Student Tasered after questioning Kerry at forum

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The cops forcibly moved him closer to the doors, then forcibly moved him to the floor. They very well could have continued to forcibly move him out of the room instead of 6 cops jumping on him and tasering him while smiling.

Clear abuse of the system regardless of the verdict! And I hope the kid sues the police, if that's poss!

Please refer to my previous analogy to professional athletes. Hope you're in the situation someday and do it better

If 6 cops cannot physically restrain 1 21 year old average sized kid without the aid of a taser, we have some pathetic cops and they should all be fired.

The rest of it is just bollocks.

In the context of other incidents (like the one with the shooting in London) it does make you wonder. One of the criticisms of that particular incident was that the cops involved were hysterical and badly trained - and again you do have to wonder how a supposedly trained officer can shoot a guy several times in the head at point blank range and actually manage to miss once.

[AmericanGentleman 0]

That idiot got exactly what he deserved! He abused,disrespected, and resisted everyone involved. First off, it is a privledge to be able to speak when you are a member of an audience. This guy did not respect neither the speaker nor the other members in the audience by creating such a spectical. Second, he showed total disregard for authority by refusing to comply with their requests. And finally, he physically resisted authority. THAT is what got him tasered. If they had ran up and zapped him to just shut him up, that would be one thing, but he was fighting them.

Legally, they could have used a night stick on him, had they been so inclined, but instead, they used the minimal force that was completely appropriate for that situation.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That idiot got exactly what he deserved! He abused,disrespected, and resisted everyone involved. First off, it is a privledge to be able to speak when you are a member of an audience. This guy did not respect neither the speaker nor the other members in the audience by creating such a spectical. Second, he showed total disregard for authority by refusing to comply with their requests. And finally, he physically resisted authority. THAT is what got him tasered. If they had ran up and zapped him to just shut him up, that would be one thing, but he was fighting them.

Legally, they could have used a night stick on him, had they been so inclined, but instead, they used the minimal force that was completely appropriate for that situation.

I guess I just disagree that "making a spectacle of ones-self" justifies arrest and/or the use of physical force to suppress the guy.

I've saw this kind of thing at my university during a guest lecture speech by a fairly famous PR agent. In that instance - it was defused without any recourse to violence, or indeed the involvement of the police. The guy was in fact shouted down by the audience and behaved himself after that.

Again It makes me wonder though why so many people found Borat hilarious when he was doing more or less the same thing. Granted that parts of that movie were scripted - but still...

My personal view is that the presence of the police merely exacerbated this situation, when it could have been dealt with by the guest speaker, university officials and indeed the other members of the audience. What could have ended as a minor annoyance was unneccessarily turned into a major inconvenience for all concerned.

[Fandango 1,440]

That idiot got exactly what he deserved! He abused,disrespected, and resisted everyone involved. First off, it is a privledge to be able to speak when you are a member of an audience. This guy did not respect neither the speaker nor the other members in the audience by creating such a spectical. Second, he showed total disregard for authority by refusing to comply with their requests. And finally, he physically resisted authority. THAT is what got him tasered. If they had ran up and zapped him to just shut him up, that would be one thing, but he was fighting them.

Legally, they could have used a night stick on him, had they been so inclined, but instead, they used the minimal force that was completely appropriate for that situation.

I don't think anyone is endorsing his behavior, and he certainly did act like an AW.

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

[Ban Hammer 13,678]

That idiot got exactly what he deserved! He abused,disrespected, and resisted everyone involved. First off, it is a privledge to be able to speak when you are a member of an audience. This guy did not respect neither the speaker nor the other members in the audience by creating such a spectical. Second, he showed total disregard for authority by refusing to comply with their requests. And finally, he physically resisted authority. THAT is what got him tasered. If they had ran up and zapped him to just shut him up, that would be one thing, but he was fighting them.

Legally, they could have used a night stick on him, had they been so inclined, but instead, they used the minimal force that was completely appropriate for that situation.

