More than a million people watched the video on "YouTube." Massey was shocked to see his new found fame. The footage may have never been seen had Massey not made a records request to obtain the tape.Currently, misconduct reports are available in Utah with an official records request. Under the bill SB260, sponsored by Senator Chris Buttars, the video and investigation report from Massey's tazering might have been kept secret from the public and journalists.
*Original Story and Comments from November 24th 2007.
I posted recently about the Canadian taser controversy. Now this video is brewing up controversy all over the net, I have had several discussions with people and I am curious to what the AOLers think.
Here are some of the observations I have made.
1. The cop pulls the guy over as the speeder passes the temporary speed sign.
2. The driver pulls over immediately, there is no high octane chase.
3. The driver argues the speeding ticket and is unwilling to sign. (In Canada we don't sign our tickets, is it required to sign in Utah?)
4. The Driver had a baby in the car.
5. The cop asked the driver to leave the car and within 14 seconds of that demand the taser was fired.
6. The cop had drawn his gun after no physical or verbal abuse from the driver.
7. The cop demanded the speeder turn around, and shot after he did.
8. The speeder took a few paces away from the cop.
9. The cop did not read the speeder his rights before arresting him. (I have been told this doesn't matter)
10. The cop lied by saying afterwards that he warned the driver he would be "tased," he also said the driver was "jumping around" and claims he warned the driver that he wasn't "going to play this game."
Here is the full story as reported by KUTV.
Now, I am fully aware that American cops are much different from Canadian in how they handle almost every situation. I just don't see any reason here for the use of a Taser, do you?
*Update: Nov 24th:* - The United Nations believes Tasers are a form of torture, they also note three Americans have died this week because of Tasers and Canadians are dropping like stones.
*edited in additional news from CBS, including an interview with the taser victim Jared Massey .
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 10)
1. It's all about getting revenge on the part of the cops who do that. They like playing the part of a petty dictator, torturing anyone who doesn't do exactly what they say.
Cops get no real-world taser training. It's all in controlled conditions, where the person knows s/he will get tased. Thus, there's no fight/flight response to combat. In the real world, people want to get away from the brutes who would so viciously and without thought cause harm to someone not doing anything wrong.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 8:21PM on Nov 22nd 2007
2. It is not necessary to advise a person of rights *before* arrest. Reminding the cop to read him his rights wasn't really a bright move on the part of Massey.
Signing a traffic citation is simply an acknowledgement that you have received it and will respond to it.
Massey was an idiot. The cop was way out of line.
Two morons found each other on a Utah highway. The one with the badge should be prosecuted.
Captain Negative at 8:47PM on Nov 22nd 2007
3. there are good cops,
very good cops.
who take their oath of service very seriously.
they are very good at their job,
and do it with integrity.
then we have this bozo,
who is so intoxicated with his own relevance,
that his ego supercedes his intellect.
not only must you respect his authority,
but stroke his ego,
even if he is dead wrong,he's right.
just because of who he is.
all things being relative.
we have smart people,and dumb people.
money,status or a position of authority,
is not an automatic indication of superior intelligence,
as this video plainly shows.
it just gives those kind of people a bigger stick to do more damage.
and incidents like this DO cause damage,
mainly to other hard-working,honest and professional police.
did most of you know that in some states in is entirely legal for you to drive,sometimes miles,to a well-lit and populated area while a police officer is attempting to pull you over?
as long as you have a fear for your safety FROM THE POLICE,its a legal manuever.
why?
because of nimrod cops like the one in this vid.
i know so many decent cops,
shame they have douchebags like this that make their job that much harder.
i see a major civil suit in the makings,
and tasing is just bew enough to make precident.
till next time..peace.
Enoch D.D.S
enoch at 8:52PM on Nov 22nd 2007
4. This is outright police brutality. The tape shows the officer lied and over reacted. He was an idiot and should be kicked off the force, made to pay resitution to the driver and his family and maybe be put on a website showing brutal police, like the ones used to show child molesters. Come and get me idiot.
jffreiberger at 8:53PM on Nov 22nd 2007
5. As I see this the driver was high on drugs and conbative to the policeman all the driver had to do was acknowledge the ticket with his signature and drive off but he had to chalenge authority as does meth users
safety45 at 8:55PM on Nov 22nd 2007
6. This is flat out brutal stupidity. The trooper, after tazing the guy, just left him lying in the road. That doesn't make much sense to me.
Anyway, I think cops are seriously going to have to start worrying about using these tasers. Eventually, someone somewhere will pull out a gun and kill a cop in what they believe to be self-defense or at least defense from an unwarranted assault with a deadly weapon.
