VA Employee Arrested After Footage of an Elderly Vietnam Veteran Being Brutally Beaten Emerges
Jun 23, 2022 15:59:03 #
VA Employee Arrested After Footage of an Elderly Vietnam Veteran Being Brutally Beaten Emerges
An employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic at Fort McPherson in Atlanta has been arrested in connection with an incident in which a veteran was beaten at the clinic, and it was recorded on surveillance video.
The VA employee Lawrence F. Gaillard Jr., was working as a patient advocate at the time of the April 28 incident, WSB-TV in Atlanta reported Monday.
Video made public this week shows what happened to Vietnam veteran Phillip Webb, 73. WSB reported that it filed a Freedom of Information Act request and waited more than a month for the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RBEYSfmEDA
The video obscures the face of the VA employee involved. But, according to a WSB report from May 23, a police report in court papers said it showed Gaillard “punching Mr. Webb in the face with both fists, moving him backwards until he was pinned up against the wall. Mr. Gaillard was seen placing his hands around Mr. Webb’s neck then proceeded to body slam him to the floor.”
“Mr. Gaillard then kicked Mr. Webb in the head several times while he was on the floor,” the report stated, according to WSB.
According to WSB’s report Monday, Webb said the incident started when he knocked on the door in the clinic’s waiting room to inform Gaillard he was going to the bathroom. He was waiting to discuss scheduling hernia surgery.
“I guess he got upset because I hit at his door,” Webb told the station.
Should this veteran sue the VA over this?
Yes: 96% (48 V**es)
No: 4% (2 V**es)
Webb said he spent three days in a hospital with a brain bleed after the incident, according to WSB.
“He was Mike Tyson-ing me there,” Webb told the station. “I’m just stunned. I don’t know what to say.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, citing federal court papers, reported that Gaillard was fired on May 23 — almost a month after the incident.
According to WSB’s report Monday, the VA issued a statement on the incident:
“We are horrified at the video of a V.A. employee assaulting a Veteran at the Atlanta VA Health Care System on April 28. This disturbing behavior is contrary to our core values of treating Veterans with the dignity and respect they deserve. We take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with Fulton County law enforcement.”
Questioned After Grotesque Response
The charges against Gaillard were dropped by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, citing jurisdictional issues, according to WSB. The case was turned over to Fulton County District Attorney Fanni Willis for investigation.
In WSB’s May 23 report, Webb said he didn’t understand why he became a victim.
“He said, ‘Man, I’ll go upside your head,’ and I told him, ‘No you won’t,’ and that’s all I remember,” Webb said.
“I was trying to figure out why did he hit me. I’m still trying to figure out why did he hit me, you know?” Webb said.
https://www.westernjournal.com/va-employee-arrested-footage-elderly-vietnam-veteran-brutally-beaten-emerges/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=newsletter-WJ&utm_campaign=dailyam&utm_content=western-journal&ats_es=489ee1ba734a5f1f055e6be09233f635
An employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic at Fort McPherson in Atlanta has been arrested in connection with an incident in which a veteran was beaten at the clinic, and it was recorded on surveillance video.
The VA employee Lawrence F. Gaillard Jr., was working as a patient advocate at the time of the April 28 incident, WSB-TV in Atlanta reported Monday.
Video made public this week shows what happened to Vietnam veteran Phillip Webb, 73. WSB reported that it filed a Freedom of Information Act request and waited more than a month for the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RBEYSfmEDA
The video obscures the face of the VA employee involved. But, according to a WSB report from May 23, a police report in court papers said it showed Gaillard “punching Mr. Webb in the face with both fists, moving him backwards until he was pinned up against the wall. Mr. Gaillard was seen placing his hands around Mr. Webb’s neck then proceeded to body slam him to the floor.”
“Mr. Gaillard then kicked Mr. Webb in the head several times while he was on the floor,” the report stated, according to WSB.
According to WSB’s report Monday, Webb said the incident started when he knocked on the door in the clinic’s waiting room to inform Gaillard he was going to the bathroom. He was waiting to discuss scheduling hernia surgery.
“I guess he got upset because I hit at his door,” Webb told the station.
Should this veteran sue the VA over this?
Yes: 96% (48 V**es)
No: 4% (2 V**es)
Webb said he spent three days in a hospital with a brain bleed after the incident, according to WSB.
“He was Mike Tyson-ing me there,” Webb told the station. “I’m just stunned. I don’t know what to say.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, citing federal court papers, reported that Gaillard was fired on May 23 — almost a month after the incident.
According to WSB’s report Monday, the VA issued a statement on the incident:
“We are horrified at the video of a V.A. employee assaulting a Veteran at the Atlanta VA Health Care System on April 28. This disturbing behavior is contrary to our core values of treating Veterans with the dignity and respect they deserve. We take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with Fulton County law enforcement.”
Questioned After Grotesque Response
The charges against Gaillard were dropped by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, citing jurisdictional issues, according to WSB. The case was turned over to Fulton County District Attorney Fanni Willis for investigation.
In WSB’s May 23 report, Webb said he didn’t understand why he became a victim.
“He said, ‘Man, I’ll go upside your head,’ and I told him, ‘No you won’t,’ and that’s all I remember,” Webb said.
“I was trying to figure out why did he hit me. I’m still trying to figure out why did he hit me, you know?” Webb said.
https://www.westernjournal.com/va-employee-arrested-footage-elderly-vietnam-veteran-brutally-beaten-emerges/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=newsletter-WJ&utm_campaign=dailyam&utm_content=western-journal&ats_es=489ee1ba734a5f1f055e6be09233f635
Jun 23, 2022 16:59:44 #
Oldsailor65 wrote:
VA Employee Arrested After Footage of an Elderly V... (show quote)
I watched the first few seconds of the video several times. To me, it looks like the old man backhanded the VA employee across the face in the first of the video. (The employee could have said something to piss the old man off) That is still no excuse to beat and kick the old man like he did. He should have stopped after he grabbed his arms and told him to settle down and go the the restroom.
Jun 23, 2022 17:28:00 #
Peaver Bogart wrote:
I watched the first few seconds of the video several times. To me, it looks like the old man backhanded the VA employee across the face in the first of the video. (The employee could have said something to piss the old man off) That is still no excuse to beat and kick the old man like he did. He should have stopped after he grabbed his arms and told him to settle down and go the the restroom.
I don't think the video showed the whole story either but the old Vet should not have been given a beat down.
Jun 23, 2022 17:54:37 #
Oldsailor65 wrote:
I don't think the video showed the whole story either but the old Vet should not have been given a beat down.
Too bad there wasn't a big burly vet there, one who takes no s**t, to aid the old man
Jun 24, 2022 07:44:10 #
Oldsailor65 wrote:
VA Employee Arrested After Footage of an Elderly V... (show quote)
Back in '69 I went to the VA for a rash that developed around my wound scars. That's the last time I went to the VA. I got into an actual fistfight with an orderly because he mistook me for someone else and wanted to give me an injection not meant for me. He wouldn't listen to me and tried to put me in restraints. I was 20 years old. Nuff said.
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