I don't think anyone is endorsing his behavior, and he certainly did act like an AW.

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

maybe getting tazered is a required part of the curriculum there

[AmericanGentleman 0]

I guess I just disagree that "making a spectacle of ones-self" justifies arrest and/or the use of physical force to suppress the guy.

Agreed. Making a spectacle of ones-self does NOT justifies arrest and/or the use of physical force. However, refusing to comply with authority and physically resisting authority does.

I've saw this kind of thing at my university during a guest lecture speech by a fairly famous PR agent. In that instance - it was defused without any recourse to violence, or indeed the involvement of the police. The guy was in fact shouted down by the audience and behaved himself after that.

My personal view is that the presence of the police merely exacerbated this situation, when it could have been dealt with by the guest speaker, university officials and indeed the other members of the audience. What could have ended as a minor annoyance was unneccessarily turned into a major inconvenience for all concerned.

In this instance, the audience did not interviene with a shout down. So that leaves the university officials and law enforement. Sure some cases can be defused without the use of law enforement, but the univerity officials are in no way expected to physically engage people who are not following the proper code of conduct. That is exactly why the law enforment is present there, so a 5 foot tall 90 pound 58 year old professor does not have to grapple with a 6 foot tall 300 pound emotionally distraught hulk of a man.

I mean come on, he did not move when a COP told him to, do you think he would have for the faculty?

On a side note, I have been tasered. I would wholeheartedly rather be tasered than hit with a stick or pepper strayed, it aint that bad. I guess I should add that I was tasered during a trainign exercise and not for being naughty.

[AmericanGentleman 0]

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

I look at it as a kid should not have to put 6 cops into that position where they have to. But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus. I could ask, my sister in law is an English Professor at that univerity. I am gonna ask her for the local scoop.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I guess I just disagree that "making a spectacle of ones-self" justifies arrest and/or the use of physical force to suppress the guy.

Agreed. Making a spectacle of ones-self does NOT justifies arrest and/or the use of physical force. However, refusing to comply with authority and physically resisting authority does.

I've saw this kind of thing at my university during a guest lecture speech by a fairly famous PR agent. In that instance - it was defused without any recourse to violence, or indeed the involvement of the police. The guy was in fact shouted down by the audience and behaved himself after that.

My personal view is that the presence of the police merely exacerbated this situation, when it could have been dealt with by the guest speaker, university officials and indeed the other members of the audience. What could have ended as a minor annoyance was unneccessarily turned into a major inconvenience for all concerned.

In this instance, the audience did not interviene with a shout down. So that leaves the university officials and law enforement. Sure some cases can be defused without the use of law enforement, but the univerity officials are in no way expected to physically engage people who are not following the proper code of conduct. That is exactly why the law enforment is present there, so a 5 foot tall 90 pound 58 year old professor does not have to grapple with a 6 foot tall 300 pound emotionally distraught hulk of a man.

I mean come on, he did not move when a COP told him to, do you think he would have for the faculty?

On a side note, I have been tasered. I would wholeheartedly rather be tasered than hit with a stick or pepper strayed, it aint that bad. I guess I should add that I was tasered during a trainign exercise and not for being naughty.

Well as we weren't subject to the entirety of the events in the video its rather hard to say what would have happened. I do think however that the guy could have been defused (if defused is really the right word) without resorting to violence, or in a way that completely disrupted the event. I don't think that implies in any way that university officials should physically engage with anyone, nor do I really see why that would have even been necessary. The guy wasn't violent - loud & obnoxious sure, but given the setting that's hardly a criminal act (I saw worse on BBC question time when Tony Blair had to face a studio audience of the general public).

As to whether being tased is no big deal - well... I'm fairly confident that it amounts to an physical assault on the person, regardless of who is carrying it out.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

I look at it as a kid should not have to put 6 cops into that position where they have to. But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus. I could ask, my sister in law is an English Professor at that univerity. I am gonna ask her for the local scoop.

