95-year-old Executed for Refusing to Obey Orders

Maybe if we take their military toys away they'll stop acting like special ops assholes treating innocent citizens like terrorists armed with nukes.

Diane Sweet at Crooks and Liars:

This report has left me stunned. A Taser and bean bag rounds shot at a 95-year-old man who -- for whatever reason -- refusing to get into an ambulance?!? WTF?

The 95-year-old resident of an Illinois nursing home died early Saturday, hours after being shocked with a Taser and bean bag rounds in a confrontation with police.

Via:

"Officers were called to the 100 block of Main Street in Park Forest at 8:42 p.m. when the man became combative with a private ambulance company attempting to involuntarily transport him for medical treatment, Park Forest police said. The facility is Victory Centre of Park Forest, a "supportive living" center for senior citizens, according to the company's website.

The man was threatening facility staff and paramedics with a metal cane and a two-foot metal shoehorn when officers arrived, police said.

He refused to drop the items when commanded and instead grabbed a 12-inch butcher knife, police said.

The officers attempted to Taser the man to no avail and then struck him with bean bag rounds, which finally caused the man to drop the knife, police said."

John Warna, 95, was conscious and talking when he arrived at the hospital, according to police.

However, he was pronounced dead by 2:30 a.m. according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Digby:

I'm sure they had no alternatives. These strapping police officers must have felt terribly frightened by a senile 95 year old man. They had to shoot him full of electricity and kill him. What else could they do?

And anyway, no harm no foul. If they hadn't tasered him to death they would have had to shoot him dead with their guns. Because everyone knows that tasers are only used in cases where officers would otherwise use their service revolvers. Amirite?

You know, I suspect that cops used to have a few other tricks up their sleeves to deal with frail, demented geriatrics other than torturing them with electricity. I guess those are lost arts. Torture is the number one go-to when authorities want cooperation from anyone, regardless of the situation, no matter how much overkill it is. It saves time and teaches the public a lesson in bowing down to authority on command.

I'll bet that old man won't try that again any time soon.

Oh wait ...