New Mexico Teen Girl Tasered In The Head By Police Chief (VIDEO)

The use of tasers by law enforcement is becoming increasingly controversial as more examples emerge of them being used improperly and causing victims serious harm. This New Mexico teen was arguing with her mother, so her mother brought her to a police station to get help (it's unclear what kind of argument they could have been having that would warrant police intervention).

The girl ran off and the police chief chased her and ordered her to stop. When she didn't, he tasered her in the head. The giant scar and stitches in the teen's head show the tasering was terribly brutal, and it's difficult to see how this could in any way be justified.

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Comments

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

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[discourse jockey]

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[bspence]

Isn't it time we realize that tasers are not harmless, not the answer to every police encounter??

[Merckx]

I don't hate the police. I have a had bad experiences with them on two occasions and I still don't hate the police. That said, I notice a decided wimpiness settling in among a large contingent of police officers.
I am certain 20 years ago, most officers would not be using tasers, even if they were available, on little kids and old ladies. I think a lot of the officers today are just plain wimpy. sad.

[DubyaGump]

Wimpy and out of shape, hence the taser use

[NonaG]

Why is a parent taking a child to the police station to get help. What are the police, therapists?

And why is a policeman using a taser on a child who is running away? Why not just run after her?

I guess though, I should be relieved he didn't shoot her in the back.

[chabnormal]

The girl ran and he HAD to stop her. Where was she going? Where was a 14 year old girl going? I'll tell you - not far. More than likely, her mom was here ride to the station. She was running to get away, not because she was trying to go somewhere. If the cop didn't chase her she wouldn't have run.

[AbstractImp]

Why is it most of the tasered "criminals" seem to be children and old people?

[AlwaysRightLeftist]

Probably because they are the cases that are notable and 'newsworthy'. Tasering is running rampant across this country. Recently, even my Mom's neighbor was tasered by the cops as she watched. Last time I got pulled over (for my license plate bulb being out mind you) the cop was REALLY concerned about the fact that I appeared nervous (even frisked me and wanted to search my car over it)... hmmm, wonder why I was nervous...

[4evryoung]

Those are just the cases we hear about. They are examples of the misuse of tazers. Cops are just too lazy to deal with a difficult situation.

[instarx]

Tucumcari NM - what a great place to live. The town's Mayor is currently facing charges for animal cruelty for dragging a dog beside his car.

[WorkingClass]

Citizens must find a way to exact revenge and retribution.

[iSeeDumbPeople]

Two officers were killed not long ago after attempting to subdue an Iraq vet with a taser. He whipped out a gun and shot them both, but the link I had saved no longer works and I can't find a single related story about it on Google.

[instarx]

And this relates to tasering a 14-year old girl for jaywalking how?

[JohnWilliam]

The army and the police force--two corrupt organizations. The cops are taser-happy, soldiers are gun-happy. What part of the government is actually protecting us?

[Gunfighter]

A few thoughts:

Why did the mother take the kid to the police station?

When the girl fled, was she being lawfully detained?

Were there any threats of assault against the mother, the officers, or of suicide?

The answers to these questions may lead us away from the incredible, fact-free hyperbole that we are seeing here. If it turns out that the officer wasn't justified in using force to stop that kid, he should suffer the consequences.

[slarabee]

Can you honestly sit there and try to contend that there would be ANY circumstances where using a less lethal device on a unarmed 14yo girl would be justified?

He should just be glad it was not my 14yo daughter.

[Gunfighter]

Yes. All of the other options are just as bad or worse.

[chabnormal]

Tasers are supposed to replace an officers gun. They were introduced as an alternative to using deadly force. If the officer didn't have a taser would he have shot the girl? If not then he shouldn't have used the taser, either.

[kudzumaster]

,,,and that's pretty much the bottom line.

[TruEngineHearing]

Yes. That is exactly what most citizens were led to believe when tasers first appeared in the police arsenal. If you wouldn't shoot, then don't taser.

The manner in which these weapons are now so commonly used - and they are weapons, is an outrage in a free society.

[fr33d0mhawk]

No, he would not have shot the girl, he would have used a billy club. I have seen officers beat people on thier own back porches with billy clubs because they refused to go inside their home when a party next door was being raided for noise. The people on their porch were quietly playing cards, no alcohol or music and told the police that the porch is private property, to which the officer jumped over the fence and beat old people, and not one whisper from the local media. Cops have always as bad as the very worst criminals, but they are more intelligent than most criminals. They joined an organization where they could get away with breaking the law by beating and framing citizens on a daily basis. Our society needs to get a handle on cops and start throwing any cop who commits the slightest crime in jail for the maximum penalty. The word should be, if you are going to be a cop, you better follow the law or face horrific consequences, that cops should be held to a much higher standard of ethics and morality.

[instarx]

Oh, and the police chief who did the tasering, "plans to refer the case to the Juvenile Probation Office for possible charges" against the girl. Unbelievable.

Presumably this was before he was put on administrative leave.

[instarx]

Statement by the police chief:

“She committed a delinquent act, she was running from police across traffic without looking.” If he’d been able to grab and tackle her, Hatcher continued, he would have done so, since there “was a lawful reason to do that.”

So this girl was tasered for JAYWALKING! At least that's the cop's story, as pathetic as it is. Incidently, the girls suffers from epilepsy, and the argument with her mother was over a cellphone. Typical teenage girl stuff.

The taser dart actually penetrated her skull and entered her brain, according to the University of NM Hospital.

This girl is lucky to be alive.

[discourse jockey]

The police chief is lucky to be alive.

[Passenger57]

Says Officer Keystone : "The girl was jayRUNNING - without looking, even - so I had to tase her to keep her from getting hit by a car. I was gonna tackle her - yeah, in the middle of the street - but you know how fast them kids are...".

[AbstractImp]

Here's one from the G20 in Europe this spring

http://article.wn.com/view/2009/04/08/Son_seeks_answers_over_fathers_death_during_G20_protests/

The son of the man who died during the G20 protests demanded answers after footage emerged of an officer shoving his father to the ground. In video footage, Ian Tomlinson is seen walking with his back to a group of police with his hands in his pockets when the helmeted officer lunges at him from behind. The 47-year-old falls heavily to the floor. He remonstrates with the officers before being helped to his feet by passers-by.


And here is a response from the police:

Police told Ian Tomlinson's widow that someone posing as a policeman may have been responsible for shoving him before he died during the G20 clashes, campaigners said last night.

Wow!

[instarx]

Update via Google:

The police chief claims he had a "lawful reason" to stop the girl - "he didn't know where Martinez might go and he had to stop her". Yeah, u-huh.

The girls parents are questioning whether excessive force might have been used. Ya think?

The police chief was put on paid administrative leave, "by mutual agreement".

[chabnormal]

That's a joke. Police can do whatever they want with impunity.

[mainemomma]

The cop should be tasered too. But what about the mother, who had to bring her kid to the police station to resolve a dispute? I have teenagers, and it ain't easy... but I don't think I ever would have brought them to the pokey for a chat with one of the towns finest.

[SSAG]

I hope this is an issue left and right can get together on. The police state and constant tasing for whatever reason is not going to fly.

[Drjimmy72296]

Seeing as how the right LOVES torture I'm thinking they won't bat an eye at a little electroschock therapy for bad kids and annoying grandmas.