I think she deserved it and here is why. She thought just because she is 72 no one would tase her so she went and did whatever she wished. Well, she was shown who is boss. I hate people with a sense of entitlement. She got what she was entitled to, a taser right on the butthole.
Disagree. A 72-year-old finger can pull a trigger just as easily as a 20-year-old. How was this cop to know she wasn't armed? After all, it's Texas: they practically give guns away in this state. Fact is: the officer was faced with a defiant, argumentative citizen who was not complying with direction. The officer gave her multiple warnings. All she had to do was say "Yes, sir" and take her friggin' ticket. But she felt she was above the law. She felt she could do whatever she wanted. She was very mistaken. Personally, I think this woman is a contemptible human being. She deserved every volt, and then some.
That very well could be true, but I only agree with the use of tasers in the most extreme of circumstances. They are the most abused tool the a cop's arsenal. Cops used to do their jobs just fine handcuffing criminals, but it seems like today they feel the need to incapacitate them. It's pretty ridiculous imo. I have talked to an HPD officer who told me that he and his buddies love to taser people because it is "fun." Sick and pathetic
I'm going to go ahead and defer to your account of what happened on The Today Show with Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira as it appears you're a little more serious about it than I. Won't happen again, sorry.
oddly enough, I don't really care for any of this- someone beat me to the remote in the clubhouse gym this morning, and I was forced to watch it.
A number of policemen are nothing but high-school graduates who came to the realization that they were never going to be in a position of power where they'd have the opportunity to exert their authority, hence their desire to join the police force, allowing them to jerk people around during traffic stops and seek confrontation.
I actually agree with all of this...but that has nothing to do with this particular case. This wasn't a cop on a power-trip: this was an officer trying to issue a citation to a citizen who then became belligerent, profane, argumentative, and defiant. She was resisting him, impeding him from carrying out his duties. She was obviously becoming more and more incensed. SHE escalated this, not him. If she was 32, there would be no question that the officer's actions were justified. But because she's 72, the law doesn't apply to her? I say tase her again, just for good measure.
sounded like she was asking for it.... if it was me, i wouldve been tasered 30 seconds into the video if i was talkin all that shi!t
We were told that tasers are a tool available to circumvent using guns. At least, that is what I recall hearing when HPD was saying there were acquiring tasers. From what I saw from that video, a gun was not an option for that beligerant grandma. So if a gun isn't an option, why is a taser? Many cops are power hungry, desensitized jerks. Not all. Some. In my mind, that cop could have aprehended that woman without the use of a taser. Yes, she was asking for it and she was being an idiot. But she isn't a professional idiot ...regardless of how adept she is at it. However, he IS a professional officer. I expect the police to be held to higher standards than our citizens.
Which carried a greater risk of injury, tasing or forcible handcuffing? I'm assuming the nightstick is right out.
In my opinion, there's no question that tasering someone is more dangerous, especially someone of the age group this woman is in. The electric shock could stop your heart or bring on a heart attack. Forcibly handcuffing a person might produce bruises, maybe even a fracture, but not an electrical shock to the heart or the central nervous system. I'll add that I think the cop went way overboard. I live in Austin and this was rediculed on some of the radio talk shows for months. The cop was made fun of for having to resort to using a taser on "a little old lady." Fair? I wasn't there, but the public perception seemed to lean towards the cop being a chump for resorting to using his taser.
couldnt the adrenaline of being restrained also bring on a heartattack? you can have "could've" arguments all day.
again, how would they have reacted if he hade forceble subdued her...like taking her down to the ground. It's a lose lose situation for the cop. Plus, it's not like people give cops the benefit of the doubt
Yes, you can argue about it all day. As I said, it's my opinion. Were it happening to me, I'd much prefer the forcible handcuffing.
yeah, but seeing someone tasered is so much more fun. Especially when they make the "UUGGGGHHHHHHHH" noise
I'm not sure which would be worse for a 72 year old in that scenario, getting tackled to the pavement or tasered? Either way he is screwed and will get all kinds of grief for "excessive force".
I think a lot of this really depends on training. If this cop hasn't been properly trained in how to properly restrain someone him just tackling her and rolling her over into position to be cuffed might be more dangerous than the taser. IMO many police aren't properly trained in restraint techniques and it seems like they are substituting the taser for restraint and compliance techniques that would be far safer. In this situation I'm going to stand by what I said earlier that I think this was unnecessary from the standpoint of the cop. While the grandma certainly should've shown some better judgement I think the officer could've have too.
How hard is it to STFU and do what a peace officer asks? The lady was obviously venting her frustation [sic] through being a back-talkin' uneducated grandma. That's preposterous.
