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If this report is accurate

The key words. Is this report accurate? I'm thinking no -- there's probably a lot more to the story than Ms. Mayo's account provides.

Having seen what the media does to stories I know something about, I don't trust the media to report accurately, especially on stories like this one.

The key words. Is this report accurate? I'm thinking no -- there's probably a lot more to the story than Ms. Mayo's account provides. Having seen what the media does to stories I know something about, I don't trust the media to report accurately, especially on stories like this one.

Exactly, which is why I provided a caveat. The story was from a single "witness" which seems odd in a large restaurant full of people.

He was asked by the manager to show proof he had paid for the salad bar. He refused. A simple request, but the guy refused. If he wasn't guilty, he would have complied. When the manager couldn't get the cooperation of the customer, he called the cops. The cops asked the guy to step outside to discuss the situation. According to witnesses, he refused and a struggle ensued. It isn't reported whether the disputing witness heard the man refuse the request. She's only quoted in her comments on the officers' behavior...not Gale's.

Frankly, if he was asked to step outside by the cops and he refused, they have every right to use whatever force necessary to get him to comply. It was a lawful order. He refused to comply. Gale had the choice of doing it the easy way or the hard way. He obviously chose to do it the hard way.

If there were only two officers, and depending on the size of the guy, it's quite possible they felt they had to use the taser to get the man under control quickly without letting things go on for too long. I've been in situations where it has taken 5-6 people to get a man under control. Using the taser ended the incident quicker than if they had to roll around on the floor with the guy or call for backup assistance. I sure wish we'd had tasers in the state prison system I retired from. It would have been an easy way to restrain a combative inmate, saving officers and the inmate from being severely injured. All they had was forms of tear gas, and it practically took a proclamation to get approval to use it. Unfortunately, it would probably have been the same way with tasers.

The incident escalated because Gale wanted to be a dick. I bet when they got him down to the station he cried like a baby. Most of these morons are big and brave when they have an audience of their peers to entertain, but they become cry babies once you get them alone.

While I realize there are some cops, correctional officers, etc., who overstep the boundaries, they are not all abusers. It does get a little old when each incident is second-guessed by people who have never done the job, or weren't there to know what actually happened, but base their opinions on what is written by a member of the press who most likely is only telling part of the story.