UCLA student stunned by Taser plans suit (now racial profiling)

LA Times ^ | 11/16/06 | Stuart Silverstein, Times Staff Writer

[Historix]

I have a unique perspective here. My Uncle was killed 11 years before I was born as a police officer trying to bust a drug dealer. I also graduated from UCLA this summer. My cousins grew up with no father. My brother is also a police officer. When police officers use extreme force, it is warranted. It is an absolute rule that all people in Powell library past 11pm must present ID. This person resisted arrest and provoked the situation. I feel that the UCPD acted as they should and any protest otherwise is compromising the ability of the police to act as they are tasked.

[rawcatslyentist]

Civil disobedience, in a public place. How could other public library patrons study, with his protest? The other library patrons civil rights were violated by this ahoe! Where's their lawsuit?
Try sticking up for the rights of people who actually deserve it once in a while, it'll make ya feel better!

[Historix]

Many students treat the library as a de facto hotel. I sickened as people slept in chairs as I wanted to study for finals. He was lazy and now regrets his actions, Remember that a week ago, a swastika was drawn on a UCLA toilet stall door, in the building where the muzzies gather.

[IrishCatholic]

Well, other than points for spelling and punctuation your post is completely without merit. Tasers are the coming wave in pain compliance. Why? Because they have no lasting effects. The minute the taser quits the person is back to normal. Pepper spray lasts and physical hands on or batons cause impact injuries. As far as it being a torture device-everytime the taser is shot hundreds of little paper serial numbers are shot out too. This prevents the excuse that it wasn't deployed. It leaves physical evidence. Then, whenever the trigger is pulled the computer records the number of times it is pulled and the duration and date and time.
SO, if I was a jack booted thug and wanted to wantonly torture a helpless innocent person I wouldn't pick a tool that completely records my actions for the internal investigations unit and hungry ambulance chasing lawyers bent on suing the city and taking my house.
Tasers are being introduced because they cause less damage than other types of control including going hands on with potentially violent people. The departments see a method of controlling uncooperative or violent people that reduces department liability. I saw the video and the incident was entirely the responsibility of the suspect. ENTIRELY.
We haven't lost America. Unless you mean the lack of respect the UCLA scumbags showed the campus police. If they are the next generation we are producing, then I might agree.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Many innocent people have died from these evil weapons.

Cite online source for this statement.

[Minutemen]

Mostafa Tabatabainejad? I think he was singled out because he is an A**!

[Sprite518]

This is worth a, "Bush's Fault" comment. LOL!

[Sprite518]

When a Police Officer ask you to do something, and you tell them to F-Off and resist. I have absolutely no sympathy for you.

The Kid is some left wing P.O.S.! I hope the college kicks his sorry a$$ out of school. Yeah I know in my dreams. UCLA will take the PC,cat loving,bed wetting way to handle this issue. So typical of hard core Lefties.

[Binstence]

How about 156 deaths??? Freak.


Illinois Teen Shouting for Jesus Dies When Police Taser Him
Tuesday, October 31, 2006


JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — Authorities are investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy who died after officers in this St. Louis-area community shot him twice with a stun gun while he carried a Bible and cordless telephone, shouting "I want Jesus."

Roger Holyfield died Sunday night at a St. Louis hospital, a day after the former Jersey Community High School's confrontation with police.

In a statement obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, police in this community about 40 miles north of St. Louis said Holyfield would not acknowledge officers who approached him, continuing to yell "I want Jesus."

Holyfield became combative when officers tried to calm him, then was shot with a stun gun after ignoring their warnings to comply with their commands, police said. He was shot a second time when he continued struggling, police said.

Holyfield vomited at the scene and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, then was flown to St. Louis' Cardinal Glennon Hospital, where he died shortly after 8 p.m. the next day, police said.


An autopsy was planned for Tuesday.

While expressing sympathy by Jerseyville's mayor, city commissioners and police to Holyfield's family, the police statement said the city and officers would not discuss the matter further.

Messages were left Tuesday with Jerseyville Police Chief Brad Blackorby, whose department, according to its statement, has been using stun guns for the past five months.

Holyfield was a former Jersey Community High School student but did not attend that school this year, said James Whiteside, superintendent of Jerseyville schools.

In a report released in March, international human rights group Amnesty International said it had logged at least 156 deaths across the country in the previous five years related to police stun guns.

The rise in deaths accompanies a marked increase in the number of U.S. law enforcement agencies employing devices made by Taser International Inc. of Scottsdale, Ariz. About 1,000 of the nation's 18,000 police agencies used Tasers in 2001; more than 7,000 departments had them last year, according to a government study.

