Taser-Taught Lessons

At this point, the mountain of proof that tasering is lethal, counter-productive, expensive and stupid is so overwhelming that what we should be seeking is any sliver of evidence that police tasering accomplishes any legitimate police objective, as opposed to just torturing citizens who don't submit instantly to ridiculous police demands.

Jon Walker at Firedoglake:

In the past decade at least 500 people in the United States who were shocked by Tasers died during their arrest or soon after while in jail, according to data from Amnesty International. As a result, Amnesty is calling for new, tougher restrictions on the use of the technology. From Amnesty International:

The deaths of 500 people following police use of Tasers underscores the need for tighter rules limiting the use of such weapons in law enforcement, Amnesty International said.

According to data collected by Amnesty International, at least 500 people in the USA have died since 2001 after being shocked with Tasers either during their arrest or while in jail.

On 13 February, Johnnie Kamahi Warren was the latest to die after a police officer in Dothan, Alabama deployed a Taser on him at least twice. The 43-year-old, who was unarmed and allegedly intoxicated, reportedly stopped breathing shortly after being shocked and was pronounced dead in hospital less than two hours later.

“Of the hundreds who have died following police use of Tasers in the USA, dozens and possibly scores of deaths can be traced to unnecessary force being used,” said Susan Lee, Americas Programme Director at Amnesty International.

I think this is an important moment to again highlight the fact that there is currently no such thing as “non-lethal” police weapons. Under the right conditions rubber bullets, pepper spray, beanbag rounds, electricity based weapons, etc., can result and have resulted in deaths.

This is critical to keep in mind as we continue to pay for a radical militarization of American police forces and tactics. Police have shown a growing willingness to freely use these “less lethal” — but potentially still deadly — weapons in highly inappropriate circumstances, such as to simply inflict pain on non-violent protesters.

Or just randomly torture people for no reason. Digby:

Radley Balko pointed me to this story on twitter earlier:

Adam Greene is on his stomach as a pack of police officers pile on him, driving their knees into his back and wrenching his arms and legs. One officer knees him in the ribs; another kicks him in the face.

"Stop resisting [motherfucker]," officers on the video yell, but Greene, his face pushed into the pavement, hasn't resisted. He doesn't even move -- maybe can't move -- because he's gone into diabetic shock caused by low blood sugar.

He'd been pulled over for drunk driving and was unmoving behind the wheel. So they pulled him out and started beating on him. And yes, like so many excessive force incidents, the officers yelled "stop resisting" as the person in custody is screaming in pain. (This is obviously something they're taught to do for the dashboard camera so that it appears that they have reason to do what they're doing.)

What made me highlight this one is that when I read the story it reminded me that I'd written about several other events with similar details:

SNIP

It would appear that being a diabetic is dangerous to your health in more ways than one. With police being empowered to use excruciating pain against anyone they believe is being disrespectful or non-compliant, sick people are increasingly in danger.

It's not as if a little common sense --- and a little less adrenaline --- couldn't prevent this sort of thing. In three of these cases the person wasn't violent or threatening in any way. (The fourth was a fellow who flailed at a cop while having a seizure, which anyone with a brain should understand was involuntary.) How could they be compliant? They were in a diabetic stupor.

You don't even have to be sick, mentally ill, breaking the law or being disrespectful. Just being in need of police "instruction" gets you electrocuted these days.

Digby again:

Be advised that walking your dog off leash could get you electrocuted by the authorities.

A Montara man walking two lapdogs off leash was hit with an electric-shock gun by a National Park Service ranger after allegedly giving a false name and trying to walk away, authorities said Monday.

The park ranger encountered Gary Hesterberg with his two small dogs Sunday afternoon at Rancho Corral de Tierra, which was recently incorporated into the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, said Howard Levitt, a spokesman for the park service.

Hesterberg, who said he didn't have identification with him, allegedly gave the ranger a false name, Levitt said.

The ranger, who wasn't identified, asked Hesterberg to remain at the scene, Levitt said. He tried several times to leave, and finally the ranger "pursued him a little bit and she did deploy her" electric-shock weapon, Levitt said. "That did stop him."

San Mateo County sheriff's deputies and paramedics then arrived and Hesterberg gave his real name, the park spokesman said.

Hesterberg, whose age was not available, was arrested on suspicion of failing to obey a lawful order, having dogs off-leash and knowingly providing false information, Levitt said.

Witnesses said the use of a stun gun and the arrest seemed excessive for someone walking two small dogs off leash.

"It was really scary," said Michelle Babcock, who said she had seen the incident as she and her husband were walking their two border collies. "I just felt so bad for him."

Babcock said Hesterberg had repeatedly asked the ranger why he was being detained. She didn't answer him, Babcock said.

To be clear. What this means is that if a park ranger stops you for walking your dogs off leash, you are not to ask any questions or fail to carry the proper ID or you risk being shot through with 50,000 volts. This is now the way things work. Apparently, before the taser, this park ranger would have had to shoot this person in the back with a revolver.

Tasers have turned cops into thugs who use the weapon to demand not just compliance but respect. Someone who is walking his dogs off leash is simply not doing something that would draw this kind of response for any other reason.

Get this:

Rancho Corral de Tierra has long been an off-leash walking spot for local dog owners. In December, the area became part of the national park system, which requires that all dogs be on a leash, Levitt said.

The ranger was trying to educate residents of the rule, Levitt said.

Zapping citizens with a taser is certainly one way to train them. In a science fiction dystopia.

Sadly, that's exactly what tasers are doing: they are training citizens to immediately comply with government authorities on command.

Well, at least we know we're free.