EMS Prank Goes Too Far......

[N1Medic 69]

New EMT convicted in fatal prank - Virginia

Joshua Philip Martin was in his fourth day on the job as a rescue-squad worker in Russell County when, in a playful mood, he decided to reach into the front seat of the ambulance and zap one of his co-workers with the defibrillator paddles. The rookie's mistake was fatal.

Yesterday, in Russell Circuit Court, a judge convicted Martin, 25, of involuntary manslaughter, warning the burly but pink-faced young man that when he returns to court in March, he likely will be sent to prison. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years.

The target of Martin's prank was Courtney Hilton Rhoton, a 23-year-old mother of two small children who had worked her way through school to become an emergency medical technician. She went into cardiac arrest seconds after Martin placed the paddles on her chest and shoulder. Three days later, on June 4, she died.

After watching bailiffs lead Martin off to jail yesterday, the mothers of Rhoton and Martin stood at opposite ends of a narrow courthouse hallway and wept, one for the loss of her daughter, the other for the fate of her son. All agreed Martin had meant no harm, though none derived comfort from the thought.

"If they just knew Josh!" his mother, Diana White, exclaimed between sobs. "He just made a mistake. Everybody plays on the job, even cops. But with this one, it caught up. He's going to pay for it for the rest of his life."

"He was just playing around," Martin's aunt, Karen Martin, said. "Anybody who knows him knows this was not intentional."

Rhoton's mother, Sandra Davenport, could not summon words to express her grief, except to say: "Everybody loved her."

In the courtroom minutes earlier, Martin had stood with his hands deep in his pants pockets and pleaded no contest to the charge against him, allowing Russell prosecutor Mike Bush to summarize the evidence without calling witnesses. According to Bush, if the case had gone to trial, a witness would have testified that Martin, an EMT, was in the back of a Highlands Ambulance Service ambulance on June 1 when he first picked up the paddles of the manual defibrillator.

Defibrillators are used to restore heartbeats, but they can also stop a heart. Martin, though an EMT, was not yet qualified to use the defibrillator and had been told it is not something to play with, Bush said.

Rhoton was in the front passenger seat of the ambulance, and driver Michael Coleman was heading south on U.S. 19 in Lebanon when Coleman heard Rhoton tell Martin not to touch her "with that," Bush said. Coleman looked back to see Martin putting the paddles away.

But shortly afterward, Bush said, Coleman heard the "sound of a shock" and heard Rhoton yell: "Oh my God, Mike, he shocked me!" Seconds later she stiffened and then went limp. Coleman frantically tried to hold her slumping body up while driving and calling the private ambulance company's office.

Rhoton, who had been an EMT for one year, never regained consciousness. She left behind two children, Christopher and Tamra, now 6 and 4.

Yesterday, the families of the two EMTs passed each other in the hallway as they left the courtroom.

Rhoton's sister, Chanda Lawson, 30, expressed bitterness as she watched the Martin family cry: "They're crying because he's going to jail, but my sister's not coming back."

Karen Martin overheard the comment and blurted out: "Josh is a good kid! A good kid!"

[Eagle24 2]

Follow-up---

LEBANON, Va. -- A Virginia emergency medical technician is going to prison for a fatal defibrillator prank.

Joshua Martin, 25, had pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in January, after jolting a co-worker with cardiac paddles. Courtney Rhoton, 23, died three days after getting the jolt.

Martin cried and apologized to Rhoton's family before being sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison. Four years of that were suspended.

Prosecutors said Martin was goofing around last June when he put the defibrillator paddles to Rhoton's side and gave her a fatal jolt of electricity.

Martin pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in January.

Martin has been in jail since January. He must serve a remaining 10 months behind bars, followed by five years on probation.

Rhoton was a mother of two.

Rhoton's half-sister, Chanda Lawson, thought Martin should get a life term for her sister's death.

"That's what my sister got," she told the world. "I hope when he lays down at night he remembers those two kids don't have a mommy anymore because of the foolish thing he done."

Martin had no criminal record and had several testify that he was a good, caring man who would do anything for anyone, according to the Daily Press.------taken from http://www.wgal.com/news/8027465/detail.html

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

This is one case were justice is served but at too high of a price. He should not of shocked the women but it was a prank. I guess we can only judge the action and the consequences not the ideas.

[Guest]

This is one case were justice is served but at too high of a price.  He should not of shocked the women but it was a prank.  I guess we can only judge the action and the consequences not the ideas.

