General

[Shane-O]

Originally Posted by Mar

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/US/09/18...ser.kid.ap.jpg

he looks like he could have put up a real struggle.

You obviously havent tried to cuff a person, trust me, size doesnt always matter. Another point is that officers are trained to not fight them as much, as they can hurt themselves and the officer more than using a taser. When you really look at it from an experianced point of view, you will see that it is the least harmfull way to do it, for both parties involved. You have another suggestion to get him cuffed without doing anyone any harm (long lasting or short)? He was asked to leave, and was asked to comply. He refused, and he got what he did. Does the fact that he wouldnt leave quietly tell you anything. He was looking for trouble and got a tasering, it could have been much worse, what happened was the best possible outcome for his actions.

[incynr8]

I need a taser to reduce dept. meeting times.

[Ronin22K9]

Michelle Malkin » Document drop: The Andrew Meyer Taser Stunt police report

Police Report is located there... before you guys flip out over it being on Michelle Malkin's site - thats just where I found it. Page 4 is the beginning of the meat of the Police report.


::Tinfoil Hat time::

[Striker9]

-Kerry was telling him to continue with the questions as the officer was pulling him away.
-Kerry was telling everyone to calm down and let him speak
-The kid was acting too aggressively and the 5-8 cops acted appropriately in taking him to the ground.
-IMO tasers should only be used in situations where lethal force would have otherwise been used.
-The kid had 5-8 cops holding/surrounding him the taser was unneeded. Police training should have been adequate enough.
-Cops are trained to defuse situations, not escalate them, even if that was the kid's goal.

[RealtorTommy]

I agree 100%

[Shane-O]

Originally Posted by Striker9

-Kerry was telling him to continue with the questions as the officer was pulling him away.
-Kerry was telling everyone to calm down and let him speak
-The kid was acting too aggressively and the 5-8 cops acted appropriately in taking him to the ground.
-IMO tasers should only be used in situations where lethal force would have otherwise been used.
-The kid had 5-8 cops holding/surrounding him the taser was unneeded. Police training should have been adequate enough.
-Cops are trained to defuse situations, not escalate them, even if that was the kid's goal.

That sounds all well and good, but it isnt anywhere near that simple. the police did what they are trained to do, and that included tasering. The fact is that they DID defuse the situation without anyone getting hurt. I'll pose the question to you, have you tried to handcuff someone? how about someone who is resisting? You seem to think it is as easy as getting the cuffs out of your holster. He was resisting being cuffed, part of cuff training is to not fight the person as much as they used to. The suspect gets hurt, you get hurt and others around you get hurt. So you tell them that you will tase and or pepper spray them if they do not comply (and at that point they are getting cuffed), when warned and told what is about to happen, it is all up to you. His decision determined the outcome. So why do you think it is as easy as you posted? Because if you had experiance in these types of matters, you would understand what I am saying.

[mike31c]

And now, for those Faux News defenders of "Fair and balanced" crapola, here's Faux news own Billy Boy O'Reilly making comment

Full posting for your convenience @ Mediamatters.org -->
Media Matters - O'Reilly: Tasered UF student "biggest wimp in the United States of America"
...
O'Reilly stated: "It's not pleasant, but that idiot, he wanted this to happen. He wanted the cops to do it."
...

Of course, now that this chicken-hawk-wacko has made his position known, I am sincerely thinking about reconsidering MY own personal position since it should be a cold day in hell that I would agree with this nit-wit.

At the same time, I still think this Meyers guy deserved to get tased...

[incynr8]

Originally Posted by Shane-O

That sounds all well and good, but it isnt anywhere near that simple. the police did what they are trained to do, and that included tasering. The fact is that they DID defuse the situation without anyone getting hurt. I'll pose the question to you, have you tried to handcuff someone? how about someone who is resisting? You seem to think it is as easy as getting the cuffs out of your holster. He was resisting being cuffed, part of cuff training is to not fight the person as much as they used to. The suspect gets hurt, you get hurt and others around you get hurt. So you tell them that you will tase and or pepper spray them if they do not comply (and at that point they are getting cuffed), when warned and told what is about to happen, it is all up to you. His decision determined the outcome. So why do you think it is as easy as you posted? Because if you had experiance in these types of matters, you would understand what I am saying.

