Man Tasered for refusing to lift hand off Quran

[oberliner]

Four police officers are under investigation here after a man accused them of using a Taser on him three times when he wouldn't take his hand off a Quran hidden under his shirt, a police spokesman said Friday.

Jeffrey Shields, 49, of Ocala, filed a complaint with the Ocala Police Department alleging an officer used a Taser to force him to hold up his right hand, police spokesman Lou Biondi said.

In a complaint filed Tuesday, Shields said he did not want to raise his right hand from under his shirt because he did not want to drop the Quran, but the officers said they could not tell what he was holding, Biondi said.

"The officers didn't have a clue what he had under there, regardless of what he was saying," he said.

Officers were dispatched to the scene on Aug. 31 after authorities received tips that a man matching Shields' description was armed with a gun and stashing drugs inside a book, Biondi said. Neither drugs nor a gun was found after the incident.

http://www.miamiherald.com/775/story/246431.html

[eagler]

1. So did he drop it when they tasered him?

[oberliner]

2. Shields was shocked with the Taser for 15 seconds before he removed his hand from the book

[bbinacan]

3. I just can't fault the police

for this. What if it had been a weapon?

[TomInTib]

4. Well, the article didn't say the guy is mute.

Also didn't mention anything about him trying to explain his situation.

He sounds like an opportunist to me.

18 days to file a complaint?

[tech3149]

5. My BIL works for Ocala PD I just sent an email to get more details

If I get any feedback, I'll post it.