the hospital Sunday night investigating claims that a patient sexually assaulted another.

"They met with hospital staff and informed them that they had the warrant for the individual's arrest and asked to be guided back," Maj. Paul King of the Lawrenceville Police Department said.

http://bcove.me/4dznx4tj


King said Bon-Aime refused to let the officers back to the patient's room.

According to the police report, Bon-Aime told the officer "Hell no, I won't." The report goes on to say Bon-Aime said "This is not happening while she was in charge" and that she "took an oath to protect."

Police said they tried to negotiate with Bon-Aimes and told her she could be arrested for not cooperating.

A woman who had checked out of the hospital described to Kavanaugh what she heard next.

"We heard a nurse screaming. We heard police scrambling around making a lot of noise," said the former patient, who asked not to be identified.

"Once they tried to place her in custody she began flailing her arms. At one point, she went to the floor," King said.

So the officers used a Taser on Bon-Aime, giving her a quick shock to her backside.

Police charged her with obstruction. Her family paid her bond and said they're vowing to fight the charge.

"She needs some rest right now. We need some professional advice, then I'd be very happy to talk to you," Bon-Aime's brother said.

Police ultimately arrested the patient they were seeking as well. Kavanaugh went to Summit Ridge on Monday for a comment.

An employee, who would not identify himself, said they had no comment, citing patient confidentiality.