Jacob Blake's father says his son is handcuffed to hospital bed despite being paralysed

Jacob Blake's father says his son has been handcuffed to his hospital bed despite being paralysed from the waist down.Jacob Blake's father says his son has been handcuffed to his hospital bed despite being paralysed from the waist down.

Mr Blake, 29, had been attempting to break up a quarrel between two women in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday when he was shot several times by a police officer.
His family and lawyers have said that there was no indication he was armed.

He is now paralysed and recovering in hospital.His father, also named Jacob Blake, told the Chicago Sun Times on Thursday that on his most recent visit to the hospital his son was handcuffed to his hospital bed.

Asked why he was handcuffed, Mr Blake Snr said he is "under arrest" although it is not clear under what charges. He told the publication: "Right now, we don’t know. We’re playing it by ear.”"I hate it that he was laying in that bed with the handcuff onto the bed," he added. "He can’t go anywhere. Why do you have him cuffed to the bed?”

The Kenosha Police Department and District Attorney's Office have been contacted by the Standard for comment. At a news conference later on Thursday, Wisconsin's Democrat Governor Tony Evers was asked if he was concerned about reports that Mr Blake is handcuffed.

Democrat Governor Tony Evers concerned about reports Jacob Blake is handcuffedHe said: "Hell yes. I would have no personal understanding why that would be necessary. “I can’t imagine why that’s happening and I would hope that we would be able to find a better way to have him get better and recover,” he added.

According to the Wisconsin Justice Department, which is investigating Blake's encounter with police, he was shot in the back at point-blank range by a single officer, Rusten Sheskey. Blake's sister makes a powerful statement on his shootingMr Blake was apparently leaning into the open driver-side door of his car, with Sheskey clutching his shirt.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul told a news conference on Wednesday that Sheskey, a seven-year veteran of the police force, fired seven rounds in all.  Mr Blake's lawyers say he was struck by four bullets, which shattered his vertebrae and damaged his stomach, intestines, liver and kidney.

Mr Kaul also said investigators had recovered a knife from the front floorboard of the car. However, Mr Blake's lead attorney, Ben Crump, said his client had no knife in his possession and did nothing to provoke or threaten police before he was shot.

Shockwaves from the events in Kenosha were felt across the United States as professional athletes, starting with National Basketball Association players, went on strike.

The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday called for the resignations of Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian, arguing they had mishandled the response to Blake's shooting.

Reference: Evening Standard: Rebecca Speare-Cole 2 days ago: 28/08/2020