I had a very different post in mind for today. But a friend of mine just posted this, and I had to link to it.
The video (UCLA cops repeatedly tasering a student) is pretty chilling, but it is also a good example of the role and impact of blogs and other distributed media (including camera phones) in providing a different perspective on events.
This is not only a south-of-the-border concern, as tasers are used in Canada as well, where use of these “non-lethal” weapons has been linked to a number of fatalities.
It’s not really an uplifting news day, see Thea’s post below, but I did take some comfort in the number of male and female students who came forward to intervene (to the best of their ability, and mindful of their own physical safety).
Here’s an excerpt from Amnesty International’s perspective on the use of tasers:
“Portable and easy to use, with the capacity to inflict severe pain at the push of a button without leaving substantial marks, electro-shock weapons are particularly open to abuse by unscrupulous officials, as the organization has documented in numerous cases around the world.
…
There is also evidence to suggest that, far from being used to avoid lethal force, many US police agencies are deploying tasers as a routine force option to subdue non-compliant or disturbed individuals who do not pose a serious danger to themselves or others. In some departments, tasers have become the most prevalent force tool. They have been used against unruly schoolchildren; unarmed mentally disturbed or intoxicated individuals; suspects fleeing minor crime scenes and people who argue with police or fail to comply immediately with a command.”
“…
In many such instances, the use of electro-shock weapons appears to have violated international standards prohibiting torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment as well as standards set out under the United Nations (UN) Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. These require that force should be used as a last resort and that officers must apply only the minimum amount of force necessary to obtain a lawful objective. They also provide that all use of force must be proportionate to the threat posed as well as designed to avoid unwarranted pain or injury.”
Something to keep in mind while you’re watching the video. It doesn’t really seem like the UCLA cops were…
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eight comments
The victim plans to sue. Interesting tidbit in the article:
I did take some comfort in the number of male and female students who came forward to intervene (to the best of their ability, and mindful of their own physical safety).
I'm still torn myself. Two issues: one, not a single person was able to get any identifying information for the officers; we haven't seen any new footage with a clear shot of the officers, and the officers threatened to stun students who asked for badge numbers. As a result, we still don't know who those officers are, effectively letting them off the hook for their behavior. This, combined with the UCLA administration's damage-control-as-response, makes me extremely pessimistic that this case will end in prosecutions.
If this indeed comes to pass, that crowd of students failed. They failed in the same way a crowd gathered outside a Wal-Mart in the Houston area failed. That particular case saw several Wal-Mart employees pin a man to the hot asphalt of the parking lot, despite his screams to "let him up." That man died of a heart attack, despite the presence of concerned onlookers who, for some reason, failed to lift a finger to help this man.
Had those students attacked the police, or at least attempted to shield the student from further attack, they probably would've gone to jail, or been attacked themselves. Regardless, I still think every time I see that video that if I were in that crowd, I sincerely hope I would've had the courage to do more than ask for a badge number.
Posted by Wesley
November 17, 2006, 1:32 PM
Towards the end of the video (around the 6 minute mark) a number of the officers actually can be clearly made out -- in particular, the one who threatens to taser the young man if he does not move away.
That man died of a heart attack, despite the presence of concerned onlookers who, for some reason, failed to lift a finger to help this man.
The "some" in the "some comfort" I refered to was a pretty small amount. However, the reason I was (even somewhat) heartened by the crowd's response is that unless you are faced with this sort of event regularly (and fortunately for the vast majority of us that is not the case), when it happens in front of you, most people genuinely have no idea what to do. The sense of disbelief and powerlessness is much more overwhelming and incapacitating than those of us who are witnessing it as a third party are able to understand.
If I was in the crowd, I would also hope that I would have done more, better, sooner. And I am certain that many people who were in that crowd now wish that they had. And that many of them thought after the fact of all the things they would have done, and feel terrible that they did not do more.
The instinct for self-preservation is extremely strong. Very very very few people are going to put themselves in a position where there is a high likelihood that they will be tasered.
It also seems questionable whether countering with force would have been any more effective in resolving the situation, given the actions and reactions of the officers involved. Identifying the officers and getting badge numbers was not a response lacking in courage. Nor is contacting the chancellor now to protest the abhorrence of these actions.
