Thank you, Andrew Thomas, Maricopa County Attorney
21 Aug 2008 Leave a Comment
in Arizona News
For those following the Carol Gotbaum story, I just read that Thomas announced that there will be no charges filed against the officers involved in her death. In case you don’t remember the incident, she was the drunk out-of-control woman that strangled herself while in custody at Sky Harbor Airport. Of course, her husband has filed an $8 million dollar claim against the city of Phoenix, claiming wrongful death, etc, etc. I just hope Phoenix stands firm and does not offer any sort of settlement on this. I’ve read a lot about the case, watched the videos, and I believe the cops handled the matter correctly.
Gotbaum was drunk and disorderly, and was put in a holding cell according to procedure. The cops checked on her at appropriate intervals, and it was her choice to entangle herself in her restraints, causing her own death. I feel sad that her children have to grow up without a mother, but considering her blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit for driving and that she had taken prescription antidepressants, I think the responsibility for her death lies with her actions that day, as well as the choices of her husband, Noah Gotbaum, and family that allowed her to fly alone.
