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Hearing Impaired Man Tased by Police
KWCH ^ | 12/3/07 | Michael Schwanke

Posted on 12/03/2007 11:46:15 PM PST by LibWhacker

Donnell Williams had just gotten out of the bath tub, wearing only a towel around his waist, when he turned the corner to see guns pointing right at him.

"I ain't never been so scared," says Williams.

Police forced entry into Williams home while responding to a shooting, but it turned out to be a false call. They had no idea at the time the call wasn't real and that Williams is hearing impaired. Without his hearing aid he is basically deaf.

"I kept going to my ear yelling that I was scared. I can't hear! I can't hear!"

Officers were worried about their own safety because at the time it appeared Williams was refusing to obey their commands to show his hands. That's when they shot him with a Taser.

Deputy Chief Robert Lee says, "This one occurred on the worst of calls, that being a shooting. The first few minutes getting control of the scene are very, very important."

Once the facts were all sorted out, officers repeatedly apologized to Williams. Police wish it never happened, but with the information they had at the time, their choices were limited.

"Do I wish there would have been some way they were notified in advance this gentleman was hearing impaired? I certainly do. No one is happy with the way it worked out," says Lee.

Williams was not hurt in the incident. Police say the shooting call came from a cell phone but they still don't know who made it or why.

The case is being reviewed by the department.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: badcopnodonut; deaf; donttazemebro; donutwatch; hearing; impaired; police; tased
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1 posted on 12/03/2007 11:46:17 PM PST by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker

The taser seems to be becoming a “fad” with police. That isn’t a good thing.


2 posted on 12/03/2007 11:49:14 PM PST by JennysCool (Merry Christmas!)
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To: LibWhacker

Don’t taze me in my towel, bro!
Geez, does this suck...


3 posted on 12/03/2007 11:52:36 PM PST by GnuHere
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To: LibWhacker

“Do I wish there would have been some way they were notified in advance this gentleman was hearing impaired? I certainly do.”

Stupidest Comment of the Year Award Nominee.


4 posted on 12/03/2007 11:55:43 PM PST by PetroniusMaximus
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To: JennysCool

Unlike the various traffic stop tasing, the police in this case had reason to worry about a weapon. As you can see on other threads I have little sympathy for over use of the taser, but they say they were responding to a report of gun fire. And according to the article were very apolgetic in the aftermath.

If they legally broke into this house and if there really was a report of a gun shot, then I don’t have much of a problem. The biggest concern I have is if this guy only in a towel really had his hands out of sight? That is a bit hard to figure out.


5 posted on 12/03/2007 11:56:38 PM PST by JLS
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To: LibWhacker

What?


6 posted on 12/03/2007 11:57:32 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: LibWhacker
I would think several million dollars from the PD department will make him hear better in the future.

Whats with the cops suddenly using the Taser as the first line of defense instead of trying to discern the situation first.

7 posted on 12/04/2007 12:00:00 AM PST by OKIEDOC (Kalifornia, a red state wannabe. I don't take Ex Lax I just read the New York Times.)
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To: LibWhacker

8 posted on 12/04/2007 12:00:02 AM PST by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
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To: JennysCool
The taser seems to be becoming a “fad” with police. That isn’t a good thing.

Shotguns are much more effective.

9 posted on 12/04/2007 12:01:19 AM PST by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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To: LibWhacker

The solution would seem to be to give the victim a free shot with a taser on the officer that nailed him and on the police chief and mayor. If everyone is then satisfied with the current taser policies, fine.


10 posted on 12/04/2007 12:09:36 AM PST by PAR35
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Comment #11 Removed by Moderator

To: JLS
Well if you are okay with that, then just imagine if he had a gun?

He’d be dead.

For nothing.

Did they have a warrant to break his door down?

Probable cause is an anonymous phone call?

12 posted on 12/04/2007 12:22:32 AM PST by DB
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To: JLS

He’s wearing nothing but a freaking TOWEL, after getting out of the bath! How were his hands out of sight when he’s holding the towel with one hand and pointing at his ear with the other while trying to communicate that he can’t hear?

We’ve got to take these thug’s new “tool” away until they learn that it’s a potentially LETHAL weapon, not a plaything to be used when the urge hits.


13 posted on 12/04/2007 12:26:38 AM PST by Don W (I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.)
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To: LibWhacker

Who is going to repair the door the police broke down breaking into this man’s house? Lawsuit Lawsuit Lawsuit


14 posted on 12/04/2007 1:46:38 AM PST by A. Morgan (Each terrorist we kill lowers the carbon foot print of the war.)
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To: Don W
it’s a potentially LETHAL weapon

I'm tired of hearing the taser referred to as a non-lethal tool. It is not. And neither are some of the tools using them. Anybody see the recent video of the motorist getting tased because he wouldn't sign the traffic ticket the cop had given him? All the "officer" had to do was write "refused to sign" on the ticket.

15 posted on 12/04/2007 1:53:14 AM PST by Bronzewound
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To: LibWhacker

Man in a towel. Sure, he’s a threat. Drop him. /sarcasm/


16 posted on 12/04/2007 2:00:54 AM PST by saganite
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To: PAR35
The solution would seem to be to give the victim a free shot with a taser on the officer that nailed him and on the police chief and mayor. If everyone is then satisfied with the current taser policies, fine.

Yes, and they should be naked and wet, like he was. Wet is always good with electricity, right?

17 posted on 12/04/2007 2:10:40 AM PST by Bronzewound
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To: PAR35
The solution would seem to be to give the victim a free shot with a taser on the officer(s) that nailed him and on the police chief and mayor.

Yep...

And televise it...

18 posted on 12/04/2007 2:17:28 AM PST by backhoe (Just a Merry-Hearted Keyboard PirateBoy, plunderin’ his way across the WWW…)
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To: LibWhacker
< tin foil hat firmly in place >

"Police say the shooting call came from a cell phone but they still don't know who made it or why."

Some anarchist, knowing Williams is deaf, made a cell phone call that would surely bring armed police to Williams' home.
(IIRC, Islamo-terrorists are very good with anonymous cell phones)

Relying on the propensity for police to use a TASER instead of a gun, the plan worked beautifully.

Note to cops ... they're trying to make bobbies out of you.

< / tin foil hat >

19 posted on 12/04/2007 2:32:15 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: LibWhacker

I fail to see the threat a man dressed in nothing but a towel, pointing at his ears, saying over and over; “I can’t hear!”, is a threat to a couple of cops.

Every cop involved should be fired, and bared from ever working as a cop again.


20 posted on 12/04/2007 2:33:24 AM PST by SUSSA
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