Black Man Tasered 9 Times by White Cop, Ruled A Homicide

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2008/7/20/122218/037

Dead Black Man Tasered 9 Times by White Cop

by Steven D
Sun Jul 20th, 2008 at 12:22:18 PM EST

snip//


After consulting about the case with Dr. Michael Baden, a nationally prominent forensic pathologist, Williams ruled last month that Pikes' death was a homicide. On the death certificate, he listed the cause of death as "cardiac arrest following nine 50,000-volt electroshock applications from a conductive electrical weapon."

"God did not just call this young man home," said Williams, who has served as parish coroner for the past 33 years. "If somebody can tell me anything else that killed this otherwise perfectly healthy young man ... I'd like to know it." <...>

"This case may be the most unnecessary death I have ever had to investigate," Williams said. "{Pikes} put up no fuss, no fighting, no physical aggression. ... He just didn't respond quickly enough to the officer's commands."

As we all know, African American men are well known as dangerous, crack smoking criminal degenerates (and always have been) and Mr. Pikes was undoubtedly a very evil, evil man. Even so, I think Officer Nugent just may have gone above and beyond the call of duty when he electrocuted Mr. Spikes to death for the crime of not responding quickly enough to the good Officer's commands. Indeed, one can only wonder if Officer Nugent, under similar circumstances, would have tasered a white suspect who was handcuffed and in his custody 9 fucking times in 14 goddamn minutes.

I suspect Officer Nugent would have acted differently toward a white man under his control, but we'll never know, especially since Officer Nugent isn't talking to the press, and depending on what the Grand Jury decides, may never be called to account for his actions in tasering Mr. Pikes 9 fucking times in 14 goddamn minutes while Pikes groveled at his feet begging for mercy.

Jesus wept, it says in the Bible. I don't know if Jesus wept again after Baron Pikes died, but I'll bet his family did. I'll bet they cried for days on end. On the other hand, I'll bet that Officer Nugent did not cry after he killed Mr. Pikes by tasering him 9 fucking times in 14 goddamn minutes. Not part of his job description, after all.

[gateley]

1. I pray they nail Nugent for this.

I love the idea of a cop -- a racist cop -- doing time in prison. :evilgrin:

[janetblond]

6. The cop won't be punished. They never are.

I can't remember the names, but last year cops shot a guy FIFTY times who was attending his bachelor party the nite before his wedding. Nice present for the bride, eh?
The groom had NO weapon.
The cops got off.
Welcome to the b^sh/chainey police state.

[fascisthunter]

7. He Probably Wouldn't Survive

[babylonsister]

8. Me, too! nt

[hvn_nbr_2]

14. The absolute worst that will happen is he'll lose his job and get a small fine.

Then he'll go to another police department and continue his criminal behavior.

But more likely he'll get a few weeks of administrative leave followed by a whole bunch of Attaboys when he returns to work.

[gateley]

2. Also from the article:

"In less than two years on Winnfield's 20-officer police force, police records show, Nugent ranked as the department's most aggressive Taser user. Among the recipients were a 15-year-old African-American runaway who was not charged with any crime and Pikes' father, currently serving a prison sentence for a drug offense, who was Tasered by Nugent last year, according to Kayshon Collins."

And I see it happened in Louisiana. Who knows how the Grand Jury may find?

[L0oniX]

3. Police brutality ...the fun part of law enforcement ...again.

I have a t-shirt with "Police brutality ...the fun part of law enforcement" on the front.

[BlooInBloo]

4. They'll get off, of course.

[Taverner]

5. They always do

[vadawg]

9. investigation

having just been through a use of force investigation myself in which my actions were ruled justified, i hate teh rush to judgement that always seems to occur anytime a LEO has to use any force. Though I will be the first to condemn this officer if his actions were beyond what was neccessary to control the situation, but as i wasnt there ill have to wait to hear exactly what happened.

[gateley]

10. Understood -

but surely you can understand that we've seen police actions - crimes -- go unpunished countless times, hence our assuming the worst.

Especially since the article indicates the last TWO times he was tased, he was already unconscious. How could that be justified?

[vadawg]

13. tasered

yup i understand, im not saying it was justified or not, im saying ill reserve my judgement till after the investigation. A lot of times things happen that on the surface look bad but there ends up being a justifiable reason for the actions, not that im saying this is the case here. Its just that to someone looking in my actions looked real bad without the back story and context of what was happening on scene.

[CoffeeCat]

32. Do you actually give that much creedence...

...to "investigations"?

Investigations are conducted by police departments. Most likely the same police department that employed
this police officer.

I have absolutely no faith in "investigations" producing truth or justice. Sometimes it happens, but I'd
say the odds of this officer's own cronies investigating him---and being fair--is slim to none.

I'm astounded that anyone would.

The article indicates that this man was unconscious the last two times he was tased. He was also tased
for not following commands fast enough. And he was handcuffed, correct? No one needs to be tased
that much--I don't give a shit what any investigation says.

