Houston pro football lineman tasered by police - became 'verbally combative'

[shance]

How dare someone become 'verbally combative' when being pulled over by Houston police and it is the Houston police against Fred Weary.

It is their word against his. We know who usually wins this scenario. No one is there to prove what happened.

Houston Mayor Calls for Taser Study


HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston's mayor has called for an independent study of the city police department's use of Tasers, two weeks after officers zapped a pro football player with the weapon.

Mayor Bill White said the city should "promptly" select an outside group to conduct the study, which would examine data accumulated since the department adopted Tasers for widespread use two years ago.

Activists have been calling for a study or moratorium on Taser use. They argue blacks are a disproportionate target of the devices, which use jolts of electricity to subdue combative suspects.

On Nov. 14, an officer used a Taser to subdue Houston Texans lineman Fred Weary during a traffic stop. Police reports said the 29-year-old "became verbally combative and extremely argumentative."

Weary denied any wrongdoing and a judge subsequently dismissed charges of resisting arrest.

Police commanders review each case involving a Taser, White said, but a study could help assure the community that the devices aren't used "based on stereotypes."

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HOUSTON_TASERS?S...

Purchase this AP story for reprint.

[TwentyFive]

1. Bad cop. No donut.

It takes alot of effort for me to not despise the cops sometimes. I know they have a tough job, and have to deal with all the crazy people out there.....but...I think this taser gun thing is getting out of hand.

[shance]

2. I do too. I'm worried about all the taser abuse.

And the effects the taser has on internal organs.

[TwentyFive]

3. Yes - I'd like to see the inventor of the taser gun - tasered.

just desserts...

[AJ9000]

4. You guys might want to check out my thread: 6th grader tased at school:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2845227&mesg_id=2845227

[AJ9000]

5. I'm gonna cross post some of my comments from the other thread:

Tazers are being used by the police just to gain compliance, not only to protect themselves from violence. This way they "don't have to get their hands dirty."

In many cities you're already a point where if you don't quickly, and mindlessly, follow the instructions of a police officer, you could get zapped. If you go on youtube.com and do a search for "tazer" you can even see examples of this.

I don't think tasers belong in schools. They're too easy to get happy with, and they can kill.

And they should only be used by police as a last resort, to protect themselves from attack, with an automatic investigation following.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2845227&mesg_id=2849452

And here is a recent death of a teen-ager by taser:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/31/national/main2139456.shtml

[Judi Lynn]

6. Texans' Fred Weary says Taser, arrest were unwarranted

Texans' Fred Weary says Taser, arrest were unwarranted
Published: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 | 7:20 PM ET
Canadian Press: KRISTIE RIEKEN

HOUSTON (AP) - Texans offensive lineman Fred Weary said Wednesday he didn't do anything to justify being shot by a Taser and arrested by Houston police during a traffic stop last week.

Weary made his first public comments a day after a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest against him was dismissed because of insufficient evidence. "I know I didn't do anything wrong," Weary said. "I don't know what they feel was violent or whatever made them feel like they were in danger by me, but I don't feel I did anything."

According to the police report, officers pulled Weary over because his car had a missing license plate after following him because he looked "very suspicious" while driving in an area near Reliant Stadium where police are on alert due to criminal activity.

The police report said Weary pushed an officer away and was shot with a Taser after he stepped toward officers when they ordered him to put his hands on the vehicle.

"They were trying to put cuffs on me and telling me to move my arm, and I'm explaining to them that I can't," Weary said of what happened after he was shot with the Taser. "I guess that's where they were saying that I wasn't following their commands."
(snip/...)

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/football/061122/f112255A.html



Fred Weary
Charges dismissed. Imagine that!

[AJ9000]

7. Ah, I see. He was DWB.

"According to the police report, officers pulled Weary over because his car had a missing license plate after following him because he looked "very suspicious" while driving in an area near Reliant Stadium where police are on alert due to criminal activity."

Ah, I see. He was DWB.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Why would a huge person be driving around near the stadium? Sounds suspicious! n/t

[originalpckelly]

19. Didn't they kind of admit he was driving while black?

MY GOD! This should be protested!

