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Police used Taser on pregnant driver (Seattle)
The Seattle P.I. ^
| May 10, 2005
| HECTOR CASTRO
Posted on 05/10/2005 1:51:41 AM PDT by Stoat
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Police used Taser on pregnant driver Woman convicted of refusing to obey Seattle officers By HECTOR CASTRO SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER She was rushing her son to school. She was eight months pregnant. And she was about to get a speeding ticket she didn't think she deserved. So when a Seattle police officer presented the ticket to Malaika Brooks, she refused to sign it. In the ensuing confrontation, she suffered burns from a police Taser, an electric stun device that delivers 50,000 volts. "Probably the worst thing that ever happened to me," Brooks said, in describing that morning during her criminal trial last week on charges of refusing to obey an officer and resisting arrest. She was found guilty of the first charge because she never signed the ticket, but the Seattle Municipal Court jury could not decide whether she resisted arrest, the reason the Taser was applied. To her attorneys and critics of police use of Tasers, Brooks' case is an example of police overreaction. "It's pretty extraordinary that they should have used a Taser in this case," said Lisa Daugaard, a public defender familiar with the case. Law enforcement officers have said they see Tasers as a tool that can benefit the public by reducing injuries to police and the citizens they arrest. Seattle police officials declined to comment on this case, citing concerns that Brooks might file a civil lawsuit. But King County sheriff's Sgt. Donald Davis, who works on the county's Taser policy, said the use of force is a balancing act for law enforcement. "It just doesn't look good to the public," he said. |
Brooks' run-in with police Nov. 23 came six months before Seattle adopted a new policy on Taser use that guides officers on how to deal with pregnant women, the very young, the very old and the infirm. When used on such subjects, the policy states, "the need to stop the behavior should clearly justify the potential for additional risks."
"Obviously, (law enforcement agencies) don't want to use a Taser on young children, pregnant woman or elderly people," Davis said. "But if in your policy you deliberately exclude a segment of the population, then you have potentially closed off a tool that could have ended a confrontation."
Brooks was stopped in the 8300 block of Beacon Avenue South, just outside the African American Academy, while dropping her son off for school.
In a two-day trial that ended Friday, the officer involved, Officer Juan Ornelas, testified he clocked Brooks' Dodge Intrepid doing 32 mph in a 20-mph school zone.
He motioned her over and tried to write her a ticket, but she wouldn't sign it, even when he explained that signing it didn't mean she was admitting guilt.
Brooks, in her testimony, said she believed she could accept a ticket without signing for it, which she had done once before.
"I said, 'Well, I'll take the ticket, but I won't sign it,' " Brooks testified.
Officer Donald Jones joined Ornelas in trying to persuade Brooks to sign the ticket. They then called on their supervisor, Sgt. Steve Daman.
He authorized them to arrest her when she continued to refuse.
The officers testified they struggled to get Brooks out of her car but could not because she kept a grip on her steering wheel.
And that's when Jones brought out the Taser.
Brooks testified she didn't even know what it was when Jones showed it to her and pulled the trigger, allowing her to hear the crackle of 50,000 volts of electricity.
The officers testified that was meant as a final warning, as a way to demonstrate the device was painful and that Brooks should comply with their orders.
When she still did not exit her car, Jones applied the Taser.
In his testimony, the Taser officer said he pressed the prongs of the muzzle against Brooks' thigh to no effect. So he applied it twice to her exposed neck.
Afterward, he and the others testified, Ornelas pushed Brooks out of the car while Jones pulled.
She was taken to the ground, handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, the officers testified.
She told jurors the officer also used the device on her arm, and showed them a dark, brown burn to her thigh, a large, red welt on her arm and a lump on her neck, all marks she said came from the Taser application.
At the South Precinct, Seattle fire medics examined Brooks, confirmed she was pregnant and recommended she be evaluated at Harborview Medical Center.
Brooks said she was worried about the effect the trauma and the Taser might have on her baby, but she delivered a healthy girl Jan. 31.
