FL - Tasered by cop while handcuffed, woman strikes head on pavement; now brain dead

[Cappuccino]

Thank God the Irish police don't behave like that. Over here, if a suspect runs away we just wait for him to change his mind and turn up for his own court appearance...

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163575"]Prison escapee captured after he turns up in court for his own case - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

 

[Cappuccino]

It wasn't a gun trigger. It was a taser and it was designed for situations like this. And how do you know her could have controlled her easily? She was drunk and high and impulsive, considering she ran from custody in the station.

She could have put up a very strong fight. Tasers are meant to prevent that kind of situation. It is tragic that she hit her head on the pavement. But considering the many bad choices that she made that afternoon I am not surprised.

Strong fight, lol. She was handcuffed.

 

[wfgodot]

It wasn't a gun trigger. It was a taser and it was designed for situations like this. And how do you know her could have controlled her easily? She was drunk and high and impulsive, considering she ran from custody in the station.

She could have put up a very strong fight. Tasers are meant to prevent that kind of situation. It is tragic that she hit her head on the pavement. But considering the many bad choices that she made that afternoon I am not surprised.

I trust that police are trained sufficiently to know that anyone into whom they choose to insert a projectile, whether a wire or a bullet, might suffer grave consequences. If that is not the case, then I blame the officer's superiors for not having trained him properly.

 

[jjenny]

Thank God the Irish police don't behave like that. Over here, if a suspect runs away we just wait for him to change his mind and turn up for his own court appearance...

Prison escapee captured after he turns up in court for his own case - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

Yea, cause that is going to work every time.

 

[Cappuccino]

Its not going to work every time, but at least he's not lying in a coma brain dead.

 

[tezi]

None of that answers why he didn't use the option of trying to grab hold of her instead of reaching immediately for the more excessive force of a taser. I think its already been answered though - pure laziness.

Its like something that would happen in Syria.

Or Arkansas....

Cops here love their tasers. They threaten everyone with them. They act like the tasers are new toys to play with. And they use them because they are lazy. Rather than try to detain a suspect, they shoot a taser at them and hope they hit them. Almost every incident report I read in the paper here when someone is arrested, includes the line, "and the suspect was then tasered." And no, I'm not kidding....

 

[katydid23]

Strong fight, lol. She was handcuffed.

People fight even in handcuffs.

I am not saying this had a good outcome. I am just saying that cops have to deal with drunk and high perps every single day. Many times those perps are armed and dangerous. So they have a basic routine policy that they put into action when they are chasing an escapee. And that often includes tasering.

I am choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt because his intent was to stop her from escaping and causing further chaos. It was not his intent to harm her, although she was badly injured. That could have happened if he reached out to grab her and she pulled away and fell....

 

[wfgodot]

People fight even in handcuffs.

I am not saying this had a good outcome. I am just saying that cops have to deal with drunk and high perps every single day. Many times those perps are armed and dangerous. So they have a basic routine policy that they put into action when they are chasing an escapee. And that often includes tasering.

I am choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt because his intent was to stop her from escaping and causing further chaos. It was not his intent to harm her, although she was badly injured. That could have happened if he reached out to grab her and she pulled away and fell....

I don't agree with all of this at all, but it's well-said. In order to argue a point, one feels lucky to have an intelligent opposition.

 

[Cappuccino]

People fight even in handcuffs.

I am not saying this had a good outcome. I am just saying that cops have to deal with drunk and high perps every single day. Many times those perps are armed and dangerous. So they have a basic routine policy that they put into action when they are chasing an escapee. And that often includes tasering.

I am choosing to give him the benefit of the doubt because his intent was to stop her from escaping and causing further chaos. It was not his intent to harm her, although she was badly injured. That could have happened if he reached out to grab her and she pulled away and fell....

I'm sure it wasn't his intention to harm her, it was just pure laziness. And I would also give him the benefit of the doubt if he'd grabbed her, and she'd struggled and fell. However he reached immediately for more excessive force than he needed to handle the situation, and that is why he deserves censure. MOO.

 

[katydid23]

I'm sure it wasn't his intention to harm her, it was just pure laziness. And I would also give him the benefit of the doubt if he'd grabbed her, and she'd struggled and fell. However he reached immediately for more excessive force than he needed to handle the situation, and that is why he deserves censure. MOO.

I guess this is the issue that I disagree with. Tasering is not considered as more excessive force than 'wrestling' a subject to the ground. And if he reached out to stop a running suspect that is what he would be doing. Tasering is used to STOP the escalation of violence. So that is where our opinions differ I suppose.

