Police 'killed deaf cyclist with stun gun after he failed to obey instructions to stop'

[kpete]

Source: Daily Mail

Police 'killed deaf cyclist with stun gun after he failed to obey instructions to stop'
By DANIEL MILLER
Last updated at 12:19 PM on 24th November 2011


Victim: Roger Anthony, 61, died after an officer blasted him with a stun gun as he rode home on his bicycle

A police officer killed an elderly, deaf and mentally disabled man riding his bicycle by shooting him with a Taser stun gun after he failed to obey instructions to stop.

Roger Anthony, 61, was killed as he made his way home in Scotland Neck, South Carolina, after officers responded to a 911 call about a man who had fallen off his bicycle in a car park.

The caller told dispatchers that the man appeared drunk and that it looked like he had hurt himself.






Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065629/Police-killed-deaf-cyclist-stun-gun-failed-obey-instructions-stop.html

[Tumbulu]

1. and it is only reported in an English paper?

My goodness, the police are simply out of control. Everywhere.

[Fumesucker]

5. It's a "dog bites man" story in the USA..

In the UK, it's more of a "man bites dog"..

[wtmusic]

9. N.C. probes death of bicyclist tased by police

(CBS News)

"SCOTLAND NECK, N.C. - Authorities are investigating the death of a 61-year-old Halifax County man who was shocked by a police taser while sitting on a bicycle.

Roger Anthony died Tuesday, a day after a Scotland Neck police officer used a stun gun on him.

The state Office of the Medical Examiner hasn't yet determined a cause of death.

CBS Affiliate WRAL reports officers had responded to a 911 call Monday night about a man who had fallen off his bicycle in the parking lot of a bank. The caller told dispatchers that the man appeared drunk and may have hurt himself."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57330721/n.c-probes-death-of-bicyclist-tased-by-police/

[provis99]

16. it's a black guy killed by cops in the South. Pretty routine.

I'm not surprised it didn't appear in American news.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

BWB

Move along. Nothing to see here.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

92. BWB

Move along. Nothing to see here.

[struggle4progress]

104. 'newbie officer, with no clue about how to handle situation, responds inappropriately'

might be more accurate in this case

in scotland neck nowadays, the police are very unlikely to get a free pass for indiscriminate violence against black citizens

i'd guess the final investigation will confirm the preliminary death report finding, with something like intracranial bleeding resulting from head injury incident to a fall from the bicycle. it may be more difficult to determine whether that injury occurred prior to the taser incident or as a result of the taser incident or both

first impression, based on the news reports, of course, is that the taser use was unnecessary and excessive

[jwirr]

119. This sounds like what probably happened. I think what we are seeing

in the story is another weapon that police use way to often and that they do not need. And that goes for police anywhere. Our small town police are armed better than our soldiers in the ME so they can control us if need be.

[bitchkitty]

17. No, not only English papers

but it didn't get a lot of national play here.

Google

[slackmaster]

89. It's not even very good English

My first reaction was "What is a deaf cyclist doing with a stun gun?"

[Liberal_in_LA]

115. google search shows lots of US stories about this. RIP Mr. Anthony

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&tbm=nws&btnmeta_news_search=1&q=roger+anthony&oq=roger+anthony&aq=f&aqi=d1d-o1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=2145l5553l0l5952l13l11l0l7l7l0l306l675l1.0.1.1l3l0

[deafskeptic]

118. Agreed.

I knew a deaf man who was a track star at my old high school. Several years later a friend told me that cops shot and killed him for not obeying orders to put his hands up. He was visiting friends in a housing project and the cops mistook him for someone else. Since he didn't hear them, they shot and killed him. This man was no criminal yet the cops shot and killed him.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Oh, my god,

that's just sick. :grr:

[freshwest]

69. Not as uncommon as some might think.

[qb]

3. Jesus Christ. They give deadly toys to anyone these days.

The idiot cop is missing some important reasoning skills.

[Fumesucker]

6. They don't want cops that are "too smart"..

http://northernmuckraker.blogspot.com/2008/08/too-smart-to-be-cop.html

Apparently there's a limit to how intelligent a person can be and still obtain a position as a police officer.

The New London, Connecticut Police Department rejected the application of Robert Jordan because he had the temerity to score 33 on an intelligence test. The force apparently only accepts candidates who score between 20 and 27,

"on the theory that those who scored too high could get bored with police work and leave soon after undergoing costly training."

That's the first time I've heard police work described as "boring". When one watches the TV show Cops, the officers are always quick to relate how interesting and fun the job is, as one never knows what's going to happen on the next call, and how one gets numerous chances per shift to use their skills and knowledge to solve all manner of unique problems.

[stockholmer]

27. they apply the 'too intelligent need not apply' litmus test for Republican POTUS candidates as well

:evilgrin:

[Fumesucker]

32. Good point.. n/t

[RKP5637]

56. Exactly!!! n/t

[Rozlee]

30. For fuck's sake! Please tell me you're making that up!

Turning applicants down because they score too high on IQ tests? No wonder most of our cops are all a bunch of Neanderthals these days. Next, they'll start weeding out the ones that can spell C-A-T.

