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Sadly, John Kerry Wasn't Tasered (But He Could Have Used the Electricity)

Taser 2 lawyers taser client Abovethelaw Above the Law blog.jpgWe're suckers for taser gun stories. Like this one, from the AP:

A University of Florida student was Tasered and arrested after trying angrily and repeatedly to ask U.S. Senator John Kerry about the 2004 election and other subjects during a campus forum....

Videos of Monday's incident posted on several Web sites show officers pulling Andrew Meyer, 21, away from the microphone after he asks Kerry about impeaching President Bush and whether he and Bush were both members of the secret society Skull and Bones at Yale University.

"He apparently asked several questions he went on for quite awhile then he was asked to stop," university spokesman Steve Orlando said. "He had used his allotted time. His microphone was cut off, then he became upset."

More discussion, plus video, after the jump.

Here's what happened to Meyer after he was forcibly removed:

Meyer was arrested on charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, according to Alachua County jail records, but the State Attorney's Office had yet to make the formal charging decision. Police recommended charges of resisting arrest with violence, a felony, and disturbing the peace and interfering with school administrative functions, a misdemeanor.

Was this a case of police brutality? Might Andrew Meyer have a cause of action against the officers? Or was he just an annoyingly self-indulgent questioner who deserved to get zapped?

Here's the video. You be the judge:

Student Arrested, Tasered at Kerry Event [AP via ABC News]
University of Florida student Tasered at Kerry forum [YouTube]

Earlier: ATL Practice Pointers: Don't Taser the Client

Comments
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1 Posted by FIRST!!! | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:34 PM

second? nope, first.

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2 Posted by First | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:34 PM

How about a NY salary thread today? It has been over a month since there has been any discussion of movement from the $160k payscale. With a new year coming up, and first years just arriving, will anyone step up and raise NY salaries to where they should be - higher than the rest of the country?

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3 Posted by FIRST!!! | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:34 PM

second? nope, first.

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4 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:37 PM

I agree with 12:34(2). Get us raises, Lat.

Do you think I could get 190k to start tasering wackos? Is there a minimum wacko per year requirement?

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:38 PM

When cops have you on the ground in handcuffs, it's probably time to stop screaming and trying to get away. Taser him again.

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:38 PM

What? No mention that Chemerinsky lost his appeal to the Ninth! An appeal on behalf of Palestinian Islamic Jihad!!

http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/6DFD4322CA06B5FA88257359005660A6/$file/0536210.pdf?openelement

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:39 PM

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw a confidential compensation committee memo at 31 Flavors last night.

Lat - start calling around for official comment.

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8 Posted by anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:43 PM

This post should be entitled: "Speaking of D-Bags . . . "

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:43 PM

What is the alternative? Leave the guy at the microphone while everyone else goes someplace else to finish the event?

Maybe he didn't need to be tased but the idea that he could have been removed without forcibly removing him by, you know, force, is unrealistic.

According to what people said, he was asked to leave the microphone a couple of times. His turn was over. If someone doesn't leave when asked and doesn't comply when someone shows up in uniform they simply aren't going to.

And if the guy wasn't right in the head?

This reminds me of a video clip of Buzz Aldrin being confronted by a conspiracy nut who was verbally abusive and ignored Buzz's demands that he back off. It was like he had no clue at all that he wasn't entitled to be abusive without consequence and I have no doubt that when Buzz clocked the guy (clearly self-defense, IMO, and Buzz wasn't charged for punching him) that he was surprised and confused that he was attacked for no reason.

When people who make a scene on purpose get arrested they get hauled off more or less quietly. Someone takes Mother Sheehan's arms and another cop takes her legs and they carry her off.

I saw another clip of someone who was removed from a political event. I can't remember who the political guy was and she wasn't thrown down or anything (but she was a rather small woman.) She wasn't being totally obnoxious just obnoxious and was asked to leave quite politely, she refused, and when she was made to leave physically she *cried* don't touch me don't touch me what have I done what have I done! She sounded panicked and distressed.

A *rational* person knows what they have done, *knows* they have a limited amount of time before they will be ejected, and makes the best of it while it lasts.

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10 Posted by whaambulance chaser | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:45 PM

Terrible behavior by the police.

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:52 PM

Cops are assholes. They didn't need to use the taser if they weren't such wimps. It took 5 cops and a taser to get the cuffs on the guy.

