Another pig abuses the taser.. kid tasered for not signing a speeding ticket

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A dashboard camera video posted on YouTube less than 24 hours ago showing a Utah Highway Patrol officer firing a Taser at a driver he stopped for speeding has prompted authorities there to expedite an internal investigation into the incident.

"We've known about the incident since it occurred," Cameron Roden, a spokesman for the Utah Highway Patrol, told ABC News. "But with it coming out on the Internet, we're trying to move the investigation along."

Jared Massey, 28, posted the nearly 10-minute long clip on YouTube two months after the confrontation with police took place along a rural stretch on a state road two hours east of Salt Lake City.

In it, John Gardner, the officer, is shown on his own dashboard camera as he approaches Massey's SUV and tells him that he pulled him over for speeding in a 40 mph zone.

Massey and the officer have a brief dispute over speed limit signage before Gardner returns to his cruiser to write the ticket. He then approaches Massey and the two again engage in a dispute, with Massey claiming Gardner stopped him "blind" -- without a radar gun -- and that he had not yet passed a sign where the speed limit on the road dips to 40 miles per hour.

Gardner tells Massey that he's going to sign the citation, a demand Massey refuses before the officer asks him to exit the vehicle.

The video shows Gardner walking back to his cruiser to place the citation on his bumper as Massey gets out of the car and points toward the spot where Gardner saw him speeding.

In less than six seconds after asking Massey to get out of the car, Gardner has told him to turn around and put his hands behind his back and pulled out his Taser, a device that fires tiny, tethered cartridges that transmit electrical currents to shock an intended target.

Gardner tells Massey two more times to turn around and put his hands behind his back, to which Massey responds, "What the hell's wrong with you?" and walks back toward his vehicle. At that point, Gardner fires the Taser, stunning Massey, who drops to the road.

Massey's pregnant wife, Lauren, then jumps hysterically from the SUV's passenger door, objecting to the officer's use of his Taser. Gardner then handcuffs Massey, telling him that he is arresting him for not following his requests.

"You know what, you should have followed my instructions," Gardner tells Massey as he lies handcuffed on the road.

Gardner then tells Massey's wife the same thing, as she repeatedly tells him, "You had no right to Taser him."

When he threatens to arrest her if she doesn't stay in the car, Massey, who has since stood up, tells Gardner, "Officer, you got a little excited."

Massey then asks repeatedly to have his rights read to him after being told that he's going to jail. At one point, Gardner says, apparently to another officer, "Oh, he took a ride with the Taser, pretty painful, heh?"

At the tail end of the clip, which has generated hundreds of comments and been viewed nearly 25,000 times in the first 24 hours after it was posted, a second officer arrives on the scene and Gardner explains the incident to him. "He was completely in charge," he said, describing Massey's behavior.

"I said, 'Hop out, put your hands behind your back.' He didn't do it," Gardner told his colleague. "I said, 'Put your hands behind your back.'" When Massey refused to follow his order, Gardner continued, "I said no, I'm not playing that game, pull out the Taser, 'Turn around, right now, or I'll Taser you.'" The colleague responded, "Good for you."

Massey filed a complaint with a local patrol office, according to Roden, the Utah Highway Patrol spokesman. Gardner has not been reprimanded for the incident and, Roden said, has not been disciplined for incidents in the past.

The department has a nine-page Taser policy, Roden said, and this is an incident that will be taken "very seriously."

In the video, before Gardner takes her husband to jail, he tells Massey's wife, "It didn't have to go this way, but it did."

Now that decision will be made by the state's public safety internal affairs officers.

Story: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3899692&page=1

[Don_Joy's Prince 0]

I would appreciate it if you would not talk about law enforcement officers in such a way. It is not a sign of superior intelligence.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I saw that on the news this morning. I cannot see any provocation as to why the officer tasered the driver.

I think the taser has its place in law enforcement, but it shouldn't be used except as a last resort, just above using lethal force.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

f#cking pig.