[jhrobbins]

81. Actually, I heard the same thing about Austin Police Dept. Apparently it isn't

an anomaly, but the norm to reject applicants that are too smart.

[avaistheone1]

141. I have heard reports of this before. They don't want to hire cops who can critically think. They

just want robot cops who follow orders.

So these debacles and monsters are what we get as a result.

[TheMadMonk]

48. Also more likely to "overthink" and yes mostly rather boring.

Lots and lots of repetitive paperwork, phone calls, door knocking, etc. Simpsons like temporal distortion skews our perception of life in the precint, Summer Bay/Ramsy Street, Salem, etcetera. Ordinary lives that eventful would literally drive ordinary people insane. The "real" Wandin Valley, Matlock, Eureka, Twin Peaks, exist on no map or radar but one, and yet their reality is more fixed in our minds that our own personal "Shelbyvilles"/next town overs.

Now forget the bloody opening dialogue and apply the Funniest Home Videos litmus test to the various Cop reality TV shows.

Why is there so much repeat footage? Surely in a nation of hundreds of millons, there would be enough fresh "interesting" material to be found, that there would never be a need to show the same footage two, three, four or more times in the space of an hour and a dozen times or more, over a host of shows in the course of a year. Believe you me, in a nation of a little over 20 million, the effect is extremely noticable, when footage from other continents outweighs local content.

The truth is The Idiot Box inflates our perceptions of all these fun, scary, spectacular stories enormously. In reality, there are not enough stranger abductions in all the United States to build a format around. Can't even find enough car chases in LA to fill a season without reprising "most spectacular" or other superlative from yesteryear at least once per show.

A millionish cops in the United States seem to be able to turn out a few hundred hours at most of broadcastworthy, broad appeal footage in a year. So realistically what IS one cop's share of that fun going to be?

One Judge Judy, one Night Court. http://www.kennythemovie.com/">Kenny is pretty damned funny, but even toilet humor has its limits.

[Fokker Trip]

78. Nice post. I believe violent crime has been declining throughout North America for a while now.

[Throckmorton]

130. Ahh, New London Connecticut

Land of Idiot Cops and Crooked Land Grapping Politico's.

I know it well.

[Warpy]

7. Yeah, he's got to be really proud of himself for killing a guy

when he was only called to check on the guy's welfare.

Asshole.

[Fumesucker]

4. I'm guessing this is one of the "good cops" we hear so much about on DU..

:eyes:

[Fokker Trip]

85. Hey its a hard job and he was just a bad apple..etc, etc. Gets old. nt.

Thugs one and all.

[panzerfaust]

145. Be FAIR: Just one of the 99% who makes the other 1% look bad

Police beat a protester during the anti-government rally
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1039720/In-dock-A-smiling-clean-shaven-Beast-Bosnia-claims-kidnapped.html

[dipsydoodle]

8. That's awful.

:(

[Goldom]

10. Like I've said before,

Tasers are only "less lethal" if you use them instead of guns. But that's almost never how they're used, they're practically a first-resort.

[Capitalocracy]

24. Oh, but he failed to comply with an order.

That requires Tasing, right? That requires immediate corporal punishment, right? I mean, it's not like he used a gun or anything, just a cattle prod. That's OK, right? How dare you question a police officer doing his job! :puke:

[russspeakeasy]

11. The super sad part of this is the cop will not be punished.

My son in law used to be a cop and a prick. He is no longer a cop.

[ElboRuum]

44. But still a prick?

Assuming this, but just want to be clear.

[russspeakeasy]

51. Oh Yeah...deadbeat dad, that kinda guy.

[leftyohiolib]

52. why.. he sure will! he'll be put on paid adminstrative leave, that's what, and further more he can

sit around the house and get paid to think about what he has done. and when it all blows over he can come back to work. problem solved

[Glimmer of Hope]

12. Why? This crap needs to stop.

[libinnyandia]

13. 61 is not elderly

[RebelOne]

18. Maybe to the 20 and 30 year olds it is. I am 72 and hate be called elderly.

But I take comfort in knowing that those 20 and 30 year olds will be my age someday.

[RKP5637]

58. I'm almost there and better looking and more fit than many of those in

their 30's.

[Downwinder]

70. I don't mind being called elderly as much as the cops

mind being called sonny.

[Bluenorthwest]

100. It's the Daily Mail....

Note that in addition to using 'elderly' incorrectly, the paper neglects the facts at hand, such as 'when did this happen' and 'when did he die' and 'what did the city officials say in response'. It places the story in the wrong State, this happened in North Carolina, they say South.
To find out those important facts, you need US sources, which will have some respect for the victim and family.

[donquijoterocket]

108. if

They're lucky. I'm not your age yet but hope to be. I figure getting older has only one way out of the inevitable and I'm not quite ready for that yet. Getting old is a matter of mind and choice.Sounds like this guy if he were on a bicycle was fighting the old. Cops and their toys have become a substitute for thinking and seeking the human, humane solution. Just tase or pepper spray the miscreant and be done with it.

