We turn first to the
hand laceration. The plaintiffs assert that this injury was sustained while Grady was fending off the alleged attack in the cell. But they face an uphill battle in their attempt to prove that there is no reasonable basis to conclude otherwise. Paramedics Sanchez and Kaveney both testified at trial that they were present when Grady injured his hand reaching into his van and their log reflects that they treated this
wound at the scene of the accident. Officers Garza and Morales, as well as fellow arrestee Gonzales, testified that they saw the bandage on Grady's hand before he entered his cell.
Nevertheless, the plaintiffs argue that this testimony may be disregarded because it is contrary to “indisputable” laws of nature.
See, e.g., Kansas City Pub. Serv. Co. v. Shephard, 184 F.2d 945, 947 (10th Cir.1950). They contend that Grady could not have cut himself on broken glass because the autopsies revealed “bridging,” or intact intermediate tissue, in the
hand laceration. Bridging is a common sign of blunt force trauma, and the plaintiffs claim that it is fundamentally inconsistent with the defendants' theory that Grady cut his hand on a sharp object. Contrary to the plaintiffs' assertions, however, Sanchez and Kaveney never claimed to have seen exactly how Grady's hand was “cut.” Sanchez testified that “the doors were bent because of the accident” and that Grady “either grabbed the door or grabbed something on the seat and cut his hand.” When pressed on this question, Sanchez stated, “All I know is that Mr. Grady went to his car ... and he went to reach for something, [and] ended up cutting himself.” This testimony is thus consistent with that of Dr. Kaufman, who testified that the
hand laceration could have resulted from moving the hand over a fixed, jagged object—like the bent metal door of the van. Because we cannot determine exactly how Grady's
hand was lacerated, we cannot say Sanchez's testimony was contrary to the “indisputable” laws of nature.
Thus, there is a reasonable basis in the record for the conclusion that Grady's hand was injured at the scene of the accident.