You don't know that. Male officers are attacked and overpowered too, you know. I've seen it myself. One suspect can cause a huge struggle and injure even groups of officers all trying to restrain a suspect. I've seen that too.
I'm not being PC at all when I say the focus on the fact that the officer in this incident is female is pretty lame and ignores the glaring fact that this same thing happens to male officers.
My ex-boyfriend was a police officer, 6'3" and well over 200 pounds, and he got his head bashed into the pavement and knocked unconscious by a suspect. I also used to be a police officer, so I have certainly seen my fair share of fights involving officers of all sizes and shapes.
Since you are female, and a former police officer, I'd welcome your comments...There is an assumption, correct, or not, as in this case., that the entire court complex isisolated, and while a prisoner might cause harm, there is hardly a chance of escape. Also, as a rule, prisoners are far more likely to be beter behaved during trial, before the verdict is rendered. There's always trhe chance they might get off, right? And some say that female guards may exert a calming influence on some prisoners.. I'd say that the gurad in qiestion has probably handled , over her long career. many thousands of prisoners in exactly the same manner, all without any major incident whatsover..And complacency can be deadly..
I agree, female is a benefit to the prisoner, but not the only bar to his freedom or rampage, what ever he chose to do.
(1) solitary guard, (More guards would have made his escape more difficult or provided an earlier alarm, in either case,different results could have followed.
2 No weapon. since she was in close contact, having her weapon was an invitation that should not have been there. As has been explained, she was not intended to be capable of subduing him, wiht her size and fitness, she was really only a monitor and depended on his good behavior for her safety. The gun only hazarded other people's safety.
3. Ignorred evidence that the prisoner was not always planning on good behavior. The knives found earlier should have triggered additional guards as in #1 above. They did trigger additional guards in the courtroom, too bad this was the only place.
4 Now we see that video cams existed, their failure to be monitored provides an additional factor that could have led to a different result.
With such a complete breakdown in security, the Atlanta court could well have expected to have a serious breakdown about every 100 trials. It is remarkable that they went well beyond that number.
"I'm not being PC at all when I say the focus on the fact that the officer in this incident is female is pretty lame and ignores the glaring fact that this same thing happens to male officers."
To me the isssue is why was he or she alone with the inmate...who cares what gender. 2 or 3 people to 1 inmate...should be a national standard of some type
The part that's notable is "petite" female. Sending a small person as the sole guard for a 250 pound guy sounds pretty nuts to me.
He took advantage of weakness. He knew a 51 yr old woman was no match to him. Not one bit.