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14yr old girl tasered in the groin after holding hands up in surrender (US) Shocking and upsetting!

47 replies

YNK · 25/02/2012 08:49

www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/dec/15/philadephia-police-taser-girl-video

This smacks of mysogeny as well as brutality. I hope he is brought to justice.

I would hate to think this is how we want 'justice' to be upheld anywhere in the world!

OP posts:
Pedallleur · 27/02/2012 12:37

US police are known for their heavy-handed actions whether it was the Rodney King beating or recently the attack on a cyclist in NYC or the pepper-sprayings at the Occupy protests also in NYC

scurryfunge · 27/02/2012 12:45

It is difficult to judge without knowing what has happened and based on a few seconds clip.

TheRhubarb · 27/02/2012 12:52

Watching that video, my first thoughts was that the 3 girls we see in the very first frame are obviously schoolgirls.

Then I see him wrestle with the girl, no-one else was involved apart from another girl watching close by. So that is one 14yr old girl against one male police officer. He pulls back and tasers her.

I don't know what lead up to that or what his thoughts were. We can only go from what we see on that video. I haven't read all the other comments or accusations on this thread, but I ask you all to watch it again and see that one girl is resisting arrest from one male police officer. No-one else is involved. It's her against him and he chooses to taser her. Plus if it was obvious to me that this was a schoolgirl, then it must have also been obvious to him.

Completely over the top, unnecessary and brutal. I won't go as far as to say that this is misogynist or racist - I think it's just extreme violence for violence's sake. A power play by the officer involved. I'd be interested to know if he has had previous complaints held against him.

AmberLeaf · 27/02/2012 13:16

Theres a bit missing in that video between her turning around and then the police officer is right there tasering her? or was it just skipping bits for me?

I was after reading the comments here expecting more 'mouthing off' or 'acting up' from her, actually not more but some !

Very hard to say without knowing what that was all about but it did seem over kill.

scurryfunge · 27/02/2012 13:17

Having just read other news reports relating to the incident, there is over one minute missing from the clip.

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 27/02/2012 13:27

Article [[http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Police-Officer-Tasers-14-Year-Old-Girl--135571738.html here]

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 27/02/2012 13:28

argh here should have previewed!

TheRhubarb · 27/02/2012 13:40

Have read the report and re-watched the video. The police offer said he tasered her groin because she was using her backpack to deflect the taser. She was most clearly not.
He also said there were lots of students blocking the highway. There weren't.

This was outside a High School, so she was an obvious minor.

There were no other students involved, it was a struggle only between him and her. Police Officers are trained to get someone down on the ground for arrest. She is just 14 years old and was not holding any kind of weapon, I am sure he could have arrested her without using that kind of force. If he couldn't then he needs re-training and shouldn't be a police officer. It's not as if he was being threatened by loads of other students.

Despite there being footage missing, you can clearly see that she is fully turned to face him with her hands raised when he tasers her and that whilst he is trying to arrest her, she is pinned against the car. The use of the taser was wholly unnecessary. He deliberately pointed it at her crotch. He's a bastard.

Most charges against her were dropped.

I hope he gets everything he deserves.

AmberLeaf · 27/02/2012 13:57

Thanks for the link MyNameIs

Hmmm over 1 minute missing from the cctv, what did he do that he didnt want seen?

Total overkill and she spent 3 weeks in juvenile hall for that?! all she was convicted of was being a pedestrian in the rd! and disorderly conduct [which tbh can be anything and nothing]

Yep I too hope he gets everything he deserves.

Nyac · 27/02/2012 14:05

She appears to have got tasered for walking whilst black and female.

No way was she wrestling with him or resisting arrest.

SardineQueen · 27/02/2012 14:05

I haven't watched it and I'm not going to as it sounds horrible but all over the world there a police officers acting illegally, immorally, dangerously, with motivations of racism, sexism, ageism, just being right bastards.