I think it was from the POV that the guy had already been forced to the floor - you see that quite clearly. Again, given that I look at it pretty much as kicking someone on the ground. Its just not done.

Moreover, I seem to remember another incident of this type a few months back, about a kid being tased for not having a uni ID in the library. Again - same thing - guy forced to the ground and then zapped.

As I see it - if 6 guys have got one guy on the ground (and lets not deviate onto people other than these teenagers / young adults) you've pretty much won the battle.

[SteveLaura 0]

But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus.

Sounds like you're saying, if they didn't like him anyway then it's OK.

[Drew and Tik 0]

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

I look at it as a kid should not have to put 6 cops into that position where they have to. But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus. I could ask, my sister in law is an English Professor at that univerity. I am gonna ask her for the local scoop.

I think it was from the POV that the guy had already been forced to the floor - you see that quite clearly. Again, given that I look at it pretty much as kicking someone on the ground. Its just not done.

Moreover, I seem to remember another incident of this type a few months back, about a kid being tased for not having a uni ID in the library. Again - same thing - guy forced to the ground and then zapped.

As I see it - if 6 guys have got one guy on the ground (and lets not deviate onto people other than these teenagers / young adults) you've pretty much won the battle.

You obviously don't understand the concept that resisting arrest is wrong and presents a danger to everyone involved. If you want to get injured engaging in fisticuffs with an individual that WILL NOT comply with a lawful order, such as both of these young adults clearly did, then please be my guest. When you break your wrist or get kicked in an area guys don't really enjoy being kicked in maybe then you will realize the need for escalating levels of force.

As I've previously said, if he would have done what he was asked to begin with, they wouldn't have had to put their hands on him. If he would have stopped resisting, he wouldn't have had to be tasered. It sounds to me like you're just so liberal that the cops can almost never do the right thing. There is no reason an officer that is just doing their job needs to risk ANY type of physical injury because a perp is too crazy (or stupid in these two incidences) to comply with a lawful order.

[Fandango 1,440]

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

I look at it as a kid should not have to put 6 cops into that position where they have to. But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus. I could ask, my sister in law is an English Professor at that univerity. I am gonna ask her for the local scoop.

I think it was from the POV that the guy had already been forced to the floor - you see that quite clearly. Again, given that I look at it pretty much as kicking someone on the ground. Its just not done.

Moreover, I seem to remember another incident of this type a few months back, about a kid being tased for not having a uni ID in the library. Again - same thing - guy forced to the ground and then zapped.

As I see it - if 6 guys have got one guy on the ground (and lets not deviate onto people other than these teenagers / young adults) you've pretty much won the battle.

You obviously don't understand the concept that resisting arrest is wrong and presents a danger to everyone involved. If you want to get injured engaging in fisticuffs with an individual that WILL NOT comply with a lawful order, such as both of these young adults clearly did, then please be my guest. When you break your wrist or get kicked in an area guys don't really enjoy being kicked in maybe then you will realize the need for escalating levels of force.

As I've previously said, if he would have done what he was asked to begin with, they wouldn't have had to put their hands on him. If he would have stopped resisting, he wouldn't have had to be tasered. It sounds to me like you're just so liberal that the cops can almost never do the right thing. There is no reason an officer that is just doing their job needs to risk ANY type of physical injury because a perp is too crazy (or stupid in these two incidences) to comply with a lawful order.

In this instance, I think you're a little OTT.

Turn off NYPD Blue & watch the vid. The 'perp' was on the ground under 6 cops before being tasered.

[Drew and Tik 0]

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

I look at it as a kid should not have to put 6 cops into that position where they have to. But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus. I could ask, my sister in law is an English Professor at that univerity. I am gonna ask her for the local scoop.

I think it was from the POV that the guy had already been forced to the floor - you see that quite clearly. Again, given that I look at it pretty much as kicking someone on the ground. Its just not done.

