Originally posted by apc
Obviously this doesn't apply to this kid. He was drunk and attacked cops. There's not a whole lot to say about that beyond, "YOU DRUNK MORON!" Does that mean the officers handled the situation appropriately? To that I can only speculate. If this kid was a scrawny 120lb stoner, I would say absolutely not. If he was a lineman for his highschool football team, he could have done some real damage if the officers didn't compare in stature.

I just want to throw this out there, because like I said, this kid is my cousin and I'm pretty close to what's going on:
He didn't attack the cops. He didn't charge them or throw anything at them or get physical with them in any way. The article is skewed to make it look like the cops had every reason to stun him, when in fact they just jumped the gun and got overeager.
Even if he had attacked them, the first thing the cops should have done when he fell down was to call the paramedics. Instead they let him lie there with no oxygen to his brain for thirty minutes and wouldn't let my aunt give him CPR. That's the real problem here, in my opinion.

That's all I wanted to say.

Ah yes I do apologize. I had tried to maintain in the beginning of this thread that his attacking the police was an allegation, not proven fact. Stick allegedly in that quoted paragraph where appropriate. This is nothing personal but your words are hearsay and are therefore inadmissible. If your cousin's mother witnessed the entire event as you have described I urge her to file a complaint and hire a lawyer if she hasn't already. That would make this case one on the growing list of abusive and outright malicious police encounters.

>
By the way, may I ask what is his current condition?

[edit on 14-12-2007 by apc]

Originally posted by apc
Ah yes I do apologize. I had tried to maintain in the beginning of this thread that his attacking the police was an allegation, not proven fact. Stick allegedly in that quoted paragraph where appropriate. This is nothing personal but your words are hearsay and are therefore inadmissible. If your cousin's mother witnessed the entire event as you have described I urge her to file a complaint and hire a lawyer if she hasn't already. That would make this case one on the growing list of abusive and outright malicious police encounters.

>
By the way, may I ask what is his current condition?

[edit on 14-12-2007 by apc]

No offense taken. I understand my words on this website don't really mean anything to anybody. I just wanted to state the facts as I understand them. And yes, I believe she plans to take legal action.

My cousin is actually - miraculously - doing better. It turns out he does have some brain activity and he has opened his eyes a few times. He hasn't actually woken up yet or said anything, but it's looking a lot better for him. For a few days there we really didn't think he was going to make it. But (and keep in mind I'm not at all religious) hundreds of people who don't even know him or our family are out there praying for him and thinking about him. I never really thought before about the kind of power that sort of thing has, but it seems to be doing him a lot of good. My mom, a nurse for thirty-something years, says she's never seen anything like it.
Thank you for asking.

Your words are not without meaning or importance. It's just a friend-of-a-friend type situation. Your presenting the "other side" of the issue is just as important as the report that started the discussion in the first place.

I would appreciate it if you could update this thread as new developments arise which you feel are appropriate to share. Not only of your cousin's health, but of the result of any action against the police. If the cops are guilty, it would do a lot of people well to know the police can still be held accountable for such crimes.

30!@?!?!#$! !#@$%!@#$ ...... @%!(@*#($*)(*@#($%(!@

That's pathetic! No wonder cops are taser happy. They couldn't restrain a toddler!

Originally posted by apc
I would appreciate it if you could update this thread as new developments arise which you feel are appropriate to share. Not only of your cousin's health, but of the result of any action against the police. If the cops are guilty, it would do a lot of people well to know the police can still be held accountable for such crimes.

Yes, I'll try to keep everyone updated with any news I hear. It's going to be a very long road to recovery, but hopefully I'll occasionally have some good news to share.

I don't know if anyone is still reading this thread, but my cousin was moved out of the ICU into a step down unit on Christmas Day. He can't really talk because he has a tube in his throat, but he's mouthing words and they gave him a clipboard so he can write notes. Sometimes what he writes doesn't make a lot of sense, but it's coherent more often than not. He seems to have full use of his limbs and was able to change the channel on the television. It's still a long road, but I think he'll make a pretty decent recovery.

I know what it's like to be stuck in the hospital on Christmas Day. It sucks. Glad to hear he's doing better.

Originally posted by apc
Since the kid allegedly attacked the cops he's lucky he's not dead anyway. For all we know he's 180lbs of raw muscle. Bullets used to be the only thing to help in that situation. Although I agree if he does die this should go on the "How Can You Idiots Believe Tasers Can't Kill?" tally board.

this is the most ridiculas thing I have read all day. I do not care if he was 250lbs. the police use to, and still do, subdue violent people all the time, the idea that the only answer is a taser or a gun is no more than a display of ignorance...

Tasers should be an alternative to lethal force, not an alternative to physical force.

All too often we don't have the whole story to work with when we discuss these issues and here on this forum there is a large contingent of those who look for any incident to start harping on the government and its agents.

However, I am of the opinion that it is high time for there to be a high-level investigation into the protocol for usage of the taser.

Belligerent, uncooperative or even combative behavior, in and of themselves, should not be cause enough to employ such a device.



[edit on 2007/12/28 by GradyPhilpott]