Every time people jump up and down to give them the benefit of the doubt and every time I wonder why. Institutional racism, behaving inappropriately, rape, accepting bribes, you name it all the forces around the world do it. When it happens people should stand up and say it is not acceptable rather than turn their backs. People turn their backs and wonder why there's people rioting again and large sections of society do not trust the police.

SardineQueen · 27/02/2012 14:09

racism in philadelphia police

Website aimed at philadelphia law enforcement community full of racist talk

mayorquimby · 27/02/2012 14:11

Not standing up for him or giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Saying you want more evidence or information is not turning your back. If someone wants to make a serious accusation such as a crime being racially motivated or motivated due to sexism on behalf of the perpetrator I'd want more evidence than the victim being an ethnic minority or the opposite gender.
The reason I'd want more information is the presumption of innocence afforded to everyone, that is why it is different to discussing overall trends or institutional racism because here we are discussing a specific incident and a secific individual.
Before I'd reach conclusions as to someones motivations or guilt I'd like more information. I have seen nothing here to insinuate sexism or racism other than the fact that the victim is a black woman.

SardineQueen · 27/02/2012 14:11

oh look there's more

TheRhubarb · 27/02/2012 14:11

It is very interesting how people assume that the 14 yr old girl could have done something in that missing minute to justify the tasering whilst no-one bar AmberLeaf have suggested the possibility that he may be hiding something in that missing minute.

Nyac she was resisting arrest, we don't know why he was arresting her over all the other students but she was originally faced with charges of riot, disorderly behaviour, assault etc. Now those have been dropped other than being a pedestrian in a road and disorderly conduct.

If I was being pinned against a car at the age of 14 I think I would have bloody well resisted too!

SardineQueen · 27/02/2012 14:16

hahahahaha

if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it isn't a duck

Institutional has a meaning. Each incident should not be looked at in isolation. If a force has a history of racism or sexism or brutality or all of the above and then they are spotted being brutal to someone who is black and female then it's not exactly outrageous to think "here we go again".

I need some more evidence was what they said with rodney king. They looked at the CCTV, pretty good evidence everyone thought. But no the coppers got off. Then everyone got mighty pissed off. It happens. Happens all the time in the UK as well. Rarely reported. Victims usually black.

mayorquimby · 27/02/2012 14:25

"If a force has a history of racism or sexism or brutality or all of the above and then they are spotted being brutal to someone who is black and female then it's not exactly outrageous to think "here we go again"."

2 completely different things to think it and to prove it though.
I'd want more information or evidence before I'd conclude that this has any racial or sexist motivation. It could well be that it was motivated by either of these factors and I'd condemn it as such if I such evidence came to light. As it stands I haven't seen anything which to my mind would prove this is motivated by racism or sexism, and I think it's disengenious to say that those who aren't convinced are turning their back or giving the benefit of the doubt.
My position is if you want to accuse someone of something then you should be in a position to provide proof.

Nyac · 27/02/2012 15:24

Let's hope the guy loses his badge.

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 27/02/2012 15:51

I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was one of those police officers linked to a school like in that article I read - if anyone has the time/inclination to search for it (might need access to Sunday Times paywall as I think it was probably in there) it is very much in keeping with that. As were the security heavies you can see in the video.

It also says in the article she alleged in the lawsuit he had been insulting her "socioeconomic background" while he was trying to arrest her (think that was the wording?). So for "cursing" and walking in the road she gets arrested and tasered and 21 days locked up, for abusing her he gets...?

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 27/02/2012 15:59

Think I've found it or a very similar one anyway - here Sad

fridakahlo · 27/02/2012 16:25

As far as I can tell, people don't like to think about police abusing their power for the same reason the rape myths are so prevalent. If you obey the rules, you are safe and anyone who gets in trouble must have been in some way deserving of it.
It is very widely known over here and adknowledged if you are white and female your chances of getting into trouble with the police are a lot lower than if you are black and male.
I'm sure the police officer did feel justified in his actions, but that does not mean that he was.

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