It's hard for me to believe a tasering in where you still have vocal control and therefor some voluntary muscular control is that much worse than 5 cops lifting you off the ground and making body meet floor (floor, meet body). I also imagine it might be more pleasant than the huge state troopers putting the weight and hammer down to get cuffs on a failing noodle, once you get the spin on you might slip loose then the others have to grab you again. Then they tend to use the hurtsabit options


. If no one is hurt, it is so far better than the beat down option, even their keychains with the keys alternated rip you up. LA cops use to have friggin nunchakkas for crying out loud, we got a bit farther in life than that now.

I was maced before and it SUCKS completely, plus it's not very good in rooms.


I don't really think how cops take someone down as an arrest is as important as the actions behind the arrest.

So really I see the situation as an open forum in a private place. University Police, possibly familiar with this dude? hmmm? Likely had predispositions through some personal experience of this guy. Therefore they may have been more inclined to act in particular avenues with a preceeding reputation. If he was Kid Rock, would you be astonished if he cursed for instance?

He knowing that perhaps wanted all this as a publicity stunt to begin with, or was perceptive enough to quickly understand it as one a posteriori, to be used or enjoyed in some light afterward. Hell maybe it was dollar signs in his eyes after the burning tickle. Anyway was anything else important or of substance discussed before or beyond this event?

Personally I am saddened by a few things, we seem to be a society of the less tolerant, as well as inhabited by those pressing the same patience of the masses.

The concept of 'your time is up, leave or be arrested' is truth in a Spartan letter but not in an American spirit. Perhaps if you can bellow with the fevered passion of Nero as you scream will not leave and demand the truth (as you perceive it of course), pounding the podium with wild gesticulations, while your opponent quivers in silence across from you.

Well the opponent happened to be Kerry and cops acted in what they thought was a best interest and safety of both that figure and everyone else, quite possibly knowing this guy was some sort of trouble from last week in quad or at the house.

I don't think it's that cool they removed him to begin with, unless for a holder of the floor to say 'remove that man!'. Instead it was 'let him speak'?

This is certainly no Rodney King, this guy probably got laid the next night.

[mike31c]

The concept of 'your time is up, leave or be arrested' is truth in a Spartan letter but not in an American spirit.

Okay, except those were the rules! He had his chance to speak, he was aware of the time limit and he was aware his time was up.

He made his choice to Ignore those rules and made his choice to Ignore the police. Of course, if this clown was as much as a prankster as he claims on his websites, University Cops were probably fully aware what this person has done.

And before anyone else mentions "Free Speech", well since the federal government did NOT pass any laws restricting his speech, it's not a free speech issue.

And here's the state of Florida's own constitution -->
Article 1, Section 4
Freedom of speech and press.-- Every person may speak, write and publish sentiments on all subjects but shall be responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions and civil actions for defamation the truth may be given in evidence. If the matter charged as defamatory is true and was published with good motives, the party shall be acquitted or exonerated.

Again, no state law was passed restricting his speech. And I really love this part --> but shall be responsible for the abuse of that right.

It's like the Academy Awards and their recent attempts to limit long winded speeches by self-important "stars"... Of course they put time limits on it. IS that a restriction of "free speech"? No, it's not.

Now, if they were to taser and man-handle these "stars" off the stage when they DO go over their time limits, I, for one, would love to watch it and it would probably be one of the highest rated academy awards telecast in years.

[Walking_Target]

OK;

from an outside perspective;

The kid was wrong, the cops were wrong.

it all comes down to who's more wrong, and in this case it is the cops.

I have worked security, i have had to cuff individuals before, several of which were resisting quite heavily and in the same manner. (always nice when on the fourth day on the job a cop thows you cuffs and a suspect and tells you to cuff em.)

the fact of the matter is that force used far outweighed the force needed.


The United States is getting a horrible reputation globally for this type of behavior; i am minded of a canadian citizen who was arrested in late 2003 on suspicion of terrorist activities (while crossing the boarder), shipped to guantanamo, and was held for over two years, only to be released early in 2006 after he was released without trial.

Currently, your government is holding a canadian citizen in a federal penitentiary in New York State for trading with Cuba. A CANADIAN CITIZEN who did business in cuba, went to the states on vacation and found himself arrested and has been in jail for ~7 years now.

further to that, my girlfriend's step father, who works as a trucker, has all of his passports and documentation was pulled over and brought to a state trooper office, where he was strip searched and questioned, all without charge.


sorry, i just don't trust what the US media and cops tell me any more.