Woman Sues Police Over Husband’s Death

Most of us would consider it a case of uncanny luck if some unfortunate emergency took place within arm’s length of help.   But the widow of a man who died outside of police headquarters in Toronto believes his close proximity to those sworn in to serve and protect paled in comparison to their callous disregard for who they thought was a mere ‘street person.’   

Maria Kastaan has filed a lawsuit against Toronto police, claiming they let her husband, Jim Calvert, die because of the way he looked.

The sad story begins when Calvert, who was dressed in old clothing, was walking to a convention on gardening.   Before he could make it he suffered a heart attack, collapsing on a bench in front of police H.Q.   Not long after he was noticed by two officers, who according to Kastaan’s suit, assumed he was a deceased homeless person and failed to perform C.P.R. or even attempt to save his life.  

In fact, it was determined that Kastaan still had a pulse at the time.

“I am angry, horrified,” the widow said.   “If they acted correctly, gotten him alive to the hospital which was two blocks away (he might have survived.)

Police won’t comment on the incident while it’s in the courts, but an internal investigation did clear the officers of wrongdoing.

Kasstan, however, alleges there was no urgency when 911 was called.  The following is a transcript of that call.

Officer:   Male. Appears to be deceased.

Operator: Lovely. Do you have any age on him?

Officer: No, apparently, she described him as a street person.

Operator: Street person, okay.

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