Tasertastic!

If you're following this whole UCPD Taser incident, there've been a few updates. The Daily Bruin now has video of the event (warning: the file is over 50 megs, I highly recommend downloading it first). Also, the UCPD released a statement, which can be found in PDF on their web site.

Aside from the disturbing audio and video imagery in the various videos of this encounter, I find the UCPD's response almost as bad. I pulled a few quotes from the report to show you the "logic" employed by the department...

"As the officers attempted to escort him out, he went limp and continued to refuse to cooperate with officers or leave the building."
...
" The officers deemed it necessary to use the Taser in a 'drive stun' capacity." (that's where they jab you with it and zap you, instead of shooting you from afar)
...
"A Taser is used to incapacitate subjects who are resistant by discharging an electronic current into the subject"

Also, from another article on the DB website, "according to a study published in the Lancet Medical Journal in 2001, a charge of three to five seconds can result in immobilization for five to 15 minutes."

So, they deemed it was necessary to incapacitate a person who went limp? I guess immobilization is a proper response for not moving? I'm baffled.

The best part (or worst), is when a kid at then end demands the badge number from the tasering cop, who points and says "if you don't get back over there you're gonna get tased too." That second article points out that a cop threatening somebody who asks for their identification is criminal assault. Way to go UCPD.

I guess we'll see where this all goes from here. I'll keep y'all posted.