In the first place he gives him a ticket for breaking the plane of the 40 MPH speed sign. Technically wrong but still a #### move.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I would appreciate it if you would not talk about law enforcement officers in such a way.

You would appreciate it? Too bad, I don't plan to comply.

[PlatyPius 5]

I would appreciate it if you would not talk about law enforcement officers in such a way.

You would appreciate it? Too bad, I don't plan to comply.

I agree. In this case, the name fits.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Whenever you are pulled over by a cop, they are suppose to be in control of the situation. The driver was argumentive with the officer from the beginning and not letting the cop be in control. Looking at it from another perspective, the driver pointing his arm out and walking towards the officer when the officer had his back to him was really stupid, and then by walking away from the officer when being given direct orders gave the cop reasonable justification for using force to get the driver to comply. The cop seems a little hasty in using the taser, but the driver's argumentive and noncooperation contributed to the situation quickly escalating.

Edited November 23, 2007 by Mister Fancypants

[Jasman0717 9]

That was pretty harsh

[PlatyPius 5]

Whenever you are pulled over by a cop, they are suppose to be in control of the situation. The driver was argumentive with the officer from the beginning and not letting the cop be in control. Looking at it from another perspective, the driver pointing his arm out and walking towards the officer when the officer had his back to him was really stupid, and then by walking away from the officer when being given direct orders gave the cop reasonable justification for using force to get the driver to comply. The cop seems a little hasty in using the taser, but the driver's argumentive and noncooperation contributed to the situation quickly escalating.

Should I take the chance of lubing up before the nice cop sodomizes me, or should I ask permission first?

The concept of cops having absolute power in situations scares the holy sh!t out of me.

Edited November 23, 2007 by PlatyPius

[Drew and Tik 0]

Whenever you are pulled over by a cop, they are suppose to be in control of the situation. The driver was argumentive with the officer from the beginning and not letting the cop be in control. Looking at it from another perspective, the driver pointing his arm out and walking towards the officer when the officer had his back to him was really stupid, and then by walking away from the officer when being given direct orders gave the cop reasonable justification for using force to get the driver to comply. The cop seems a little hasty in using the taser, but the driver's argumentive and noncooperation contributed to the situation quickly escalating.

Sort of my opinion on the situation too. The guy was a complete moron and should have been arrested. However, I see little reason for using a taser so hastily in this scenario. The officer was alone, but he should have kept better control of the situation. If he were to use the taser, it shouldn't have been until the guy was actually to his car door about to open. Then I could see complete justification for it...but as the case stands it seems excessive, though I don't feel bad for the guy at all, as you can clearly see he was in little or no physical discomfort moments after he was tasered, and if he would have taken a few more steps it would have been justified.

I'm sure some of you will say it wouldn't have been justified had he tried to open the door, but you probably wouldn't last too long as a police officer before being shot if that's your opinion.

Whenever you are pulled over by a cop, they are suppose to be in control of the situation. The driver was argumentive with the officer from the beginning and not letting the cop be in control. Looking at it from another perspective, the driver pointing his arm out and walking towards the officer when the officer had his back to him was really stupid, and then by walking away from the officer when being given direct orders gave the cop reasonable justification for using force to get the driver to comply. The cop seems a little hasty in using the taser, but the driver's argumentive and noncooperation contributed to the situation quickly escalating.

Should I take the chance of lubing up before the nice cop sodomizes me, or should I ask permission first?

The concept of cops having absolute power in situations scares the holy sh!t out of me.

How do you equate getting a traffic citation to being brutalized? I think the situation is quite different.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

The only place the taser has in law enforcement is a weapon to potentially KILL your adversary. Don't use it, unless you are willing to take a life. There is a huge difference between speeding and breaking other traffic laws (which over 99% of all of us do from time-to-time.) and serious crimes.

I saw that on the news this morning. I cannot see any provocation as to why the officer tasered the driver.

I think the taser has its place in law enforcement, but it shouldn't be used except as a last resort, just above using lethal force.

