College Police group get taser happy on annoying Florida student (2 Viewers)

It happened at UCLA and now it's here at UF.
What do you think?
CNN reported multiple officers were hurt.. c'mon.

This is from the beginning and w/ the next video is pretty complete.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaiWC...elated&search=

Part 2 (weird editing)


Mocking them


Commentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-Xo...elated&search=

This came up under Kerry and Taser - I shed a tear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm8Ba...elated&search=

This is one of those situations that make everyone involved look bad.

From what I've seen, this kid was being disruptive and may have even been doing this as some sort of prank, since he has a history of videotaping pranks. I also read somewhere that the police were pursuing him before he came into the room, but I haven't heard why. The questions he was asking also seemed prankish, or at least idiotic. He should have been asked to leave or removed in some orderly fashion.

That said, I think tasing him was excessive. If four police officers cannot remove a skinny 20 something from a speech, there's something wrong. I also think throwing a felony charge against him is absurd and counter productive. I could see giving him a bunch of community service for being disruptive, not something like this.

One has to wonder what kind of success Kerry would have had talking to him. He is, after all, someone with decades of public experience. Letting him attempt to diffuse the whole thing first may have been a better option, and he did ask for that opportunity.

I'm sure I'll get flamed but the kid deserved what he got. Security tried repeatedly to get him out and he resisted and made a scene. Maybe I'm sick but I couldn't stop laughing when he cries out "don't tase me bro!" and then ZAP! A very simple way to avoid getting tased is not to resist police / security in the first place.

I totally agree, get ready to get blasted though.

Makes sense 'cause I don't really see what he did to warrant being dragged off the mike like that. I was looking at that video last night, and it seemed like the officers were just waiting to apprehend him. One of them even sorta gestured forward at some point during the questions, before they finally did. Chances are he has a history of causing trouble.

It's hard to argue against the tasering when you see the size of the kid in relation to the officers (who all seemed significantly shorter). But I still wonder why they were just itching to remove him from the mic, rather than let the Senator address the questions. It's like the cops decided his questions weren't worth asking?

I want a "Don't Tase me, bro!" t-shirt.

--
H

I think that he got what was coming to him too.

If you ever get stopped by an officer in those circumstances, the first rule is don't resist. He did, so he got what was coming to him.

Glenn

This site, although clearly not one pretending to be objective, does provide some additional evidence that this may have been a prank:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew...-pulling-stunt

The picture also gives a good indication of the size of the kid in relation to the four officers. He's clearly taller than the two (female presumably) officers, but looks to be smaller in stature than the African American officer, and around the size of the last guy.

I don't think they had any reason to physically fear him. It's not like he went into a fighting stance or anything. He was resisting, but more in the flop on the ground kind or try to pull away manner. I'm not sure what sort of training these officers had, but most well trained martial artists I know (and I know a bunch of them) would have little to worry about from what I saw. Also, from experience (in a controlled environment), I know that four on one is a huge advantage. A very well trained individual will have trouble against four neophytes in a situation like that.

In any event, I think it's debatable whether or not the taser was necessary. I come down against it, because I don't think they really tied to diffuse the situation non violently first (via Kerry) and they later had an overwhelming advantage via numbers. They didn't appear to need to do it when they did, it just seemed like they were angry with him or tired of wrestling with him. I don't view either of those as a justification for using a weapon against him. Keep in mind that a taser is a dangerous weapon. It may not be a night stick (which is undeniably a deadly weapon in trained hands), but people have died from them. It's not like they were sprinkling fairy dust on his head.

As to him getting what he deserved, that's a question for the courts, not the police. Unfortunately, when the police do it, it degrades their standing in the community to a lot of people, although not all of them, obviously. For society to function correctly, the police should have the respect of the people, but that's something that can only be legislated to a certain point, after that, it must be earned. This sort of thing, justified or not, doesn't help them in that regard.

He was being a jerk intentionally. Even if he was asking an innocuous question like, "Senator Kerry, what is your favorite color?"...when you're asked to leave...by multiple officers...GTFO.

Anyone who uses the term "bro" deserves a tasing. Here's a link to the mp3 if you're so inclined: http://podcast.adam.freefm.com/carr/667443.mp3

I tend to believe that he ultimately asked for it. He should have complied with the law officers and lodged a complaint if they'd mistreated him while complying.

