Articles Posted in Don’t Tase Me, Bro!

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Malcolm Williams came to the Houston County Courthouse to pay some fines and to report to his probation officer. When he emptied his pockets before going through the metal detector, as reported in the Dothan Eagle:

…out spilled two baggies of marijuana along with a wad of cash and a cell phone.

Doh! And you know what else he had on him? A pocket knife and rolling paper! What did the deputies do? They tased him, bro! But it didn’t work because of his clothing. Mr. Williams was otherwise subdued and taken into custody, where he is looking at not just probation violation, but a few new charges too.

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mad%20angry%20cow%20unhappy%20pissed%20off%20upset.jpg If nothing else, that’s gotta bring some seriously bad karma. As reported by the AP,

Police [in Rogers, Arkansas] are conducting an internal investigation into an allegation that a lieutenant used his stun gun to shock a cow and shared a videotape of the incident with other department employees.

Police Chief Steve Helms said Tuesday the inquiry began after he received a complaint from the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. A letter dated Feb. 11 from PETA representative Stephanie Bell complained that Lt. David Mitchell filmed himself using the electronic stun device on the cow.

Bell said in the letter that Mitchell distributed the video as a joke among friends and co-workers and she notes that animal cruelty is a misdemeanor crime in Arkansas.

Helms didn’t immediately return a call for comment on Wednesday. City Attorney Ben Lipscomb said Tuesday that the alleged incident happened 2 1/2 years ago, which would be beyond the statute of limitations for misdemeanors. Lipscomb said there would be no point in pursuing a criminal investigation.

Helms said a captain in the department will conduct the investigation and Mitchell will remain on regular duty.

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No doubt the taser is effective in protecting police officers. It’s equally clear that it is way overused – when there is NO imminent threat to police officers. And I’m not just talking about this dude at the Kerry speech. Just go on YouTube and search “taser.”

Back to the latest victim – Shawn Manrose of Omaha, Nebraska. He came home drunk one night, without his keys. A neighbor saw him trying to get into the front door of his home, and called the police. Shawn says he told them it was his house, and that he wasn’t a burglar. He admits that he used profanity and would not take his hands out of his pockets. But does that mean he should have been juiced? Well he was, and then he was busted for obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. The verdict? Guilty! The sentence? Seven days in jail. Shawn is out on bail pending appeal.

This statement by prosecutor Marty Conboy highlights the misuse of tasers: “Unfortunately this young man, at his own house, if you look at it objectively, could have avoided a lot of this problem by complying with some simple requests of the officers.” Yes master. Whatever you say master. Here’s the question, Marty: Was the kid a threat to the officers? It sure doesn’t seem like it. It seems more like they were pissed off because he wouldn’t follow their orders, and because he cussed at them. So they tased him. It’s a bad road we’re going down.

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… [allegedly] during a service, and flashes a gun. Old Wendell Hollingsworth’s alleged cohort, Ms. Smith, walked around the church with a bag, collecting the parishioners money and other valuables. Ms. Smith pleaded guilty, and got 7 years – 6 for the robbery, and 1 more for old Wendell’s gun. Quite the crew. Now when Wendell was in court the other day …

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in a wheelchair, he started kicking his lawyer, to the extent that a deputy zapped him with a taser. Should have read his jacket more closely. Back in ’92, Wendell popped his lawyer, to the tune of 8 stitches. Restraints anyone? Or maybe his next lawyer ought to consider a preemptive pop, just to establish who’s going to be doing the poppin’ from now on.