from KGW.com – November 2006

The following excerpts are from Multnomah County’s report on the jail’s handling of the in-custody death of James Chasse.

“Patricia Gayman was the nurse on duty when Mr. Chasse came in around 6:15 p.m. She had been told he was in the booking area and that he might not be breathing. Ms. Gayman got to the cell and saw Mr. Chasse on the floor. She noted he had a spit sock on his head. She knew that there had been a struggle, but had not been given any of the specifics. She was unaware that one of the officers had attempted to use a taser on him.”

“In hindsight Ms. Gayman said that, had she known the extent of the fight, she would have called an ambulance. In the past she seldom knew what happened on the street. As a result of this incident she wants to be better informed.”