Police taser blind man, because they thought his walking stick was a samurai sword .

[HipChick]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-20031625

Mr Farmer, who is registered blind and has suffered two strokes, said he had thought he was being attacked by thugs when it had happened.

He was walking to a pub to meet friends at the time and said the Tasering had forced him to drop his stick and fall to the ground.

He said the experience had left him "shaking like a leaf" and scared to go outside.

Ch Supt Williams said the police force had "clearly put this man through a traumatic experience".
Failed to stop

He said the force had "received a number of reports that a man was walking through Chorley armed with a samurai sword".

A policeman thought he had found the suspect and discharged the Taser after the man failed to stop at the officer's request, Mr Williams said.

Mr Farmer was taken to Chorley Hospital after it "became apparent that this man was not the person we were looking for".

A man carrying a samurai sword was later arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.

[Drale]

1. This is bad and should have never happened but

it could have been worst, one of those people who called 911, could have decided to take it into their own hands and shoot him dead. This is what happens when society is afraid of everything and everyone.

[Nevernose]

2. One of the reports I read

...had it as the police were looking for a guy with a samurai sword, found the blind guy with a cane, identified it as a cane, and tase him anyway.

[JackN415]

3. they watched too many Zatoichi movies

Last edited Mon Oct 22, 2012, 11:48 PM - Edit history (2)

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[Vidar]

4. I could swear I read an extremely similar DU thread just a few weeks ago.