Posted by catherine
November 17, 2006, 2:24 PM
Though I agree that the bystanders in this situation weren't the most successful, I commend those who started to demand identification as well as the person with the presense of mind to tape the incident. They are to be applauded. Remember they could have just as easily walked away, let's give credit where credit is due and support any and all things done that are right, even if we'd like to think we would do more.
The past is past, and there is nothing we can do about how those people reacted. We can however, act now on what we know is right, and contact the chancellor, as well as work to take tazers out of the hands of those who abuse their power.
Posted by Hannah
November 17, 2006, 9:47 PM
My family was recently terrorized by the Guns and Gangs Squad of the Ontario Provincial Police.
One officer tazered my father between 12 and 15 times, some of those shots going right into his chest.
The police broke down the door to my house before 7 am, and by the time my father got up to see what the commotion was the police were in his bedroom tazering him.
He was completely compliantwith the officer's requests and did not pose any threat. He was sitting on the edge of his bed. My 14 year old sister says the sound of my father's screams will forever be etched in her mind.
The police, who entered my home in complete riot gear, also pointed an assault rifle at my sister, threatened to shoot and kill my family dog, and threw my bestfriend (who was living with my parents to attend university) to the ground when she resisted because she couldn't see what has happening and the police had not identified themselves.
Weeks later, my dad is still sore from the tazer shots. I think that it is deplorable that police have free reign to brutalize people and families. I urge people to write to their local politicians and police forces expressing their dismay with the use of tazers and other forms of excessive force.
Posted by Kaley
November 19, 2006, 12:23 PM
Kaley, Thank you for telling your story. I am as sorry that your family was treated in such as way that as I am disgusted by the fact the our tax dollars pay such a low form of humans.
If I can help in anyway, aside from contacting politicians which I will do, let me know.
Posted by Hannah
November 21, 2006, 7:04 PM
Earlier this year I was Tazered 3 times by the police in my area, after they had broken down the door to my apt. I had called 911 depressed and talked to the operator. (I had found out my boyfriend was HIV positive and hadnt told me, I was waiting for my out bloodtest results and had gotten into a bottle of wine, Bad Idea!) Anyways, they are out of control with the Tazers! I was no danger to them or myself. Shot me dragged ,me into the hallway handcuffed me, hauled me off to the hospital, STRIPPED, me forcibly, because I didnt want to put on a hospital gown. And tied me to a bed, in restraints. All for my own good and saftey of course. And all because I was foolish enough to call for help in a moment of weakness, and sadness.
Again, I say that these people are abuseing their position of trust. We on the west coast of B.C. have lost all respect and confidence. I for one have sought legal council. Kaley, a note for you, I too am so sorry to hear about the way your family was treated, we have to let our elected officials know that we will not tolerate this!!! Take Care, and be safe all. Tia.
Posted by Tia
December 17, 2006, 7:09 PM
[...] Seeing as how there’s been a lot of Shameless blogging about tasers, and about the colour pink, I figured you might all want to know that come April 2007 for a mere $300 we will all be able to buy personal 50,000 volt tasers in a range of colours - including pink. [...]
Posted by Shameless Magazine - for girls who get it » Pink
January 11, 2007, 6:44 PM
My 15 year old son was tazered after being thrown off of our porch by a police officer. He was trying to go into our house, not being arrested or anything. After being thrown off the porch my son got his footing and began to run around the building to come get me, i was next door. There were 4 police officers around my son, he had no where to go. A police officer jumped out of his cruiser, pointed the tazer at my son, said stop and fired it at him. After that he continued to taze him. Another officer told him to stop, he did not. While my son was still being tazed they picked his whole body up and threw him onto his stomch, ripped his arms back and handcuffed him. They treated him like they were dealing with a grown out of control man. I heard the tazer go off from next door, it sounded like a gun shot, I heard my sons undeniably painful scream. That will forever be with me.
I believe Tazers should not be allowed. They are out of control and put in the wrong persons hand can end up to someone being dead, which is clearly already being done.
Posted by Chantel
August 4, 2007, 2:02 PM
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