Georgia Police Used Taser Like A Cattle Prod To Force Black Man To Walk Until He Died

[MrScorpio]

A Georgia man is dead after police used their Tasers multiple times to force him to walk.

Gregory Towns ran from police and was so tired after they caught up to him that he could no longer walk as police officers Marcus Eberhart and Howard Weems demanded. So what did these officers do? They used their Tasers to shock Towns into getting up and walking with them. The two officers fired their Tasers 13 times at the handcuffed man until he died, with Eberhart firing 10 of the 13 shots.

On Tuesday, Towns’ attorney Chris Stewart blasted police for violating their own rules and regulations on Taser usage, telling the press that officers basically used their weapons as cattle prods.

“This is a direct violation of their own rules,” Stewart said. “You cannot use a Taser to escort or prod a subject. They used their Tasers as a cattle prod on Mr. Towns.”

Furthermore, Towns did nothing to deserve being treated the way he was by police. According to Stewart, “He wasn’t cursing. He wasn’t being abusive. He was saying, ‘I’m tired.’”

Of course, police deny that the Tasers had anything to do with Towns’ death. But the autopsy report contradicts their denial. The death has been ruled a homicide caused by the Taser shocks and the physical weakness Towns incurred by running.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/08/27/georgia-police-used-taser-like-a-cattle-prod-to-force-black-man-to-walk-until-he-died-video/

[riversedge]

1. whow. just whow!

[intaglio]

2. Sorry to say it but it is the same old same old

Burge and Byrne in Chicago would have loved tazers as would the Apartheid era South African police

[quadrature]

3. cop cams, would stop a lot of this ...nt

[paulkienitz]

43. absolutely. I've been pro cop-cam since before it was even feasible.

[Enthusiast]

4. Kicked and recommended!

These cops engaged in torture.

[Volaris]

16. No they didn't torture anyone. It was enhanced escortation techniques.

Uncle Sam and his patriotic nephews from PNAC taught them how to do it, and then (of course) told them it was ok.
Patriot Act, baby.

And if I need a sarcasm tag, you will NEVER understand why War Criminals need imprisionment.

[Enthusiast]

29. ...

[BrotherIvan]

71. And they were scared

And patriots!

[KurtNYC]

5. Every "non-lethal weapon" issued has been used in torturous and lethal ways

Lately there are many videos of people being maced or sprayed in the eyes and then not being allowed to get the spray out. The UC Davis pepper spray incident was abuse of pepper spray to physically punish taxpayers who were no threat to the sprayer.

Even non-weapons are used as weapons. A common use for the big 5 D-Cell Maglite flashlights is to hit people in the head.

[truedelphi]

67. A friend of mine was telling me that some

Of the students who were at that UC Davis protest are still in prison!

The penalties for being a protester have been ratcheted up beyond belief while the penalties for being a murderous cop do not even exist.

[KurtNYC]

77. I can't find anything about students in prison

there were on going protests, 39 arrested at one on Nov 9, 2011:

Video footage of the afternoon confrontation showed police beating protesters with batons and dragging two protesters by the hair, one of whom was UC Berkeley English professor Celeste Langan. Thirty-nine protesters, including Langan, were arrested for charges including "resisting and delaying a police officer in the performance of their duties, and failure to disperse when given a dispersal order."

10 more arrests on Nov 18, the day the military grade pepper spray was used. Langan and others were release after about 6 hours of BS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UC_Davis_pepper-spray_incident

[Jackpine Radical]

6. The only good thing in all this is that these cases are coming to light

and getting some attention.

[Cal33]

14. Yes, I also wonder how much mistreatment is going on in some prisons, where

inmates are treated miserably, and they can do nothing about it. This would be a
a job attractive to sadists, who would be able to inflict pain on the helpless and
get away with it. What a place this world of ours is!

[Jackpine Radical]

17. And all the more in private prisons,

which are staffed by poorly qualified, poorly paid, poorly trained personnel.

[christx30]

22. But that's just awesome

for the stockholders.
That's why I think prisons shouldn't be private at all. With any other business, if they're cheap and hire shitty employees or have bad facilities, you can take your business elsewhere. In a prison, you're stuck there for 5, 10, 20 years.
And bad training can kill in those places. No one should make a profit on confining humans.

[Jackpine Radical]

24. The private prison system is an abomination.

For one thing, a lot of states have contracts in which they guarantee high levels of occupancy, which is one of the driving forces behind our insanely high incarceration rate, and behind ever-harsher penalties for more and more minor crimes. Legalize pot? No way. It'll empty prison beds, which the state will then have to pay for anyway.

[christx30]

27. I'm in favor of pot legalization,

but I know it'll never happen. These terrible excuses for people would rather ruin 10's of thousands of lives than see their bank balances go below $100 million.

[Cal33]

44. Is there any other country in the world with private prisons, or are we the only ones? It's

not something to feel proud about. In fact, it's a damned disgrace.

[Jackpine Radical]

84. I think private prisons started in the UK.

[bullwinkle428]

7. Fuckers living out their wet dreams about time-traveling back to

the 1800s and being plantation owners.

