The Littlepage Review- One could be compelled to think that the agents of the Drug Enforcement Agency were high on dope, when investigators left Daniel Chong a San Diego College Student handcuffed in a jail cell four days without food or water. The Story broke on mutual Blogs and News Web sites on May 3, 2012.
Reports indicate that Chong was at a residence when the Government served a warrant as part of an illegal drug investigation. Several individuals were taken into custody including Chong. Media accounts suggested that the DEA investigators were satisfied after questioning Chong for over four hours; Chong was not involved in the investigation to the extent to warrant any criminal charges.
It is alleged that Federal Agents placed Chong into a detention cell so that paper work could be completed pending his release. Agents would not return for a period four days. Chong remained in the cell drinking his own urine and losing his mind behind the closed door of that lonely darkened cell. Reports state that Chong bit into his glasses in an attempt to use the glass shards to carve a final message for his mother into his arm.
Dehydration, isolation, and desperation, perhaps lead to Chong attempting to set off a fire sprinkler in vain. On the third day in the jail cell that had no sink, toilet, or contact with the outside world, Chong began to hallucinate and contemplate committing suicide. Hopeless and languishing in his own excrement, Chong had been left for dead.
A law enforcement official that did not want to be named in this article stated that in the County Jail inmates and cells are routinely inspected and logs are maintained, documenting the cell inspection. The source also stated that the cell that Chong was placed in was not designed nor intended for long term overnight confinement.
Chong, whom had committed no crime, may not need a College degree, after all. It is likely his experience with the DEA, may permit the young man to enjoy early retirement. More media accounts state that Chong has hired an attorney and is in the process of suing the government. The multimillion law suit is reported to have been filed with the Federal Court earlier this week.
The DEA is conducting an investigation into the Chong incident, which is not likely to ask the most logical question. What drugs were the agents under the influence of? Sam Pierce, of NotableTrials2.com, whom has served a lengthy nine year prison term, stated that “California code of regulations title 15, Crime Prevention and Corrections mandates a qualified officer” routinely conducts cell inspections for inmates.”