[tblue37]

47. Yeah--I am 61, and I consdier myself to be in late middle age! nt

[Bennyboy]

14. In NORTH Carolina BTW...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57330721/n.c-probes-death-of-bicyclist-tased-by-police/

[Eric J in MN]

23. Yes, NC not SC. (NT)

NT

[HereSince1628]

15. Cops won't tell the mayor of the town what happened.

From the CBS news feed..."Mills said he has tried to get information from the police department about what happened to Anthony, but they have turned him away."
-----

Doesn't really sound like the police have any respect for civilians or civilian authority.

That ought to be a couple of copes looking for jobs next week.

[Rozlee]

35. The cops are supposed to be answerable to their town's mayor.

He needs to get his city council together and vote that chief out ASAP or threaten to bring him under review with the Civil Service Board. I doubt the guy would throw himself under the bus to save one of his douchebag cops that started a political shitstorm over his head.

[rpannier]

45. Not just the Mayor, but in most (if not all city councils) each member is responsible for one part

of the city.
Which councilman is responsible for the police and WTF is he or she doing?

[bertman]

68. Not sure where you get that each council member is responsible for one part of

the city. Here we have only at-large members of the council. They and the mayor make the decisions collectively.

Same thing in many other N.C. municipalities.

.

[rpannier]

76. My mother sat on a city council

and her primary responsibility was the police

[bertman]

110. Most likely, by 'primary responsibility' it was meant that she was the council member

who kept closest tabs on that part of the town's operation--if it's a similar setup to most town governments. So she would have been the person the other council members relied upon as the most up-to-date on police issues. However, that does not mean that she would have made the decisions about what does or does not happen regarding the police and their actions. That is usually reserved for the action of the entire council along with the mayor.

In some areas, the person who supervises the police is the Police Commissioner. That person has direct responsibility over the police department(s) but works at the pleasure of the local government's elected officials--council members and mayor.

[sakabatou]

19. Less than lethal my ass. But we already knew that.

[Orrex]

20. Well, in the cop's defense...

um.



Nope. I got nothing.

[rhett o rick]

106. They did it for his own good. They were just trying to help.

And no i m not series.

[tpsbmam]

21. This is murder

plain and simple. It's murder. My heart breaks for Roger Anthony.

Cops won't speak to the mayor? Time to purge that PD from top to bottom and prosecute the asshole who thought it was a-okay to taser ANYONE who is simply riding his bike, not bothering anyone. Until we start going after this out of control violence in police departments, it'll continue & escalate.

What a disgusting fascist country this has become.

Mr. Anthony, :hug: :cry:

[Eric J in MN]

22. It should be illegal to tase an unarmed man. NT

NT

[Divine Discontent]

86. or a man not threatening anyone, the guy was riding a bike - and he gets tazed to death. Murder!

Get it now, or one of a million other designs! http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128659602907896843?rf=238107662556833486

[Enthusiast]

25. Well. You know it was an honest mistake.

The man did not obey a police order. He deserved to be tased. :sarcasm:

Actually this is no laughing matter. Police are far too quick to use tasers and pepper spray.

[Capitalocracy]

26. From the comments section:

As those stories become more and more common in the US, I really feel for the brave citizens and normal folks there who witness helplessly the slow but certain slide into fascism. I am personally scared to travel to the US. The last time I travelled there I was pulled over and interrogated for no reason. My wife spent 6 hours interrogation in JFK on arrival. Americans believe they have the most freedom in the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. This might have been true decades ago but it certainly isn't the case now.
- Emm, Lyon, France

[sabrina 1]

128. If I wasn't here already, I would not come here either.

Lots of people feel that way. I haven't checked recently on the tourism numbers, but they were down by around 17% during the Bush years. Why risk being treated like a criminal if you don't have to?

[sabrina 1]

129. If I wasn't here already, I would not come here either.

Lots of people feel that way. I haven't checked recently on the tourism numbers, but they were down by around 17% during the Bush years. Why risk being treated like a criminal if you don't have to?

[TBF]

28. He wasn't a threat to anybody. The police have no right to shoot someone just because they don't

stop on a dime. Assholes are out of control.

[RKP5637]

59. It's a significant and growing problem in this country, out of control cops thinking

they have been anointed by the patriot act to do as they damn well please within bounds or out of bounds. One looks at these cops and what they do and I'll be damn if it's not the rebirth of the Gestapo. Give it a few more years and this will seem like nothing.

[Downwinder]

29. The object of a taser is to paralyze. I question the logic of

anybody who would want to paralyze the operator of a wheeled vehicle in motion. Even if the taser is not fatal the resulting accident may well be.

[grahampuba]

31. Remember the teen run over by the squad after a tasering in FL

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/police-24655-city-steen.html

From the accounts that I can recall from the time, and I think there was a police cam video to support this; they tried to tazer the kid on his bike while pulling alongside him, he fell off, fell in front of the cruiser, got run over and drug for 10-15 feet, and they left him under there for an extended time period while figuring out how to deal with the situation.

