"Don't tase me bro" Cops cleared

hsmith · 10-25-2007, 09:42 AM

Sorry, Bro, Tasering You Was Justified - AOL News

Sorry, Bro, Tasering You Was Justified

Officers Who Subdued Unruly University of Florida Student Cleared

AP
Posted: 2007-10-24 18:39:39
Filed Under: Nation News
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - University of Florida police were justified in using a Taser against a student who refused to stop questioning Sen. John Kerry on campus last month, according to a state investigation released Wednesday.

Some had questioned the use of force in using the stun gun against student Andrew Meyer, leading to the investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. A summary of the agency's report was released Wednesday.

"In short, the FDLE determined that our officers acted well within state guidelines," university President Bernie Machen said in a letter to students, faculty and staff.

Two officers who were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation were reinstated Wednesday, Machen said.

Rob Griscti, Meyer's attorney, said he had not yet reviewed the report and had no immediate comment. The journalism major is known for posting practical jokes online on his Web site.

The scuffle between Meyer and police started during the Sept. 17 speech by Kerry when Meyer refused to leave the microphone after his allotted time was up, police said. The videotaped altercation and Meyer's cries of "Don't Tase me bro!" were played frequently on the Internet.

The report says the officers' intent was to escort Meyer from the auditorium, but he broke away and refused to follow the officers' instructions.

"Officers decide not to escalate to hard empty hand strikes, kicks, knees or baton ... (it) would have looked like the officers were beating Meyer into submission," the report said.

The report, which has Meyer's name and that of other students blacked out, said the officers did what was necessary to control the student.

"Our purpose is, and has always been, to ensure a civil and safe environment where the many types of campus activities and open discourse can occur," said Police Chief Linda Stump.

Meyer has been charged by police for resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, but the State Attorney's Office has not yet decided whether to file formal charges.

Spencer Mann, a spokesman for the State Attorney's Office, said the decision may be made some time next week

What a surprise, the cops investigate themselves and find themselves innocent and did nothing wrong

WickedLou9 · 10-25-2007, 09:50 AM

I don't think they did anything wrong. The kid was resisting arrest. screw him.

Stylerod · 10-25-2007, 09:51 AM

I don't think they did anything wrong

hsmith · 10-25-2007, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I don't think they did anything wrong

Under what grounds did they detain him and stop him from speaking?

What were the formal charges?

Publius · 10-25-2007, 09:54 AM

I'm torn on the issue, personally. Was the kid being a dick and resisting the police trying to pull him off the mic? Yes. Was the kid breaching the rules set out for the Q&A session? Most likely. So from that perspective, I think it is justified.

Was the kid being profane or in any other way attacking Kerry? No. Was the kid prevented from exercising his free speech rights? Possibly. Were the police too quick and too liberal with the taser? Probably. From that perspective, I think it was unjustified.

7960 · 10-25-2007, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by hsmith

Under what grounds did they detain him and stop him from speaking?

On the grounds that they asked him to leave the area and he didn't. They didn't remove him from a public place....he had no right to be there, no right to free speech, and every expectation that if he was asked to leave he MUST comply.

hsmith · 10-25-2007, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Publius

I'm torn on the issue, personally. Was the kid being a dick and resisting the police trying to pull him off the mic? Yes. Was the kid breaching the rules set out for the Q&A session? Most likely. So from that perspective, I think it is justified.

Was the kid being profane or in any other way attacking Kerry? No. Was the kid prevented from exercising his free speech rights? Possibly. Were the police too quick and too liberal with the taser? Probably. From that perspective, I think it was unjustified.

The whole point being, you can't let the state investigate their own actions, i mean really

Even Kerry had no problem with the line of questioning from what i recall

hsmith · 10-25-2007, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

On the grounds that they asked him to leave the area and he didn't. They didn't remove him from a public place....he had no right to be there, no right to free speech, and every expectation that if he was asked to leave he MUST comply.

Was he asked to leave by the organizers? Why were the police the authority on what questions could and could not be asked?

7960 · 10-25-2007, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Publius

Was the kid being profane or in any other way attacking Kerry? No.

They cut off his mic within seconds of his saying something about clinton and "blow job." So yes, he was being profane.

Was the kid prevented from exercising his free speech rights? Possibly.