Police had used Tasers more than 70,000 times as of last year, Congress' Government Accountability Office said.

Amnesty has urged police departments to suspend the use of Tasers pending more study.

Taser called the study flawed by falsely linking deaths to Taser use when there has been no such official conclusion.

The company has said Tasers have saved more than 9,000 lives because police officers have been able to use stun guns instead of bullets.

Holyfield's death is at least the second in the Metro East calling stun guns into question in recent months.

Nick Mamino Jr. — the 41-year-old son of a former Collinsville police chief — died in April after Collinsville police shot him with a stun gun. Though Mamino's family speculated that the gun might have caused his death, an autopsy report said the weapon was only a contributing factor.

A coroner's jury later ruled Mamino died accidentally when he was hog-tied by police trying to arrest him while he was high on cocaine.

[Binstence]

You are obviously among those whose conscience has been dulled.

[dennisw]

DAMN!!!! How do I get in on this deal? Have to have Iranian parents? Many Iranians are fairly light skinned. I'd love to see what this scammer looks like. Not to mention he should be grateful he was even allowed to be born here in the first place. Punks like him should be drop kicked back to the "Islamic Republic"

[AmericaUnited]

I watched the video and am very disappointed by the officers response. They, at a minimum, should have also RodneyKinged this guy for at least 15 minutes. Trouble making little maggot!

[Jaysun]

I have to disagree. I love tasers and I love to see videos of thugs being hit by them, such a hoot.

[dennisw]

The Kid is some left wing P.O.S.! I hope the college kicks his sorry a$$ out of school. Yeah I know in my dreams. UCLA will take the PC,cat loving,bed wetting way to handle this issue.

This nation is a free all-you-can-eat- buffet for 3rd world rip off artists and Muslim scam artists

[Sprite518]

Oh yeah you are right. We should tell Police Officers to F-Off and resist them. Nice... If you have a problem with laws, then you take it up with the politicians.

[Sprite518]

LOL! Bingo....

[Binstence]

Completely without merit??? Nice opinion but you know what they say about opinions. My post reflects a growing danger. I sited in another post 156 deaths that have been caused by the use of Tazers. I don't like Marxist college activists any more than you do. I also despise the growing hostility by our law enforcement officials and their tendency to cover up their crimes. The constitution is under assault in so many ways. I am afraid we will all long for the days of the kindly cop. (Go rent "It's a Wonderful Life" if you don't know what a kindly cop is." The state is slowly becoming an enemy of the people. You must realize that this is not an isolated incident. I have watched videos of police using tazers agains defenseless American citizens. It should be used if at all as a last resort. How about calling for back up? How about negotiating? Do you think a little civility from our public servants is too much to ask for? I believe that you will live to see the increase in police brutality and pray to God it does not happen to you. If it does, you'll be screaming from hilltop to hilltop for someone to give you empathy. If the rest of us are like you, you will be left wanting.

[Binstence]

Awwwwwwwwwwe. The poor wittle powice had their feewings hurt??? You deserve the government you will eventually get. Police state.

[dennisw]

LOS ANGELES -- A cell phone captured video of a 23-year-old student being administered multiple Taser shocks by UCLA police on Tuesday. 

The UCLA student was hit with the Taser shocks multiple times while he was in the Powell Library Computer Lab.

Another student recorded the incident on a camera phone. On the video, Mostafa Tabatabainejad can be heard screaming during the incident, which took place at about 11:30 p.m., the Daily Bruin reported. 

According to the paper, Tabatabainejad did not show ID to community service officers who were conducting a random check. UCLA police said Tabatabainejad was released by police after he was cited for obstruction/delay of a peace officer in the performance of duty.

The Daily Bruin reported that Tabatabainejad complained when an officer was escorting him from the lab and put his hand on one of Tabatabainejad's arms. He allegedly yelled, "Get off of me," according to the paper. He was then shot with the Taser, reported the paper.

The Daily Bruin reported that after he was hit, Tabatabainejad yelled, "Here's your Patriot Act, here's your f---ing abuse of power."

Police said they thought Tabatabainejad was not harmed in the incident.

"If he was able to walk out of here, I think he was OK," the sergeant said.

[Sprite518]

I don't know what the COPs are like in your area, but pretty good guys in my area. They have my support 100%. These guys put their lives on the line every day so that you, me and everyone else can live in peace.

I am not saying all cops are good. I understand you have a few bad apples in ever bunch. I from the school that most police officers are good guys, and not criminals as you are implying.