I'm not a fan of tasers. Cops whip them out faster than they would a gun and are more likely to use them when they're not warranted. Case in point: Does it take a taser to subdue a 72 year old woman who's not struggling but simply walking away with her back turned to the officer? He should be fired automatically.
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9 Comments
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She was about to walk into freeway-speed traffic.
I'm not a fan of Tasering anyone either. But the woman was about to get hit by a vehicle traveling 60+ miles per hour. I think Tasering her was the better option.
John Shields | June 12, 2009 11:27 AM
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She was walking on the passenger side of the car. The car was between her and the freeway. There was no car speeding at her on the berm. After being tasered, the victim falls to the ground. If she were on the driver's side (which she wasn't), would it be better to knock her to the ground to flop around uncontrollably in a highway lane or allow her to keep her feet and subdue her in a normal manner?
And no matter what side of the car she's on, she's 72 and not presenting a violent threat. He would never have pulled a gun on her for that. He's a cop taught how to put violent criminals in restraining positions; he can't subdue an elderly woman without resorting to electrical shock? Hold her damned arms!
Bil Browning | June 12, 2009 1:01 PM
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No she wasn't~! They both are on the "backside" of the vehicle. And cars don't speed on berms, whatever a "berm" is...
Tackling her would have been an option. But the inevitable sexual harassment lawsuit would have - well, let's just say - not been pretty.
And driver's don't kill people, but vehicles do - especially going 60mph. Take that, 2nd Amendment.
John Shields | June 12, 2009 1:20 PM
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A taser should be used to control a person who due to drugs or mental illness can not be restrained by basic taught physical means. If this officer can not restrain this woman without the use of a taser he needs to be relieved of his duties.
tobyhannabill | June 12, 2009 9:35 PM
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The , so-called Officer of the Law is almost twice the height of the elderly lady and probably about 3 or more times her weight and acting overly aggressive to a non threatening situation. There was no concern for the safety of this elderly woman by this man, he just showed how he cannot handle a given situation like a civil human being, he is a coward, a thug with a badge and a shameful example of "Protect and Serve". Using a Taser on an elderly person at all should be a crime itself! Their can be no defense of this action and any excuse to legitimize it, would just be one coward defending another.
Gerri Ladene | June 13, 2009 1:06 AM
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I'm still thinking the 60+ mph pieces of moving metal called "vehicles" trumps it. Could the police officer have tackled her? Yep. Was she complicit in this? Yep.
Don't be so fast to be jury and judge based on a simple video tape. You weren't there. They were. And, from what I see, she was about to run out in front of traffic. 60+ mph traffic...
John Shields | June 13, 2009 1:16 AM
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Gee, I guess big strong men lost their balls when Tasers came out!
Gerri Ladene | June 13, 2009 1:22 AM
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Look at the first minute of the video. I'm not defending the police officer, but the woman was pulled over for a traffic incident and then *insists* that she's going to get back in her "car" - which is actually a truck.
The officer is standing on a white line, with speeding traffic right behind him. She may be older than the officer, but if she kept on her collision course with him they both would have been hit by the oncoming traffic.
I'm done CSI-ing this. Watch the tape again, and consider what you would have done. Tazering her was not the best option, but it was not the worst option either.
Your knee-jerk defense is indefensible. Watch the video, again.
John Shields | June 13, 2009 2:37 AM
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As a professor of Law and Society, with a J.D. and a Ph.D. in the subject, as well as years of experience in training students in law enforcement, I would like to add my opinion that the officer's actions were unjustified. It is clear that she was not in any danger to herself that would have required the use of force, since she was not walking towards traffic and there was little traffic in evidence. In addition, the regulations governing use of force in most jurisdictions do not permit the use of force when a traffic stop suspect simply walks away. This is a police officer out of control. A department that fails to discipline him is opening itself and its town to an even bigger lawsuit than the one that exists due to his inappropriate use of force.
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | June 13, 2009 8:18 AM
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