Still, she said, she remains shocked that a simple traffic stop could result in her arrest.
"As police officers, they could have hurt me seriously. They could have hurt my unborn fetus," she said.
"All because of a traffic ticket. Is this what it's come down to?"
Davis said Tasers remain a valuable tool, and that situations like Brooks' are avoidable.
"I know the Taser is controversial in all these situations where it seems so egregious," he said. "Why use a Taser in a simple traffic stop? Well, the citizen has made it more of a problem. It's no longer a traffic stop. This is now a confrontation."
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: bang; banglist; donutwatch; nonlethal; police; pregnant; seattle; stungun; taser
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BBC News UK How the stun gun works
Wednesday, 1 August, 2001, 13:37 GMT 14:37 UK How the stun gun works
BBC News Online examines the technology behind the electric stun guns which police in London are considering as a non-lethal way of dealing with violent suspects. The air taser gun looks like a pistol but uses compressed air to fire two darts that trail electric cable back to the handset. When the darts strike, a five-second 50,000-volt charge is released down the cable, causing the suspect's muscles to contract uncontrollably.
Officers do favour them as a useful tool to do the job of protecting the public |
Mike McBride, editor of Police and Security Equipment
|
The taser causes temporary paralysis and research suggests there is little permanent risk to health. A laser helps target the suspect and the taser works at ranges up to 21ft. Positive feedback Electrical signals - taser waves or T-Waves -overpower the body's normal electrical signals, temporarily confusing the nervous system. Mike McBride, editor of Jane's Police and Security Equipment, told BBC News Online that feedback from police forces in the US, where the taser guns are used, had been positive. "They are extremely useful in dealing with certain situations where a firearm would be inappropriate, say where a suspect is armed with a broken bottle," he said. Mr McBride, whose publication provides a guide to the latest police and security equipment available, has shadowed US police carrying the weapons. "Officers do favour them as a useful tool to do the job of protecting the public," he said. He has also seen the weapon on trial in Germany. Advanced taser guns have the advantage of being able to get through thick clothing, he continued. Most people will automatically curl up to protect themselves against the taser gun, allowing officers to move in safely. Technologically advanced The guns are so technologically advanced that it will be possible to determine how and when the weapon was used.
You can verify when it was used and how long it was used for. This improves accountability of police |
Mike McBride
|
Mr McBride said every time the taser is fired it also releases up to 40 confetti-like ID tags which would identify which officer had used the weapon. And he said the weapons have a microchip which allows data to be downloaded onto a computer. "You can verify when it was used and how long it was used for. "This improves the accountability of police," he said. The taser, which runs off eight batteries, automatically checks that the equipment is fully charged. No deaths attributed Research seems to suggest that the health risks are small. The advanced taser has been used by police in the US without causing death. But according to the Guardian newspaper, a pregnant woman in the US miscarried after being hit by a taser. This prompted health experts to warn that they may "encounter complications from the taser more often" as its use becomes more widespread. The Los Angeles sheriff's department cut short a six-month trial after four months and issued the gun to officers in June. Research by the University of Southern California Medical Centre suggests the taser shot produces no long-term damage. It found there was no lasting damage to nerve or heart tissue. Should the Metropolitan Police decide to introduce the weapons, each taser gun is likely to cost £200 and officers may only require a day's training to use them. |
1
posted on
05/10/2005 1:51:42 AM PDT
by
Stoat
To: Stoat
First rule is:...argue with a policeman...expect adverse consequences....
2
posted on
05/10/2005 1:56:50 AM PDT
by
Route101
To: All
Howstuffworks How Stun Guns Work
|
On the old "Star Trek" series, Captain Kirk and his crew never left the ship without their trusty phasers. One of the coolest things about these weapons was the "stun" setting. Unless things were completely out of control (as they frequently were), the Enterprise crew always stunned their adversaries, rendering them temporarily unconscious, rather than killing them.
