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Holster That Taser, Bro

By John Mesirow

A 14-year-old Canadian girl was arrested for being drunk and disorderly (she later pleaded guilty) and was placed in a cell. Maybe it's just me, but how much of a threat can a girl that age - in a jail cell - be? As reported by canada.com:

Roberts [the family's lawyer] said the two officers used the conductive energy device after the girl had been ?sporadically peeling paint from the walls of her jail cell.? The lawsuit said she ?remained motionless for nearly an hour.?

You taser a girl in a cell for peeling paint? I know, that's the family's lawyer talking. Well, there is a video of the whole thing, which the girls father has seen, but the police won't release. Hmmm.

Roberts said a surveillance video taken in the jail cell that has been viewed by the girl?s father and the native band chief allegedly showed the girl scream as she was pinned down and Tasered for three seconds by the officers. He said police have refused to turn over the video to him.

I'm with the family's lawyer on this one.

?This is not a matter of us being anti-cop because we know that most cops do a great service for us every day,? he said. ?This tool is something that is to be used only in emergency situations, and now it is being used frequently. I don?t understand why they feel the need to apply an electric shock to a 14-year-old girl presenting no danger to herself or anyone.?

Here's the source.

Full post as published by Legal Juice on February 07, 2009 (boomark / email).