[AJ9000]

8. And screw this reviewed by police bullshit. A citizens review board ought to review it.

"Police commanders review each case involving a Taser, White said..."

[tkmorris]

10. Am I the only one.........?

Am I the only one who is profoundly troubled that the Houston mayor calls for a review of taser use only after a pro football player is on the receiving end?

How many "lesser beings" were tased in the city before this incident, and why did nothing happen then?

[Swamp Rat]

11. No

That was the first thing that crossed my mind.

Is the Mayor ok with children and grannies being tasered?

[NOLADEM]

12. Taser is a deadly weapon...

They need to change the rules of use to say that the use of a taser be ONLY when the police officer would have used the gun if he didn't have the taser.

Using the thing to subdue argumenative subjects and 8 year old girls is UNBELIEVABLY irresponsible, since this gadget often kills people.

What the fuck did these pigs do five years ago before the taser? Did they just shoot everyone? NO!! Those fat fuckers would be forced to deal with people. If they can't, then maybe they are on the wrong side of the Dunkin Donuts counter.

Use of the taser should be treated as a force incident. Desk duty, force review, counseling, more training to avoid use of force, then the cop can go back out. Repeated use of the device should result in the cop being taken off of the street.

I don't want to live in a public corraled by a glorified cattle prod. It is humiliating.

[Judi Lynn]

14. You're so right. We were told that, in the beginning, they were meant to be used

for the very extreme cases in which a gun would be ordinarily used, but without the lethal force a gun would provide.

Instead, they are being used as an ADDITIONAL weapon against the public to serve to terrorize the public more frequently.

[MadHound]

13. "Verbally combative"

IE he was disputing the ticket he was about to get. Happens all the time, and apparently this cop took offense that a civilian dared to dispute his a-thor-i-tie:eyes:

Tasers are making way too easy for cops to dish out retaliatory punishment for things like this, disputing a ticket, going limp, etc. etc. They are promoting the mentality that if a civilian doesn't react in exactly the way you wish, just zap 'em a few times.

[matcom]

15. If a black homeless man were tasered I GUARANTEE....

there would have been no study :eyes:

[nealmhughes]

16. Tasers should be outlawed! We should go with the tried and true old ZA method:

The metal flexible rod for beating the intransient or slowly-moving.
:sarcasm:

[Doctor_J]

17. Don't worry. The police will clear themselves of wrongdoing

:eyes:

[originalpckelly]

18. I'm going to get verbally combative soon, if these assholes don't stop this...

Only in situations where people would usually be killed should this weapon be used.

[greenman3610]

20. If you've ever been in an uncontrolled situation with a physically

uncontrollable subject, like say, an abusive football lineman,
then you don't have a perspective here. I've been there.

No question that tasering 6th graders is indefensible-
but if I were this cop, hell yes, I'd shock the bastard
and end the issue right there.

[seabeyond]

21. but you are taking the word of the cops. the charges dropped

the man said he did nothing. the cops didnt even have a good defense. yet you take what the cops said. i wonder. wouldnt have been my automatic conclusion of this event. could it be,... that if we show any displeasure not to mention anger, that warrants out of control behavior? does that bother you? and the man was pulled over for at best flimsy reasoning. are you suggesting a person pulled over because he is black is not reason for a person to be pissed? excuse the cops, validate the behavior, justify the abuse.... and it will continue to worsen. the public will continue to down slide in respect of the department. cop job will be harder. this does not bode well for not only citizens, but the police themselves

[Evoman]

22. Tasered for being VERBALLY abusive? Fucking cops.

Seriously...haven't you guys ever watched that video where the cop pulls over a guy, and the guy gets "verbally abusive". The cop just gives the man a ticket. The man then proceeds to throw the ticket out the window. The cop says he will write up the man for littering if he doesn't pick it up. The man, furious, picks up the ticket and leaves, all the while calling the cop VERY bad names, lol.

You don't have to fucking taser someone for being verbally abusive. You give them a ticket and let them be as verbally abusive as they want.

Seriously, the bullshit people will put up from "the authorities" is fucking scary. Get in line for your branding, cattle.

[leftofthedial]

23. Weary is 6'4" and 308 pounds

If I had someone that size screaming threateningly at me, I'd probably use a taser too.