72-Year-Old Woman Tased and Jailed!

[PoliticalChic]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEm-YokntR8]YouTube - 72-year-old Woman Tasered & Jailed![/ame]

A traffic stop for speeding in Travis County, Texas, led to the Tasering of a 72-year-old great-grandmother by a deputy. Feisty Kathryn Winkfein apparently so frightened the law-enforcement officer when she "used some profanity" and "got violent" that he felt it necessary to subdue her with a potentially dangerous jolt of electricity.

Winkfein was reportedly doing 60 in a construction zone where the posted speed limit was 45 when she was pulled over. She was ticketed but declined to sign the ticket, leading the police officer to place her under arrest lest civilization collapse for want of the surrender of a penny's worth of ink.

At this point, the stories diverge. According to Precinct 3 Constable Richard McCain, Winkfein cursed and refused to cooperate. She says nothing of the sort occurred. "I wasn't argumentative, I was not combative. This is a lie," the woman told a news reporter for Fox 7.

Either way, it's difficult to see how the issuance of a speeding ticket to an elderly woman devolved to the point where a grown, trained law-enforcement officer could be considered justified in subjecting the speeder to an electric jolt intended to disrupt her nervous system -- no matter what command of profanity she displayed.

Given that the speeding ticket had already been issued, it's also difficult to understand what purpose was served by prolonging the encounter and demanding a signature. A similar incident in Utah in 2007 between a state trooper and a motorist also resulted in a Tasering after the driver declined to sign a speeding ticket. In that case, the officer escalated the matter to a violent conclusion even though Utah law doesn't actually require a signature. Texas law apparently follows the same reasoning, considering the signature merely a promise to appear in court, not a necessity for the validity of the ticket itself.

Jared Massey, the Utah motorist, was ultimately awarded $40,000 as compensation for the abuse he suffered at the hands of Trooper Jon Gardner.

...

After being Tasered along the road for failing to put pen to paper, Kathryn Winkfein was taken to jail and booked for resisting arrest and detention. Not surprisingly, she's hired a lawyer.

Texas cop Tasers great-grandmother

 

[Article 15]

I'd like to see the dash cam tape that the attorney's office has.

 

[WillowTree]

She looks terrifying all righty..

 

[PoliticalChic]

I'd like to see the dash cam tape that the attorney's office has.

Here it is:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKohyVJYiEU]YouTube - Dash Cam Footage of Grandmother Being Tased[/ame]

 

[mskafka]

I'm with Article 15-I would like to see the cam, as I'm certain that we aren't getting both sides of the story. Who knows? The cop could be an idiot that just wanted to flex his muscles. Or, it could be that he felt that his life was in danger. More police officers are shot on traffic stops in the Southeastern US, than any other region of the US.

There is a lesson to be learned here. If you are doing 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, you are speeding. You are breaking the law. Don't play dumb when you get stopped. You screwed up, and you have to live with the consequences. Sign it, and slow down.

Don't let the "little old lady" defense fool you. My father has been a police officer for 34 years. He was almost shot by a "little old lady" who almost removed his gun from his holster, during an arrest. She was resisting arrest. Was he supposed to let her shoot him, with a wife and 2 children at home?

 

[Article 15]

Appropriate to the use the taser by left foot.

 

[mskafka]

I'm with Article 15-I would like to see the cam, as I'm certain that we aren't getting both sides of the story. Who knows? The cop could be an idiot that just wanted to flex his muscles. Or, it could be that he felt that his life was in danger. More police officers are shot on traffic stops in the Southeastern US, than any other region of the US.

There is a lesson to be learned here. If you are doing 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, you are speeding. You are breaking the law. Don't play dumb when you get stopped. You screwed up, and you have to live with the consequences. Sign it, and slow down.

Don't let the "little old lady" defense fool you. My father has been a police officer for 34 years. He was almost shot by a "little old lady" who almost removed his gun from his holster, during an arrest. She was resisting arrest. Was he supposed to let her shoot him, with a wife and 2 children at home?