[SMOKE 1,426]

mmm tasers!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I don't even need to see the video...

"Gardner tells Massey two more times to turn around and put his hands behind his back, to which Massey responds, "What the hell's wrong with you?" and walks back toward his vehicle. At that point, Gardner fires the Taser, stunning Massey, who drops to the road.

Massey's pregnant wife, Lauren, then jumps hysterically from the SUV's passenger door, objecting to the officer's use of his Taser. Gardner then handcuffs Massey, telling him that he is arresting him for not following his requests.

"You know what, you should have followed my instructions," Gardner tells Massey as he lies handcuffed on the road."

Not getting hit with the taser was just THAT easy! You may think the officer is an #######, you may think you never saw a change in the speed limit, but the side of a road, with an officer giving you commands is NOT the time or place to state your case...

[Ban Hammer 13,366]

I don't even need to see the video...

"Gardner tells Massey two more times to turn around and put his hands behind his back, to which Massey responds, "What the hell's wrong with you?" and walks back toward his vehicle. At that point, Gardner fires the Taser, stunning Massey, who drops to the road.

Massey's pregnant wife, Lauren, then jumps hysterically from the SUV's passenger door, objecting to the officer's use of his Taser. Gardner then handcuffs Massey, telling him that he is arresting him for not following his requests.

"You know what, you should have followed my instructions," Gardner tells Massey as he lies handcuffed on the road."

Not getting hit with the taser was just THAT easy! You may think the officer is an #######, you may think you never saw a change in the speed limit, but the side of a road, with an officer giving you commands is NOT the time or place to state your case...

pretty much my take on it too. he didn't obey instructions, what did he think he was gonna get? a cookie?

[natty bumppo 297]

The officer needs some serious retraining. He let the situation get out of control by not giving clear and precise instructions to the driver. He should have said … get out of the car and stand right here … follow me .. or something. The officer did nothing except walk away after instructing the guy to get out of the car and the guy followed him (the officer gave no instructions otherwise).

Once the officer had the driver out of the car and the guy had followed the officer … the officer stated to “place your hands behind your back”. That is an indication of an arrest. (note: what was the officers reason for asking the driver to vacate the vehicle if is wasn’t for an arrest).

Utah Code Section 77-7-6

77-7-6. Manner of making arrest.

(1) The person making the arrest shall inform the person being arrested of his intention, cause, and authority to arrest him. Such notice shall not be required when:

( a ) there is reason to believe the notice will endanger the life or safety of the officer or another person or will likely enable the party being arrested to escape;

( b ) the person being arrested is actually engaged in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, an offense; or

( c ) the person being arrested is pursued immediately after the commission of an offense or an escape.

…..

The officer is going to have some serious problems with this Code. In regards to items a, b, c ... I'm sure the officer will try to weasel on ( a ) yet the request to have the driver vacate the car without informing the driver of the officers “intention, cause, and authority to arrest him” until after the driver was tasered will give the officer and his department lots of legal bills.

The end of the video also shows the officer doing something very questionable … it’s can be called an illegal search

The vehicle was closed (all doors) and the officer opened not only one door without permission or probable cause ... he opened two doors and announced he was searching for something. (trying to fabricate more of a case).

(Note: The officer could have passed the drivers “things” to his wife through an open window.)

When this driver gets a good lawyer … the officer will need to explain the search part and the questions will be:

Did the officer have reason to suspect drugs or alcohol or other “bad thing” during the traffic stop? (Obviously not or it would have been shown earlier in the “take down”)

So … why did the officer open the doors to search? What was his reason to search?

Did he see something through the windows? (obviously this was not indicated on the video)

Did he search with permission? (no)

The driver and passenger were very good at keeping their doors closed and not giving permission … and the cop did not ask permission either.

Not saying the driver was right/ wrong or otherwise.

I'm saying this was not the officers finest moment because he let the situation get out of control and the department legal bills will probably get huge.