So ... which is better?

[KittenKoder]

Taser or tackle?

Health Worsens For Man Injured By King County Deputy - Seattle News Story - KIRO Seattle

I am sure this guy wishes they used tasers this time. Those who think you can't hurt someone with a tackle are idiots. The family is suing the cops for this of course, so now what are cops suppose to do? Just ask the criminals to "please" get into the car?

 

[trams]

He played, He payed.

 

[KittenKoder]

He played, He payed.

My thoughts to, but I am addressing those who claimed that tackling has less risk that tasers.

 

[Big Black Dog]

Light him up!!! Electricity is a wonderful thing!!!

 

[N4mddissent]

People over-react to the taser thing. Yes, sometimes things go wrong and someone is seriously injured. Things go wrong with lots of stuff. Deal with it. Sometimes a guy slips and falls and breaks a leg. It's a hell of a lot less injury than shooting their ass. And more importantly, it keeps the cops from having to get into a struggle with an agitated suspect- a situation which might injure the cop. Anyone who is cooperative with the cops has very little chance of getting tased or tackled or anything. Lesson, quit being an asshole to the cops. Even if the cop is an asshole, have enough brain to deal with it after the fact and don't give them an excuse to bust your balls.

 

[xsited1]

Taser or tackle?

Health Worsens For Man Injured By King County Deputy - Seattle News Story - KIRO Seattle

I am sure this guy wishes they used tasers this time. Those who think you can't hurt someone with a tackle are idiots. The family is suing the cops for this of course, so now what are cops suppose to do? Just ask the criminals to "please" get into the car?

The guy is white so who cares?

 

[chanel]

One of the related articles says he didn't know they were police. Perhaps he was retarded?

 

[Care4all]

he played, he paid? wtf?

he WAS INNOCENT, had nothing to do with anything...for christ sake????

look at the video...he doesn't look like he is running hard from the police when the cop nabbed him? sheesh...

the cop had a tad TOO MUCH adrenalin pumping through him...but it still was an accident...though perhaps still involuntary manslaughter.....the parents should sue...their son, was wronged.

LiveLeak.com - Cop shoves innocent man head first into wall, puts him into coma (VIDEO)

 

[Diuretic]

I'll get the obvious bit out of the way first. This is a dreadful thing to happen to the man.

The second obvious bit is that if it was unreasonable force then the deputy will be accountable.

Now to the point. This is an instance where the proximate cause of the injury to the man (apparently) was his skull hitting a wall. The distal cause was the deputy "tackling" the man. I would think that's where any liability will be pinpointed. If the deputy was negligent in not foreseeing that his tackle would put the man's head into the wall then bad news for the deputy. However that remains to be seen.

Is physical force "better" than an electrical discharge? I still think so. Taking an unfortunate example like this isn't really addressing the argument. With physical force you can regulate the amount you apply. If you take a flying tackle at someone then obviously that ability to regulate force is minimised, momentum and mass take over and biffo, there's a slamdown. But if you're grappling with someone then you do have more control over how much force you apply at any given time.

I'd sooner have a cop grapple me than hit me with an ECD.

 

[Diuretic]

Just saw the video, thanks care.

Hmmmm - close one.

Okay, the cop's in shit big time.

The bloke didn't resist. This is similar to the NYC one where the patrolman pushed the bloke off his bike.

 

[Ravi]

I don't think the method matters as much as how it is employed. Any physical force can hurt someone.

 

[Care4all]

$25M claim filed over deputy's tackle

06:22 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 25, 2009

JENNIFER CABALA / KING 5 News

Video: $25M claim filed over King Co. deputy's tackle
Larger screen E-mail this clip

SEATTLE - The family of an innocent man left in a coma after a deputy harsh tackled him has filed a $25 million claim against King County.

In the early morning hours of Mother's Day, there was a beating and stabbing at Second and Bell. A witness wrongly identified 29-year-old Christopher Harris as a suspect.

Harris ran, and deputies followed. Harris then stopped a few blocks away at the Cinerama Theater, and Deputy Mathew Paul tackled him, knocking him into a wall.

Harris suffered a severe brain injury and was taken to Harborview Medical Center. He's been in a coma ever since.



The sheriff's department has since cleared Paul, but the family's attorney says the department is responsible for what they are calling an appalling act.

Harris' family says his medical bills are approaching $1 million, and they want the Sheriff's Department to cover his lifelong medical costs and the emotional distress his brain injury has caused his wife, Sarah.

She says her husband will likely never wake up. She has left her job and spends all day with him at the long-term care facility where he lives now.

Christopher Harris

As she sat rubbing her husband's wedding ring on a chain around her neck she explained the money could mean her husband could be home with her.

"Whatever we need to be able to bring him home," she said. "I'll be there to take care of him but of course I'm going to need help with that,' she said.

The claim is just the first step toward a lawsuit. The attorney says that if the department doesn't settle within the 60 day holding period, then they plan to sue.

$25M claim filed over deputy's tackle | Northwest News | KREM.com | News for Spokane, Washington

 

[Diuretic]

I can see a courtroom steps settlement.

Poor bloke, that's terrible.

 

[Care4all]

Do police depts carry insurance for incidences such as these?

 

[Ravi]

Do police depts carry insurance for incidences such as these?

Doubtful. Most counties/cities are "self insured" whatever that means.

 

[KittenKoder]

One of the related articles says he didn't know they were police. Perhaps he was retarded?

I hear the criminals use that argument a lot of times, but then, if you are going to commit a crime and run from the cops you probably are retarded.

 

[KittenKoder]

I don't think the method matters as much as how it is employed. Any physical force can hurt someone.

That's what my point has always been on this matter.

 

[xotoxi]

The family is suing the cops for this of course, so now what are cops suppose to do?

And they should sue.

I saw the video and the man was brutally tackled. I did not see that the victim had acted aggressively towards to cops, nor was he running and was tackled roughly and injured by his own momentum.

He was injured by an aggressive cop who was a little too hopped up on the adrenaline of the moment.

I don't think that the cop intended to put him into a coma...but just like a case of unintentional medical malpractice, the police committed malpractice, and the police force should pay.

I might have a different opinion if he had committed a crime.

 

[KittenKoder]

The family is suing the cops for this of course, so now what are cops suppose to do?

And they should sue.

I saw the video and the man was brutally tackled. I did not see that the victim had acted aggressively towards to cops, nor was he running and was tackled roughly and injured by his own momentum.

He was injured by an aggressive cop who was a little too hopped up on the adrenaline of the moment.

I don't think that the cop intended to put him into a coma...but just like a case of unintentional medical malpractice, the police committed malpractice, and the police force should pay.

I might have a different opinion if he had committed a crime.

I didn't say it was wrong in this instance specifically, I hadn't seen the video. I was referring to the techniques used in apprehending the criminals. But meh, the topic shifted when the video was posted, so I am backing out of the thread for now, I said my peace on what I was addressing.

 

[Care4all]

well....i am sorry for side barring of this thread with the video...it's just when i read the initial link, i saw that it was back in May...and i was wondering if the young lad was still alive, so i googled him, the video came up, and the rest is history!

but on topic, i still would rather not see stun guns used and cops tackle if necessary...there have been too many deaths by simply using them....

if this man was put in a coma from the cop using it on him instead, i would still be upset, because this man was innocent....