Posted on 11/19/2008 12:57:40 PM PST by fishhound
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina sheriff's official has apologized for plunging a funeral into chaos when undercover agents tried to arrest the dead man's son—and used a Taser on him in the process.
It happened as the coffin was being loaded into a hearse. The officers planned to quietly arrest pallbearer Gladwyn Taft Russ III, The Star-News of Wilmington reported Wednesday.
Relatives said two deputies dressed in coats and ties grabbed Russ and kneed him in his back before Tasering him. One deputy's gun fell out of its holster.
Russ' sister, Taffy Gause, said when she got out of the car a deputy "was waving a gun at me and my mom and yelling to get back or he was going to shoot." She said some mourners went home instead of going to the cemetery.
Russ, 42, had failed to surrender after being charged with threatening his ex-wife who lives in another state, officials said. Following his father's death Nov. 11, Russ agreed to surrender after the funeral.
When deputies approached Russ during the Saturday funeral, he "went wild" and spat on the officers, said New Hanover County sheriff's chief deputy Ed McMahon.
McMahon said the officers should have waited until after the cemetery service.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
I guess they were too stupid and lacking in judgment to do that. Too bad they didn’t have a badge bunny, Monday morning quarterback like you with them on a ride along.
The one who dropped his gun then waved it about should be fired and prosecuted.
The kidnapper had barricaded himself in a house when they first went for him. They took pity on his self-serving use of his father's illness to evade arrest.
They were too lenient.
There, fixed it for you.
Monday morning quarterback.
When deputies approached Russ during the Saturday funeral, he "went wild" and spat on the officers, said New Hanover County sheriff's chief deputy Ed McMahon.
Now ... should we suppose the tazing happened before, or after Mr. Russ took offense at their presence? Hard to say for sure, but logic suggests that Mr. Russ' actions preceded the use of the tazer.
That the cops showed up when they did, only makes good sense. That they made sure Mr. Russ saw them, ditto. It's quite likely that, from the perspective of funereal propriety, they got too close, too soon.
OTOH, if the cops were suspicious of him trying to escape, they may well have wanted to be close enough to cut off his means of escape.
Tough call, but it's probably better that the cops erred on the side of caution. That Mr. Russ gave into his obvious anger management issues as a result is not entirely their fault. (Remember what he's originally charged with....)
The cop haters don't care. But thanks for bringing it forward.
LOL
But yet they didn't take pity when it came time to disrupt one of our most cherished rituals?
Son, you just ain't cutting it.
They should have arrested the kidnapper as soon as they saw his face rather than wait for the service to finish.
Are you going to send him your picture?
How original. (see post 181)
None the less these Barney’s boss had to apologize for their stupidity and lack of judgment. This fact really answers the question.
Or are you just slow?
No, the cowardly bastards should have gone after him when he was barricaded in his house.
And wipe your chin.
Foul mouthed cop hater.
Their boss apologizing makes me a hypocrite? No, it makes them wrong.
Period.
Are you sure you are on the right forum? There has to be a place where badge bunnies like you troll.
Your Monday morning quarterbacking, after sniveling about the same in a prior post.
You really are slow.
They are bastards. I will not give them a pass.
As for being a cop "hater", this is the Freep. We Conservatives stand by the cops and the Military, but we don't tolerate any nonsense from them either, and in no uncertain terms we take them to task.
Only liberals give jackbooted bastards a pass.
I am agreeing with their boss who knows more about this story than we do. He determined that they were wrong. Are you too stupid to understand this or should I use smaller words?
I agree with the other poster, wipe your chin.
No, you were calling them "stupid."
Pretty ironic.
Foul mouthed cop hater.
I bet you give the foul mouthed Barney’s a pass, right?
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