Pubdate: Wed, 31 Jul 2013
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2013 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times
Page: A2

DEA TO PAY $4.1M TO MAN FORGOTTEN IN HOLDING CELL

Student Says He Now Suffers From PTSD

SAN DIEGO - A college student mistakenly left in a Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) interrogation room for five days will receive
$4.1 million from the government in a settlement in advance of a lawsuit.

The settlement was announced Tuesday by the student, Daniel Chong, 25,
and his lawyer, Eugene Iredale.

"It was an accident, a really bad, horrible accident," said Chong, who
added that he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The bizarre event in April 2012 began when Chong, an engineering
student at the University of California, San Diego, went to a house
near campus to smoke marijuana with friends and found himself swept up
in a DEA raid.

After being questioned briefly, he was told he would be released. But,
for reasons that remain unclear, he was left for five days in a 5- by
10-foot windowless room without food, water or toilet facilities.

He suffered hallucinations and was forced to drink his urine to
survive. He screamed for help.

Fearing he would die, he broke his glasses and scrawled the message,
"Sorry, mom" on his arm.

When he was discovered by DEA employees, he was covered in his own
feces and severely dehydrated. He was rushed to a hospital, close to
kidney failure and breathing with difficulty. He spent five days in
the hospital.

Days later, a top DEA official apologized to Chong and ordered an
extensive review of DEA procedures.

"I extend my deepest apologies (to) the young man and want to express
that this event is not indicative of the high standards that I hold my
employees to," said William Sherman, who was acting special agent in
charge of the DEA's San Diego Division.

No charges were filed against Chong, whose attorney had said he
intended to file a $20 million lawsuit against the federal government.
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