We're still a ways off from this futuristic weaponry, but millions of police officers, soldiers and ordinary citizens do carry real-life stun weapons to protect against personal attacks. Like the fictional phasers of "Star Trek," these devices are designed to temporarily incapacitate a person without doing any long-term damage. In this article, we'll find out how stun guns and Taser guns pull off this remarkable feat. While these weapons are by no means infallible, they can save lives in certain situations.
The Body's Electrical System We tend to think of electricity as a harmful force to our bodies. If lightning strikes you or you stick your finger in an electrical outlet, the current can maim or even kill you. But in smaller doses, electricity is harmless. In fact, it is one of the most essential elements in your body. You need electricity to do just about anything. When you want to make a sandwich, for example, your brain sends electricity down a nerve cell, toward the muscles in your arm. The electrical signal tells the nerve cell to release a neurotransmitter, a communication chemical, to the muscle cells. This tells the muscles to contract or expand in just the right way to put your sandwich together. When you pick up the sandwich, the sensitive nerve cells in your hand send an electrical message to the brain, telling you what the sandwich feels like. When you bite into it, your mouth sends signals to your brain to tell you how it tastes.
There are a wide range of stun weapons in use today. The three most popular devices, the standard handheld stun gun, the Taser gun and the liquid stun gun, all have advantages and disadvantages.
In this way, the different parts of your body use electricity to communicate with one another. This is actually a lot like a telephone system or the Internet. Specific patterns of electricity are transmitted over lines to deliver recognizable messages.
Disrupting the System
Down for the Count!Stun-gun effectiveness varies depending on the particular gun model, the attacker's body size and his determination. It also depends on how long you keep the gun on the attacker. If you use the gun for half a second, a painful jolt will startle the attacker. If you zap him for one or two seconds, he should experience muscle spasms and become dazed. And if you zap him for more than three seconds, he will become unbalanced and disoriented and may lose muscle control. Determined attackers with a certain physiology may keep coming despite any shock. |
The basic idea of a stun gun is to disrupt this communication system. Stun guns generate a high-voltage, low-amperage electrical charge. In simple terms, this means that the charge has a lot of pressure behind it, but not that much intensity. When you press the stun gun against an attacker and hold the trigger, the charge passes into the attacker's body. Since it has a fairly high voltage, the charge will pass through heavy clothing and skin. But at around 3 milliamps, the charge is not intense enough to damage the attacker's body unless it is applied for extended periods of time. It does dump a lot of confusing information into the attacker's nervous system, however. This causes a couple of things to happen:
- The charge combines with the electrical signals from the attacker's brain. This is like running an outside current into a phone line: The original signal is mixed in with random noise, making it very difficult to decipher any messages. When these lines of communication go down, the attacker has a very hard time telling his muscles to move, and he may become confused and unbalanced. He is partially paralyzed, temporarily.
- The current may be generated with a pulse frequency that mimics the body's own electrical signals. In this case, the current will tell the attacker's muscles to do a great deal of work in a short amount of time. But the signal doesn't direct the work toward any particular movement. The work doesn't do anything but deplete the attacker's energy reserves, leaving him too weak to move (ideally).
At its most basic, this is all there is to incapacitating a person with a stun gun -- you apply electricity to a person's muscles and nerves. And since there are muscles and nerves all over the body, it doesn't particularly matter where you hit an attacker. In the next section, we'll look at the main types of stun guns and see how they dump this charge into a person's body.
Standard Stun Gun Conventional stun guns have a fairly simple design. They are about the size of a flashlight, and they work on ordinary 9-volt batteries.
The batteries supply electricity to a circuit consisting of various electrical components. The circuitry includes multiple transformers, components that boost the voltage in the circuit, typically to between 20,000 and 150,000 volts, and reduce the amperage. It also includes a oscillator, a component that fluctuates current to produce a specific pulse pattern of electricity. This current charges a capacitor. The capacitor builds up a charge, and releases it to the electrodes, the "business end" of the circuit.