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You have got to be kidding me. Prank or no prank this moron should have been sent away to prision for at least a few years. Who the hell cares if its a prank! First of all, to manually defib someone you need to take the paddles out, set the power, charge and place the paddles to deliver a shock. There is no way this man didnt know what he was doing was wrong while he was preparing to shock her. I am just astonished someone is this stupid. Got what he deserved if you ask me.

Edited March 20, 2006 by 66Alpha1

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Your right he got what he deserved but this was designed to be a harmless prank. I think that he thought that the shock would not hurt her. He was new to EMS therefore had most likely never used an AED and was not aware of the effect that it has on the body specificly the heart. When were all first trained, we thought or at least I did that the AED was not that big of a deal but after seeing its effects did I realize its true power.

[TRUCK6018 50]

Because this was a prank the consequences should be less severe? The bottom line is this individual did something that cost another human being her life. Prank or not, you play, you pay. Ignorance is not an excuse.

After all, several years ago another life was lost in Lairdsville for similar stupidity. The individual in charge of that cluster is in the same place, prison.

Edited March 21, 2006 by TRUCK6018

[ex-commish 490]

Your right he got what he deserved but this was designed to be a harmless prank.  I think that he thought that the shock would not hurt her.  He was new to EMS therefore had most likely never used an AED and was not aware of the effect that it has on the body specificly the heart.  When were all first trained, we thought or at least I did that the AED was not that big of a deal but after seeing its effects did I realize its true power.

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The machine tells you to stand clear for a reason. You get shocked. This was not a prank rather a stupid act by someone who ruined many lives including his. He recieved a 5 year sentence with four of them suspended which means if he keeps his nose clean in jail he will be home in a year. His partner who he "pranked" will never come home to her kids.

A defib is meant to save lives...not take them.

Andy Mancusi

Chief

Hawthorne FD

[Guest]

Your right he got what he deserved but this was designed to be a harmless prank.  I think that he thought that the shock would not hurt her.  He was new to EMS therefore had most likely never used an AED and was not aware of the effect that it has on the body specificly the heart.  When were all first trained, we thought or at least I did that the AED was not that big of a deal but after seeing its effects did I realize its true power.

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Dude, please, for the love of god wake up and smell the roses! Think the shock would not hurt her?! New or not to EMS everyone is taught, even at the most basic level how the body's cardiac function operates, how a heart attack occurs and what a defib does. Remember, this couldnt have been an AED because an AED will not shock anything but the two shockable rythems - Ventricular Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachacycardia (maybe SVT if you have a really expensive AED) - they are computer controlled and will not advise a shock if they dont find a faulty rythm. So, what does this say? This says the guy charged up a manuel AED and knowingly placed the two padels on her upper right checst and lower left abdomon - the EXACT spot where your soposed to zap someone to stop and restart their heart! In any EMT class they teach you how destructive an AED shock is not to mention im sure all of our parents have told us not to stick our fingers in electrical outlets! We all know electricity kills, mean isnt that why they used to use the electrical chair?! What is this world coming to...

Edited March 21, 2006 by 66Alpha1

[Guest JQP442]

66Alpha1, Thankyou... I could not have said it better. You have to be a total fool to think that an AED would not hurt, if not kill someone.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

66Alpha1 i think you have it out for me lol Yes he made the worst mistake of his life but being a rookie made this a whole lot easier to happen and im sure we all made mistakes when we were rookies but the only problem is that this mistake went too far

[ex-commish 490]

The guy messed up and he knows it and has to deal with it for EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of his life. I relize that her kids and family have to deal with not having her around anymore. The guy has done time in jail. think it says 10 months? and has to finish out a few more. I think hes done enough time. Have any of you done any time in jail?? i bet 24 hrs feels like eternity.......

how would you feel if you were this kids best friend ? what if your partner of 5 years did this would you still feel the same way?  LETs NAIL HIM TO THE STAKE  !!!!!!!! adittude. give the guy a break!

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I have a better one...what if it was your mother, wife, girlfriend that died as the result of this stupid act. Would you feel so lenient towards him? He got a break. He is doing 1/10 of the time he could have and he will be home soon. His partner will never come home.

[JCESU 20]

Unfortunately, in this day and age we still have people that do not think before they act and it certainly does not instill a sense of comfort in the public that we serve. Situations like these should be incoporated into ALL of the public safety arena during training. The standard is that the punishment should fit the crime and in this case it does.....barely. If we want to strive toward professionalism then there must be accountability. Professionally and legally. The only people that have the right to give him a "Break" are the family of the victim. Should we all sit in judgement of him? You bet your a** we should.

