Pierce writes: "The officers who bravely Tasered a seven-month pregnant woman into submission actually won themselves a split decision in the Ninth Circuit in which the court said they'd used excessive force but were immune from being sued. Even this wasn't enough for a couple of the justices."
The justices of the US Supreme Court, 10/08/11. (photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)
Supreme Court and Tasers: A Horror Story
16 May 12
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don't know why it is, but I don't really feel too sanguine about what will happen if a case regarding cops who tasered a pregnant woman gets to be heard in front of the current United States Supreme Court. Maybe laff-riot Tony Scalia once again will inaugurate Open Mic Nite at the Certiorari Chuckle Hut:
"Taser? I didn't even know her!"
This stuff kills, I tell you.
The facts on the ground seem horrid enough....
The case involves Malaika Brooks, who was seven months pregnant and driving her 11-year-old son to school in Seattle when she was pulled over for speeding. The police say she was going 32 miles per hour in a school zone; the speed limit was 20.�Ms. Brooks said she would accept a ticket but drew the line at signing it, which state law required at the time. Ms. Brooks thought, wrongly, that signing was an acknowledgment of guilt.�Refusing to sign was a crime, and the two officers on the scene summoned a sergeant, who instructed them to arrest Ms. Brooks. She would not get out of her car.
Def-Con 1!
The situation plainly called for bold action, and Officer Juan M. Ornelas met the challenge by brandishing a Taser and asking Ms. Brooks if she knew what it was.�She did not, but she told Officer Ornelas what she did know. "I have to go to the bathroom," she said. "I am pregnant. I'm less than 60 days from having my baby."�The three men assessed the situation and conferred. "Well, don't do it in her stomach," one said. "Do it in her thigh."
Question: is the shift of tone in this paragraph due to reportorial cluelessness, or some very sharp snark that somehow eluded the editors at the�Times? I'm inclined to believe the latter, but discuss amongst yourselves.
Officer Ornelas twisted Ms. Brooks's arm behind her back. A colleague, Officer Donald M. Jones, applied the Taser to Ms. Brooks's left thigh, causing her to cry out and honk the car's horn. A half-minute later, Officer Jones applied the Taser again, now to Ms. Brooks's left arm. He waited six seconds before pressing it into her neck.�Ms. Brooks fell over, and the officers dragged her into the street, laying her face down and cuffing her hands behind her back.
Bad as all that is, and it's past time for a national discussion of how militarized we want our local police to be, it only gets worse. The officers who bravely Tasered a seven-month pregnant woman into submission actually won themselves a split decision in the Ninth Circuit in which the court said they'd used excessive force but were immune from being sued. Even this wasn't enough for a couple of the justices.
Chief Judge Alex Kozinski dissented on the first point, saying Ms. Brooks had been "defiant" and "deaf to reason" and so had brought the incident upon herself.�As for the officers, he said: "They deserve our praise, not the opprobrium of being declared constitutional violators. The City of Seattle should award them commendations for grace under fire."�Another dissenter, Judge Barry G. Silverman, said "tasing was a humane way to force Brooks out of her car."
Amazingly enough, the cops have now appealed their victory to the Supreme Court, asking that the finding of excessive force be vacated because even that tepid reprimand "effectively strips officers of the authority to use any pain compliance technique to control an actively resisting arrestee." And what a shame that would be. In short order, the streets would be overrun with "defiant" pregnant ladies.
If the Supreme Court decides to hear this nonsense, one of the people to watch will be Justice Clarence Thomas, whose record on what should be allowed to happen to people in custody makes Torquemada look like Sister Helen Prejean. As I said, I am not optimistic here.
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He should be reminded of this fact that he demonstrates that he has forgotten, through his ignoring the police state tactics going on during HIS watch.
SHAME on you Mr. President.
Signed,
One of your most ardent supporters since day one.
I, too, encourage you to pick up your phones and call immediately to ask Mr. Obama to do the right thing, to ask him to speak out in favor of peaceful protests and against police brutality that has NO place in a democratic America.
The World is watching, and "WE cannot wait" for him to do the right thing. It must be now.
To President Obama, I beg you to do what you promised: be WITH the people, FOR the people, and be fearless about using your executive power to stop the madness NOW.
Sincerely,
Another of your most ardent supporters since day one.
N.
In this article, this is exactly what I am addressing.
Thank you for your support.
N.
The "cheating" by planting evidence and using infiltrators/ag ent provocateurs is SOP for U.S. government agencies.
Ask Native Americans.
