Wife of man killed by Franklin County deputies hopes for change, resources for people in pain
REPUBLICANS CURRENTLY VYING TO
BECOME NORTH CAROLINA'S FIRST
BLACK GOVERNOR.
>> THE WIFE OF A FRANKLIN
COUNTY MAN WHO WAS SHOT TO
DEATH BY DEPUTIES WANTS CHANGE.
SHE SAYS HER HUSBAND STRUGGLED
WITH CHRONIC PAIN THAT
ULTIMATELY AFFECTED HIS MENTAL
HEALTH AND HIS DEATH AS WRL'S
DESTINY. PATTERSON REPORTS SHE
BELIEVES PROPER MEDICAL CARE
COULD HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE.
>> WHEN DEPUTIES CAME TO THE
HOUSE HERE ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO,
ANGELA TRIPP TELLS ME THAT SHE
DIRECTED THEM TO THIS BACKDOOR,
BUT HE TELLS ME THAT WHEN SHE
LEFT THEM IN, SHE NEVER
EXPECTED THE INTERACTION
BETWEEN DEPUTIES AND HER
HUSBAND ARE TO BE FATAL.
BLUE LIGHTS BOUNCE OUT THE
WINDOW IN THIS DARK VIDEO
ANGELA TRIPP SHARED WITH ME
YOU CAN HEAR THE MOMENTS
FRANKLIN COUNTY DEPUTIES.
>> FIRED AT SAM TRIP.
THEY RESPONDED AFTER HE CALLED
A CRISIS LINE. IT'S A MOMENT
THAT TRIPS AS POSSIBLY COULD
HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
>> BUT I HAVEN'T GIVEN UP.
BUT I THINK HE HAD.
>> PART OF HIM THAT SHE SAYS
HER HUSBAND'S CHRONIC PAIN HAD
TAKEN AWAY HIS ABILITY TO DO
THINGS HE LOVED OUTDOORS LIKE
KAYAKING. HE DIDN'T HAVE
ANY MEDICINE THAT WOULD RELIEVE
IT AT ALL. THE PAIN LED TO A
DRASTIC DECLINE IN HIS MENTAL
HEALTH OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
SHE SAYS HIS JOURNAL PROVES
HIS STRUGGLES EVERY DAY.
I ASK MYSELF, WHY DOES MY GOD
WANT ME TO LIVE IN PAIN EVERY
DAY?
>> I WAKE LAYING IN PAIN HOPING
FOR RELIEF RELIEF HAS YET TO
FIND ME. AND SO SOMETHING IN
HIM. WANTED.
IT TO HAPPEN LIKE IT HAPPENED.
THEN A BIG PART OF THEM DIDN'T
KNOW. SHE SAYS SHE WANTS MORE
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO TAKE
CHRONIC PAIN SERIOUSLY FROM
THE BEGINNING.
>> AND OFFER PROPER MEDICATION
TO HELP. AND EVERYBODY THAT
COMES INTO THE ER WITH THEY'RE
JUST DRUG SEEKING THE SLIGHT
PEOPLE. JUST GIVE
UP AND, YOU KNOW, GO TO OTHER
THINGS TO MANAGE THEIR PAIN
THAT SHE SAYS IS THE BIGGEST
ISSUE. IT WASN'T THE DEPUTIES
FALL IN THIS.
CASE HE WAS THEY WERE DOING
PROTOCOL. IF IT WAS POSSIBLE
FOR THERE TO NOT BE DEPUTIES.
FOR THERE TO BE SOMEONE ELSE
FOR THERE TO HIS SOCIAL WORKER.
ULTIMATELY, SHE SAYS SHE
DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS,
BUT SHE PLANS TO FIND WAYS TO
HELP OTHER PEOPLE DEALING WITH
CHRONIC PAIN DESTINY.
PATTERSON, WRAL, NEWS, FRANKLIN