The electrodes are simply two plates of conducting metal positioned in the circuit with a gap between them. Since the electrodes are positioned along the circuit, they have a high voltage difference between them. If you fill this gap with a conductor (say, the attacker's body), the electrical pulses will try to move from one electrode the other, dumping electricity into the attacker's nervous system.
Cattle ProdsCattle prods are similar to stun guns in design -- they apply an electrical current across two electrodes -- but they serve a completely different function. A stun gun uses an electrical charge to incapacitate someone, while a cattle prod applies a charge to get a person or animal moving. A cattle prod only causes pain, it does not significantly affect the muscles and nervous system of the body. These two devices differ mainly in voltage. The voltage in a stun gun is high enough to dump electricity into the entire body. The lower voltage in a cattle prod only shocks someone at the point of contact. |
More Electrodes These days, most stun-gun models have two pairs of electrodes: an inner pair and an outer pair. The outer pair, the charge electrodes, are spaced a good distance apart, so current will only flow if you insert an outside conductor. If the current can't flow across these electrodes, it flows to the inner pair, the test electrodes. These electrodes are close enough that the electric current can leap between them. The moving current ionizes the air particles in the gap, producing a visible spark and crackling noise. This display is mainly intended as a deterrent: An attacker sees and hears the electricity and knows you're armed. Some stun guns rely on the element of surprise, rather than warning. These models are disguised as umbrellas, flashlights or other everyday objects so you can catch an attacker off guard. These sorts of stun guns are popular with ordinary citizens because they are small, easy-to-use, and legal in most areas. Police and military forces, on the other hand, typically use more complex stun-gun designs, with larger ranges. In the next couple of sections, we'll look at some of these sophisticated stun guns.
Flying Tasers One popular variation on the conventional stun-gun design is the Taser gun. Taser guns work the same basic way as ordinary stun guns, except the two charge electrodes aren't permanently joined to the housing. Instead, they are positioned at the ends of long conductive wires, attached to the gun's electrical circuit. Pulling the trigger breaks open a compressed gas cartridge inside the gun. The expanding gas builds pressure behind the electrodes, launching them through the air, the attached wires trailing behind. (This is the same basic firing mechanism as in a BB gun.)
The electrodes are affixed with small barbs so that they will grab onto an attacker's clothing. When the electrodes are attached, the current travels down the wires into the attacker, stunning him in the same way as a conventional stun gun. The main advantage of this design is that you can stun attackers from a greater distance (typically 15 to 20 feet / 4 to 6 meters). The disadvantage is that you only get one shot -- you have to wind up and re-pack the electrode wires, as well as load a new gas cartridge, each time you fire. Most Taser models also have ordinary stun-gun electrodes, in case the Taser electrodes miss the target. Some Taser guns have a built in shooter-identification system. When a police officer fires the Taser electrodes, the gun releases dozens of confetti-sized identification tags. These tags tell investigators which gun was fired, at what location. Some Taser guns also have a computer system that records the time and of every shot. Tasers are only one way to conduct current over greater distances. In the next section, we'll look a relatively new long-range stun weapon that doesn't use any wires at all.
Stun AbuseThe companies that make stun guns specify that the weapons should be used conservatively, only for self-defense or incapacitating an unruly person. Unfortunately, stun guns are commonly used as torture devices in many parts of the world. Amnesty International reports that a number of governments routinely use stun weapons to extract confessions from political prisoners. These officials know that electrical torture leaves less evidence than many other methods. The shock from a stun weapon is extremely painful, but it doesn't leave an obvious wound. So, while stun guns might be relatively safe weapons when used correctly, they can be quite dangerous in the wrong hands. |
Liquid Charge One of the newer stun weapons is the liquid stun gun. These devices work the same way as Taser guns except they use a liquid stream to conduct electricity rather than extended wires.
The gun is hooked up to a tank of highly conductive liquid, typically a mixture of water, salt and various other conductive elements. When you pull the trigger, electrical current travels from the gun, through the liquid stream, to the attacker.