Ask Iraqis.
Ask Afghans.
Do you actually think all IEDs are planted by Al Qaeda and Islamic extremists?
Realize we are confronting a collection of amoral sociopaths who will do anything to beat back genuine democracy.
Never forget the Kent State murders on 4 May 1970.
And the legal basis for this was the Patriot Act, which, you might recall, was brought to us George and Dick.
And? Your are saying that he had to keep it?
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN
It's all of them, Barbara.
( is that feeling enough? ) I can go on. I've been watching for a long time.
As for congress, take a look back to the George W. administration. Review just how much the democrats handed to them. Most of what you see is entertainment, regardless. The show is directed by that 1% we're all protesting.
What you see is not necessarily the reality.
We can only hope that this will be the case, as no amount of "shame on you" seems to be doing the job.
N.
Everyone knows there were slave in North than as the land expanded, slaves went with..south, NorthWest and Southwest.
And many were treated well, many were treated horrendously.
Thomas Jefferson and our Forefathers never said they had no Slaves or House Persons. It is in their memoirs. Many were trusted friends. It was with the growth did Power come and the Slaves treated poorly even killed.
Police didnot cause Slavery Merchants did. Bounty hunters were hired, local thugs to go bring back runaways. I do not remember North being quite so adamant as the South, or as cruel. But Slavery was wrong, and we can thank those Christians who believed those that were not of our color were Heathens and therefore, should be treated as such. Again not a Police Agenda. Police role had already started in Europe, most were to quell uprisings but upsurps, protect the well to do/Political some branched into security, money protection etc. We had the jolly constables most were Volunteer or Appointed in Colonies with Volunteers who later started Fire Brigades, Citizen Brigades etc. Crime was not so large, everyone knew each other. those who did something wrong was treated more with Puritan Cruelty and Mockery than enforcement as we know it.
If they are part of the 1% they don't need any money.
Eventually they will resort to hurting one of their own, in order to change the game. Don't let this happen without photo or video evidence. Be quick to protect the evidence, and be ready to offer copies to the media, the courts, and to lawyers for the defense of those of us who will be arrested.
Even Oakland I get different stories from my friends. supposedly Peaceful than a gorup start shoving the cops, that is not Peaceful.
I think reviews of all Brutality must be looked into, and then start seeing if the same faces in Oakland than went to Denver up to NY because they will, they are on someone's dime setting up to instigate and get publicity.
Take them out...put them in public shackles for what they are. But stay Peaceful, stay warm
NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN !!
Nations we are no better than you, we are being watched daily, listened to, our accounts, lives are all being accounted for by Big Brother. We have Dictators in charge here and they want your Country, your riches, your Land....Do not believe OBama and the USA. We are not to be trusted. Nazis are alive and well here.
YOu see us destroying our water, our air, land. You see us killing our Animals. You see us poisoning towns. You see us selling our jobs overseas. We are Prisoners just like you. Democracy is a Dream. Nazis, Fascists are the Voice in our System not Democratic Ideals. We Kill anything, anyone for whatever reason the Man Tells us to. You are next, first your Leaders than You
But remember: We the People voted in all these cretinous, traitorous politicians, including feckless Obama, who is a slave working for Wall St.
Most important, Scott Olsen is a man of courage and remarkable character. He and the other true OWS patriots remind us that such qualities still exist among us.
Second, yes, each OWS group will be infiltrated by "plants"--under cover cops, people trying to distort the message, and saboteurs. Stay true, know your colleagues, and identify the others.
Third, rubber bullets, tear gas, and batons are NOT "NON-LETHAL" as reported. All have been and can be lethal. In fact, many police and military are taught lethal applications. Believe me, if you teach safeguards to prevent death, many see this as direct lethal instruction.
Stay safe. Stay true. And begin framing your message.
They pretend to help you but they are giving you poisoned candy. Stop taking anything from American Business and their Partners. Your Land is goin to be their Land....
They kill you and your children, they kill us and our children with no food, no clean water, no housing, no jobs, no health care. They Poison our air, Our Water, Our Food, Our Bodies with disease.
they take our homes, our land, our rights.
They go in pretending to protect you, to help you, they pretend to give you money for rebuilding but they are buying you out.
One Day you will no longer be Iraq, Iran, Libya ... you will Be MonsantoLand, KochLand, GELand. Beware the Powers of the USA are playing with their Puppet Politicians to wipe you out just like your leaders. You will either work for them or die of some new disease, or dumping their chemicals, bad food seeds. Welcome to Democracy the New Wave