A West Kendall mother is fuming that police arrested her after shooting her son -- who has Down Syndrome -- with a Taser despite her cautioning them not to.
BY DAVID OVALLE
When her son with Down syndrome grew enraged in April, Ana V. Ramirez called 911 for help, but with a warning for police: Do not use a Taser on the young man. But an officer did use a stun gun, prompting Ramirez and another adult son to frantically try to pull the electrified prongs from Christian Pagan, 25, who suffers from a delicate heart condition.
Now, the mother and brother face trial on a charge of resisting arrest without violence. Prosecutors had dropped Ramirez's case last month, but refiled the charges Thursday after police complained, according to her defense attorney, Ricardo P. Hermida, who said the state was "browbeaten into a bogus refile." "In this case, the young prosecutor absolutely did the right thing and dumped the case'' initially, Hermida said.
Ramirez, 57, a former Circuit City manager, cares for her son full-time at their West Kendall house. Christian Pagan, a graduate of G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School, was born with a hole in his heart.
On April 22, Pagan had a violent outburst, storming around the house and cutting his hand as he thrashed about.
Ramirez dialed 911, but warned the dispatcher against using the Taser, according to a recording of the call.
"He's a handicap kid. I don't want them to shoot him with a Taser,'' she told the dispatcher.
In an interview Friday, she said: "His heart is not like mine or yours. It's weak.''
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