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12 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:53 PM

Not sure if the cops should have tasered him but I'm glad somebody did.

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:55 PM

Sue those bitches; sue 'em good.

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:57 PM

Does anyone notice that the crowd starts cheering once the cops begin to take the guy away? Could it be possible that the crowd WANTED this guy to stop talking? Or was it that they were applauding his loud resistance to the police?

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15 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:58 PM

Tasering someone after you have them pinned on the ground by like 6 police officers kind of screams of police brutality to me.

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16 Posted by anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:58 PM

"What is the alternative?" -- Umm, maybe turn off his microphone?

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17 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:58 PM

The kid is an idiot, but I'm not sure what cause they had to place him under arrest in the first place. Thoughts?

Additionally, though the video isn't great, it didn't look like he was resisting enough to justify a tazer.

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18 Posted by What about clubs | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 12:59 PM

They should have beaten him with sticks also.

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19 Posted by Doubly embarassing | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:02 PM

In addition to the embarassment of being tasered he whines like a pre-pubescent girl- no pain tolerance- what a pussy

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:03 PM

So he was resisting the cops, but not under arrest and then put under arrest for resisting arrest ? Is that why they cuffed and tazered the dude? Makes sense to me, fry 'em up.

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21 Posted by GOB | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:03 PM

What about macaroni - let me finish - salad?

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22 Posted by Maybe Trespass | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:04 PM

The kid is an idiot, but I'm not sure what cause they had to place him under arrest in the first place. Thoughts?

Trespass- he exceeded the scope of his license to be there by acting like a bitch.

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23 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:06 PM

This could be the best thing to ever happen to the kid - he's going to get a huge settlement.

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:07 PM

Kudos to Kerry for trying to answer the kid's questions.

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25 Posted by anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:07 PM

That kid is a complete f-ing pussy and the cops -- who were just doing their jobs -- should not have had to use force or taser him. His parents must be proud -- although it was probably the parents who didnt teach this d-bag how to act in a public forum.

I think the cops should have beaten the shit out of him

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26 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:08 PM


First he disturbed the peace, then he resisted arrest for disturbing the peace.

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27 Posted by Det. Furhman | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:08 PM

I would have shot him.

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28 Posted by Anonymous | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:11 PM

I do wonder why the six cops felt the need to break out the Taser once he was on the ground

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29 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:14 PM

I feel safe as a citizen knowing fine cops such as these are out there protecting us. Watch out bad guys, there's six of 'em but they'll get you.

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:15 PM

So this is what it's like to live in a police state. Tasering someone for asking too many questions? Good lord.

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:16 PM

They felt the need to break out the taser because they don't get paid enough to put up w/ whiny self-indulgent grandstanders who co-opt meaningful discussions. They should have tasered him in the balls.

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32 Posted by WHAT DID I DO!?! WHAT DID I DO!?! | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:16 PM

The kid is a total douchebag. But, as others have said, what could possibly justify tasering him after he's cuffed and on the ground? It's a shame they didn't taser him before he was cuffed, as clearly, if anyone ever deserved a high-volt juicing, it's him.

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33 Posted by Mideasterner | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:17 PM

That was a bit excessive. A nightstick to the teeth would have been sufficient.

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:17 PM

Weren't there enough of them to carry him out instead of letting him stay there screaming? Did they think that if they sat on him long enough he'd give up?

Solution: Carry the asshat outside, and then he'll probably quit screaming. At the very least, it will stop disturbing the event. Hearing John Kerry drone on in the background, however, was frickin hilarious. It was like 2004 all over again.

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35 Posted by anonymous | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:19 PM

I'm thinking this was disorderly conduct, and then interference with official acts by refusing a direct order of a peace officer.
He should have known better than to physically resist five armed officers. Idiot.

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36 Posted by Anonymous | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:20 PM

I hope those cops lose their jobs and UF has to pay a huge settlement.

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37 Posted by On the other side | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:23 PM

In looking at the video, the force did not seem that excessive. He was tasered after trying to tackle the 2 cops, one of whom was female.

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38 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:24 PM

Its not easy to carry someone out who is kicking and squirming and screaming. He had ample opportunity to stop being disruptive, he chose not to do so. You could hear that he saw the Taser before he got hit with it--that would have been the time to shut up and stop acting like a fool if you were concerned about being Tased.

