06-30-2010, 04:49 PM

Courthouse News Service

and here was the filing of the grandmother and grandson against the police...

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/0...aserGranny.pdf

I mean, come on - how could police find an old person who is in no position or condition to fight back to be a threat valid enough for tasering?

06-30-2010, 05:05 PM

Unbelievable, Never been a fan of tasers police use them way too much, for whatever reason they choose. These cops should be fired.

07-01-2010, 11:46 AM

While I'm not a fan of police and find using tasers to be out of control... you might want to know a few more of the facts in this case.

1. The guy that called in the initial call to the police did so because granny was threatening to kill herself.

2. Granny may have been confined to a hospital bed, but she was also holding a kitchen knife so getting close to granny wasn't as easy as you might think unless you wanted to get stabbed or cut.

Now frankly stepping on Granny's air hose was probably the safest way to stop her and the taser was probably a little over the top... but granny was the one that told her grandson she was going to kill herself... and if she really wanted to kill herself that day why is she upset now she should have just asked the cops to raise the voltage and zap her again.

The real problem with this story is not so much what the police did but how the media has left out fairly important facts to manipulate the public into a frenzy.

07-01-2010, 12:19 PM

One sided stories are always the best though. Makes for good reading. >_<"

07-01-2010, 12:29 PM

One thing I noticed is that many of the articles are later then the ones I came across (actually came across because of another article) and some people who have read the stories have questioned the validity of whether there was a knife or not (we really won't know for sure unless the 911 tapes are released and/or testimony in the case is released) - and also whether she said she wanted to end it all (not saying she didn't - but as we haven't heard the tapes themselves, we really don't know what was said - only what the reporter said was said which may be incorrect for any number of reasons).

If you read the case documents ( http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/0...aserGranny.pdf ) of the filing with the court regarding the lawsuit, it states on page 3:

Lonnie’s grandmother was unable to tell him exactly when she had taken her meds, he was concerned and called 911 to ask for an emergency medical technician to come to her apartment to evaluate her.

That's a huge difference from saying he was concerned that his grandmother wanted to commit suicide.

But even if she had a knife - there is no real justification to taser an elderly person whom it appears was already being suffocated by police standing on her oxygen (I know if someone was standing on my oxygen supply I'd be fighting back to get them off it). The Police should have taken a step back to try to defuse the situation, as it seems right now they way overwhelmed someone - and really, what was the need for 10 police officers to be there. I could see 3 maybe but 10? It's not like some huge guy on crack waving a gun around threatening to kill people.

ps - I should note - and probably should have noted originally - I don't fully accept either story as I don't have a huge amount of faith in reported news stories (ie: trying to get out the story first, not checking facts, etc.) I'll be more interested in when the 911 tape is released and when / if actual court proceedings are released (I say if because it's very possible this will never make it to court) - My only feeling is that IMHO excessive force was used on an elderly, ill, (sounds like) bedridden person who, even if she was suicidal, should not have been assaulted like that.

07-01-2010, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Nethfel

what was the need for 10 police officers to be there. I could see 3 maybe but 10? It's not like some huge guy on crack waving a gun around threatening to kill people.

Having grown up in that part of the country in a small town, I can tell you that when a officer gets a call all the others on duty show up as they are generally bored senseless in small town and itchy for any possible action. That's why you had 10 show up for a domestic problem. Was there a need? No. But then I'm of the mind that the police are generally unneeded and we would be better off with insurance adjusters showing up for robbers than the police, it would at least save some time.

07-01-2010, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by dcognitive

Thats just crazy, i dont care if she had a knife or not, a well trained policeman/woman should have no problems whatsoever disarming an old lady of a knife!, the fact a taser was used in this situation just reeks of the lack of proper training, and a brain.

Unbelievable.

Unfortunately tasers, which were originally pushed as an option to go to instead of a gun, have become the first option for most police everywhere.

The proper mindset would be to pull a taser if you felt threatened enough to pull a gun... instead they pull a taser when a stout shout would suffice.

07-01-2010, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by thomas998

But then I'm of the mind that the police are generally unneeded and we would be better off with insurance adjusters showing up for robbers than the police, it would at least save some time.

Haha touche. Well said.

07-01-2010, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by thomas998

Unfortunately tasers, which were originally pushed as an option to go to instead of a gun, have become the first option for most police everywhere.

The proper mindset would be to pull a taser if you felt threatened enough to pull a gun... instead they pull a taser when a stout shout would suffice.

Why not a tranq gun? Would that be more humane?

07-01-2010, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by CrimsonRequiem

Why not a tranq gun? Would that be more humane?

Neither is good with me. Like the Police and Government need more control over me and my life.

07-02-2010, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by CrimsonRequiem

Why not a tranq gun? Would that be more humane?

2 problems with that idea. First tranqs wouldn't stop someone quickly enough, shoot someone with a gun and they would still be able to empty their clip before they went down... Second problem is the amount of tranquilizer in your dart, if you put enough to stop the biggest person you might shoot you would likely have enough to kill the smallest person you might shoot... and if you plan for a safe amount for the smallest person you wouldn't have enough to stop the biggest person... then there is the problem that some people would have allergic reactions to the tranquilizer and you would see some people die from it for that reason... not as safe as a tazer.

07-02-2010, 11:19 AM

I was tazed in college a friend was doing a paper on it and needed test subs... I was young dumb and pretty intoxicated lol lets just say to this day I cant walk by a power socket or see an electrical storm without feeling that pain LOL sheesh... its rough stuff... as for tranq gun.. I dont think that will happen but can you even think of a dart being shot out that fast at you OMG lol

07-02-2010, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by thomas998

2 problems with that idea. First tranqs wouldn't stop someone quickly enough, shoot someone with a gun and they would still be able to empty their clip before they went down... Second problem is the amount of tranquilizer in your dart, if you put enough to stop the biggest person you might shoot you would likely have enough to kill the smallest person you might shoot... and if you plan for a safe amount for the smallest person you wouldn't have enough to stop the biggest person... then there is the problem that some people would have allergic reactions to the tranquilizer and you would see some people die from it for that reason... not as safe as a tazer.

Well I was being sarcastic. I don't know how I would feel about using a taser on an elderly person. I think they could die from that too if they had a pacemaker or something.

Originally Posted by macjuicy23

I was tazed in college a friend was doing a paper on it and needed test subs... I was young dumb and pretty intoxicated lol lets just say to this day I cant walk by a power socket or see an electrical storm without feeling that pain LOL sheesh... its rough stuff... as for tranq gun.. I dont think that will happen but can you even think of a dart being shot out that fast at you OMG lol

I still think it would be kind of funny though. >_<" And for the record being tasered in the throat is not cool. >_>"