| I must say, emotion is the big driver in this debate. This is where the law is too wishy-washy for me. I mean, the cops did have a legitimate reason to use the taser - they arrived at a scene with a big angry foreign guy that they could not communicate with. But then again, the big angry foreign guy was just extremely angry and frustrated. So of course there were other possible ways for them to deal with this, but they are trained to make the situation safe as immediate as possible. Tasering him they thought would give them a chance to arrest him, then sit him down and try to communicate with him.
In no way do I think that tasering was the best choice, but unlike Meyers in Florida, this guy had threatening attributes layered in his actions. He was literally throwing things around the airport, and picked up a stapler in a threatening way... it might only be a stapler, but having a stapler thrown at your face can cause damage...
In the end, it is a tragedy that he died, and I sympathize with his family. However, I dint know if this will create a need for law enforcement to change their taser regulations, it is supposed to be their last resort prior to shooting him. I am sure if he was shot over this it would have been a much greater problem.
This is my signature. |