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Washington State Agrees to Pay $15,000 to Probationer Whose Urine and Blood Were Forcibly Taken from Him
The State of Washington has agreed to pay $15,000 to settle a suit over the forcible taking of urine and blood samples from a Washington probationer.
Matthew Arthur was arrested for DUI on November 30, 2005. Cowlitz County deputies took Arthur to a local hospital where Kevin Rentner, an employee of the Washington State Department of Corrections, asked Arthur to provide a blood and urine sample pursuant to his conditions of probation.
After Arthur refused, Rentner allegedly instructed the deputies to restrain Arthur and forcibly take blood and urine samples from him. While Arthur “protested and struggled,” Arthur’s complaint states, the deputies took “blood from him through a needle in [his] arm,” and urine by “physically inserting a catheter into [Arthur’s] penis.” Arthur allegedly “contested this forcible violation of his body both verbally and physically throughout the entire encounter.”
On March 3, 2008, the State agreed to settle the case for $15,000. The State did not admit any liability or the truth of Arthur’s allegations in settling the case.
Arthur was represented by Kevin G. Blondin of Reitsch, Weston & Blondin, a Longview, Washington firm. See: Arthur v. Cowlitz County, No. 07-2-02076-5 (Cowlitz County Sup. Ct.)
Matthew Arthur was arrested for DUI on November 30, 2005. Cowlitz County deputies took Arthur to a local hospital where Kevin Rentner, an employee of the Washington State Department of Corrections, asked Arthur to provide a blood and urine sample pursuant to his conditions of probation.
After Arthur refused, Rentner allegedly instructed the deputies to restrain Arthur and forcibly take blood and urine samples from him. While Arthur “protested and struggled,” Arthur’s complaint states, the deputies took “blood from him through a needle in [his] arm,” and urine by “physically inserting a catheter into [Arthur’s] penis.” Arthur allegedly “contested this forcible violation of his body both verbally and physically throughout the entire encounter.”
On March 3, 2008, the State agreed to settle the case for $15,000. The State did not admit any liability or the truth of Arthur’s allegations in settling the case.
Arthur was represented by Kevin G. Blondin of Reitsch, Weston & Blondin, a Longview, Washington firm. See: Arthur v. Cowlitz County, No. 07-2-02076-5 (Cowlitz County Sup. Ct.)
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Related legal case
Arthur v. Cowlitz County
| Year | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Cite | No. 07-2-02076-5 (Cowlitz County Sup. Ct.) |
| Level | State Trial Court |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Damages | 15000 |
Please see the brief bank for documents related to this case.