Comments on: UCLA Student Picks a Fight with Police and Loses http://www.bloggernews.net/12235 High-quality English language analysis and editorial writing on the news. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:59:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: aschmails http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-808 aschmails Mon, 11 Dec 2006 02:03:43 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-808 The video shows very little. Although it is out of the ordinary to Taser someone who is in cuffs, if the defendant is still fighting, the officers are legally permitted to use as much force as necessary to effect the arrest. That is the Law not opinion. Nothing says the Police are required to roll on the ground with the little miscreant. Also the Taser is at the same level as mace or a baton in the use of force continuum. The baton is less often used due to its perceived level of potential injury. The other tool at an officers disposal - fighting with a handcuffed violent subject, is Joint/Wrist locks, arm-bars etc, although less offensive visually, they can result in broken wrists, arms or dislocated joints. Imagine the suit on that one? The young man in the video will desperately try to show That excessive force was used, however those who follow case Law will tell you that absent an injury, as long as the underlying arrest was valid, he has nothing to support his case. Having felt the jolt of the Taser, I can attest to the fact that no one comes back for another round with the Police for another jolt. So in effect Johnny did get his mom and dads moneys worth for that semester at UCLA. The video shows very little. Although it is out of the ordinary to Taser someone who is in cuffs, if the defendant is still fighting, the officers are legally permitted to use as much force as necessary to effect the arrest. That is the Law not opinion. Nothing says the Police are required to roll on the ground with the little miscreant. Also the Taser is at the same level as mace or a baton in the use of force continuum. The baton is less often used due to its perceived level of potential injury. The other tool at an officers disposal - fighting with a handcuffed violent subject, is Joint/Wrist locks, arm-bars etc, although less offensive visually, they can result in broken wrists, arms or dislocated joints. Imagine the suit on that one? The young man in the video will desperately try to show That excessive force was used, however those who follow case Law will tell you that absent an injury, as long as the underlying arrest was valid, he has nothing to support his case. Having felt the jolt of the Taser, I can attest to the fact that no one comes back for another round with the Police for another jolt. So in effect Johnny did get his mom and dads moneys worth for that semester at UCLA.

]]> By: Robert VerBruggen http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-496 Robert VerBruggen Sun, 19 Nov 2006 19:43:05 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-496 What this post misses is the improper use of the Taser. I pointed out on my blog (with Taser International's site as a source) that Tasers are meant to restrain suspects who pose an actual, immediate, physical threat to themselves or those around them. At first -- in the parts of the incident not caught on camera -- this might have been the case, but the video most definitely reveals some improper Tasering. The officer even says "stand up, or you'll get Tased again," using the Taser as a stick (as in "carrot and stick"), not a restraining device. That's not what it's for. This is because there is inherent risk in Tasering. Some people have bad health effects later. In a violent situation, there is less risk in Tasering than in an all-out brawl, and sometimes a Tasering can keep police from having to shoot someone. But when someone's on the ground and refusing to stand up, it's a time for dragging or carrying, not shocking. Bear in mind the kid was a jerk, and he got what he had coming in my opinion. But that doesn't mean the cops behaved properly. See my post here: http://robertsrationale.blogspot.com/2006/11/college-student-gets-tasered_17.html What this post misses is the improper use of the Taser. I pointed out on my blog (with Taser International’s site as a source) that Tasers are meant to restrain suspects who pose an actual, immediate, physical threat to themselves or those around them. At first — in the parts of the incident not caught on camera — this might have been the case, but the video most definitely reveals some improper Tasering. The officer even says “stand up, or you’ll get Tased again,” using the Taser as a stick (as in “carrot and stick”), not a restraining device. That’s not what it’s for.

This is because there is inherent risk in Tasering. Some people have bad health effects later. In a violent situation, there is less risk in Tasering than in an all-out brawl, and sometimes a Tasering can keep police from having to shoot someone. But when someone’s on the ground and refusing to stand up, it’s a time for dragging or carrying, not shocking.

Bear in mind the kid was a jerk, and he got what he had coming in my opinion. But that doesn’t mean the cops behaved properly.

See my post here:

http://robertsrationale.blogspot.com/2006/11/college-student-gets-tasered_17.html

]]> By: psw http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-470 psw Fri, 17 Nov 2006 21:02:38 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-470 >The student was asked repeatedly to leave by library security and >refused Where did you get this from? ...Let me think...I remember ....Aha from The Police news release. How objective! How about listening to the many eyewitness accounts: that he was on his way out of the library when the police kept heckling him and he asked them to let go (REPEATEDLY, by he way) and they didn't. Instead they tasered him! And the idiots keep asking him to stand up after burning him with electricity!! And then keep tasering him for failing to stand up! If you have decided to be an apologist for cop brutality, I advise you to pick a different case. You have picked a fight against common sense, and you are going to lose! >The student was asked repeatedly to leave by library security and >refused

Where did you get this from? …Let me think…I remember ….Aha from The Police news release. How objective!

How about listening to the many eyewitness accounts: that he was on his way out of the library when the police kept heckling him and he asked them to let go (REPEATEDLY, by he way) and they didn’t. Instead they tasered him! And the idiots keep asking him to stand up after burning him with electricity!! And then keep tasering him for failing to stand up!

If you have decided to be an apologist for cop brutality, I advise you to pick a different case. You have picked a fight against
common sense, and you are going to lose!

]]> By: sorrowsfemme http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-469 sorrowsfemme Fri, 17 Nov 2006 20:37:03 +0000 http://www.bloggernews.net/12235#comment-469 When watching the video it is clear the subject is subdued and they taser him over and over again. The Subject was reportedly leaving the library when he was grabbed by either police or student police (not clear). There are very clear lines about assault especially when its not a sworn officer. So, where did the need for 4+ large men to use high powered electrical shocks on one handcuffed man? He did not get physical, that even the police are saying. He went limp. They could have carried him. The crowed watching obviously thought it was too much, as per the crying and screaming and begging for police to stop. I love the police, in general they are great. But in every group of every creed there are lines that people cross. This was one of them. When watching the video it is clear the subject is subdued and they taser him over and over again.

The Subject was reportedly leaving the library when he was grabbed by either police or student police (not clear). There are very clear lines about assault especially when its not a sworn officer.

So, where did the need for 4+ large men to use high powered electrical shocks on one handcuffed man?

He did not get physical, that even the police are saying. He went limp. They could have carried him.

The crowed watching obviously thought it was too much, as per the crying and screaming and begging for police to stop.

I love the police, in general they are great. But in every group of every creed there are lines that people cross. This was one of them.

]]>