View Full Version : UF Student Tasered
phatlip12
09-18-2007, 10:59 PM
For those who haven't seen yet this is what I'm talking about:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqAVvlyVbag&NR=1
The kid WAS being an obnoxious ass and resisted when the cops tried to escort him. If he left willingly I would be outraged, but the cops had a hard time getting him out of the building. He even almost got away from the cops at one point. Look at the video from another angle 27 seconds into it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NWukZhsiBw&NR=1
He almost ran from the cop and got thrown down because of it. In the first video, you can even hear the cop threaten to taser him before it was done due to him resisting.
If he went out willingly then he would be sitting on facebook laughing with his friends right now as opposed to sitting in a jail cell.
ariastar
09-18-2007, 11:25 PM
Heh, for once it seems the cops didn't overstep their boundaries, though you know that the cops will take the blame for this.
rabidbadger
09-18-2007, 11:30 PM
Thing is, that videos aren't showing, and no-one is talking about, is should he have been "removed" at all?
His school, public invited in, public invited to ask questions, someone decides they don't like his questions, kid "removed" kid demands an answer... Kid "escorted" away for what?
acidburn
09-18-2007, 11:33 PM
The kid was not out of control until the police started dragging him out of the room.
I do think the police overstepped their bounds. The kid was getting animated and loud but what did he do that warranted getting dragged out of the room. And then moments later tasered? Yes, he was getting loud and was resisting, but I just don't see why the police ever laid a hand on him to begin with.
acidburn
09-18-2007, 11:35 PM
Thing is, that videos aren't showing, and no-one is talking about, is should he have been "removed" at all?
His school, public invited in, public invited to ask questions, someone decides they don't like his questions, kid "removed" kid demands an answer... Kid "escorted" away for what?
You can hear Kerry in the background and he seems to want to address what the kid has to say.
I think the cops reacted too quickly and the kid doesn't seem like a threat.
xibalba
09-18-2007, 11:43 PM
I wouldn't be a good cop I would have probably shot him.........................in the leg. :D
The person who is running the event can have someone removed if they so choose. The kid was stupid for resisting and should have just left. I wouldn't doubt a lawsuit in the future and him winning.
acidburn
09-18-2007, 11:58 PM
The big problem I see with this situation is that in general the American public is apathetic to the political process. Myself included. People in Europe riot when some thing doesn't go the way they want it in the political process
Where is the anger when there is evidence that elections being tampered with like this guy was speaking up about?
He was speaking up and having a voice there is a the police reacted like he was out of control and I'm sure many people watching those videos will see it that way too.
I'm embarrassed to admit that even though I am a registered voter and I vote in major elections and some minor ones that last month is the first primary I participated for an election
xibalba
09-19-2007, 12:06 AM
The problems with our cops some are alittle trigger happy, so even if we rioted about something I wouldn't doubt it turning into a mass killing by cops or something.
I'm not registered to vote but will be I have to form right here in front of me filled out ready to send in.
masherscf
09-19-2007, 12:07 AM
I don't know. Tell me more. Did the cops think he was a threat to others? Was he going to escape in a manner where they wouldn't be able to recover him later? Did is crimes warrant the use of a taser or were the cops just pissed at him for being an resistant asshole.
I'm not being a bleeding heart or anything. But, being a asshole isn't illegal and people act stupid when their under pressure. The cops probably weren't out of line because we was resisting and resistance is often a sign of other problems. However, I'm wondering if could have been resolved with resorting to a tasering.
Mind you, I don't find anything objectionable about what happened. However I do wonder if it was the best possible sequence of events. Who knows, maybe a good tasering is just what this kid needed. I know some of my students could use one.
rabidbadger
09-19-2007, 12:44 AM
Two of the cops are now on "administrative leave" so that tells me something was out of hand with the cops.
I Hate how you can't be (peacefully) angry in this country any more. "protest cages" for the peaceful protesters miles away from the person/event you are protesting. Licences needed to express your redress of grievences...
I could go on forever.
I want my GD Constitution back!
tokenuser
09-19-2007, 01:05 AM
Two of the cops are now on "administrative leave" so that tells me something was out of hand with the cops. THat just means that it is under internal investigation, and does not imply any wrong doing on their part - just that it is being investigated.
I am with Masher on this one. Noone knew the mental stability of this guy. The way he turned into an angry irrational asshole after breaking the rules of the forum, in a public place, with a sitting senator could easily have escalated.
It looks like the guy was waving around a book, but at that time noone knew if he might also have had a concealed weapon (VT wasn't that long ago). I think the police response might have been a little extreme, but it was appropriate - ask him to step back and calm down, ask him to leave, try to forcibly remove him, subdue him, subdue him with force.
The tapes show a clear pattern of escalation.
I think the cops will be cleared.
