Police zap 75 yr old woman w/ taser

[rainbow4321]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BRF_TASER_NURSING_HOME?SITE=TXBAY&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT



ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) -- A police officer used a stun gun on a 75-year-old woman who became distraught when she could not locate a sick friend at a nursing home, according to an internal report.

Officer Hattie Jean Macon received a verbal warning and was required to attend a Taser retraining course after the investigation found she acted prematurely when she used the 50,000-volt Taser, according to the report released Thursday.

Macon was called to the nursing home after Margaret Kimbrell refused to leave. Kimbrell has said she was distraught after the staff would not disclose the location of her sick friend, and she became concerned the friend had died.

Kimbrell jerked away from the officer and swung her arm at Macon, according to a police report. The officer then fired the Taser, police said.

[purduejake]

1. Here's an easy fix:

The cops get tasered for each person they taser prematurely. End of problem.

[MercutioATC]

4. Actually, part of TASER training is to take a TASER hit.

...at least it was at the Sheriff's Office where I worked years ago.

[Bark Bark Bark]

9. True. But if they took a hit every time...

...they "calmed down" a 9-year-old handcuffed girl with a zapper (see other posts) or something like that, after their third or fourth victim the more triggerhappy officers would have to choose between getting off on torture and retaining their bladder control. Adult diapers still aren't 'in fashion,' so...

[TwentyFive]

2. So the cop can't restrain a 75 year old woman?

If this cop was afraid of her, he needs to get a job cutting lawns. What did he think she was going to do, mace him with some Preparation H?

[livinginphotographs]

3. Man, do those cops love their tasers.

DU's LBN forum should have a feature where whenever you type "T-" the word "Taser" should automatically fill in.

But, I'll ask it again, just to be on record: What the fuck is wrong with people? (cops)

[shawcomm]

6. Yep. They get to shoot someone without (usually) killing them.

They seem to get off on being able to use a weapon of some sort. I hate that COPS show, but it seems the small fraction of time when flipping past it, I invariably see some cop shooting pepper spray. They are told these are 'non-lethal' and think that means non-harmful.

If a cop cannot deal with a woman nearing her 80s, then he or she doesn't have the judgement to be a police officer.

They're like politicians - the people who want the job probably shouldn't be allowed to.

[livinginphotographs]

7. If you don't mind...

I'm going to steal your line about "the people who want the job probably shouldn't be allowed to"

[miss_kitty]

5. not the first time

some old lady was tasered in oregon last year-I'll see if I can find some link:

here's a gross one:
Cop Uses Taser On Handcuffed 9-Yr Old
http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=41576&rubrik1=Current+Events&rubrik2=Crimes&rubrik3=Assault&sort=1&start=1

still looking for the old lady story

here's another:
Police use Taser to subdue boy, 11
http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=26609

Still looking for the 71 yo BLIND woman tasered by Portland cops story...

Ok here's the fallout (she was toothless too)
Police settle excessive force suit with 71-year-old woman
http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=66687

[slor]

8. Now now, my friends, this is...

a standard police PR move. They have conducted a series of taser incidents with children and what better way to fight undue criticism for that. Why, you do the lunar opposite and taser...thats right...TASER THE ELDERLY! Sounds like a sound policy to me!

[Bark Bark Bark]

10. Generic Taser-Incident Response

...because you see something like this every time a thread like this is started anyway, we should just get it out of the way immediately.

(cut, save, and paste when needed)

WEL AT LESAT TEH COP DIN'T SHO0OT THE PRSON

ID RATHR B SHT WIH TASR THAN A REVLVR

IN FAC SHOOTE MYSELLF WTH TAESR 1NCE/DAY OR SO JUST TO BULID UP RESSITNCE BUTT NOWE MY PEE CMES OUT ALL OVER N IT HERT &SMELLIKE BAKEON TO. MY HART HERT 2 AN MY AYES TAST FUNY. OW

[livinginphotographs]

11. Too funny.

One thing you forgot: WHY DO U HATE AMURICA?

[baldguy]

12. Isn't dealing with "distraught" people part of a cop's job description?

If you over-react to stressful situations, then thats not the job for you.