The guy messed up and he knows it and has to deal with it for EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of his life. I relize that her kids and family have to deal with not having her around anymore. The guy has done time in jail. think it says 10 months? and has to finish out a few more. I think hes done enough time. Have any of you done any time in jail?? i bet 24 hrs feels like eternity.......

how would you feel if you were this kids best friend ? what if your partner of 5 years did this would you still feel the same way?  LETs NAIL HIM TO THE STAKE  !!!!!!!! adittude. give the guy a break!

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[firemoose827 324]

Im just trying to keep an open mind with this when I say this...But I think that if this guy is what I think he is like, the guilt he is feeling right now and anguish over what he did will probably haunt him the rest of his life, and is far worse than any time he will spend in jail. My thoughts are with both of them. Its a terrible tragedy.

Jonesy

[roeems87 0]

Just to settle whatever heat maybe brewing, no one is saying the kid was intelligent about this, or right in doing it, or anything like that. He was stupid. He did something stupid. He touched a piece of equipment he was not trained to use and hurt someone with it. All that said, the kid is going to live with killing someone for the rest of his life. That--no matter what you all may think--will be the worst punishment he can feel. Jail is not going to change that, not at all, nor will it ever surpass the punishment he has in his heart right now. The victim's family--when the original emotion of the event, trial, etc. calms down--will realize that in time.

He pled guilty. He knows what he did. He is being punished for it. But the point a bunch of people are making here, and one, I honestly agree with, is that it was a joke at first. In the same way that EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON HERE has played jokes at their fire house, VAC building, etc. (heck, it wouldn't be the first one someone has gotten hurt--or at least soaking wet--from a practical joke going on where i'm from). This one went waaaayyyy to far, no doubting that, and entirely unfortunately, the results were tragic. All that said, take a look at the person who committed the crime... Not every kid in the world dedicates their time to not only becoming an EMT, but doing something as a hobby that many people make a career out.... Not everyone has the dedication, or quite frankly the heart and mind, to spend their time learning how to help other people out. We should all wish we had so many more of this kid in our society... He didn't intend to kill someone that night. His joke did, and that's sooooo unbelievably unfortunate, but he will be regretting that, and paying the price for that his entire life. I think people are right in saying, cut the kid a break...

P.S. I doubt the kid put the paddles into the correct positions on the person's chest for defibrillation. Didn't this happen from him reaching from the back of the rig to the passenger's seat? that would be nearly impossible, and probably just as much the victim's fault for allowing it.

P.P.S. This is a topic for another discussion, but basic EMTs with AEDs that shock, SVT... stupid idea in my opinion. The primary treatment for SVT is not a shock like a defibrillator, it requires a synchronized cardioversion or adenosine. While the AEDs I've heard that can deal with SVT can sync CV, I don't think we should be putting that responsibility in the hands of a basic EMT who doesn't know what that means or what it does, or how to post-care for that treatment. It's not part of BLS CPR... it shouldn't be on a BLS truck. Not to mention that fact that basic EMT says put the defib on when you lose a pulse... patients in SVT have a pulse... unless they're in PEA... a combination not usually found... So why would it be on in the first place?

[calhobs 110]

This a-hole knows the damage a defib can do. All EMTs know what it can do. Does not matter if its an AED or a Semi. They can kill. You never hear a rookie police officer pick up a weapon and jokingly shoot his partner, or a probie firefighter pick up an axe and jokingly hit a fellow firefighter in the head. Thats becasue these tools of the trade can kill, the same way those of us in EMS know that a defib can kill. This kid was warned that this defib is not a toy and not to touch it, also was told by the person he murdered a few minutes before not to touch her with it. He should not have gotten manslaughter he should of gotten murder. He is one very lucky person.

[Guest]

Just to settle whatever heat maybe brewing, no one is saying the kid was intelligent about this, or right in doing it, or anything like that. He was stupid. He did something stupid. He touched a piece of equipment he was not trained to use and hurt someone with it. All that said, the kid is going to live with killing someone for the rest of his life. That--no matter what you all may think--will be the worst punishment he can feel. Jail is not going to change that, not at all, nor will it ever surpass the punishment he has in his heart right now. The victim's family--when the original emotion of the event, trial, etc. calms down--will realize that in time.