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39 Posted by Deez Nuts | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:27 PM

If that dude was afro-american, the NAACP would be all over this.

If it was Rumsfeld or Rove speaking and some spineless liberal was tased, it would be front page news.

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40 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:29 PM

that is fucked up. unbelievable.

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41 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:33 PM

I am against tazers. I prefer night sticks. This kid needed a few hits to the stomach from an experienced NYPD officer and he would have left quietly. Just another narsacistic fool looking to be on Youtube. he deserved everything he got.

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42 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:37 PM

This is a disgrace to UF. The President should immediately reprimand university police, issue a public apology, and demand that all charges against the student be dropped.


He was surrounded by 5 police! He could have easily been escorted out of the building. He even said, "I will walk out."

Why did no one in the auditorium do anything while this was happening???

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43 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:37 PM

He was on the ground and pinned. No need to use the taser. Period.

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44 Posted by Police Brutality | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:39 PM

The fact that they tasered this kid is fucking bullshit!!! Five or six guys are fucking standing over him and holding him down and in the process of arresting.

Where the fuck have we gone in America is someone can get tasered for asking provocative questions in an academic setting?!@#$!#

These guards should be disciplined and the one who tasered this kid should be arrested and fucking charged. This is absolutely fucking outrageous.

It's one thing to arrest the kid for disturbing the Town Hall meeting, but FUCKING TASERING HIM?!@$?#?@!#$?!@#$

He should sue the FUCK out of the college. I can't think of how many of these things I went to in college and law school, where many a student asked provocative questions and refused to be ignored. I could see someone being removed from the room, but how the hell can you justify someone for being tasered like that.

The reason they did it had more to do with the fact that they wanted to "exact revenge" on the kid for being a pain for them to deal with than any threat he posed. Which is the only reason you should be tasering someone in the first palce -- if they pose a threat to the officer or anyone else. What threat did this kid pose?????

I can't even express how fucking pissed off I am about this. These guards need to be held accountable for this bull shit.

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45 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:40 PM

He was pinned on the ground and still fighting. Absolute need to taser. Period.

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46 Posted by Hulkster | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:41 PM

I would have slapped the sleeper hold on him! Lights out bitch!

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47 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:42 PM

I would say that he could have been charged with douchebaggery in the second degree, but the 11th Circuit held that the Florida statute creating the offense was unconstitutionally vague.

Judicial activists...

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48 Posted by 1:37 | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:48 PM

1:40: "still fighting"? Can I get the name of your eye doctor? He or she must've given you the ability to see through chairs for you to make that statement. I wouldn't mind x-ray vision myself.

Yelling is not "fighting" and even if it's "resisting" it doesn't merit a Taser blast. Tasers are supposed to be used to subdue a suspect. He's on the ground and pinned--where's he gonna go? How is he going to hurt the officers or anyone else?

Was he a self-indulgent d-bag? Sure. Does every d-bag deserve to be tased? I hope not. Especially since wanting a guy to get tased for being a d-bag sounds like rank d-baggery to me.

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49 Posted by Tim Tebo | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:49 PM

Who's John Kerry?

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50 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:49 PM

Right, some whiny little brat monopolizing a rare public forum with a former Presidential candidate to spout conspiracy theories and message board detritus is a great American "asking questions."

When the cops grab you, stop resisting. He was spastically flailing, and generally suggesting that he was dangerously unstable. These cops have to deal with people like this constantly, and the more they tolerate, the greater the chances they lose teeth or eyes. Sorry, but I defer to their judgment here.

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51 Posted by Anonymous | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:50 PM

They warned him multiple times that if he continued resisting, he would be tazed. He continued resisting, he was tazed.

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52 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:50 PM

1:39 and 1:48 = D-Bag who got tazed.

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53 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:53 PM

I submit that one need look no further than the numerous youtube videos of people getting tasered by police, tasering themselves, tasering their friends, and tasering their kids (really!) to conclude that while people certainly raise a ruckus about it after they have been jolted in a confrontational situation, and that while it is not without risks (including heart failure), it is an acceptable alternative to nightsticks, guns, or forcing police to engage in hand-to-hand combat, all of which carry their own risks. Ultimately, it knocks down and take the fight out of somebody who is resisting arrest, with minimal harm to everyone involved.