Nonetheless, this coward of a trooper showed no signs of attempting to assess the situation and remedy it in a peaceful manner in accordance with his training. He failed pretty much every single piece of protocol for a traffic stop. I hope he loses his job over this since it's patently clear the streets of Utah would be considerably safer without this moron running around with his itchy taser finger.
Dan at 9:12PM on Nov 22nd 2007
7. Captain wins the comment thread with this one..
"Two morons found each other on a Utah highway. The one with the badge should be prosecuted."
Jeff at 9:19PM on Nov 22nd 2007
8. There is decidedly something wrong here. I am a strong supporter of the use of Tasers. They have saved lives and prevented many serious injuries. Prior to the Taser, batons were used and a lot of suspects are were hit unnecessarily, usually in the head and severely injured. If this officer did not have the Taser and was using a baton, this man would have been seriously injured. He would be walking around talking like Hilary making no sense at all.
The officer was not trained properly or could not control his emotions. He did not forewarn this man and did not provide adequate instructions. Hopefully this will be investigated and he will be disciplined or terminated.
L Richard Adams at 9:22PM on Nov 22nd 2007
9. 5. As I see this the driver was high on drugs and conbative to the policeman all the driver had to do was acknowledge the ticket with his signature and drive off but he had to chalenge authority as does meth users
WOW THAT IS AN UNCANNY ABILITY THAT YOU POSSESS THERE, DRUG TESTING WILL SOON BECOME OBSOLETE WITH YOUR INCREDIBLY NEW 'DRUG VIEWING' POWERS ..IDIOT
BORNLUKKY at 10:00PM on Nov 22nd 2007
10. The cop deserves his puny ASS beat!
And he deserves a felony on his record and should be kicked off the force and have to spend 6 months in jail for commiting a serious crime, actually many crimes.
For one, treating the guy like he was living in 1985 Russia.
Tom at 10:05PM on Nov 22nd 2007
11. #7 I think "L Richard Adams" (#8) trumped Captain's thread award with; "If the officer did not have the Taser and was using a baton, this man would have been seriously injured. He would be walking around talking like Hilary making no sense at all." LMAO!!
I support law enforcement, but this was a situation that didn't need to happen. The motorist doesn't have to sign the ticket. The cop can just write "refused to sign" in the signature area, and send him on his way. It will just look bad on the motorist when it goes to traffic court.
lizard at 10:20PM on Nov 22nd 2007
12. Good thing the cop used a TASER and not a real gun! Cops should be better trained to use them though.
jc at 10:26PM on Nov 22nd 2007
13. Crap Hoard. It looks like the Canadian Parliament and the US Congress should end each session with "Don't Taz me Bro".
I need you guys to get this solved up there. Mrs. Willet is going to be in Canada in the spring(Toronto I believe) with her tripod and binoculars to do a little bird watching.
A little FYI for ya Hoard: Willet = shore bird in the Sandpiper family.
Willet at 10:58PM on Nov 22nd 2007
14. #3 Another "pearl" of wisdom to add to the journals of "Incorrect statements from enoch."
From the school of; "If I say it, it must be true," enoch says:
"did most of you know that in some states (it) is entirely legal for you to drive, sometimes miles, to a well-lit and populated area while a police officer is attempting to pull you over? As long as you have a fear of your safety FROM THE POLICE, its a legal maneuver. Why? Because of nimrod cops like the one in this vid."
Nice try, but this law was enacted as a knee-jerk reaction to several incidents of police imitators, a few years ago, where perps would buy portable flashing emergency lights, and have fake uniforms. They raped/assaulted women after pulling them over in desolate areas. This law wasn't written to protect people from legitimate police.
lizard at 11:13PM on Nov 22nd 2007
15. The cop is a sadistic moron of the type whom other cops should utterly distance themselves from -- if, that is, they want to stem the hemorrhaging that is draining their credibility and perceived purpose among American citizens. The old slogans "most cops are good" and "protect and serve" have become punchlines to a bad joke. The tired old comeback "gee, I hope you never need a cop" is just as laughable, as cops are generally there only to pull the sheet over your dead face -- but you can always count on them to be at the "scene of the crime" when some poor shlub is doing twelve over the speed limit on the interstate. This cop, in short, should be drummed off the force, and should suffer severe civil penalties as well as criminal prosecution for felonious assault. Doubtless, though, the other mind-numbed cops who oversee him, along with their cronies in the state government, will come out with their stony "he acted appropriately" catch-all dismissal. Keep up the good work, boys, what would we do without that thin blue line. You make your mamas proud.
Johnny at 11:41PM on Nov 22nd 2007