FBI reviews arrest of nurse to see if cop broke U.S. law
The FBI said Friday that it is examining whether federal laws were violated by a Utah police detective who is shown on video assaulting and arresting a nurse after she refused to allow a blood sample to be taken from an unconscious patient.
The July 26 incident involving Salt Lake City police Detective Jeff Payne is already being investigated by state authorities, who requested the FBI’S help Thursday.
Sandra Yi Barker, a spokeswoman at the FBI’S Salt Lake City field office, said agents had already opened a review of the matter after videos of Payne forcefully arresting University of Utah Hospital nurse Alex Wubbels emerged last week.
Barker stressed that a “color of law” review, which examines whether law enforcement officials exceeded their authority, was a preliminary step that may or may not lead to a formal investigation.
“Color of law” violations include false arrest and the use of excessive force by police, according to the FBI’S website.
Video from Salt Lake City police officers’ body cameras showed Payne handcuffing Wubbels and arresting her after she refused to draw blood from a comatose truck driver who had just been brought in, because Payne had neither a warrant nor the patient’s consent.
The driver had been in a crash with a vehicle driven by someone fleeing police.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill, whose office is investigating the incident, said he requested the FBI’S help because “there continue to be issues that go beyond merely a criminal investigation.”
Payne, who is on administrative leave from the police force, was fired Tuesday from his second job as a part-time ambulance driver.
Gold Cross Ambulance service President Mike Moffitt said Payne’s termination followed comments he made on the video suggesting that he would bring transients to University of Utah Hospital and transport “good” patients to another facility.