[Tom Ripley]

33. Just Say No to Steroids

[pennylane100]

34. There has to be something done about the out of control police in this country.

They are worse than criminals. At least when a crime is committed by anyone other than law enforcement, there is an acknowledgement that it was a criminal act. Cops, on the other hand, can kill innocent people with impunity. This has to stop or ordinary citizens will start taking the law into their own hands. I know that if a relative of mine were killed in such a manner, that cop would hope that he went to prison for his own protection. He would never walk down a street and feel safe again.

[tblue37]

50. The cops are the largest and most dangerous armed gang in

America. I have actually seen posts on cop sites where cops themselves brag about that in precisely those terms--and LOL the posts!

[jhrobbins]

84. My cousin in Las Vegas answered his door with his pistol - there had been a call

aboutnoise from his townhouse - the LVPD burst in and demanded that he put his weapon down. When he did not comply as quickly as they thought he should, two of them shot him 5 times. He survived miraculously, but has health problems stemming from that. Also, they shot him in front of his Mother who was screaming for them to calm down.
Ironically he is retired from the military as a military policeman, serving in VietNam for several years and was honorably discharged.

[Fokker Trip]

80. See that`s what I don`t get.

Why aren`t they more afraid of consequences. Not from any court. But they have to live somewhere. have families and go out alone at night sometimes. The US is a vastly well armed nation, why do these thugs feel immune from what will surely come if they continue this abuse. Are steroids making them feel immune or do they believe in their superiority so much that they feel untouchable.

Unemployed or under-employed folk have a lot of time to find a person. But anyone with an internet connection could likely find them too. I think that if I were Pike I`d be afraid for my life. Doesn`t he want his family to be safe

(should be question marks in this post, I have none at the moment)

[TheEuclideanOne]

134. Simple. There are no consequences to be afraid of.

In court, the cops will protect them so that there are no consequences in the most blatant cases. Outside of their private lives, they become like the mafia. Sure, you can be the guy who stands up to the mafia, but everybody knows what happens to that guy.

Steroids have nothing to do with it. Steroids can make you stronger than the one guy you beat up or kil, but when it comes to pay the price for your crimes, those steroids will not help you in the court system. In the case of cops, they are part of a corrupt system that protects their own.

[Fokker Trip]

139. I think that steroids increase agression substantially.

That was what I was thinking about. Increased agression seems to go with a sense of invulnerability.

I agree with your points.

Yeah, like the mafia. That works for me, but as people become angrier and desperate who knows whether threats like a mafia style pay-back will matter or not. If someone has nothing to loose they become more dangerous, like any cornered creature.

[Jamastiene]

36. Too many cops are outright bullies these days.

White cop in North Carolina shoots black man. I'm not surprised. Racist cops down here are very common.

[Kennah]

37. That will teach him to think he can ride a bicycle while deaf

What's next? The blind in the workplace? People with wheelchairs on buses? When will the madness end?

:sarcasm:

[ooglymoogly]

38. How much outrage is left in my soul.....

I now hand it over.

[christx30]

39. That's what he gets

for not being able to hear. :sarcasm:

Guess it was just too much work to get in front of an old guy on a bicycle and signal. Gotta run up behind him and hit him with a cattle prod.
And they wonder why people don't like or trust the police.

[Downwinder]

43. It is not like Medicare covered hearing. n/t

[ooglymoogly]

65. What we must learn from this....The Police are not here to protect us.

As someone who is profoundly deaf in one ear... and I say this with unbearable sadness...they are our enemy.

[christx30]

73. A few nights ago

I heard what sounded like shots fired in my neighborhood. I ran to the window with the phone, but I didn't call. I would rather not be in the position to have to deal with cops. You never know what's going to happen to you.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

40. In order to get comprehensive news about the U.S. it's imperative to view newspapers abroad

Otherwise you only get limited news.

[Bluenorthwest]

97. Here is from US media, it includes the timeline, which Daily Mail

excludes. The shooting happened on Monday, he died on Tuesday. It also respectfully includes a photo of Mr Anthony and does not call him 'elderly' which he was not, he was 61.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57330721/n.c-probes-death-of-bicyclist-tased-by-police/

Local: Cop on duty one month, new cop. http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/134378973.html
Another Local from Wed. The mayor says "“From what I know of the situation ... this looks mighty suspicious.This was a man (Anthony) that was known for his gentleness and his meekness. He had a great and honorable reputation in our community. He had health problems, difficulty hearing, seizures and other health issues. It is inconceivable to us that he posed any threat to anyone."
http://www.rrdailyherald.com/news/cause-of-death-ruling-could-take-three-months/article_41482b12-15eb-11e1-baf5-001cc4c03286.html

All of that is more detailed, respectful and accurate. The Daily Mail story does not say when the shooting happened, and it seems most here think it was yesterday. I'm not a fan of the Daily Mail. And in this case, their story is as usual, not well done, and rather agenda driven.

[The Doctor.]

121. Yes, the daily mail has an agenda to make a cop look like a violent ignorant thug

Just because he wound up killing a deaf guy on a bicycle. It was just an innocent killing of someone who needed to be put out of his own misery, right?