Not at all. He had no right to free speech there.

Were the police too quick and too liberal with the taser? Probably.

He did not leave when asked more than once, he fought back when being removed............I say "TASE HIM BRO!"

7960 · 10-25-2007, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by hsmith

Was he asked to leave by the organizers?

The police at the event did, yes.

Why were the police the authority on what questions could and could not be asked?

Because it was UF's forum.

7960 · 10-25-2007, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by hsmith

The whole point being, you can't let the state investigate their own actions, i mean really

Even Kerry had no problem with the line of questioning from what i recall

before we re-create this thread, here

A student asks Kerry a question and gets tasered

or if you don't want to then I'll just go back and copy/paste my replies from there.

Publius · 10-25-2007, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

On the grounds that they asked him to leave the area and he didn't. They didn't remove him from a public place....he had no right to be there, no right to free speech, and every expectation that if he was asked to leave he MUST comply.

The University of Florida is a state-owned public school, isn't it? Hasn't the law been pretty clear that as long as it isn't profane and hateful (or hate-inciting) language, a student at a public university is guaranteed his or her free speech rights under the first amendment?

Based on what I've been reading, it's kind of in a gray area and could go either way, Constitutionally speaking.

Publius · 10-25-2007, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

They cut off his mic within seconds of his saying something about clinton and "blow job." So yes, he was being profane.

Referencing an event is not necessarily profane, just because the event being referenced was sexual. Would it be profane of me to mention Alexander the Great and anal sex in the same sentence? Would it be less profane if he had referred to it as "oral sex" instead of a "blowjob" ?

Not at all. He had no right to free speech there.

That isn't something for you to decide. It's a gray area that I think needs to be considered by the Supreme Court (not necessarily this case specifically, but rather an overall revisiting of campus speech laws).

He did not leave when asked more than once, he fought back when being removed............I say "TASE HIM BRO!"

This is where I kind of lean in favor of the cops. He was resisting, but was his resistance enough to justify taser use that, from what I can see/hear from the video, was more than just a quick couple of seconds?

hsmith · 10-25-2007, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

The police at the event did, yes.

Because it was UF's forum.

The police organized the forum?

When and where did the organizers ask him to be removed?

7960 · 10-25-2007, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by Publius

The University of Florida is a state-owned public school, isn't it? Hasn't the law been pretty clear that as long as it isn't profane and hateful (or hate-inciting) language, a student at a public university is guaranteed his or her free speech rights under the first amendment?

so I can go on UF's campus and get a bullhorn and say "BLOW JOB" and not expect to be removed?

There's more to the reason why he was removed but if you're looking for "profane" there you go.

Publius · 10-25-2007, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

so I can go on UF's campus and get a bullhorn and say "BLOW JOB" and not expect to be removed?

There's more to the reason why he was removed but if you're looking for "profane" there you go.

just yelling blow job? nah, you'd likely be removed for profane language (though I'd argue that the word blowjob is not in and of itself profane).

Saying it in the context of the scandal surrounding Bill Clinton receiving one? I don't see how that is categorically profane.

hsmith · 10-25-2007, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

so I can go on UF's campus and get a bullhorn and say "BLOW JOB" and not expect to be removed?

There's more to the reason why he was removed but if you're looking for "profane" there you go.

Peaceful demostrations are allowed. I have seen pictures of aborted fetuses on Virginia Tech's campus when I went there at demonstrations. They bothered me, but were allowed.

Scrum · 10-25-2007, 10:12 AM

This was an appearance by Kerry, not an open forum like a townhall meeting. If he can't follow the rules then he should be escorted out if that's the organizers decision.

The taser was totally overboard though. The guy wasn't threatening anyone. Can't officers make an arrest without shocking someone?

Big surprise that they didn't find any fault with their own action.

Stylerod · 10-25-2007, 10:13 AM

You guys really need to go back into the other thread. All of this has already been said. Nothing new here at all.

Publius · 10-25-2007, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by hsmith

The whole point being, you can't let the state investigate their own actions, i mean really

Even Kerry had no problem with the line of questioning from what i recall

Yea, that in and of itself is the real issue here... Though I honestly don't see a way around it except creating another level of Federal bureaucracy just to try and police the state police forces, which goes counter to everything I believe.