[LiberalArkie]

13. Well not plantation owner, the slaves were property. The last thing they wanted to do was

incapacitate a slave. But the 1950's - 1960's. Oh yea. Fire hoses, cattle prods, anything the police could use they did use on protesters and generally anyone not white who didn't say yes masser.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

32. You're saying slaves, especially field hands weren't whipped by the foreman and punished

as an example to the others? You can't possibly be saying that.

[LiberalArkie]

38. Oh of course not. But to kill them, it would have to be something real bad and to teach other

slaves not to do it. My great-great grand father had slaves in the south. Generally if a slave was a problem they would sell the slave to another owner. The beast my grand father explained it to me was like a tractor that was going bad. You did not throw it away, you sold it for the best price you could and buy another better tractor. Slaves back then were mainly farm implements. The richer farmers could afford house slaves and such, but poorer ones like my great-great-grand father could not afford house slaves or to really hurt or kill a slave. But he told me that the rich angry plantation owners would whip a profitable slave to death to show off to fellow owners.

[Hosnon]

26. I doubt this cop's behavior had much to do with that.

Racism? Yes. But the actual Civil War (and its social institutions) is no more thought about in the South than anywhere else (perhaps less so actually).

[LiberalArkie]

39. Don't bet on that. The concept of slavery is still alive in the South.

In business it works with the employer having the attitude of "If you quit this job, I will see that you never work around here again and neither will your family".

[Hosnon]

41. I live in the South and that sounds more like small-town bullshit than a desire to reinstate slavery

There are some awful racists around but I don't think I've ever heard anyone claim that they want to reinstate slavery.

[LiberalArkie]

42. If course it would never apply in the big corporate cities.

because racism is hardly ever present in the large cities.

[Starry Messenger]

8. Fuck!

[knightmaar]

9. And the crime for which they chasing him?

What did they kill him for? Unpaid library fines? Jaywalking? Looking like a vague "black male suspect"?

Ah, "after a domestic dispute". So, for all we know, and the cops know, he and his wife were yelling at each other and attracted the attention of neighbours who called the cops.

But even if, worst case, he had assaulted his wife, you still don't get to electrocute him to death.

[lpbk2713]

10. Ah but they had such fun.

Throw the book at them.

[toby jo]

18. +1

Would love to see these guys in lock-up with their own kind.

[christx30]

23. I'd like to see them in gen pop.

No cop prison for them. They act like sadistic animals, they don't deserve any protections not afforded to the rest of the prisoners.

[Stonepounder]

11. And then they wonder why people run from cops! n/t

[valerief]

12. Jesus H., these sadistic cops belong in hell. nt

[samsingh]

15. i hope they are charged with murder convicted and given the death penalty

[groundloop]

56. No to the death penalty, even for those sick fuckers

Absolutely put those bastards in prison for the rest of their miserable lives, but more murders don't make anything right.

[navarth]

69. correct. nt

[Brigid]

19. Wow. Just wow.

Where are the lawsuits and criminal charges against thugs like this? And no, I don't mean Towns.

[840high]

20. Put them in jail forever.

[L0oniX]

21. ...because water boarding is so ...old school.

[Hosnon]

25. Cameras. Cameras on every cop.

I 100% support Sen. McCaskill's proposal to deny federal funds to law enforcement agencies unless their cops have cameras.

[Faux pas]

28. You'd think all those racist

assholes would chill for awhile. Pitifully sickening.

[Rex]

30. Of course the tasers led to his death! That is kinda obvious.

I can't believe the police are pretending otherwise.

[tosh]

31. "“Mr. Towns’ killing is not about race,” Stewart said...

“Mr. Towns’ killing is not about race,” Stewart said, noting that Towns and both officers were black. “It’s about police brutality … going to the extreme.”

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/attorney-east-point-police-used-tasers-as-cattle-p/ng9Rh/

From an earlier story, published Tuesday.

[Gormy Cuss]

33. Fuckers.

Sorry, not a time to mince words. Using a taser as a prod is sadistic.

[chknltl]

34. Off Topic: Thom Hartmann just quoted this article and cited you Mr. Scorpio!

Thank you for your keeping this conversation on the front burner Mr. Scorpio, it is one our nation needs to be having.

[Cali_Democrat]

37. Cool!

Props to our very own Mr. Scorpio!!

[MrScorpio]

40. Wha??? ME?

[SunSeeker]

46. Yes indeed. I heard it too.

[yuiyoshida]

57. wow!!!

[In_The_Wind]

60. Thank you, MrScorpio!

[Ilsa]

70. I heard it too. nt

[KansDem]

75. Yeah, you!

[Dont call me Shirley]

49. Yes he did.

[Initech]

35. My WTF meter is broken on this one.

Seriously what the fucking hell is wrong with the police that they have to resort to this?

[muriel_volestrangler]

36. Glad to see "ruled a homicide" in there; but the officers have not yet been charged

Chris Stewart, who is representing the family of Gregory Lewis Towns Jr., said Tuesday former Cpl. Howard Weems and former Sgt. Marcus Eberhart discharged their departmental Tasers at least 14 times, not the six that were documented in the required police reports they filed on Towns’ April 11 death.

