One Man's Arrest Story

[Wednesdays]

After I posted about how arrested people get their pictures printed in newspapers (even before they're convicted) in this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9757014 , I thought I'd take a peek at the background of one of the pictured prisoners.

This crime newspaper from Columbus Mississippi had a man's picture that caught my eye. He was arrested November 19 for "simple assault on a police officer," and apparently had been beaten.

Pic:


I looked up his story, from another Columbus site:

Just before 11:30 Friday night, Columbus Police were contacted by a fugitive recovery agent at the Columbus Fairgrounds, where a large party was being held. The agent reported that he had two suspects, Larzarius Fisher and Justin Sanders, in custody for warrants and needed a patrol unti to come transport them to LCADC. Officers Bo Pearson and Robert Walker responded to the Fairgrounds to assist. After giving a fake name and birthday, Fisher tried to run and was tackled by party security. After being restrained, Fisher was placed in the backseat of Pearson's patrol car followed shortly by Sanders.

While Pearson checked with security about any further charges against the two, Larzarius Fisher started kicking the rear driver's side window of the patrol car. Fisher kicked out the window, sending glass into Pearson's face. At this time, Officer Walker was inside, trying to control a fight, so Pearson was forced to subdue Fisher alone. In the process, Pearson received two kicks to the face. Pearson attempted to use his Taser on the subject, but it had little effect. After ushering several people outside from the club, Officer Walker assited Pearson in pulling Fisher from the car. Fisher continued to violently resist, and the officers were forced to use another Taser on him, again with little effect. One of the party security guards sprayed Fisher with pepper spray, finally calming him down enough for the officers to get leg restraints in place.

(One female on scene caught some of the pepper spray to her face. She got very hostile with the police when she was offered medical assistance, and was restrained by officers. Once calm, and with her eyes cleaned out, she was released and was not charged with any offense. - JD)

The crowd from the party, emptying into the parking lot, was getting more riled up as officers subdued Fisher. A call was sent out for more officers and the Fairgrounds soon filled up with flashing lights as most of the CPD and several Sheriff's Deputies arrived on scene to assist. Once there, they helped control and disperse the crowd to limit the risk to officers on scene.

Fisher was then hog-tied and put in the back of a different patrol car and was immediately taken to LCADC. He was charged with Simple Assault of a Police Officer, Malicious Mischief, Attempting to Escape, Giving False Information, Disorderly Conduct and Public Drunkeness on top of the outstanding warrants he was originally taken into custody for. Sanders was taken to LCADC in a seperate car and was charged only with two outstanding Contempt of Court warrants..

Link to story (scroll about 80% of the way down, to "Arrest at Columbus Fairgrounds"):
http://myweb.cableone.net/columbuspacket/archive.html

Pic of the incident:


Okay, my comments:

Number one--I think Columbus Packet ought to invest in a spell checker, or make use of it if they've already got one.

Next--I think every effort should have been made to apprehend the guy, but it sounds like the situation devolved into a total riot, and it's up to police to prevent that. Why was there a fight that Officer Walker had to "control?" What do you want to bet that pandemonium had erupted, and that the fight involved Officer Walker in the first place?

In the end, Mr. Fisher was beaten, tased (twice), pepper-sprayed, and hog-tied. It's unclear what his outstanding warrants were about, but it's possible they were merely bench warrants for unpaid traffic tickets.

This part bothered me the most: "One female on scene caught some of the pepper spray to her face. She got very hostile with the police when she was offered medical assistance, and was restrained by officers." She just happened to have her face sprayed with pepper spray, and they wonder why she got hostile?

"Once calm, and with her eyes cleaned out, she was released and was not charged with any offense." How nice of them.

Oh, and get a load of the comments here:
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=8918

[KansDem]

1. "Columbus Police were contacted by a fugitive recovery agent "

"Fugitive recovery agent?"

Do they mean "Bounty hunter?"