The question of whether any particular person "deserves" to be tasered seems a little off base. If you're resisting arrest, and the cops say "stop resisting or you're going to get tasered," and you don't stop resisting, you should not be surprised when you get tasered. And if the issue is whether somebody somebody deserves to be arrested at all... well, you're all lawyers, what do you think somebody who has been arrested should do?

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54 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:56 PM

Some wonder if the police have become overbearing and physical in the last decade. They seem much more inclined to have individuals on the ground and handcuffed and in no way try to use courtesy and a more gentle aspect to their confrontations.

Well the flipside to this is that people are more inclined to initiate a confrontation, even with a cop. If you are asked by the forum moderator to stop speaking and relinquish the mic, do it. Don’t be a pretentious ass-hat and then start arguing with the guy with the badge and gun. Courtesy ends when you start getting in my face. I’ll ask nice once, after that, an ass whooping is inevitable. If you’re asked to leave and refuse to leave, a physical escort will result. If you resist, you will be cuffed. Why is that so damn hard to understand?

The problem to me is less with the police and more with idiots like this guy who think they have a God-given right to do what they want anywhere they want. Spend a day doing crowd control at some event and I guarantee you will want to start tazzering people within 20 minutes.

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55 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:56 PM

OK, let's think about this for a second. 5 cops, that are trying to NOT hurt you and yet you continue to act like a d-bag. The point is people, it's not like the cops can snap his arms and legs and then drag him out. Obviously none of you have tried to remove someone without hurting them. Try it some time, you'll find out why they tazered him. Oh yeah, the cops won't be reprimanded in any way, they acted correctly.

Anyway, ATL to $160k!!!

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56 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:58 PM

What a little liberal bitch

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57 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 1:59 PM

This kid deserved to be beaten to death.

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58 Posted by Bitchy McBitchington, III | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:00 PM

I went to UF and it's a very political school because, let's face it, practically every US Congressman, State Senator/Rep, and Governor in Florida graduated from there.

When I was there, President Bush (the first and not insane one) came to speak, as well as Gorbachev. That being said, we had A LOT OF protestors especially with Bush on the Iran-Contra affair and the whole Central American guerilla warfare. No one got tasered. NO ONE SHOULD GET TASERED.

I love UF, but the UF police department should be ashamed of themselves for using excessive force on someone attempting to merely SPEAK. I'm so fucking mad.

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59 Posted by Sympathy fucks | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:01 PM

I am sure he will get all kinds of ass now from liberal chicks that feel sorry for him- DUDE- parlay this into a week long fuck fest!

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60 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:01 PM

1:49 - Totally right. This guy was not tasered for "asking questions" or "exercising his rights." He asked his questions and exercised his rights. Then he exceeded those rights by being an obnoxious a-hole and depriving the next person of the ability to exercise their rights and maybe ask an intelligent question.

He was asked to stop. His mike was turned off. He persisted in being a d-bag. They began to escort his ass out. At that point, frankly, I think the right result would be walking him to the exit and slamming the door in his face. But no, he started bitching and moaning about his right to be a d-bag and struggled with the cops. And struggled. And struggled. Simple rule: when a cop or security guard with authority escorts you out, don't struggle or you will be tasered. Where's the problem.

Actually, when you think about it, HE was the one depriving people of their First Amendment rights by not giving up the mike. You can be tasered for violating consitutiional rights, can't you?

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61 Posted by Rodney King | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:01 PM

What's the big deal with being tasered? You're never going to believe this, but I've never been tasered. But from the looks of it, it hurts like hell and incapacitates you, both only temporarily. Seems like it causes a lot less damage than those nightsticks upside my head that I experienced about 15 years ago. I've still got the bruises. Next time I get pulled over for speeding, taser my ass.

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62 Posted by WGWTH | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:03 PM

White guys with tazered hippies!

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63 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:03 PM

So his offense seems to be that he was a douchebag who monopolized the microphone. Perhaps law professors should be armed with tasers for use on that one gunner who dominates every class with insipid questions.

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64 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:05 PM

All in favor of tasering Bitchy raise their hand!!! No one should get tasered, they should be shot instead!! Idiot.

