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Reporter jolted into submission
Peoria Journal Star ^
| 12/18/03
| John Sharp
Posted on 12/18/2003 8:02:47 PM PST by Holly_P
PEKIN - Relax, I was told. It only hurts for five seconds.
That's what I was telling myself as I saw a red laser beam shining down toward my back as members of the Pekin police and Tazewell County sheriff's departments watched.
Sure, the Taser gun held by Pekin Police Lieutenant Tim Gleason made a relatively unimpressive "pop" when he pulled its trigger.
But this was no Fourth of July toy. What hit me were two quarter-inch prongs carrying 50,000 volts - 26 watts of electricity.
I was about to find out why my parents told me when I was a kid to never stick a fork into the light socket.
One prong penetrated through my sweater and embedded into my back, while the other hit my wallet stored in my back pants pocket.
I heard Gleason say he had a "good hit" on me. I couldn't disagree. I couldn't do anything, for that matter.
My muscles froze. My fists clenched. I grunted but did not scream. I was completely paralyzed.
Five seconds never seemed closer to an hour.
I tried to play it as cool as I could, especially in front of an audience of seasoned law-enforcement officers. They appeared to be enjoying this - watching a newspaper reporter receiving the jolt of his life.
I lost all control of my body. Thankfully, two city officers acting as "spotters" held on to me as I lost my balance.
After my five seconds of torment, the pain subsided. I stood back up and my body was relaxed. My muscles - paralyzed just seconds before - felt like rubber bands.
Gleason asked how I felt. I basically said he could do whatever he wanted with me. There was no way I would not listen to his further commands. Five more seconds of taser gun experience was incomprehensible.
I think Tazewell County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Tracy Dickson - who was also shocked - said it best when he asked Gleason, "Do you want me to mow your grass?"
TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: bang
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1
posted on
12/18/2003 8:02:50 PM PST
by
Holly_P
To: Holly_P
Can we do this to reporters all across the country?
2
posted on
12/18/2003 8:07:41 PM PST
by
WorkingClassFilth
(DEFUND NPR & PBS - THE AMERICAN PRAVDA)
To: Holly_P
Now
that's journalism.
I'd pay cash money to watch Peetah Jennings try to do a Tazer story like this.
3
posted on
12/18/2003 8:09:09 PM PST
by
martin_fierro
(Holder of an M.A. degree in The Obvious)
To: martin_fierro
Need to quadruple the charge though ...
4
posted on
12/18/2003 8:12:08 PM PST
by
MHGinTN
(If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
To: martin_fierro
Hey, Helen--have I got a scoop for you!
5
posted on
12/18/2003 8:13:13 PM PST
by
Callahan
To: martin_fierro
There's a morning DJ here who does "dog collar Karaoke" with an Invisible Fence collar. It's like the Gong show, but more sadistic.
6
posted on
12/18/2003 8:14:20 PM PST
by
ovrtaxt
( http://www.fairtax.org * Centrist Republicans are the semi-colons of the political keyboard.)
To: ovrtaxt
Helen Thomas Dog Collar Karaoke. There's an headlining event for the Republican Convention.
7
posted on
12/18/2003 8:16:33 PM PST
by
Callahan
To: MHGinTN
I say we let Chuck Heston do the honors.
8
posted on
12/18/2003 8:20:16 PM PST
by
Callahan
To: Callahan
I like the way you think!
9
posted on
12/18/2003 8:22:19 PM PST
by
MHGinTN
(If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
To: Callahan
This is a great humane way to interogate terrorist and Saddam. How can anyone complain? Everyday people in America get this treatment all the time so it's gotta' be humane.
To: Holly_P
Tazewell County?????
11
posted on
12/18/2003 8:31:06 PM PST
by
GeronL
(Saddam is out of the hole and into the quagmire!)
To: GeronL; aculeus; general_re
Tazewell County?????Great catch.
12
posted on
12/18/2003 8:36:51 PM PST
by
dighton
To: dighton
Tazewell County is very apt
I think it would have been better if one of the training cops had been named Zap or something. =o)
13
posted on
12/18/2003 8:40:28 PM PST
by
GeronL
(Saddam is out of the hole and into the quagmire!)
To: GeronL
The late senator Ev Dirksen's home town.
14
posted on
12/18/2003 8:43:00 PM PST
by
Holly_P
(Everytime that video clip of Sadaam plays on TV it "bitch slaps" a democrat somewhere.)
To: Holly_P
I was hit by a taser as part of training. I'm 6'10" tall and weigh close to 290 pounds, that thing dropped me in a half-second flat and left me twitchy for 15 minutes afterwards.
Then they broke out the mace....(shudder) Freeze +p
To: Zeroisanumber
Ouch
16
posted on
12/18/2003 8:55:37 PM PST
by
GeronL
(Saddam is out of the hole and into the quagmire!)
To: Holly_P
interesting... did they taze him too? =o)
17
posted on
12/18/2003 8:56:17 PM PST
by
GeronL
(Saddam is out of the hole and into the quagmire!)
To: WorkingClassFilth
WHY NOT START WITH THE LIBERAL IDIOT SENATORS IN WASH DC
. . . FOR GENERAL PRINCIPLES.
18
posted on
12/18/2003 9:10:12 PM PST
by
Quix
(Choose this day whom U will serve: Shrillery & demonic goons or The King of Kings and Lord of Lords)
To: Holly_P
Until '81 the Pekin High School Dragons were the Pekin Chinks.
To: concentric circles
Wonder when they will change the Bradley Braves?
20
posted on
12/18/2003 9:16:18 PM PST
by
Holly_P
(Everytime that video clip of Sadaam plays on TV it "bitch slaps" a democrat somewhere.)
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