:eyes:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

133. Oh ok. A member of my family is deaf. Fortunately, he's in a very lucrative medical field...

and highly respected, thank goodness. However, in many conversations with him over time, he's explained that it never ceases to be difficult to be a deaf person in a hearing world. The hearing automatically assume everyone is hearing. :(

[Dead_Parrot]

41. This thanksgiving, I would like to give thanks for...

...err, fuck no. This is fucked up.

Welcome to the new America.

[bhikkhu]

42. If the officer had used his gun it probably would have gone better -

a warning shot, then one or two "shots to wound" would have taken him down more safely...but then the officer probably would have thought better of it anyway (one would hope).

[BiggJawn]

61. Police don't "shoot to wound"

If you hear about a cop who shot somebody in the gun hand, or wounded them in the leg, it's because they missed. They're trained to put 'em in the middle of the torso. Or the head.

[Fokker Trip]

66. Using a gun is would have been preferable IMO.

By using his gun the cop would have been invesigated and had to justify himself (wouldn't he?).

Using a "less lethal" weapon means that it was an oooopsie and he likely can just shrug it off or blame the cyclist.

"less lethal" weapons give cops cover to torture and kill with impunity.

Jesus this makes me so mad.

[tblue37]

46. I am also 61 and severely hearing impaired. I don't wear my hearing aids

unless I am watching TV/a movie, teaching class, or actually conversing with someone. If I am out and about, I don't wear my aids.

If a cop spoke to me while I was not looking at him, I would not hear that he had spoken--and thus I too would be fair game for a taser shot, if that is their standard for deciding whether to Tase someone! Furthermore, I have cardiac arrhythmia, so I am guessing I would not respond well to a taser shot!

[eridani]

75. Those suckers aren't cheap, and I don't like exposing mine to the elements eiither

Particularly on a bike. Incidents like this scare the bejeezus out of me too.

[tblue37]

107. One reason I would be afraid to actively participate in a protest is that

I know cops Tase at the drop of a hat, and with my heart condition, I fear that a Tase-happy cop could kill me just for the lulz, which is apparently one of the main motivators for their use of Tasers and pepper spray!

The body language of Lt. Pike as he sprayed the UCDavis protesters made it apparent that a lot of what he was doing was getting his jollies. He held up the canister of pepper spray in a very self-consciously dramatic way, obviously showing off his dominance and super-cool badassedness for the crowd to be awed by. Then he strutted down the line of protesters not once, but twice, repeatedly spraying them--again, in a way that just screamed, "I am soooo cool! I am such a badass!" He was loving every moment of it, and he was obviously doing it because it was just so darned much fun for him.

I think that is also what is going on with the way the cops Tase everyone. They are just looking for an excuse to demonstrate dominance with these "cool" toys, and they obviously have not been adequately trained in the potential for serious and possibly fatal consequences.

Furthermore, fatalities can easily result from Tasing, even if the person doesn't die from an arrhythmia caused by the shock. My guess is that the man in this story probably fell off his bike and hit his head, thus causing his death from the blow to the head.

Of course, since he suffered from seizures, the shock could have caused a really bad seizure, and that could have caused his death, too.

But the young bike rider who was Tased while riding his bike, and who then fell off his bike and was run over by the stupid cop's car, is another example of the way Tasing can lead to fatalities, even when the shock itself doesn't cause death.

Rachel Maddow pointed out in one of her shows that these “non-lethal” weapons (the descriptor should actually be “less lethal,” since they actually do a lot of cause deaths!) do not get used instead of guns in situations in which guns would otherwise be used. Instead, they give cops an incentive to use force in situations in which negotiation and de-escalation would have been used if the cops didn’t have such toys to play with.

Thus, instead of reducing the use of force, these weapons just expand the number of ways for cops to introduce force into a situation in which no one is being threatened with violence or physical harm—until the cops themselves introduce violence and physical harm into the situation.

The fact that people like me are intimidated (terrorized) away from using our First Amendment rights, because we fear being killed by Tase-happy cops if we dare to exercise those rights, is obviously a denial of those rights.

[Fokker Trip]

49. Hey now, cops are doing such a haaaard job. Wahhhhhh.

Where are the defenders of the thin blue line? Surely they must have a line like "Wahhh Wahhh its so hard and dangerous to be a cop."

Thugs. And until I start reading about the few good cops who surely must exist saying something to counter the impression that all cops are capable of this level of thuggery then I will continue to believe that they are all thugs. (and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one).

Bet this guy got a round of high fives from his buddies and had a good laugh about killing the "retard" on the bike.

I'm so sickened by police these days I'm tempted to spit on them when I see them. Still I don't want to be killed so I'll reserve that for another time in the future when the lines will probably be even more clearly drawn.

[Dawson Leery]

53. Such a hard job.

:eyes:

Filth!

[unkachuck]

54. K&R...."...killed deaf cyclist with stun gun..."....murder!....n/t

[RKP5637]

55. Another cop that should be tried for MURDER. n/t

[IamK]

60. but the union will save his job....

