It was about 3:00am (0300 hours cop time). I was on routine patrol when I decided to stop at the convenience store for coffee. As I approached the parking lot the sodium lights illuminated a black male about 50 yoa who appeared to be cradling a wet white baby in his arms. It was glossy and pink. My first though was he had just delivered a baby in the parking lot and that there was definitely drama afoot.
As I drew nearer it became apparent that it was not a baby. He was holding an arm load of intestines.
I grabbed the microphone and announced to my dispatcher my location and that I had a man who had been eviscerated. The dispatcher, being somewhat linguistically challenged asked me to 'repeat'......
I told her to send an ambulance to my location, I had a man who had been eviscerated. "What is eviscerated?" she asked. Hm, how to explain it tactfully...." HIS GUTS ARE HANGING OUT!"
I jumped out of the car and told him not to move, an ambulance was on the way.
"He looked calmly at me and said "She jugged me!" So, now I'm linguistically challenged.
"She what?", I inquired.
"Jugged me, she JÜGGED me wit a hawk bill knife!'"
OK, I figured that one out right quick, a woman had slit his abdomen open using a linoleum knife.
Holy Crap!!!!
About that time my lieutenant comes over the air "GET A DYING DECLARATION!"
Now, for those of you who are not attorneys, hear-say is information that you can't repeat in court if it comes from a third party. In order to testify in court to something a person says you have to have heard them say it or its not admissible.
There are some exceptions to the 'hear-say rule'. One of them is a 'dying declaration'. If the man died - and told me something, I would be able to repeat his words in court if, at the time, he knew he was dying. In order to fulfill the requirements of a dying declaration the officer must obtain a statement from the person after notifying them that they are dying. And they have to acknowledge that they know they are dying. The court assumes a person who is dying and knows it will not lie.
"Get a dying declaration!!" came blasting out of my walkie talkie again. The man looked at me, standing there, holding his intestines and said "Who dyin' ?" I didn't have the heart to tell him "YOU!"
About this time the ambulance arrived and the EMT's loaded him up. Just as the gurney was being shoved into the meat wagon my lieutenant arrived. I was standing on the back bumper of the ambulance as the EMT handed me is wallet. I was searching for his identification to get his information when the lieutenant jumps up on the bumper and says in a loud voice "you get that dying declaration yet?"
Again, my victim lifts up his head, looks at the two of us and says "who dyin'?"
"Nobody", I said, jumping down. The EMT's were ready to roll. I told the lieutenant I would follow the ambulance to the emergency room and get it there. Clearly disappointed he acquiesced.
Thank heaven the EMT's had sent for the helicopter to transport this guy to a trauma center about 50 miles north of us. After setting up the LZ (landing zone) in a large field near by, I bade my dreaded task good bye.
I went back to the parking lot and followed his blood trail for 10 city blocks. Right up to the front porch where the 'jugging' had occurred. Of course 'she' and the hawk bill knife were long gone.
The next day I found out that he had survived surgery.
A month later I found out that he had signed a 'non-prosecution' form absolving his girlfriend of all criminal charges.
In 25 years I never again heard 'jÜgging' used as a synonym for getting 'shanked' .
