Patti Saylor testified before Congress today in regards to the death of her disabled son, Ethan, who was killed by Maryland sheriff deputies.
Saylor spoke during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to advocate for nationwide guidelines in the training of law enforcement in handling disabled individuals.
Ethan was killed in January 2013 at Regal Cinemas Westview in Frederick, Maryland. The 26-year old had Down Syndrome, and went to see "Zero Dark Thirty" with an 18-year old aide.
When the movie ended, he tried to sneak into another showing, and was spotted by the theater's assistant manager. The manager and Ethan's aide tried to persuade him to leave, but he refused. The manager then called the police.
According to witness statements, the officers asked Ethan several times to leave the theater, and he yelled and cursed at them.
The aide asked everyone to be patient, and warned that Ethan—who had an I.Q. of 40—would "freak out" if touched.
Ms. Saylor recounted what happened next in her Senate testimony.
"The officers proceeded to physically remove him from the theater, dragged him from his seat, tried to handcuff him, when that didn't work while he was standing, they placed him on the ground, put handcuffs on, and my son died of asphyxiation on that floor of that movie theater for that $10 ticket," she testified.
According to Maryland's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Ethan was 5'6" and 294 lbs., and his larynx was crushed when police took him to the ground. The autopsy also noted that his weight and heart disease made him "more susceptible to sudden death in stressful conditions which would compromise his breathing."
Ethan's mother testified that the takedown used excessive force.
"The manner in which Ethan was restrained that evening, with his hands behind his back and forced to lie face down on his stomach, has for years been considered excessive due to the chance of positional asphyxia," she said.
No criminal charges were filed against the deputies.
Saylor has already been successful in getting the state of Maryland to examine the way police officers handle disabled individuals. She hopes to save lives nationwide.
"Since Ethan's death, we have been on our own advocacy journey to achieve justice for Ethan, while at the same time ensuring what happened to Ethan never happens to another member of the Down syndrome and disability community ever again," she told the senators.