[Pholus]

101. Oh for the love of pete! I guess a bad cop could *only* belong to a bad union. Is that it?

I guess the logical continuation of *that* train of thought would be to stipulate that we shouldn't waste lawyers on the people we OBVIOUSLY know are guilty too. Or that all defense lawyers are just sleazeballs cause they defend accused murderers and child molesters.

Everyone, no matter what they've done or how despicable they are (just like this clown seems to be), deserves an advocate and a LEGAL process which leads to a determination of guilt. When everything is said or done, that is the only way to a fair justice system.

But I guess the point was that unions are evil and this schmoe just gave the opportunity. SOrry. I'll go back to lurking again.

[lovuian]

57. tasering and pepper spray and rubber bullets

this is so sad

[caseymoz]

62. Some way to help an elderly deaf man who fell off his bike.

Like that Bible story of The Good Samaritan With A Taser.

[quakerboy]

63. Nothing to see here, move along

Just one of those rare bad apples, don't get all riled up and start saying disloyal things about police officers now.

"You done a good thing, Anthony".

[Bluenorthwest]

99. What their Mayor actually said:

" We are feeling this looks mighty bad right now,” Mills said. “(News of Anthony’s death) saddened me and many members of our community that know of him. Our condolences go out to the family. They need to pursue whatever legal recourse they have in this matter. If I was a family member, that is what I would do, and I would not want any less for them than I would want for myself.”
"From what I know of the situation ... this looks mighty suspicious,” Mills told The Daily Herald. “This was a man (Anthony) that was known for his gentleness and his meekness. He had a great and honorable reputation in our community. He had health problems, difficulty hearing, seizures and other health issues. It is inconceivable to us that he posed any threat to anyone."

And note, Mr Anthony is the victim, not the police officer as you imply.

[quakerboy]

116. Apparently my sarcastic tone did not come through

I am getting tired of the "bad apple" argument. Every time we see police brutality with our own eyes, someone comes along to tell us how there are going to be bad apples, but most police are good people just serving their communities.

Each passing day I have less belief that this is true. I believe in the bad apples, I can see those with my own eyes. But each time it happens, I also see other officers on scene. And not once have I seen those other officers say "no, dont do that" before another officer assaults someone. Not once do they say "no, stop doing that now" as the "bad apple" assaults someone. Not once have I seen them say "that was wrong, I am arresting you" or even "that was wrong, get the hell out of here and we will deal with you later, after I see to this victim" after the assault by a police officer.

The "You done a good thing, Anthony" is a twilight zone quote, the shared name a coincidence. Anthony, the boy with the power to change things with his mind, to send people away or harm them, so everyone tells him everything he does is good. I kinda feel like our nations relationship with our police has reached a similar level.

[truthisfreedom]

64. Officers should not be allowed to respond to calls unless they regularly work the neighborhood

where the call originated. They should be required to do weekly community outreach programs and go door to door introducing themselves and letting people know who they are and that they're the neighborhood cop. That way, even if the cop didn't know the deaf cyclist, someone might have been able to intervene and explain why he wasn't responding before the taser was fired.

[ooglymoogly]

67. Anyone who has not, by now, understood that, calling on the police

could incite death on a family dog, a person or anything else involved; is living in la la land...and that, of course, depends on where you live; the south being; by far, the most dangerous...and that includes southern California and other red spots like Oakland. Folks need to look around at where they live before calling upon the police.

[marasinghe]

140. agree with your post, with one exception. location doesn't seem to matter.

i'm in NYC. maybe you've seen a fairly recent stories from here: one of cops being called in to take a drunken woman home - which they did; then one of the pigs raped her, while his partner stood lookout. a second where an asshole pig was caught raping isolated women regularly.

it is the nature of the beast - not so much the nature of the environment - which sets off these psychopaths. pigs are pigs wherever you get 'em; the minority of decent cops get sidelined & marginalized; while the worst go on to the top - where they end up running the PD's. this is the whole basis of any paramilitary force, whose job is violence - takes a sociopath, like that AZ scumbag arpaio, to get off & enjoy tormenting anyone who comes into their sphere of influence.

and i say this as someone who's seen family members in the police acting as bad, or worse, as any of the rest of the swine.

until there is strict accountability & justice meted out, to the uniformed psychopaths - as much as to civilian criminals, this situation will not change. even when it changes, constant vigilance is needed to maintain the change - because, given the sociopathic nature of the animal, it will break out into violence whenever conditions are suitable. it's like having a domesticated wolf as a watchdog - it must be kept on a chain; or, it will maul your kid, or a bystander, if it gets half a chance.

[IADEMO2004]

95. It was in a very small town. This cop has seen him on a bike many times.

I live in a town 3 times as big and we all know the special needs people when they are out traveling the town. The cop had to know this guy.

[tblue37]

138. Not necessarily--a lot of people are so self-absorbed that they are oblivious to

anything and anyone that is not directly related to their own needs or interests.

That cop may well have had a bad case of head-up-the-tushyism that prevented him from being aware of such people in his community.

