DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, May-December 1971 | 1971-05-13 Daily Iowan Articles: ""Epileptic Alleges Police Brutality"" ""3 Complain About Truck""

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Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-13 Daily Iowan Articles: ""Epileptic Alleges Police Brutality"" ""3 Complain About Truck""

DI 5/13/71

Epileptic Alleges Police Brutality

An Iowa City resident who suffered a grand mal epileptic seizure which observing the disturbances at Quadrangle Dormitory Tuesday night alleged Wednesday that he was struck by Highway Patrol officers as he ran to find a place to sit down. 
Stanley Mortensen, 1321 Marcy Street, told the Daily Iowan that he was hit on the back of the head as he was running from the south side of Quadrangle toward the north side of Hillcrest Dormitory looking for a place to sit down before the seizure came on so he would not injure himself. 
The police were advancing to take control of the street between Hillcrest and Quadrangle, he said. 
Mortensen continued "The police had ordered everyone to move and were running toward the students when I felt the attack coming."
Mortensen explained that he experiences an "aura" or sensation of light before the epileptic convulsions begin.
"I passed out after I was hit," he said. "When I came to, five or six cops had me pinned."
Mortensen said they continued to hit him in the back.
"I told him I was epileptic and needed my pills." he said. 
"They refused to let me get the pills from my pocket."
Mortensen said he blacked out again while being taken by the patrolmen to the corner of Riverside Dr. and Burlington St. 
He was taken to University Hospital after a physician intervened. 
"I didn't know I'd been arrested until I was in the hospital." he added.
Mortensen faces an Iowa City charge of disorderly conduct,. The state has charged him with resisting arrest and assault with intent to inflict great bodily injury. 
The state charges came with Mortensen was being released from the county jail Wednesday morning.

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DI 5/13/71 Epileptic Alleges Police Brutality An Iowa City resident who suffered a grand mal epileptic seizure which observing the disturbances at Quadrangle Dormitory Tuesday night alleged Wednesday that he was struck by Highway Patrol officers as he ran to find a place to sit down. Stanley Mortensen, 1321 Marcy Street, told the Daily Iowan that he was hit on the back of the head as he was running from the south side of Quadrangle toward the north side of Hillcrest Dormitory looking for a place to sit down before the seizure came on so he would not injure himself. The police were advancing to take control of the street between Hillcrest and Quadrangle, he said. Mortensen continued "The police had ordered everyone to move and were running toward the students when I felt the attack coming." Mortensen explained that he experiences an "aura" or sensation of light before the epileptic convulsions begin. "I passed out after I was hit," he said. "When I came to, five or six cops had me pinned." Mortensen said they continued to hit him in the back. "I told him I was epileptic and needed my pills." he said. "They refused to let me get the pills from my pocket." Mortensen said he blacked out again while being taken by the patrolmen to the corner of Riverside Dr. and Burlington St. He was taken to University Hospital after a physician intervened. "I didn't know I'd been arrested until I was in the hospital." he added. Mortensen faces an Iowa City charge of disorderly conduct,. The state has charged him with resisting arrest and assault with intent to inflict great bodily injury. The state charges came with Mortensen was being released from the county jail Wednesday morning.