While the medical examiners haves said Towns’ death was a homicide, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard is still waiting on evidence before decided if he will present the matter to a grand jury for possible criminal charges.
...
Eberhart, who resigned rather than be terminated, has not responded to telephone messages left at his home.

An attorney representing Weems, who was fired, said the former officer followed the orders of his supervisor, Eberhart, to “drive stun gun” Towns, which involves placing the prongs of the device directly on the skin to deliver the charge. Weems lawyer also said in a written statement provided to Channel 2 Action News that Towns’ medical problems caused his death and not the shocks from the Taser.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/attorney-east-point-police-used-tasers-as-cattle-p/ng9Rh/

[berni_mccoy]

45. Things are going to come to a head in this country...

a storm is brewing.

[chknltl]

52. I surely hope that you are right.

[rhett o rick]

65. The problem is that if the Black Community revolt, as they have good reason to,

will the White Community support them? For sure the Tea Baggers will be willing to side with law enforcement against the Black Community.

Before you say this isn't about Black and White, it surely is. The Black Community is being targeted. They are going to prison, private prisons that want them to work for slave wages. They are being murdered routinely. The Powers That Be would love nothing more than to see the Black Community revolt.

If we have a revolution in this country, it won't be the lower classes vs. the Aristocracy, it will be the left vs. the right.

[SunSeeker]

47. K & R for exposure. nt

[Dont call me Shirley]

48. Just wondering, who gave the order to the cops that they can now kill at will?

[ReRe]

50. K&R

For more and more and more exposure of police brutality. And I don't think "police brutality" is even what it is. It's WORSE than police brutality: It's murder by cop.

[Sunlei]

51. must be routine for these police to torture people with electric shock.

[heaven05]

53. even if he did something to be running from the police

summary execution such as this is getting real old. I was talking to a young black man yesterday. I'm 66 he was late 20's. He was ANGRY about what executioner wilson did to Michael Brown. He said a lot of his companions are ready to fight. I understand their anger. This type of daily occurance just reinforces that anger. Some white people may want a race war and that's why they continue to support white murder of unarmed black males..............but a lot of them better wake the fuck up to the reality of that.

These young black males are as angry as I was in the 60's fighting for my right to vote in this corrupt system and for the right NOT to have fire hoses directed toward me and police dogs not taking chunks out me.

[CatWoman]

54. Towns' mom is suing

she and her lawyer were just on Rev. Al's show.

[JEB]

55. Defund the cops. Put the money to work in Public education.

[WCLinolVir]

58. Never ceases to amaze me how cops can de-humanize the public and commit atrocities.

How sadistic. I do hope a homicide charge sticks.

[malaise]

59. Good fugging grief

This has to stop!! Throw away the keys

[In_The_Wind]

61. Police should not get away with this behavior!

[LiberalAndProud]

62. running ever since

1963

It's been a long, long time coming but I know a change is gonna come.

[salin]

63. No words

another piece of society (esp once aware - if stay immune) losing it's humanity.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

64. See, we told you!!! You can't trust unreliable tasers...

This is cruel and unusual punishment. Better to just unload your clip so the poor guy doesn't suffer.


Yes, that was sarcasm and would be funny if it that argument wasn't going to be used to dissuade police from using tasers.

[Glassunion]

66. K/R for visibility.

[cbayer]

81. Hey, where in the heck have you been?

You have been sorely missed in C & B and have some serious catching up to do in your pinned thread.

[Glassunion]

82. I know. I've been kind of taking a DU break for a while.

I always come back in August for the annual porn and Nagasaki threads.

[cbayer]

83. Well, you've been missed. HOpe you will check in on C & B sometime.

[IrishAyes]

68. Mr. Scorpio strikes again.

Great OP. Thanks.

I hate to listen to the news anymore, the bodies are piling up so fast.

[Live and Learn]

72. Tasers should only be used as a last resort in place of guns, not for fun

or to release pent up frustrations. Why is that so hard for some officers to understand?

[BainsBane]

73. What is going on in this country

It's just all too awful. The state of humanity. It's so hard to understand. There is a deep sickness in our country that can allow this sort of thing. I just read the most heart-breaking story of a DUer who went hungry to feed his/her dogs, but they were still malnourished and the police threatened to take them away. Injustices compound one another. How do people get buy? I am so blessed not to have to face these things but I feel so badly for people who do. Surely we have to do something. We have to make our society better. This cannot continue.

[blkmusclmachine]

74. When do we start to fight back against Corruption?

[aikoaiko]

76. Promising response from the towns attorney

Hopefully there will be charges or civil penalties

[DireStrike]

78. blasted for "violating their own rules" and not for "torturing a person to death".

I'm so sick of this shit.

[RKP5637]

79. Many police forces are incapable of being civil and should be disbanded. This, should be a

federal priority. I don't even think the states are capable of cleaning up their rogue police forces, For one example, Ferguson.

[Gothmog]

80. This is horrible

These idiots need to be charged with Federal civil rights charges