80-year-old man says police beat him

KCTV 5 (Kansas City) ^ | November 14, 2014 | Laura McCallister

[Altariel]

LONE JACK, MO (KCTV) -

A Lone Jack grandfather says he fears for his life after a run in with police.

Bill Swan was on his tractor when he took issue with a utility crew trying to dig on his property. His family says that before long the Lone Jack police arrived and Swan was left bloodied and more from being yanked off the tractor.

"I'm afraid for us to even drive out of our driveway or to get on the street. I don't know what they will do," Libby Swan, Bill's wife, said.

Libby Swan hasn't asked her husband all of what happened because she doesn't want to put him through the ordeal right now.

"It's very unnerving that something happened to him," she said.

She can only guess that the 80-year-old ended up with a bloodied face, bruised hip and two ribs broken because his hearing is really bad.

"Sometimes I have to get right in his face and talk to him," Libby Swan said.

The Swan's grandson says the arresting officers told him they yanked Bill Swan off his tractor because he refused to get off when they ordered him to, then he tried to run over the officers. He said Bill Swan was booked for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault on an officer.

"I always feel like police are there to protect you and take care of you," Libby Swan said.

Libby Swan has a hard time believing that her husband provoked such a violent response and said the whole thing has impacted how she feels about the role of police in her little town.

"If I was here and someone was trying to get into my house, I don't think I would call them. I think I would call the highway patrol or someone like that," Libby Swan said.

KCTV5's Betsy Webster tried to get the police department's side of the story by calling police and county dispatch as well as emailing the chief, but hadn't heard back as of Thursday's 10 p.m. news.

The following day Police Chief William Forbes got back to KCTV5, saying he wasn't able to respond Thursday because he was already gone for the day by 4:30 p.m. He did release an official statement, though:

“Public Works was near the individual's house repairing some utility lines on the city's easement. The individual has felt for some time that they were on his property. He went out and yelled at them that they were on his property, to get off his property, that he was going to sue, etc. The workers felt he was being abusive, so they called police. When the police got there, the individual was on his tractor. He first tried to back into their police car. Then, he tried to leave the scene.”

“The officers gave him verbal and hand signs to stop. He refused to do so, turned his tractor around, and tried to run over the officers. One of the officers was able to get on the tractor and shut it off. He became combative, swung at the officers, and tried to get the officer's firearm out of his holster. During the scuffle trying to subdue him, he suffered a cut on his head. EMS was called. EMS responded. He was abusive to them and refused treatment. He was then brought to the station where were was booked for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and two counts of assaulting a police officer.”

“He will have his day in court.”

Besides his official statement, Forbes added that he believes his officers handled the situation properly because “They were in fear of their lives.”

When questioned about how fearful his officers were of an 80-year-old man, Forbes said, “It doesn't matter how old a man is if he's on a tractor and he's trying to run you over.”

[Altariel]

“An 80-year-old cancer survivor and Army veteran says that he fears for his life after being beaten, bloodied and left with broken bones by police.”

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/cops-leave-80-year-old-cancer-survivor-veteran-beaten-bloodied-broken-ribs/#cFbvR3mq83vdhwEt.99

[Red in Blue PA]

This is why Indiana passed this law:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3119384/posts

[SkyDancer]

Doesn’t matter ... LEO’s interpret the law the way they see fit and their department backs them up.

[Twotone]

I’ve been a life-long supporter of the police, but no more. They should be worried that people like me no longer trust them.

As far as I’m concerned we should reduce police forces by half & take away THEIR guns!

[yarddog]

I grew up in a small town which had about the same size police dept. as Mayberry. Maybe one or two more but certainly not over 4 or 5.

That was back in the 60s. The town is still just about exactly the same population but every time I drive there, I see several cop cars. There must be 20 or more. Of course some are sheriff’s deputies but same situation. Only a few back then, and now a fleet of cars.

I guess the people want them because they think it provides security but I sure don’t think it does.

[Red in Blue PA]

If I live in IN, and have a black eye and a dead officer at my feet, they can try to back him up all they want. It ain’t gonna work. We need Indiana’s law in all 50 states.

[RedMDer]

Hey everybody! How about we get this FReepathon done before Thanksgiving to let Jim and all of the FReepers have time to enjoy Thanksgiving and the rest of the Holiday Season without seeing a Freepathon for the remainder of the quarter. Every donation counts no matter how big or small. If you can donate $5, $10, $20 or $25 or more, please help keep freedom alive!! We can do this! Thank you all very much!! God bless. Woo hoo!! And now less than $17.5k to go!! We can do this. Thank you all very much!!

Hey everybody! How about we get this FReepathon done before Thanksgiving to let Jim and all of the FReepers have time to enjoy Thanksgiving and the rest of the Holiday Season without seeing a Freepathon for the remainder of the quarter. Every donation counts no matter how big or small. If you can donate $5, $10, $20 or $25 or more, please help keep freedom alive!! We can do this! Thank you all very much!! God bless. Woo hoo!! And now less than $17.5k to go!! We can do this. Thank you all very much!!

[barefoot_hiker]

These days you just don’t know if the police are being honest, embellishing or flat out fabricating out of whole cloth. Their account of what happened sounds plausible - crotchety old man gets overly belligerent and has to be subdued, but who knows. Perhaps their is video/audio.

[Altariel]

An 80 year old man doesn’t “[have] to be subdued”.

A little bit of empathy, patience, and common sense would have diffused the situation.

They escalated it.

[APatientMan]

“...yanked Bill Swan off his tractor because he refused to get off when they ordered him to, then he tried to run over the officers”

LOL. I like Mr. Swan. My kinda guy.

[Altariel]

“refused to get off”

Translation: Mr. Swann, being 80 and hard of hearing, didn’t hear the officers.

“tried to run over the officers”

Translation: The officers, devoid of common sense, stepped in front of the tractor. Mr. Swann continued operating the tractor at a normal pace, assuming the officers had the common sense to step out of the way of a moving vehicle and not hearing their orders to stop the tractor and dismount.

[semaj]

I absolutely have no use for police, except maybe directing traffic.

[Chuckster]

Yes. And when the case goes to court, the officer’s “Esablished credibility” trumps the defendants testimony.

[armydawg505]

Bad hearing and the noise of a tractor. No wonder he couldnt hear the commands. But that 80 yr old man was able to fight the cops, go for the gun, try to back into the patrol car and try to run over officers? He needs to bottle whatever he takes once he wins his millions from the police department.

[SkyDancer]

Like those cops in Buffalo who shot 29 something dogs and one cop the majority all under correct procedures .... like wrong house etc .....

[Yashcheritsiy]

"I always feel like police are there to protect you and take care of you," Libby Swan said.

Wake up, lady. This ain't the 1950s anymore.

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping.

[gaijin]

[gaijin]

The old people beatings and dog shootings are why Ferguson animals hassling cops doesn’t bug me like it would have, many years ago.