[vadawg]

33. investigation

im just going from my experience of these investigations, ive had a few of them and so far ive seen them be complete and honest assessments of what happened, and if you think the investigators dont look at all the facts then explain why every street cop hates the IA guys. they have always vindicated me but i wouldnt invite them to my bbq, and at the time i hated them for daring to question my judgement but in the end thats their job.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

21. There IS enough information in the article to invalidate the "let's not rush to judgment" defense.

That, and the accompanying straw man. ("anytime a LEO has to use any force..." gimme a break.)

[vadawg]

23. lolz

well i hope to hell if your ever in court, they never spring the only evidence we need is contained in this newspaper article prosecution or you will be screwed. jeez some people

[Pavulon]

24. No really. There are no sworn statements

there is nothing. Everyone gets a chance at administrative hearings and criminal proceedings.

That is fair. If the officer broke rules or the law he should be punished.

For that to happen requires more information and that takes time.

[LostInAnomie]

31. You'll find that a lot of people on this board...

... live in a dream world where almost all police action is either unnecessary, or sadistic/oppressive. Becoming physical can never be justified to them, and any time a tragic accident happens it is automatically "murder" by the officer. Most of them don't know the first thing about policing, or the reports and investigations that take place anytime a taser or gun is used.

I am honestly under the impression from a lot of them that they would prefer an officer getting harmed than ever having to defend themself.

[fishwax]

11. kick

:grr:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

12. Also an OP here on this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3649435

[SnoopDog]

15. Its time we place tasers in the same class as a gun...

Using a taser requires the same justifications as a gun. Tasers are killing people - mace, etc does not.

[vadawg]

16. tasers

i think theres a lot of misunderstanding regarding use of tasers and guns. a taser is not designed to be used in a life or death situation, basically if i feel my life or serious injury is threatened i will use my service weapon. The taser is used in order for me not to have to go hands on and put myself in the situation of the fight escalating to the point i have to use my service weapon.

[Pavulon]

19. Get prepared. Most do not understand.

this is a long running topic here. However the days of a spiral fracture from a baton or an asp are not understood. The fact that a fight increases the chance of injury to the person being arrested as well as the officer is not understood.

I always hold out to see what the background is on these things.

This particular incident could go either way.

[CoffeeCat]

34. Many officers use them...

...as a "fuck you!" weapon, when they don't like the person's attitude--or if the officer is just
being an ass.

There are plenty of videos out there that demonstrate this, and more news articles that demonstrate
that officers are misusing this revolting weapon.

Furthermore, many have died after being tased. Why on Earth we even allow police officers to have
this kind of torture device--and use it whenever they damn well feel like it---even when someone
is being a smartass--is really beyond me.

It is CRUEL and it is UNUSUAL and it is over the top.

[Pavulon]

17. Mace kills as well

using them should be carefully monitored. More information on this would be helpful.

[SnoopDog]

29. I don't hear about mace killing people...

What - is this the Taser Manufactures Association folks?

[Pavulon]

30. Google..

wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepper_spray

The Los Angeles Times has reported at least 61 deaths associated with police use of pepper spray since 1990 in the USA,<6> and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) documented 27 deaths in custody of people sprayed with pepper spray in California alone, since 1993.<7><8>

[marmar]

18. This cop sounds like a real rogue racist asshole.....

.... and sadly there are probably plenty like him.

[vadawg]

20. rogue

im wondering were you are getting that he must be racist, i suppose i must be racist because im a white deputy and most people i have interaction with for good or bad are black or hispanic. It just so happens that my district has a very small white/asain pop so statistically the vast majority of my arrests, tickets, uses of force are going to be with minorities. Dosent mean that i am a racist rogue though.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[vadawg]

25. thanks

though im not sure if this is an argument or a surrender to my point posted above.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[vadawg]

27. lolz

ill take it as a surrender then, thanks for realising the wisdom of my post.

[CoffeeCat]

35. No one is talking about you, sweetheart...

We're talking about the racist piece of shit who tazered a man several times within 15 minutes--when that man
never fought back--and was unconscious for a couple of those tazings.

Let's not rationalize and justify brutality, k?

[vadawg]

37. racist

and all im saying is that racist is a buzzword that is being used to spike emotions in this case, we dont know if the cop is racist or just an asshole, theres a long distance between the two, i used myself as an example of a LEO who happens to work in a minority district and who you would call white and who every day gets labeled racist everytime i interact with criminals when i happen at that time to just be an asshole doing my job.

[MrSlayer]

28. The officer should get the chair for this.

There is rarely any reason to taser someone more than once. Nine times is just sadistic torture and murder. This guy has no business remaining among the living.

[tuckessee]

36. Be thankful for cops. They keep us safe from criminals

Without cops to protect us, we'd have maniacs running around doing wild stuff like tazing folks 9 times & killing them.