Stun BeltIn addition to incapacitating violent citizens out on the street, stun technology is also used to subdue criminals behind bars. There are prisons around the world that use stun-belt devices to keep their inmates in line, and to intimidate them. Stun belts are basically stun guns that are already attached to potential offenders. Corrections officers carry a remote-control unit that operates the stun weapon. If an inmate becomes unruly, the officers activate the belt, which applies a high-voltage charge to the inmate's kidneys. While the inmate is stunned, officers may drag him back to his cell. |
These guns have a longer firing range than Taser guns, and you can shoot them many times in succession. They are generally more cumbersome than Taser guns, however, because you need to cart the conductive liquid around. High-powered guns work with vehicle-mounted water cannons, while portable models typically include a water tank backpack. Many portable units use the same sort of water pumping system as Super Soaker squirt guns. Today, stun weaponry is a rapidly growing field of invention. Law enforcement and military forces need non-lethal weapons to subdue angry mobs without racking up civilian casualties. Many citizens who are concerned for their safety but aren't comfortable with firearms are seeking out reliable "safe weapons." As this technology advances, the prospect of Star Trek-type phasers doesn't seem so far-fetched. The teleporter, however, is another story... For more information on stun weapons and related topics, check out the links on the next page.
Lots More Information Related HowStuffWorks Articles
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3
posted on
05/10/2005 1:57:32 AM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: All
4
posted on
05/10/2005 2:21:10 AM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2008: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: Route101
Tasering an eight month pregnant woman is way over the line!
5
posted on
05/10/2005 2:32:52 AM PDT
by
marvlus
To: Route101
she remains shockedthat a simple traffic stop could result in her arrest.
LOL
6
posted on
05/10/2005 2:47:11 AM PDT
by
Samurai_Jack
(ride out and confront the evil!)
To: Samurai_Jack
They could have hurt my unborn fetus," she said. Did anyone else catch this? As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I adopted sweet mushy nicknames for my unborn baby. IMHO she is a typical "above the law" liberal. She was warned and there were other officers involved. So while I cannot say I agree with tasering a pregnant lady, what were they supposed to do? I suppose she was upset to get busted in a school zone, that's a hefty fine and several points on the license in NC- from what I have heard.
7
posted on
05/10/2005 2:59:49 AM PDT
by
momincombatboots
(Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber)
To: marvlus
I don't get the "signing the ticket" bit. Here they write a ticket, which the officer signs. You take it and pay fine/appear in court etc.
However, she really made trouble for herself by being obstinate. If she read the ticket before signing I'm sure she see why they asked for signature, i.e. "by signing this...etc".
Sometimes cops use poor judgement in dealing with people. Instead of trying to find a reasonable solution, they stick to whatever "protocol" with no concern for extenuating/special circumstances.
8
posted on
05/10/2005 3:17:08 AM PDT
by
visualops
(Leftists are lunatics.)
To: Abram; Annie03; Baby Bear; bassmaner; Bernard; BJClinton; BlackbirdSST; blackeagle; BroncosFan; ...
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.
9
posted on
05/10/2005 3:22:36 AM PDT
by
freepatriot32
(If you want to change government support the libertarian party www.lp.org)
To: Route101; Stoat; cyborg; marvlus; visualops; momincombatboots; Samurai_Jack
First rule is:...argue with a policeman...expect adverse consequences.... - Route101 True. Arguing with a cop is an excercise in futility, and furthermore might get one into real trouble. The most prudent course of action would be to keep mum and take one's complaints to court. Trying to wag one's tongue at a police officer is walking on a mine-field, and it really doesn't accomplish anything (I've seen people go ballistic over a PARKING TICKET and get themselves written up all the worse).
However with that said 'tasering' a pregnant woman is absolutely dumb. Not only does it endanger the fetus (what is the PC word for an unborn baby these days ....I can't keep up with the Lib dictionary), but it also exposes the police officer/police department/city to legal ramifications. IT was quite the imprudent action, and you can rest assured that the lady in question will take some legal action (and that the city will settle instead of letting it go to court).
They in essence paid the woman.
