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 ...
Apparently a few of these guys posting think that a cop can do whatever the hell he wants just because he wears a badge.
If someone watches this video and does not find the cop at fault, then that person is clearly biased in their opinion of the role of law enforcement.
An unbiased jury would obviously find this cop at fault.
No, this exchange did not take place.
Ken, here are the actual events as they took place:
Massey: No, I’m not. I’m not signing anything.
Gardner: Okay, hop out of the car.
Gardner then turns his back to the driver and walks back to set his clipboard down on the bumper of his car. As he’s doing this, Massey gets out of the car and approaches the police cruiser. As he does, he is pointing down in the direction he just came from. He is saying something unintelligible, but most likely about the speed limit sign. The officer acts as if he’s surprised to see the guy out of his vehicle, even though he just told him to ‘hop out of the car’.
Gardner: Turn around, put your hands behind your back. (by the time he gets to the word “hands” THE VERY FIRST TIME he’s already got his own hand on his taser and is pulling it from its holster)
Massey: ...continues to say something about the speed limit sign...
Gardner: Turn around, put your hands behind your back. NOW.
Massey: What the hell is wrong with you
At this point Massey TURNS AROUND and begins walking slowly toward his vehicle. It is clear from watching the tape that he had no idea why this cop was pulling a gun on him, and if you watch the CNN interview you’ll see that he does say he thought it was a real gun. He had a natural reaction which was to turn his back to the danger and attempt to distance himself from it.
Gardner: Turn around. Turn around. (Again, it’s not clear what the officer is asking him to do. Massey has already TURNED AROUND and is facing in the opposite direction from where he was the first time this directive was issued.)
Massey: What the heck’s wrong with you?
At this point, Gardner fires the taser.
That’s everything up to the point of the taser. Despite what some are saying about editing of the video, none of this portion of the video is edited.
No such dialogue took place.
I thought it was downright dangerous to tase the guy on the side of a busy highway. He could easily have fallen or lurched into oncoming traffic. The trooper did not look back to see if there was traffic coming from the time the guy started to walk away until he fired.
Very reckless, IMO.
Not even close.
What a putz.
Are you standing by your claims?
Ken, you might as well stick a fork in him. Whether he responds or not, his credibility is toast.
Poster A says:
Listen to the tape very carefully, and you can hear the driver say "No, you're not".
Poster B says:
Ok... I've listened 3 more times... with my Bose sound-cancelling head phones... I just DON'T hear that. I do hear the driver saying, "No, I'm not".... I think, to whether or not he will sign the ticket.
Who is right?
Massey: No, I'm not. I'm not signing anything.
Yes you are.
LOL
This cop handled the situation poorly from the time he approached the driver. He took it to a place it never needed to go.
<SNIP>
He was a blowhard, fool. It isnt too hard to be smarter than a blowhard fool. If it is, then the trooper is in the wrong profession. He needs to get a different job.
Applause. I can tell you were a cop for the right reasons. You should be on the jury when this jerk off cop gets his pants sued off.
There is no such thing as a “Miranda stop”. “Miranda” was the name of a fellow arrested in the early sixties. Following the normal practice of the times, he was questioned without being advised that he could remain silent, have an attorney, etc. SCOTUS made a new rule that required police to advise folks of several of their Constitutional rights under certain circumstances.
You can “demand” to be taken to a magistrate all day long. After booking, if you aren’t PR’d you will see the magistrate when the arraignment hearings are scheduled. It may be different in your state.
You are wrong even the new USSC ruling means you do not have to incriminate your self.
Ok. Whatever you say.
..And they wonder why people call them "pigs".
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