72 year old woman tasered in Austin. Justified?? (Howe, Wink: insurance, compensation)

[Miami Vice]

I would have kept her in the truck from the start. If she failed to sign the ticket, I would have simply written a second ticket for refusing to sign. I would have given her both copies, and sent her on her way.

I don't like to Monday morning quarterback, but I would have handled it differently.

In Florida, it's a second degree misdemeanor. She wouldn't have to automatically go to jail. It's the officer's discretion. The second ticket for refusing to sign is a charging document, also known as a promise to appear. (PTA)

Some officers take things too personal. They could have both been on their way. Instead, she went to the hospital/jail, and he's on national news. I look at the big picture. Keep stress to a minimum, and count my days to a young retirement.

[tibbar]

If I was that woman and acted as she did, and was warned as much as she was, I would expect to be tasered.

My husband thinks it was wrong and to much force was used. My sister DOES have a gun in her car so I can see why the officer might not want the woman getting back in her Pickup. How many police men have been killed when stopping a car for a traffic violation? I am sure I have read of that happening.

[BentBow]

Yes, what about the elderly man that shot the DPS trooper dead, down in Kyle, a couple of years ago.

[homeinatx]

Quite rightly, one tough grandma is being charged with resisting arrest - and I think they should charge her for obstruction of a public highway etc. Let the law run its course. Similarly, the constable deputy should be sanctioned, and possibly fired - he does not know how to do his job. You don't taser elderly people, small children and pregnant women - the risks of significant injury and fatality are too high. And she certainly told him often enough how old she was. He is lucky that he did not kill her (so is she. . .) I think a strong case could be made for charging him with reckless endangerment. Also make them share a bedroom at a week-long anger management intervention!

[iceshots]

This topic was being discussed on the radio yesterday morning. I did not catch the whole thing but there seemed to be a reference to her doing this same thing before in Burnet County. Did anyone hear anything similar?

I look at the video and I think this woman is a combination of Sophia from the Golden Girls and Benny Lopes from George Lopez. Old, spunky with an attitude. Wouldn't want to cross that!.

[austin-steve]

If this were a 20 yo male or even female, we probably wouldn't have this discussion right now. The question is whether the officers have to treat each individual differently when they perform their job/enforce the law. Do we want them to treat older people one way, males another, females another, and different race differently too?

We shouldn't treat individuals differently, but apparently we should. It's not allowed, but if you don't do it, you get in trouble and splashed all over the news.

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.

I know I'm not raising my kids to think like victims, or to blame others when their bad bahavior causes them unhappiness. I wish the news media and general public would call these things for what they are. In this case, a really stupid belligerent old lady getting exactly what she deserved, and an officer, confronted with this moron, trying patiently to do it right and resorting to what seemed like the next best step at the moment. I can't judge him, only her. She caused it all.

Steve

[statefan]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

We shouldn't treat individuals differently, but apparently we should. It's not allowed, but if you don't do it, you get in trouble and splashed all over the news.

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.

I know I'm not raising my kids to think like victims, or to blame others when their bad bahavior causes them unhappiness. I wish the news media and general public would call these things for what they are. In this case, a really stupid belligerent old lady getting exactly what she deserved, and an officer, confronted with this moron, trying patiently to do it right and resorting to what seemed like the next best step at the moment. I can't judge him, only her. She caused it all.

Steve

(I'd do them all the way across and down if I had the time!)

[austinite45]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

when is the last time you saw someone approve of the methods of an arrest by police of a violent offender. a few months back, i saw 30 cops try to take down gently a gangbanger at the trolley.
he was trying to hit his head on the black and white so he could file a law suit and assaulting the officers the entire time screaming police brutality the entire time, the cops never touched him i watched the whole thing.
tell me how its done --- in a gentle manner --non violent arrest of the violent go ahead im listening. when is the last time you saw anybody on CDF approve of any police action, ever. resident felons post here alot.

I don't know about you but I would let the gangbanger hit his head on the car until his passes out ... then take him. There's video to prove it, right?

There are plenty of legitimate ways of arresting an uncooperative person. Tasering a 72 yr old female, however, is outrageous unless she was armed.

This is America, not Nazi Germany.

Taser guns have killed people before.

An arrest does not have to be gentle all the time but it does have to be legal in all aspects.

It's laughable to argue that an unarmed 72 year old female can pose any danger to a young, trained police officer.

The average male begins to decline physically (barring regular, disciplined physical training) after 40-45, which is why age limits of military drafts generally fall in the range. And you want to argue that a 72 year old female can be dangerous? PLEASE!

[austinite45]

I think the officer should be admonished, given an official warning and a suspension, with a record entered in his file.

The old lady has a civil case against the officer and/or the city in my opinion.

[love roses]

If you think it's laughable that an unarmed 72 yr. female can pose any danger to a young, trained police officer then you may want to see what Ray and Faye Copeland did to several 20 yr. old men on their farm or look at answers.google.com (question: motivations for murder). Someone posted an excellent reply about how elderly can become extremely angry if they feel threatened and can be a serious danger regardless of how old the person they are angry at is. You may also want to read the story of Helen Golay and Olga Ruttershmidt. This 72 yr. old granny could have gotten angry enough to wrest that cops handgun out of his belt and the story would probably have a different outcome all around. Another possibility is that her behavior stems from Dementia, but we don't know that for sure.