July footage showing the arrest of a Utah nurse recently made headlines. As a result, Americans are now wondering whether or not the nation is declining into a police state. As noted by CNN, the Salt Lake City police department issued an apology to the woman for her unjust arrest.
What Happened?
Alex Wubbels, the aforementioned nurse, was completely innocent in this situation. Police officers came to University of Utah Hospital and demanded for Wubbels to draw a blood sample from an unconscious, car crash victim who was also a patient. However, unbeknownst to the police officers, their request violated the hospital’s policies.
Following this incident, Wubbels explained to the police that the nature of their request for a blood sample breached hospital protocol. Then, she showed the officers printed records detailing the requirements for drawing blood from a patient. The requirements mandate orders from a judge, the patient’s arrest, or assent from the patient.
Apparently, the hospital’s rules did not sit well with Jeff Payne, the police officer, who grabbed Wubbels and forced her out of the hospital, into handcuffs, and into a police car.