Moreover, I seem to remember another incident of this type a few months back, about a kid being tased for not having a uni ID in the library. Again - same thing - guy forced to the ground and then zapped.

As I see it - if 6 guys have got one guy on the ground (and lets not deviate onto people other than these teenagers / young adults) you've pretty much won the battle.

You obviously don't understand the concept that resisting arrest is wrong and presents a danger to everyone involved. If you want to get injured engaging in fisticuffs with an individual that WILL NOT comply with a lawful order, such as both of these young adults clearly did, then please be my guest. When you break your wrist or get kicked in an area guys don't really enjoy being kicked in maybe then you will realize the need for escalating levels of force.

As I've previously said, if he would have done what he was asked to begin with, they wouldn't have had to put their hands on him. If he would have stopped resisting, he wouldn't have had to be tasered. It sounds to me like you're just so liberal that the cops can almost never do the right thing. There is no reason an officer that is just doing their job needs to risk ANY type of physical injury because a perp is too crazy (or stupid in these two incidences) to comply with a lawful order.

In this instance, I think you're a little OTT.

Turn off NYPD Blue & watch the vid. The 'perp' was on the ground under 6 cops before being tasered.

I've seen the video before, if he was still resisting being cuffed they were within their right to taser him. I might not have in that situation, but they felt he still presented a danger. Why do you feel so bad for someone that could have injured people by his reckless actions? What if everyone in our society felt they could resist arrest whenever they felt like it? Whether an arrest is right or wrong, once you're under arrest just do what you're told and let the courts decide.

Also I fail to see how tasering someone is a physical assault, but grabbing and hitting someone isn't. They're both physical assaults if they're done without any sort of provocation, but in this case it was police officers doing their job.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

However, it seems to me that instead of just dragging him out of the room like they could have, once he resisted it was like 'oooh goody, he's resisting so now I can use the taser'

It should have been a last resort. And 6 cops shouldn't have to use a taser on one kid.

I look at it as a kid should not have to put 6 cops into that position where they have to. But as for their desire to use force as if they enjoyed it, who knows...maybe that kid is a troublemaker on campus. I could ask, my sister in law is an English Professor at that univerity. I am gonna ask her for the local scoop.

I think it was from the POV that the guy had already been forced to the floor - you see that quite clearly. Again, given that I look at it pretty much as kicking someone on the ground. Its just not done.

Moreover, I seem to remember another incident of this type a few months back, about a kid being tased for not having a uni ID in the library. Again - same thing - guy forced to the ground and then zapped.

As I see it - if 6 guys have got one guy on the ground (and lets not deviate onto people other than these teenagers / young adults) you've pretty much won the battle.

You obviously don't understand the concept that resisting arrest is wrong and presents a danger to everyone involved. If you want to get injured engaging in fisticuffs with an individual that WILL NOT comply with a lawful order, such as both of these young adults clearly did, then please be my guest. When you break your wrist or get kicked in an area guys don't really enjoy being kicked in maybe then you will realize the need for escalating levels of force.

As I've previously said, if he would have done what he was asked to begin with, they wouldn't have had to put their hands on him. If he would have stopped resisting, he wouldn't have had to be tasered. It sounds to me like you're just so liberal that the cops can almost never do the right thing. There is no reason an officer that is just doing their job needs to risk ANY type of physical injury because a perp is too crazy (or stupid in these two incidences) to comply with a lawful order.

Actually I said earlier that I think there is seems to be a wide latitude as to what constitutes resisting arres, yet its still basically the same crime, whether violence is involved in doing so or not.

And again with regards to this specific case, I'd suggest that you're rather unlikely to encounter violent individuals on a university campus. Hence I find the amount of force employed to subdue a single (verbally) disruptive student to be rather OTT compared to the threat he actually posed.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

From that video I'd say it proves the adage that like the armed forces, policing is a job that requires the best but has a tendency to attract the worst.