 

[zippitydoda]

She is a criminal, one with an extensive record for only 20 years old, who ran from the police when told to stop. From what I've read online, her mother is of the same cloth.

If you believe the officer used excessive force, I respect your thoughts.

I just read that this officer has been on the force for ten years, was officer of the year, and had only fired his taser one time before.

I could also be cranked up due to reading JVM's comments about what this bully cop did to this "beautiful woman". How does she have a tv show? I think she is nothing more that a carnival barker.

 

[CanManEh]

All i think about this case is that what some of the explanations have been from the LE is pathetic .THEy don't carry thier guns unless thier on saftey for anyone that don't know what i mean well its like this when a cop pulls his gun to shoot they have to click on a little switch that allows you to pull the trigger .if its on saftey and u try the trigger wont squeeze ..I understand they shouldnt have to pull a taser gun and guess her weight to know what voltage u are shooting it at ..so make the tasees and the numbers in to 2 colours ..guys are red girls blue police still have to set it before they shoot this way they see who thier after man just like a real gun click the saftey but here your clicking to a colour ..

 

[daisy7]

I guess this is the issue that I disagree with. Tasering is not considered as more excessive force than 'wrestling' a subject to the ground. And if he reached out to stop a running suspect that is what he would be doing. Tasering is used to STOP the escalation of violence. So that is where our opinions differ I suppose.

Respectfully, BBM. I have to disagree with that statement. There are far too many cases of people across the country and a lot in Florida where people have died simply from being tasered. This lady did not die from the taser itself, but from the fall from it. However, I would hope that LE would be as careful with using a taser as they would be with a gun, meaning they use it as a last resort. That does not seem to be the case here, IMO.

I'm curious to see the video from inside once they release it (there's gotta be video inside in the Sunshine State, right).

 

[daisy7]

A Polk County man died after police officers used a Taser on him early Friday — an incident likely to reignite the debate about stun-gun safety in Central Florida.

Adam Spencer Johnson, 33, of Winter Haven, was behaving erratically in front of a theater at Universal CityWalk about midnight, police said.

(snip)

After one officer used a stun gun on him, the officers handcuffed Johnson. He then became nonresponsive; the officers started CPR and called a rescue crew, according to police.

Johnson was pronounced dead at Dr. Phillips Hospital. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, according to police. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has received the surveillance video of the incident and is investigating.

(snip)

Amnesty International has determined that more than 300 people in the U.S. have died since 2001 after they were jolted by Tasers.

Orlando police officers used their Tasers 315 times in 2010, 357 times in 2009, and 278 times in 2008, according to Jones. The numbers for 2011 were not immediately available.

A 2008 report by the U.S. Justice Department warned against using Tasers on people who were extremely agitated or under the influence of drugs.

Five people died after Orange County deputies stunned them with Tasers between 2001 and 2008. Those deaths sparked an investigation of the sheriff's office by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Sheriff's Office ultimately came to an agreement with the justice department in October of last year to tighten up its rules for using the devices.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...iversal-20110422_1_stun-guns-tasers-tased-man

I know this didn't take place in Orange County -- just giving this article as an example.

 

[Lilachaze]

But still, why taser her when he could have just reached out and grabbed her?

That's what I don't understand, if he was an arm's length away and she was handcuffed then surly he could have reached out to her.

 

[mrsu]

I just came across this video today! Absolutely unnecessary, IMO. This woman may have been high, but she wasn't armed and dangerous and was handcuffed for crying out loud. I don't believe for a minute that a woman her size could do damage to a cop his size, and he could have easily caught up with her. Chase her more than 2 steps out the door, THEN if you can't catch her think of alternatives. Senseless. IMO

 

[marauder]

A friend of mine was murdered by police (died from tazing). The coroner vowed to find drugs in his body but could't find a trace. He was arrested and killed for allegedly using profanity when speaking to a store clerk in a previous visit to that store. That's the danger of free speech, there is always a risk that someone might say something that makes them need to be killed.

 

[SwampMama]

I respect everyone her at WS so i hate to see anyone here fighting (for lack of a better word) with each other. Usually we are united against an injustice where it is clear who the victim is and who is the guilty party.

I don't want to get into a debate with anyone over our differing opinions. I agree to disagree and respect your opinions and hope that no one feels the need to attack me for mine. So this is my opinion which you are free to disagree with.

I don't like police brutality at all but I just don't see that the officer is at fault here. He had no intent to injure her or cause her harm. He was doing his job to the best of his ability. She had no problem hurting others and going on her merry way to the next victim.

The cop didnt have the luxury of taking time to consider this and that before reacting. She clearly intended to flee and continue her disregard for laws and authority and he had to react the best way he knew how to minimize the danger. She could have run out in front of a car and killed herself or caused a wreck that killed innocent people. She had ZERO regard for the lives of others.