[lonestarnot]

71. Fucking A!

[Maraya1969]

72. I hope they sue and the cop who killed him is made to pay somehow

We are a fucking police state! Being tazed is dangerous to a large group of people. And the police think they can just go around tazing and spraying and pushing people?

Unless people start fighting back in courts this is going to continue to get worse.

[Historic NY]

74. This might be ruled homicide yet........there was no PC to believe a crime

or anything else occured. The go to a call for an injuried man and then tase him.

[tblue37]

137. I collect police brutality articles--and I have several in which

the cops, after being called to help someone who was injured or who had been attacked, ended up asssaulting and either arresting or killing the person they were originally called to help--often even the person who called them.

They come in with the attitude that everyone they see at the scene is a "perp" and they aggressively go after them, creating situations in which completely innocent people naturally say, "Wait a minute? What are you doing?," which the cops then consider resisting arrest, failure to comply, or interfering/obstructing--and then they get even nastier.

[suffragette]

77. Reminds me of what was done to John Williams

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9074471

[uppityperson]

83. That was my first thought also.

[suffragette]

88. This article shows even stronger parallels

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10415249/
When Officer John Turner arrived, he saw Roger Anthony pedaling away along 10th Street. He followed Anthony in his patrol car, briefly put on his sirens and lights and yelled out of the window for him to stop, but Anthony continued to ride away, police said.

Williams said Turner then saw Anthony take something out his pocket and put it into his mouth. At that time, Turner got out of the car and yelled for Anthony to stop. When Anthony didn't stop, the officer used a stun gun on him, causing him to fall off of his bike.

Anthony was transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital, where he was declared brain dead, his sister Gladys Freeman said. He was taken off of life support on Tuesday.

Freeman said her brother was disabled, suffered from seizures and had trouble hearing. She said he was riding his bike home from her house on Sunday night. Anthony lived alone in an independent living community.




I hope the community comes together and denounces this, as they did here.

[minavasht]

79. OK

he died a day after being tazed.
The cause of death is still not known (per the article).
Also per the article he fell off his bike before the cops showed up and he looked like he had hurt himself.
How did they conclude that he was killed by the cops?

[struggle4progress]

105. because it's the daily mail - best used for lining birdcages

[minavasht]

126. Like it

:-)

[The Doctor.]

123. No, he was dead immediately after being tazed.

His body died when they took it off life support.

[minavasht]

125. I was tazed once

It was inconvenient and weird but in no way live ending experience.
There have been speculations that tazers can impact hearts of some people, but according to the article his brain was damaged - how was it damaged by the tazer? Any chance that it was caused by his fall from the bike? According to the article, he had fallen once before the cops were called. Many people die from head injuries.
Can't we wait until the medical examiner figures what happened?

[The Doctor.]

132. No, we don't have to 'wait' for the medical examiner to know that he was killed by a cop.

Did he have other problems? Sure. But don't tell me that because a shooting victim had terminal cancer, we can't be sure how he died. This poor fellow was riding a bike and alive, then he was tazed and dead.

There is too high a degree of certainty that had the taser not been in the equation he'd still be alive.

[minavasht]

143. Never mind

just saw that it was caused by blunt force trauma, caused by falling from the bike.

[struggle4progress]

127. ... A 61-year-old Halifax County man died Tuesday, a day after police shocked him

with a stun gun while he was riding his bike, family members said ...
Posted: 5:46 p.m. Tuesday
Updated: 11:02 a.m. Wednesday
Halifax County man dies after being shot with stun gun
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10415249/

[The Doctor.]

131. No, he was dead before he got to the hospital;

"Anthony was transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital, where he was declared brain dead, his sister Gladys Freeman said. He was taken off of life support on Tuesday."

Brain dead is 'dead' There is no question the man was killed by the actions of the police asshole.

[Rex]

82. Hmmm...how can he have 'failed to obey' if he was unaware

of any orders? I see the paper failed to report it accurately.

[Dead_Parrot]

90. Tune in next week...

...when police use telepathy to ask a black guy to empty his pockets, then machine gun the fuck out of him when he doesn't respond in a timely manner

[Rex]

124. Hey, if you don't have ESP you might be a terrerrristtt!

[NuttyFluffers]

87. maybe i'll just settle for police arms control...

perhaps the most they need is a baton and a megaphone. sounds safer for the community.

[klook]

91. There is a direct line from UC Davis to Scotland Neck, NC

Bullies in law enforcement feel emboldened by Lt. Pike's casual cruelty. They know the worst that can happen to them is probably "paid administrative leave."

[Vinca]

93. Thanks to the (primarily) Bush terror machine, every incident

is treated as if lethal force is required. Police departments have turned into the deadliest military units - in their minds, anyway. It has to stop now.

[Hanks]

94. Eldertly?

At 61 years old? Well then, what the hell would you call me? I'm 67 but still run 3 x week, 60 pushups/day, etc.

[fascisthunter]

135. so what did you think about the police brutality?

