AZspot AZspot

blue bits. red rocks.
Thursday 11 October 2012
Death by taser, caught on tape

Unfortunately, police commonly taser people in the US who are already in handcuffs and in custody and it doesn’t raise a hue and cry. They usually say, as the officer in that video does, that they had to do it for their own safety but it’s quite clear it’s because they are trying to force “compliance.” They lie because it’s impossible to explain how someone who is mentally ill, high on drugs or in the midst of having an epileptic fit can be expected to understand the commands to “comply.” And frankly, when you listen to the agitated police screaming at the person to stop struggling, it’s quite clear that if “excited delirium” exists it is a disease that afflicts the authorities as well.

I’ve come to believe that tasers are deadly torture devices and I think they should be banned. (I didn’t always think so, but I no longer believe the authorities can be trusted with such a device.) But if they are used, there should definitely be zero tolerance for using them on anyone who is handcuffed in custody. It’s as outrageously immoral as using a cattle prod. The police can back off and let the person flail if that’s what it takes. Hitting them repeatedly with electro-shock on the scene is no different than hitting them repeatedly over the head with a baton.

32 notes

  1. jjarichardson reblogged this from other-stuff
  2. silas216 reblogged this from azspot
  3. thisisntliving reblogged this from azspot
  4. bones6691 reblogged this from azspot
  5. suoicsnoc reblogged this from azspot
  6. dom72 reblogged this from elodiedreams
  7. relaytheurgency reblogged this from azspot and added:
    Not to be a stickler, but it is actually quite different. Beating someone over the head repeatedly with a baton is going...
  8. elodiedreams reblogged this from azspot
  9. randomactsofchaos reblogged this from azspot
  10. highvibrationsattract reblogged this from azspot
  11. other-stuff reblogged this from azspot
  12. awesomestman reblogged this from azspot
  13. qrookedqueer reblogged this from azspot
  14. azspot posted this

A GNT creation ©2007–2013