She had a history of resisting authority so he was not dealing with a cooperative person and he knew it. She didnt consider anyone but herself when she repeatedly got into accidents and was lucky she hadn't killed anyone yet.

The cop was dealing with a suspect who had an extensive record including NO drivers license, had been in TWO different hit an runs earlier that day, had a prior record including car theft and getting in an accident while driving that car a few months earlier and "two charges of resisting or obstructing police and one charge of battering a detention staff member". On the day she was tazed she had cocaine and oxycontin in her system.

So she had a history of evading arrest and resisting authority. She had a history of causing accidents and fleeing. She obviously had no respect for the law or other people's lives. She was bound to kill someone sooner or later because it is obvious she wasn't going to stop driving. She was clearly a danger to the public and had no intention of changing her ways. It could only escalate.

I'm sorry she was so injured and is most likely brain dead but these are the unfortunate result of her repeatedly bad choices.

Had she not stolen the car, she wouldn't be in this situation.
Had she not fled the scene of the 1st accident she wouldn't be in this situation.
Had she not fled the scene of the 2nd accident, she wouldn't be in this situation.
Had she not tried to escape while in handcuff, this would not have happened.

To me it is clear that she holds a great deal of responsibility what happened. It seemed she was intent on continuing her ways of law breaking and driving and wrecking until she killed someone or was stopped.

I'm sorry her life was destroyed but she had been on the course of self destruction long before the cop used the tazer. I consider it a blessing that she didnt kill or maim any innocent people in the process. Some one was bound to get hurt had she been allowed to continue. She caused the events that caused her devastating injuries and no one else is to blame.

This is my opinion only and I fully respect your right to see things differently.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-brain-dead-Tasered-trying-escape-police.html

http://www.tampabay.com/news/public...oman-arrested-by-fhp-wound-up-in-coma/1194417

 

[wfgodot]

I fully accept that policing is a horrendously difficult job; it's one of the most underpaid positions we have, considering the quality of service we expect, and the effect this service has on quality of life in our nation.

But once a person is in custody, no matter his or her bad choices in the past, that person is under the control and the care of authorities, and whatever happens next is their responsibility.

At that point an individual's bad choices become moot. They will be adjudicated in another branch of the justice system in time. If found guilty of crimes, punishments will be dealt in accordance with state or federal law.

Watching the video tells me what I need to know about the cause of the young woman's hospitalization and her current condition, and who should bear the blame. A person in charge of a handcuffed prisoner made a disastrous choice.

Because a person has a history of law-breaking, this does not disqualify him or her from the human race. Life is precious, no matter. What happened here should not be swept under the carpet. What happened here ended the quality of a life.

 

[Babyslims]

I respect everyone her at WS so i hate to see anyone here fighting (for lack of a better word) with each other. Usually we are united against an injustice where it is clear who the victim is and who is the guilty party.

I don't want to get into a debate with anyone over our differing opinions. I agree to disagree and respect your opinions and hope that no one feels the need to attack me for mine. So this is my opinion which you are free to disagree with.

I don't like police brutality at all but I just don't see that the officer is at fault here. He had no intent to injure her or cause her harm. He was doing his job to the best of his ability. She had no problem hurting others and going on her merry way to the next victim.

The cop didnt have the luxury of taking time to consider this and that before reacting. She clearly intended to flee and continue her disregard for laws and authority and he had to react the best way he knew how to minimize the danger. She could have run out in front of a car and killed herself or caused a wreck that killed innocent people. She had ZERO regard for the lives of others.

She had a history of resisting authority so he was not dealing with a cooperative person and he knew it. She didnt consider anyone but herself when she repeatedly got into accidents and was lucky she hadn't killed anyone yet.

The cop was dealing with a suspect who had an extensive record including NO drivers license, had been in TWO different hit an runs earlier that day, had a prior record including car theft and getting in an accident while driving that car a few months earlier and "two charges of resisting or obstructing police and one charge of battering a detention staff member". On the day she was tazed she had cocaine and oxycontin in her system.

So she had a history of evading arrest and resisting authority. She had a history of causing accidents and fleeing. She obviously had no respect for the law or other people's lives. She was bound to kill someone sooner or later because it is obvious she wasn't going to stop driving. She was clearly a danger to the public and had no intention of changing her ways. It could only escalate.

I'm sorry she was so injured and is most likely brain dead but these are the unfortunate result of her repeatedly bad choices.

I totally agree. I feel awful of the outcome but it could of been a lot worse if innocent bystanders were hurt due to her bad choices that day.