He pled guilty. He knows what he did. He is being punished for it. But the point a bunch of people are making here, and one, I honestly agree with, is that it was a joke at first. In the same way that EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON HERE has played jokes at their fire house, VAC building, etc. (heck, it wouldn't be the first one someone has gotten hurt--or at least soaking wet--from a practical joke going on where i'm from). This one went waaaayyyy to far, no doubting that, and entirely unfortunately, the results were tragic. All that said, take a look at the person who committed the crime... Not every kid in the world dedicates their time to not only becoming an EMT, but doing something as a hobby that many people make a career out.... Not everyone has the dedication, or quite frankly the heart and mind, to spend their time learning how to help other people out. We should all wish we had so many more of this kid in our society... He didn't intend to kill someone that night. His joke did, and that's sooooo unbelievably unfortunate, but he will be regretting that, and paying the price for that his entire life. I think people are right in saying, cut the kid a break...

P.S. I doubt the kid put the paddles into the correct positions on the person's chest for defibrillation. Didn't this happen from him reaching from the back of the rig to the passenger's seat? that would be nearly impossible, and probably just as much the victim's fault for allowing it.

P.P.S. This is a topic for another discussion, but basic EMTs with AEDs that shock, SVT... stupid idea in my opinion. The primary treatment for SVT is not a shock like a defibrillator, it requires a synchronized cardioversion or adenosine. While the AEDs I've heard that can deal with SVT can sync CV, I don't think we should be putting that responsibility in the hands of a basic EMT who doesn't know what that means or what it does, or how to post-care for that treatment. It's not part of BLS CPR... it shouldn't be on a BLS truck. Not to mention that fact that basic EMT says put the defib on when you lose a pulse... patients in SVT have a pulse... unless they're in PEA... a combination not usually found... So why would it be on in the first place?

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I dont know what SVT has anything to do with the issue at hand, the only reason i mentioned it was b/c some AEDs have the ability to shock it. Likewise, this couldnt have been an AED b/c an AUTOMATIC exterinal defib wount shock a normal heart rythem. While jokes may be played i think this goes above and beyond saying somthing stupid on the radio or putting shaving cream in someones boots. They arent even in the same ball park. There is no justification for what was done, face it, i wouldnt waste your breath trying to link practical jokes played on a close co-worker to taking a defib and intentionally zapping your partner. Lock the S-O-B up for 10 - 15.

[Iceemt21 0]

I dont know what SVT has anything to do with the issue at hand, the only reason i mentioned it was b/c some AEDs have the ability to shock it. Likewise, this couldnt have been an AED b/c an AUTOMATIC exterinal defib wount shock a normal heart rythem. While jokes may be played i think this goes above and beyond saying somthing stupid on the radio or putting shaving cream in someones boots. They arent even in the same ball park. There is no justification for what was done, face it, i wouldnt waste your breath trying to link practical jokes played on a close co-worker  to taking a defib and intentionally zapping your partner. Lock the S-O-B up for 10 - 15.

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You go 66Alpha1. You learned alot riding with the best. LVAC Crew 1 along with their great medics.

[210 91]

This a-hole knows the damage a defib can do. All EMTs know what it can do. Does not matter if its an AED or a Semi. They can kill. You never hear a rookie police officer pick up a weapon and jokingly shoot his partner, or a probie firefighter pick up an axe and jokingly hit a fellow firefighter in the head. Thats becasue these tools of the trade can kill, the same way those of us in EMS know that a defib can kill. This kid was warned that this defib is not a toy and not to touch it, also was told by the person he murdered a few minutes before not to touch her with it. He should not have gotten manslaughter he should of gotten murder. He is one very lucky person.

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Key point here.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

If you pull a gun that you legally own on a person as a joke, and it "accidently" fires, you shouldn't get the full extent of punishment allowed under the law for the type and degree of that crime? If I were to reach up and put you or a loved one in a headlock as a joke and cut off blood supply going to and from the brain or occlude the trachea and you or your loved one were to die, would 10 months of prison time be enough for you to say "well it started as a prank." That is why the involuntary manslaughter charge is out there, for idiots like this who don't think through their actions but kill someone. Yes he will have a lifetime of guilt, I think he should have it for another 3-5 years of staring hard at the walls.

Ask yourself this on top of it...if it was a patient that reached up and thought they were being playful with this device and did this...would you still say 10 months was enough because they stated they were "joking around?" I'm willing to bet no..you'd be crying that life wouldn't be enough.

I don't know what being a rookie has anything to do with it...but if he knew how to operate that defib, he knew the risks, they are clearly stated throughout that portions or course of a Paramedic course. For that matter we are all taught at a young age that our body's do not like electricity and can make our heart stop. He gets what he deserves and in my opinion his debt to society for his crime isn't enough.

While I'm on my conserative hard on crime rant....let me vent:

End parole now!

Make death attributed to child abuse be punishable by death!

Stop wasting tax dollars on giving addicts free rushes, end methadone now!