Anyways, arguing with a police officer is never a prudent thing to do. Neither is it for a police officer to 'taser' an openly pregnant woman. I'd say both individuals in this case were asking for it ....the woman for mouthing off a cop, and the cop for giving the woman a blank check on the city's dime.
Both individuals were dumb. Really really dumb.
Thus, to paraphrase your rule. The first rule is as you put it: 'argue with a policeman...expect adverse consequences.' However i would add an addendum to that rule, specifically targeted at law enforcement, and it would go something like this: "Strive to ascertain absolute professionalism, legal propriety and adequate sagacity in all actions to ensure that you do not in essence start drafting blank checks to people on the citys dime."
10
posted on
05/10/2005 3:24:17 AM PDT
by
spetznaz
(Nuclear tipped ICBMs: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol.)
To: marvlus
"Tasering an eight month pregnant woman is way over the line!"
Yeah, but using your pregnancy to try to shield yourself from a speeding ticket and subsequent arrest is way over the line too. The mother should be the first person to think about the safety of her unborn child.
11
posted on
05/10/2005 3:24:30 AM PDT
by
Chiapet
(Chthulu for President: Why vote for a lesser evil?)
To: Stoat
testified he clocked Brooks' Dodge Intrepid doing 32 mph in a 20-mph school zone. 32 mph - WHEW ! - good thing weve got that scofflaw off the street........(while pedophiles prey on our children) (sarcasm)
nobody should have to sign anything under duress or threat of imprisonment
To: momincombatboots
Whats the big deal about signing a traffic ticket. You have the ticket, you have the vehicle registration , you have the drivers picture on the permit, the ticket itself is an affadavit that the cop gave it to you. I have never understood the big deal about refusing to sign for it.Hand the thing to the driver if the driver refuses to sign and they dont show up for court get a warrant and have them arrested.
That having been said. This woman wasnt attacking the cops she was ressisting arrest by hanging onto the steering wheel. she was resisting an arrest that didnt need to be made in the first place in my opinion./If you get a ticket from a camera you dont sign it, but you pay it.Many time angry people refuse to sign a ticket , so the police use their authority to make it a big deal by arresting someone.I personally think its an abuse of authority.Politely tip the hat ,say see you in court and get back in the police car and look for the next victim.
To: Revelation 911
Reading this one could get the impression that she was going at 100 mph through the zone.
14
posted on
05/10/2005 3:29:13 AM PDT
by
cyborg
(Serving fresh, hot Anti-opus since 18 April 2005)
To: momincombatboots
I noticed the same line, but mostly because I cannot imagine the sort of person that still thinks of their baby at this stage of development as a 'fetus'.
15
posted on
05/10/2005 3:31:01 AM PDT
by
Serb5150
(The air of London is the sweeter for my presence.)
To: Chiapet
32 mph is hardly endangering her fetus.
16
posted on
05/10/2005 3:32:02 AM PDT
by
cyborg
(Serving fresh, hot Anti-opus since 18 April 2005)
To: Revelation 911
17
posted on
05/10/2005 3:32:54 AM PDT
by
SoVaDPJ
To: Route101
18
posted on
05/10/2005 3:38:45 AM PDT
by
OldFriend
(MAJOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH.....INSPIRATIONAL)
To: cyborg
32 mph in school zone is endangering all those FORMER fetuses who have actually survived despite the leftist abortionists, and are going to school!
19
posted on
05/10/2005 3:38:58 AM PDT
by
Chieftain
(Thanks to the Swift Boat Veterans, Vietnam Veterans, and POW's for Truth for standing tall.)
To: cyborg
"32 mph is hardly endangering her fetus."
I wasn't talking about her speed. I was talking about her resisting arrest. Regardless of whether she was right or wrong, it's a stupid thing to do. A couple viewings of the nightly news should demonstrate that resisting arrest usually leads to ugliness.
20
posted on
05/10/2005 3:39:16 AM PDT
by
Chiapet
(Chthulu for President: Why vote for a lesser evil?)
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