Officer disciplined for using Taser on elderly woman (at the EdenGardens retirement home!)

AP ^ | 1/28/05

[ambrose]

Posted on Fri, Jan. 28, 2005

Officer disciplined for using Taser on elderly woman

Associated Press

ROCK HILL, S.C. - A Rock Hill police officer received a verbal warning and was required to attend a Taser retraining course after using a stun gun on an elderly woman, according to documents released Thursday.

An internal investigation found that Officer Hattie Jean Macon acted prematurely when she used a Taser on Margaret Kimbrell, 75, at EdenGardens retirement home, where Kimbrell had gone to visit a friend on Oct. 15.

Police Chief John Gregory said Macon should have used the "empty-hand technique" - grabbing the suspect's arms or wrists - as the restraint method before using the 50,000-volt Taser.

Macon was called to the nursing home after Kimbrell refused to leave. Kimbrell has said she was distraught after the staff would not disclose the location of her sick friend and she became concerned the friend had died.

Kimbrell jerked away from the officer as she tried to grab her and later swung her arm at Macon's face, according to a police report. The officer then fired the Taser, striking Kimbrell in the back, police said.

Kimbrell, who said she suffered bruises on her leg and face after being knocked to the floor by the force of the device, has claimed she did not swing her arms or threaten Macon.

Kimbrell, who was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, will plead not guilty on both counts and may file a lawsuit against the department, her lawyer has said.

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[silent_jonny]

Police Chief John Gregory said Macon should have used the "empty-hand technique" - grabbing the suspect's arms or wrists - as the restraint method before using the 50,000-volt Taser.

But the taser is so much easier.

[Trippin]

I have ran across some senior citizens that frankly deserve to be tasered.

[kingattax]

we arent interested in hearing about your relatives

[annyokie]

I think you have a thang going with oldsters today. ; )

[drt1]

I'll probably be flamed but I'm on the elderly lady's side in this. There is no way I can be convinced that there was no easier and mutually safer way to subdue this woman than zapping her. Sounds like this Cop wanted to use his new toy too much to me. She's lucky she only suffered bruises.

[al baby]

ted kennedy comes to mind

[Who dat?]

But the taser is so much easier.

Sounds to me like she tried the “empty hand technique” and the old bat didn’t want to go along with the program:

Kimbrell jerked away from the officer as she tried to grab her and later swung her arm at Macon's face, according to a police report. The officer then fired the Taser, striking Kimbrell in the back, police said.

I don’t pay the PD damn-good money to go scuffle with people. They have the legal authority to question, detain, arrest, and investigate. You want to fly that freak flag – you take your chances.

Anyway, nobody gets too hurt from a taser. She needed it. I’d send someone around to make contact with her tomorrow to see if she learned something or needs another dose. That’s just me though.

[Clintons Are White Trash]

OK, many may disagree but I've worked at a retirement community and I can recall instances when I would have LOVED to have had a taser. :)

YOU try to please 500 people over the age of 70 - I dare ya!!

[spetznaz]

Go to the following link to see some real negligence. Basically this cop discharges her weapon and almost kills a fellow officer as well as a criminal.

It would be hilarious were it not so serious.

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/negligence.mpg

(Copy and paste the link)

[NorCalRepub]

I'll bet they were all behind the wheel too

[holyscroller]

"I have ran across some senior citizens that frankly deserve to be tasered."

As a senior myself, I can assure you there are some oldsters with really short fuses and incredibly hot tempers. They have 'tudes" and don't take anything from anybody. They want their own way and want it NOW! This old gal was probably 100% obnoxious.

But I'll bet she wins a hefty sum in her lawsuit.

[26lemoncharlie]

These TAZER stories are very energizing and erotic for me!!

It brings back a memory of the time I went fishing when I was a very young lad. TV was a new fangled thing and I still listend to the radio programs.

Anyway I went fishing at one of my favorite fishing holes at one of the farms where they had some great ponds with catfish, small mouth bass, Bluegills or Sunfish and some other assorted fish and snakes.

Well I had to PEE, so I went ober to the tall weeds and started to make the bladder galdder, right on the electric fence hidden in the tall weeds!! Oh my !! 117 volts, I was only nine or ten but that started me on my quest for 220!!

I found it about 15 years later and married her!!!

[NorCalRepub]

but that wouldn't get nearly as many laughs....of course if you can't subdue and 75 year old woman without a Taser, well maybe you should be on parking ticket patrol

[anniegetyourgun]

Too much information LC.....

[digger48]

Perhaps tackling her, throwing her to the ground and standing on her neck would work, too.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"YOU try to please 500 people over the age of 70 - I dare ya!!"

I feel your pain. I have only one Dad over 70 and I'd like to taser him on occasion! ;)

[drt1]

Or just maybe the Cop is an over zealous Yahoo who shouldn't even be in any Law Enforcement capacity. They do exist.

[ambrose]

A billy club would have done the job.

[digger48]

Maybe like the old lady in Diehard who tried it on her dog "just to see what it would do".

He might have thought he would harm her less than by getting physical with her.