Posted on 11/16/2006 8:23:50 PM PST by Arec Barrwin
How would one know that he is a student if he couldn't produce a student ID? Just by saying so?
I don't know of a cell phone that can record that long. I've got a 2 gig card in mine and I don't think I can take a clip that long. the quality looked much too good for a cell phone video clip.
If he didn't produce his ID, he was tresspassing, student or not. When he was asked to leave and didn't, he was trespassing.
I am not saying the cops should have not arrested him. I am not even saying they should not have shocked him ONCE to control him.
But cops only get to arrest, NOT PUNISH. They should have arrested and removed him, if he had done something to deserve arrest. Instead they took it upon their chicken selves to keep shocking someone who did not appear to be a threat at all to anyone.
And the bigger point is that peace officers have a larger duty to keep the peace. It is not their job to start a riot in a library.
At around the five minute mark on the tape, we see the subject in handcuffs and the officers expressing frustration that he would not "get up." We then see him tased. But a tasing is all about getting a subject on the ground, not compelling him to rise to his feet. It's about subduing a subject, not making him mobile.
A taser should only be used if a subject poses a combative threat prior to being handcuffed, so that officers can immobilize him and handcuff him. From what I can see on the tape, it doesn't look like that was the case here.
These officers better hope they have some friendly witnesses in the crowd, and a convincing justification for the actions they took.
That would be a matter for a court to determine. Had they merely given him a ticket for tresspassing it would have gone to trial possibility we would have seen what CA law says about the requirement to show papers. We may still since I would imagine he was charge or more typically charged with resisting etc to try to get him to plead out.
"But cops only get to arrest, NOT PUNISH."
The police were tying to get him to comply with verbal instructions. The knucklehead refused. The police persisted in trying to get the guy to comply. I don't view that as punishment.
Now, if they thumped him while he was in the squad car, that's punishment.
"They should have arrested and removed him, if he had done something to deserve arrest."
He was trespassing and refused to comply with a police officer's orders. He deserved to be arrested. The police then arrested him and had him removed.
From what I've read, the perp was trying to start a riot. ZAAAPPPPP!!!!!!
If the police witness the trespass, and the perp doesn't follow orders, they can remove him or arrest him. They don't need the involvemment of a court.
I agree that it was wrong for the cops to use the taser to punish the guy for not obeying orders. That is not right.
That said, it was funny as hell. "There's your Patriot Act!"
I remember one time I was at a Mets game and these two loudmouth gay guys were asked twice to refrain from yelling obscenities. They weren't even watching the game, and were apparently just there to yell obscenities. After the third warning security asked them to leave. They refused and were eventually dragged out against their will. As they were being removed one of them kept yelling "This is like Germany fourty years ago! This is like Germany fourty years ago!" I asked the guy next to me, "What the hell did the Germans do to foul-mouthed gay guys in 1966? I don't remember anything."
There are people who strive to construct a scenario wherein they are treated poorly, so they can use it as a forum to launch their confused political message.
Life is too short to be taking lip off some smart-mouth little snot. :^)
I'm really disappointed at some of the comments here and on Freerepublic in general lately....
No one deserves to be tazed 5 times for not standing up.....what would the cops have done if they didn't have tazers? Carried him out...of course...
I don't care what his name was..he shouldn't have been there but that doesn't give anyone the right to abuse him that way...
Some of you sound like you wouldn't be bothered if the cops had killed him just because he was in the wrong place and wouldn't stand up...
Just because they are cops doesn't give them the right to do what ever they want to do.....I don't care if it was a non-student on campus....
Drag him to jail, deport him, keep him in jail for a year.....but to seriously hurt him because he doesn't stand is just beyond the pale...
More jerks getting instant karma:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTJCqOlh_4w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbAvg1PwCw0
right on Brother..shove it in his mouth, shock his tongue so he can't talk anymore.....then put it against his eye balls a couple of times....that'll learn him to mess with the man!!! /sarcasm
Cops aren't paid enough.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.