BUT the question I have is why aren't we getting the full story. Had this guy been identified previously as being a "possible threat"? The police were all over his ass while he WAS at the mic.
phatlip12
09-19-2007, 01:54 AM
Theres nothing wrong with being vocal and nothing wrong with getting angry. This guy was out of line though.
*He was loud
*He was obsense (choosing the word "blowjob" in a room full of people probably wasn't the best idea, he should have been more professional)
*He was hogging the mic, he wasn't getting to the point and when asked to he got rude and said he WAS going to continue asking questions. He was rude.
It's true that he was invited to this event, but he was a guest. He was being a rude guest and was escorted because of it. The cops attempted to escort him and he resisted. You DONT do that, especially if being escorted by cops. I dont think the cops used excessive force either, it took 4 officers to get him out of there and he almost escaped once. He was then thrown to the ground where he CONTINUED to resist and was warned that they were going to use the taser on him if he continued. The guy was looking for attention (apparently he has a history of doing pranks and filming them), he got what he asked for.
masherscf
09-19-2007, 02:47 AM
I dont think the cops used excessive force either, it took 4 officers to get him out of there and he almost escaped once.
Here's my idea, why not just let him escape? Where's he gonna go? Is he gonna crash a party down the street and be an asshole there? Get the kids name and meet him at his room. Was he just acting out for the camera or was he a sincere danger that needed to be subdued with non-lethal force?
I'm just asking if there was a way the cops could have ended it safely without resorting to a tasering.
I understand that a tasering wasn't out of line, that's not what I'm wondering. Just restating the justification for the tasering doesn't really address what I asked. The kid was looking to provoke a response. My question is if police could have handled it without giving the kids what he wanted.
Or, maybe giving the kid what he wished for is the best thing for him...
phatlip12
09-19-2007, 03:07 AM
Here's my idea, why not just let him escape? Where's he gonna go? Is he gonna crash a party down the street and be an asshole there? Get the kids name and meet him at his room. Was he just acting out for the camera or was he a sincere danger that needed to be subdued with non-lethal force?
I'm just asking if there was a way the cops could have ended it safely without resorting to a tasering.
I understand that a tasering wasn't out of line, that's not what I'm wondering. Just restating the justification for the tasering doesn't really address what I asked. The kid was looking to provoke a response. My question is if police could have handled it without giving the kids what he wanted.
Or, maybe giving the kid what he wished for is the best thing for him...
Why was he running? He was obviously angry with John Kerry, maybe he posed a threat to him? Did he have a weapon? What about drugs? Running from the police in itself is a crime.
xibalba
09-19-2007, 03:14 AM
What happened to the good ol'days when the cops used nightsticks instead of tasers. I think they get their point across much more effectively than a extreme shock.
phatlip12
09-19-2007, 03:24 AM
What happened to the good ol'days when the cops used nightsticks instead of tasers. I think they get their point across much more effectively than a extreme shock.
Thats the thing, if it wasn't a taser it would have been night sticks or pepper spray.
ariastar
09-19-2007, 05:26 AM
People in Europe riot when some thing doesn't go the way they want it in the political process
Where is the anger when there is evidence that elections being tampered with like this guy was speaking up about?
We don't want to go to jail. We're angry, but showing it or rioting can land us behind bars on reason charges or something.
rabidbadger
09-19-2007, 06:24 AM
We don't want to go to jail. We're angry, but showing it or rioting can land us behind bars on reason charges or something.
Martin Luther King was arrested all the time. This kid aint no MLK, but damn I wish more sensible people with this kids passion were on the scene these days. Peaceful disobedience FTW!
ariastar
09-19-2007, 09:36 AM
Martin Luther King was arrested all the time. This kid aint no MLK, but damn I wish more sensible people with this kids passion were on the scene these days. Peaceful disobedience FTW!
MLK was in a different time, and he would do things like block streets. There was no risk of life in jail for things far more minor than that.
tokenuser
09-19-2007, 01:20 PM
The irony is that Kerry proceeded to answer the question once it was all over, and the guy wasn't in the room to hear the answer :)
masherscf
09-19-2007, 03:48 PM
Why was he running? He was obviously angry with John Kerry, maybe he posed a threat to him? Did he have a weapon? What about drugs? Running from the police in itself is a crime.
Now you're asking the questions. I like that Phatty. These are all important points. Don't give the them a free pass. Remember, even the safety of dick-heads like this kid are Police responsibility.
Kerry Condemns Heckler Arrest (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/09/students-rally-.html)
since this has drawn national attention i wonder why kerry does not use this opportunity to answer the questions
phatlip12
09-19-2007, 08:20 PM
Kerry Condemns Heckler Arrest (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/09/students-rally-.html)
since this has drawn national attention i wonder why kerry does not use this opportunity to answer the questions
I smell a photo op!