Posted on 11/21/2007 11:58:07 AM PST by Sopater
An internal police investigation is under way after a formal complaint was filed against a Utah state trooper who was videotaped Tasering a man who refused to sign a speeding ticket.
The officer's conduct has been called into question after a videotape of the incident was posted on YouTube.
The video, taken from a Utah Highway Patrol dashboard camera, shows Trooper John Gardner using a Taser on Jared Massey during a traffic stop on State Road 40 in Uintah County on Sept. 14.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Victim? A victim of his own stupidity.
You don't have to Mirandize a perp. Miranda rights are only given before questioning in order to make any confession admissible. When a crime is committed in front of a cop (like resisting arrest) and its all caught on film (like this one) you don't need a confession.
I can’t believe all the cop haters here on Free Republic.
In this case, I'd argue for "Aloisyus Culpepper".
OK. Let’s concede that the officer simply asks the guy to ‘hop out of the car’.
This is AFTER the kid delayed giving the officer his LICENSE and REGISTRATION, making the smartass remark “OH, you mean right now?”
This is AFTER the TICKET has been written and the driver has been asked to sign it.
You state, “Driver has no idea that he is about to be arrested.” I would then say to you, “DRIVER MUST THEN BE AN ABSOLUTE MORON”.
What, in your opinion, did the DRIVER believe was about to happen??? Do you think that he thought the officer wanted to walk a couple of blocks, smoke some dope, and talk about the weather ?
“He just thinks that they are going to talk about the speed sign”.
The talking was OVER. The ticket has been WRITTEN. The man had been asked politely to SIGN IT.
The DRIVER wanted to TRY AND LIE HIS WAY OUT OF IT, and was doing everything except WHAT THE OFFICER ASKED HIM POLITELY to do.
I respect your opinion, but don’t try to defend this young man’s immature actions with hogwash. Surely even you don’t believe the BS you just wrote.
Oh, I see. It’s OK unless you have to face reality.
Now, if this young man
(who did nothing, absolutely nothing wrong, my god, all he did was speed, smart off to a police officer, refuse to produce his ID and registration at first, then refused to sign the citation, then refused to stay where he was told)
had run over a CONSTRUCTION WORKER, and that CONSTRUCTION WORKER had been your father, your son, or your wife’s brother, would you be standing on the side of the road yelling “Please,,,,, don’t taser him, he did nothing wrong.”
??????
Don’t lie now.
Finally, someone with a little intelligence and maturity.
Thank you , I am fighting a battle with a bunch of hormone-crazed, uneducated pissants, who get overexcited by the media craze on these taserings, and though some of it is justified, it has hampered their ability to see through the haze and find the truth.
It’s easier to say one bad cop, all bad cops.
You obviously don’t understand the idea of sarcasm.
When the kid first ‘smarted’ off, and the officer DIDN’T taser him, I would say that that is proof the officer was well in control of his emotions, and not (as some said) just wanting to try out his new toy.
I made the remark in hopes you would see that the officer was being ‘provoked’ and yet remained calm, in light of the young man playing ‘STUPID’ with him.
I don’t like TASERS. Wouldn’t want to USE ONE, or have one USED ON ME. I wish our LEO’s didn’t have them, nor feel the need to have them.
It is, however, being done in an attempt to keep more “IDIOTS” like the young man in this incident, from being CLUBBED, or SHOT to DEATH.
Of course, officers could just stand there, and keep BEGGING those they pull over to COOPERATE, and HOPE that they will EVENTUALLY LISTEN. I mean, the cops are just all BAD, and the young man, He hadn’t done ANYTHING WRONG AT ALL, now had he????????
brother in law? hmmmm... maybe
P.S. It’s late, we’re all tired. I hope you don’t see this as personal. I am only picking on you because no one else is responding to the posts, and I have read so many dismal, whiny, bad/bad/bad cop posts.
I just feel that there is a lot being ignored here, that is in favor of what the officer did. I didn’t see him huffing and puffing, and jumping all over the young man, and the young man wasn’t screaming, nor were there any signs of ‘violence’ visible.
It may be possible that the officer fired the darts, but never actually had to ‘energize’ them. I have never seen anyone (not under the influence of drugs) ‘recover’ so quickly.
I have a feeling that this is something that is getting blown way out of proportion, so that some lawyer can make some money, or (maybe this kid’s family has pull) someone can get out of a ticket in court.
It’s not from someone’s camcorder, it’s from a POLICE CAMERA.
Now why would they release it? Before the case?
THINK, my FRIEND, THINK.
Plus I heard no rights being read and the cop tells him he is going to jail for speeding....not resisting or anything else. This entire situation was blown out of proportion.
This officer is supposed to have 14 years of experience - how often do you suppose escaped felons travel with babies in car seats?
You can make all the excuses you want for this guy, but it's clear from the video that he was only interested in putting some citizen in his place for annoying him. His pleasure in making that guy "ride the taser" was all too obvious.
Whether you want to recognize it or not, our society is evolving to cops - with the authority to wreck your life at will or just end it - and us suspects. This isn't the situation our Founding Fathers had in mind, is it?
Since I used the phrase “done correctly” then I would say that speaks to tactics as well.
susie
Yup, you go ahead and teach a classroom of kids who all want to have each and every direction explained in great detail and get back to me. Let me know how much you get done... ;)
susie
What bothers me was the man had his hands behind his back as the officer told him to do and than he tasered the guy.
Now if he did not put his hands behind his back maybe but I find what the officer did was engaging in a bully orgasm!
What happen in that video still did not warrant the officer to use his Taser, or a night stick, or a rubber hose!
What happen in the old days when the officer pulled you over he explain why and gave ticket for speeding and you were on your way?
Also it used to be you paid the ticket by the due day, or contest it in court and I don’t ever recall one having to sign anything but that was 40 years ago!
One of the wonder thing that use to be in America was we were innocent until proven guilty.
The last time I flew on an air line was in 1993 and it was like culture shock at how the stewards were treating passengers like they were criminals it was really terrifying.
As an American I really do wonder what happen to the America I grew up in.
Now know most likely things have gotten worst sense in the friendly skies.
The last speeding ticket I received was in 1993. The officer was professional and courteous. I was in the wrong. There are still plenty of professional policemen out there, I think.
But anyone who can't see the "attitude" carried around by a lot of policemen and policewomen these days is not really looking. I hope I am never pulled over by one of those little punks with the black gloves. I'm older and wiser, but I would not put up with their BS for one minute.
The film speaks for itself......the cop handled pulling over a family in a manner that endangered all of them. THEN he lies to his fellow officer and tries to intimidate the wife. He searched the car as well. Unlawful search? Sure looked like it to me. IF his superiours did not view that tape and haul his butt in for some serious yelling and a suspension the cops are all at fault there.
You are not in custody until you are arrested. You have a right to walk away unless an LEO informs yo you are under arrest. Did not happen here. Merely detaining someone is not an arrest.
I havn’t, and your brown shirt and jack boots are showing. I know lots of cops and lots of fire fighters. Pretty close to all the cops are incredible jerks, and the fire fighters are good guys. Sorry, but law enforcement attracts jerks who have personality flaws. We don’t pay enough to attract quality people. We attract people who use the job to compensate for personal issues.
Dude, don't know where you live, but in my town the cops are good guys. they incredibly effective. over the last two years i had two incidents where guys were breaking in to car or house and both times, call to 911, within minutes they were there and took the guys into custody. couple other citizen type run ins with them they always handled with respect, dignity, but firm. thats what pisses me off big time about this rogue Utah cop. he doesn't deserve to wear the same uniform as the guys in my town.
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