Epileptic Man Suffered Seizures after Cops Allegedly Denied Him Medication

Source: Gothamist

An epileptic man is suing the NYPD after cops allegedly denied him medication during an arrest, eventually leading him to suffer two seizures in custody. He was never charged with a crime.

According to a report in Newsweek today, 23-year-old Ronaile Elianor was arrested on March 18th for allegedly carrying a counterfeit $20 bill with him, which cops found after pulling him and some friends over in a car in East New York. Elianor, a barber, also reportedly had scissors, cash and medication on him, the latter of which is intended to treat his epilepsy. "They see the pills and they started making jokes and stuff,” Elianor told Newsweek. “They say, ‘Oh, he’s a barber. Are you sure these are not drugs and you use these scissors to cut them up?' And I’m like, ‘No.'”

Elianor, who says he'd been hospitalized for an epileptic seizure just that morning, was put in a holding cell, and according to the suit, he asked cops for his medication no fewer than six times. The arresting officer, Jonathan Bulzomi, allegedly refused to give it to him, and at around 10 p.m. that night, Elianor had a seizure that required hospitalization.

When he was released back into custody on March 19th, according to the suit, he asked for his medication again; that request was reportedly denied as well, and Elianor suffered another seizure. "I wake back up in the hospital, this time with scars...and a whole bunch of cuts on my tongue," he told the news outlet.

Elianor was never charged by the Brooklyn District Attorney's office, and he was released on the afternoon of the 19th. He is suing the NYPD for unspecified damages. Neither the NYPD nor the Brooklyn DA's Office has responded to our request for comment; the City Law Department told Newsweek the incident was "under review."

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