How did she end up outside of the vehicle? That is one question that I have. If you want to make a police officer nervous, get out of your vehicle on a traffic stop. That is a hasty way to get yelled at, arrested, worse, etc...

Another issue is the fact that they are standing next to a highway. As a paramedic of 13 years, I can tell you from experience that it isn't very much fun to be standing 10-feet from a vehicle passing you at 70 mph, or even just 45 mph. (Both would hurt a little if they hit you) So that was an added element of stress. He told her to stop walking toward him, and she did it anyway. Since we only have part of the video....had he frisked her? Was he certain that she wasn't armed? Too many questions for me to be convinced.

 

[WillowTree]

What did he throw on the ground? Looks like he's the one having the anger management problem.

 

[Citizen]

I do not need to see what led up to the tasering because from what I saw the officer was not in any danger, just wanting to show her his authority by tasering her in leu of letting her get back in her car and leave, since the ticket was already issued, I do not undrstand his problem, unless he is just another bully.

If this had been my mother, law enforcement would have a valid reason for comming after me, because I would have come after that officer, and since I am no longer a young man, it would not have been with my bare hands.

 

[mskafka]

Let me reiterate: Do not EVER, exit a vehicle when you are stopped by a police officer. That is for your safety and their's.

In some states police officers have the option of arresting someone who doesn't sign a citation.

 

[mskafka]

She made 2 mistakes. She refused to sign the citation, and she exited her vehicle.

 

[WillowTree]

She made 2 mistakes. She refused to sign the citation, and she exited her vehicle.

well, clearly she stated she was getting back into her car. he would not let her.. he shudda called for back up,, for a real policeman!

 

[KittenKoder]

Not to mention she kept trying to walk right into traffic ... cop probably saved her life.

 

[Article 15]

Not to mention she kept trying to walk right into traffic ... cop probably saved her life.

Please.

She was walking to get back into her car not wonder off into traffic.

The cop is lucky HE didn't kill the 72 year old lady with the taser.

 

[Missourian]

Appropriate to the use the taser by left foot.

So what was he supposed to do...just allow her to leave?

 

[Article 15]

Appropriate to the use the taser by left foot.

So what was he supposed to do...just allow her to leave?

Well that would have been one option. Like not flexing on a 72 year old lady for not signing the ticket. It still would have been filed and she still would have had to pay the fine. No big deal but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this cop has to show her who's boss.

Another option would have been to not hit a 72 year old in the chest with a taser and just arrest her. The cop was a total pussy.

 

[Missourian]

Appropriate to the use the taser by left foot.

So what was he supposed to do...just allow her to leave?

Well that would have been one option. Like not flexing on a 72 year old lady for not signing the ticket. It still would have been filed and she still would have had to pay the fine. No big deal but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this cop has to show her who's boss.

Another option would have been to not hit a 72 year old in the chest with a taser and just arrest her. The cop was a total pussy.

So we leave the police with all the power and authority of a U.N. Resolution.

"Stop! Stop, or I swear to goodness I'll say Stop again!!!"
​

 

[WillowTree]

she was a mouthy obstinate little old woman that's for sure and he certainly showed he had no clue how to deal with her. He kept yelling "put your hands behind your back or I will taze you again" He has no clue how hard it is for a 72 year old to get outta bed much less lay on the ground face down and rotate her arms behind her.. she was absolutely no threat to him which is the only reason I would ever say a cop should taze a citizen..

 

[hjmick]

The old biddy was asking for it, just ask Baltimore Boob.

 

[Article 15]

So what was he supposed to do...just allow her to leave?

Well that would have been one option. Like not flexing on a 72 year old lady for not signing the ticket. It still would have been filed and she still would have had to pay the fine. No big deal but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO this cop has to show her who's boss.

Another option would have been to not hit a 72 year old in the chest with a taser and just arrest her. The cop was a total pussy.

So we leave the police with all the power and authority of a U.N. Resolution.

"Stop! Stop, or I swear to goodness I'll say Stop again!!!"
​

No.

He wasn't in any kind of danger from what I saw. Like I said he could have just arrested her without the use of the taser.