The funny thing is that tasers were invented as a non-lethal alternative to bullets. It's supposed to hurt enough for the person to choose compliance while not permanently harming the person. And yet, we have those who think that's excessive.

Police should always try to use the least amount of force necessary to control a situation, but we also must be aware that no matter how much, or how little, force is used, someone will always deem it excessive.

I haven't heard anything to the effect that he was permanently harmed so I think overall this was a good outcome - no one was damaged and hopefully the offender will learn some civility.

See, I feel that is the perfect justification for using a non lethal weapon like a taser. You piss off the cops and you ought to get lit up. There is NEVER any reason to behave like he did.

Well, I expect the police to be professional at all times. A professional should never get pissed off, so it should never be an issue. I know that may be tough for some people, but it is part of the job. No one is drafted into the police force. If they can't handle altercations in a professional manner, perhaps they should go into some other field.

As far as whether there is ever a justification for behavior like that, he did clearly appear to be acting like an idiot, and I'm not in any way trying to defend that. In fact, I think he should suffer some repercussions for it that are proportional to his actions. However, if you are saying that there is never a reason not to automatically respect authority, I have to disagree. In the United States, at least, that's a difficult argument to make.

Back in 2005 there was video going 'round the net of someone getting tasered for not getting off her cellphone. I'd say this guy was even more likely to get taser.... crazy assholes & politicians don't have a cheery history.

Morons like these are why the taser was invented. The way he was asking the questions was in an interrogating and harassing tone. He didn't want a discussion, he wanted to start some sh!t and get attention in the process.

I just wish they had the taser on high so he'd stop screaming like a little girl. They were just going to escort him from the building, why would anyone scream HELP! like your life was in danger?

Didn't see the video, but it seems to me that a guy that ran for leader of the FREE world should have been able to defuse the whole situation from the dias instead of allowing the storm troopers to intervene on his behalf. Are free people not allowed to question their representatives loudly?

Mort

It wasn't Kerry's call. He actually told the police at one point that he would like to respond to the questions but by that point the guy was already getting belligerent and resisting after being asked to leave.

"...question their representatives loudly?" is oversimplifying. He was removed forcibly for a succession of reasons...he was being disruptive...he went off on some diatribe about disenfranchised black voters during his Presidential run and something else about impeaching Bush...there was more rant than anything which wasn't the purpose of the event...he was asked to back off...he refused...they insisted...he refused to give up the microphone...the mic was turned off...he got increasingly belligerent...he continued to struggle and fight while being escorted away. One huge officer physically picked him up like he was a garbage can and carried him several feet. He continued to struggle until they subdued him on the ground...he continued to struggle and was warned to stop or he would be tased.

He chose to escalate the situation every step of the way. He got what he wanted...literally. He wanted this to end the way it did.

I absolutely cannot believe what I am reading here!

Tasers are a "less-than-lethal" force alternative. While they occupy a lower position on the "force" continuum than firearms, they are still only appropriate for use when physical force is necessary to protect oneself or others from harm. This was clearly not the case here, as the kid was not tasered until he had already been wrestled to the ground and subdued. Using a taser to force someone into compliance, or to punish someone for disobeying orders, is never appropriate. An officer who abuses a taser in that fashion should be fired and brought up on criminal charges.

Of course it was unwise of the kid to resist the officers. And yes, it was his own stupid actions and confrontational antics that started the whole incident. None of this changes the fact that the use of a taser was not appropriate for the situation.

This may be true, but it makes it even more imperative for the police to remain professional and not give the guy a chance to grandstand. They didn't, and now this has served whatever purpose he may have had.

Thank you Carl!

I know where these responses are coming from, while watching the video I wanted desperately to taser the kid myself.
But, that's not what the taser is for.
Those FOUR cops should have been able to get the kid under control, cuffed, and out of the room quickly.

What a loser. He got EXACTLY what he deserved. The video linked above didn't really go on much past the tasing, but I am assuming the situation ended once the dude was tased by "bro." If this is the case, I think the officers handled it perfectly.

I can't stop laughing about the idea of a "Don't tase me, bro!" t-shirt.