[GoneOffShore]

96. And the cop apologists here on DU are remarkably quiet.

The ones who think that a paramilitary police force is a good thing and that the guys who do this stuff are just "bad apples".

I'd love to be able to call these DU'ers out but that's against the rules.

[Johnny2X2X]

98. Sad

This is a symptom of 30 years of the drug war and thug tactics being taught by police schools. Since when did deadly force become an option for police when someone disobeys a command? It's led to so much police brutality and you see it evident at OWS rallies. Police should use force to stop a threat, they are now using force at the drop of a hat because some one didn't listen to them or maybe just gave them attitude. It's the training, they are being trained to brutalize people who speak their mind.

[struggle4progress]

102. ... WRAL reports officers had responded to a 911 call Monday night about a man who had fallen off

off his bicycle in the parking lot of a bank. The caller told dispatchers that the man appeared drunk and may have hurt himself ... Turner got out of the car and yelled for Anthony to stop. When Anthony didn't, the officer used a stun gun on him, causing him to fall off of his bike ...
N.C. probes death of bicyclist tased by police
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57330721/n.c-probes-death-of-bicyclist-tased-by-police/

... Freeman said her brother was disabled, suffered from seizures and had trouble hearing. She said he was riding his bike home from her house on Sunday night ...
Posted: 5:46 p.m. Tuesday
Updated: 11:02 a.m. Wednesday
Halifax County man dies after being shot with stun gun
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10415249/

... 61- year old Roger "Rabbit" Anthony died Tuesday at Pitt Memorial Hospital. Pitt County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as force blunt trauma to the head after a fall ...
SBI Investigates Halifax County Man's Death
By Jasmine Spencer
POSTED: 6:23 pm EST November 23, 2011
UPDATED: 11:35 pm EST November 23, 2011
http://www.wcti12.com/news/29847240/detail.html

... Police Chief Joe Williams told The Daily Herald the officer involved in Monday’s stun gun incident, John Turner, has been placed on administrative leave ... “I sent him home on paid leave until the outcome of the investigation,” Williams said ... “At this particular time, we are preparing everything to turn over to the SBI,” Williams said ...
Cause of death ruling could take three months
http://www.rrdailyherald.com/news/cause-of-death-ruling-could-take-three-months/article_41482b12-15eb-11e1-baf5-001cc4c03286.html

... The mayor of Scotland Neck called for North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation to look into what happened. He says Anthony did not pose a threat. Wednesday morning an SBI spokeswoman told WITN News they were asked by Scotland Neck police and the district attorney to investigate the death. Turner, who has only been on the force for a month, has been placed on desk duty.
Updated: 7:51 PM Nov 23, 2011
SBI Now Investigating Halifax County Taser Death
http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/134378973.html

... The family says they will be taking legal action against the police station.
Family: Police Should Never Have Tased Him
By: Jonathan Rodriguez
Published: November 22, 2011
Updated: November 23, 2011 - 11:44 AM
http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/nov/22/4/family-police-should-have-never-tased-him-ar-1638416/

[FreeBillClinton]

103. This stuff happens all the time. I'm glad the OWS abuse is causing DU to notice it.

[valerief]

111. Well, if it weren't for foreign papers reporting it, we might never know. nt

[valerief]

109. I wonder when the murdering officer will get his promotion and big bonus.

America hates Americans, so killing them is rewarded here by the .01%.

[Union Scribe]

112. The police have been made into an occupying army.

Except they don't have the brains or guts of most soldiers, so they're even more dangerous to the native population.

[Trillo]

113. May your journey over rainbow bridge be more pleasant.

Rest in peace, Roger Anthony.

[Dont call me Shirley]

114. You cops are out-of- control. You need patience and sensitivity training.

[Historic NY]

117. Turner, who has only been on the force for a month,..........WTF..

where was his Field Training Officer.......his academy grades must be something or he slept through TASER training.......he will be gone if not charged...the town better have had good insurance and the police depts training records better be perfect.

[Life Long Dem]

120. Looks like the use of deadly force to me.

Amnesty International warned on Tuesday against a proliferation of Taser stun guns, saying they were responsible for dozens of deaths in the United States and should only be used in extreme cases.

Amnesty said 334 people had died in the United States between 2001 and August 2008 after being zapped with Tasers...

"Tasers are not the 'non-lethal' weapons they are portrayed to be," said Angela Wright, the Amnesty researcher who wrote the report. "They can kill and should only be used as a last resort."

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/699271/amnesty-warns-taser-stun-guns-can-kill

[KamaAina]

122. The cop mentality does not allow for Deaf people

When the cop yells "Freeze!", you freeze. Or else. :scared:

A Deaf friend of mine ended up face down on the pavement in cuffs after a routine traffic stop.

[deafskeptic]

142. yep.

I noticed.

[awoke_in_2003]

136. I saw this last night...

and tried to respond. I couldn't, I just shut the computer off. After watching how peaceful protestors are treated in this country, and how people are treated if they don't automatically comply with the police sickens me. I am ashamed of this country.

[Vidar]

144. Cruel and unusual punishment, not to mention execution, is reserved for

innocent in this country.