72 year old woman tasered in Austin. Justified?? (Portland, Hamilton: shop, food)

[cls88]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

What irks me is that these news stories are always precipitated by someone behaving badly, often very badly, but instead of holding that individual accountable, first and foremost, for the consequences of that chosen behavior, it's the law enforcement response or reaction to that behavior that receives all the scrutiny and harsh judgement.

That is the problem with our society. Some people don't take responsibilities for their actions and the rest of society has to feel sorry for them otherwise we are not "compassionate".

I remember reading some lawsuits by robbers/thieves over homeowner insurance. All the bad guys won in those cases, which make one wonder about where we are standing as a society.

One case was a robber went into a garage and found out the door opener of the garage wouldn't work after he was done stealing. So the robber had to live on dog food and some soft drinks in the garage until the homeowner came back from their vacation. Another robber won his suit because he was bitten by a dog that was fenced in and lashed.

It looks like the Austin tax payers have to pay a big sum of compensation to this old lady who broke the law in the end.

[CptnRn]

There is no question that the women behaved badly, and I have no doubt that she will and should be punished appropriately for her behavior. I am all in favor of that.

However, we have to hold professional law enforcement personnel a higher standard. This deputy failed to perform up to the standard that we are entitled to expect, and he also should be punished accordingly.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by love roses

???

Haven't you noticed that every time one of our civil rights is abridged, it's 'for the children'? Just listen.

[artsyguy]

Why should she be punished? She was already electrocuted. What more does she need.

Force her to pay for her ticket and fine her for resisting arrest and move on. Get over it.

Originally Posted by CptnRn

There is no question that the women behaved badly, and I have no doubt that she will and should be punished appropriately for her behavior. I am all in favor of that.

However, we have to hold professional law enforcement personnel a higher standard. This deputy failed to perform up to the standard that we are entitled to expect, and he also should be punished accordingly.

[AustinExPat]

I've been trying to get myself to feel sorry for Granny Winkfein, but I'm sorry; I just can't. It seems to me the one thing you do not want a policeman to do is fail to enforce his orders when someone acts the way she did. And has anyone considered the possibility that tasing this particular 72-year-old was safer than wrestling her into his patrol car, and that with his training the constable could tell that it was?

[artsyguy]

The people of Austin probably want her to do jail time in some putrid cell.

I thought Austin was a liberal city. I guess not.

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

I'll admit, some of your replies are a bit scary. I bet your jury trials are interesting.

*shudder*

[artsyguy]

Maybe you just don't feel sorry for people in the first place
You know, it's not of your nature....wink wink.

Originally Posted by AustinExPat

I've been trying to get myself to feel sorry for Granny Winkfein, but I'm sorry; I just can't. It seems to me the one thing you do not want a policeman to do is fail to enforce his orders when someone acts the way she did. And has anyone considered the possibility that tasing this particular 72-year-old was safer than wrestling her into his patrol car, and that with his training the constable could tell that it was?

[artsyguy]

What ever happened to calling for backup? Cops do that all the time.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

Why should she be punished? She was already electrocuted. What more does she need.

Force her to pay for her ticket and fine her for resting arrest and move on.

Forcing her to pay for her ticket and a fine for resisting arrest is exactly what I'm talking about when I wrote "punished". Punishment appropriate to the crime. Tasering is torture in my opinion and not appropriate to the crime.

[artsyguy]

First of all you are refusing to acknowledge the elderly lady is not a burglar/robber/thief and she did not get bitten by a dog.

She got a traffic ticket, and did not admit guilt to it. The officer acted abusively because he jumped the gun by tasering her instead of calling for back up or a supervisor like most cops will do in tricky situations.

This lady deserves due process which is her right. Siding with the cop denies the lady of her due process rights. Like another poster said "this is not Nazi Germany". It's Austin,Texas though.....blegghh.

Originally Posted by cls88

That is the problem with our society. Some people don't take responsibilities for their actions and the rest of society has to feel sorry for them otherwise we are not "compassionate".

I remember reading some lawsuits by robbers/thieves over homeowner insurance. All the bad guys won in those cases, which make one wonder about where we are standing as a society.

One case was a robber went into a garage and found out the door opener of the garage wouldn't work after he was done stealing. So the robber had to live on dog food and some soft drinks in the garage until the homeowner came back from their vacation. Another robber won his suit because he was bitten by a dog that was fenced in and lashed.

It looks like the Austin tax payers have to pay a big sum of compensation to this old lady who broke the law in the end.