I actually, I think Casey brings up a valid point. In the case of the police officer, the tazing would undoubtedly by classified as an example of brutality. However, in a case where an officer ONLY tazed a suspect, the tazing would most likely not be considered brutality. In this particular instance, the logic doesn't hold that since waterboarding (in the case file I posted, the water was forced into a soldier's respiratory system using tubes) was included in a set of torture charges, that a case of stand alone waterboarding is torture.
I don't know that tazing is really considered brutality is it? You can use it against unarmed suspects. Waterboarding is and has always been a form torture.
I do think that in the situation that Casey described, tazing would be considered brutality in any charges filed against the officer.
Intent is what matters with respect to tazing, or shooting, or use of pepper spray, or batons. If you taze someone who is out of control to subdue them, it is proper and good. If you taze them once you have them in their cell to get them to confess, or give up their coconspirators, or for fun, or because you become aroused watching people in pain, those are all example of torture and are violations of the laws of the USA.