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65 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:06 PM

There is no 1st Amendment problem here. The session was a limited public forum w/ a moderator and time limits. He violated those rules and his mic was cut. At that point his actions became disturbing to the peace. Furthermore he was violating the free speech and free association rights of everybody else there.

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66 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:17 PM

Cops are the biggest bunch of over-egoed and dim-witted pussies in this country. While there are exceptions, these cops proliferate the rule: losers with guns. Six cops can't get cuffs on one guy without a taser gun? Are you kidding me?? I'm pretty sure I could have gotten the cuffs on him myself.

Looks like Mr. Fatty wanted to bust out his new shiny taser gun to show that guy who's boss and who's the law. Sweet. You've got a big penis too, f*cking loser.

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67 Posted by Anonymous | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:20 PM

"Was this a case of police brutality? Might Andrew Meyer have a cause of action against the officers? Or was he just an annoyingly self-indulgent questioner who deserved to get zapped?"

Why is this not a poll?

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68 Posted by tgnrdntgdr | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:22 PM

the best part is the student is quoted as saying to the police, right before they tasered him, "Don't tase me, bro."

LOL, was it snake from the simpsons or smoehting?

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69 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:23 PM

The kid knew he would get tasered if he kept resisting. The cop says "Stop resisting or I will taser you." The Kid says, "Dont taser me." The cop says, "then stop resisting."

The kid didn't stop resisting... he knew exactly what was coming and, by his asctions, asked for it.

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70 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:27 PM

I'm with 1:39--

That tasering was HORSESHIT and someone's ass should be collected for it.

The cops could have simply walked the disruptive student out of the auditorium (like the kid offered). Tasering him while he was on the ground under the wieght of five cops was outrageous.

The United States is NOT a police state, despite the neocon youth that pray each day that things were otherwise.

Remember kids, today it might be your ideas the cops chose to beat people into agreement with, but things change. In the future, when the tables have turned, it might be you (or your kids) sustaining the ugly beatdowns....

Police brutality is always bad.

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71 Posted by MOOOOO | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:33 PM

no, the stuoid little hippie said, "Don't tase me bro."

look, police cross the line all the time, and that bullshit, BUT the reality is, theyre like bees, dont mess with em and you wont get stung.

protesters who know what they are doing/civil disobedience go limp.

it never ceases to amaze me that people resist the cops and then cry about it after they get a beat down of some sort. WHAT THE F*CK DID THEY THINK WAS GONNA HAPPEN, THAT THEY'D WIN?


"The cop says "Stop resisting or I will taser you." The Kid says, "Dont taser me."

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72 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:36 PM

I love that. Watching him scream like a little girl was brilliant. He was not subdued so they did what they had to...entertain us with brilliant comedy.

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73 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:38 PM

I think the police action was entirely appropriate. If anything, they waited too long to TASER his ass. They politely and firmly asked him to comply, and he refused. He was trying to showboat and draw attention to himself by disturbing the peace.

All of you criticizing the police, consider what the Secret Service would have done if he approached Sen. Kerry.

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74 Posted by Bitchy McBitchington, III | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:39 PM

Oh, f that bullshit argument "the cops said they were going to do it before they did." So what!? Listen, criminal law 101, someone can hurl the most graphic insults about your mom and you have NO right to hit them in return. So why do police officers have that right? Why can they return verbal exchanges with physical ones? I should be allowed to walk past a police officer and say "you're an f'ing pig." When I go back to UF to visit, you can be assured that I will.

Tasers are used as nonlethal force (though they HAVE killed people) to combat physical altercations - not verbals ones. The police are NOT above the law.

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75 Posted by The Ghost of Amadou Diallo | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:39 PM

"If that dude was afro-american, the NAACP would be all over this"

If that dude had been black, he would have been shot, not tasered.

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76 Posted by Go Gators! | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:41 PM

Dear President Machen,

As a graduate of the great University of Florida, I was horribly dismayed and embarrassed by the tasering incident at Senator Kerry's speech. Since when is tasering used against people who are merely speaking? Even though he was told to stop, tasering is used to combat a physical altercation and not a verbal one. If someone slaps you in the face, you do not have the right to take out a gun and shoot them. Perhaps more on point, if someone was hurling disgusting insults about my own family members, as horrid and retched as they might be, it would be completely illegal for me to hit them in return. The law does not allow it for citizens, and UF should not allow its police officers to be above the law. To taser someone for merely speaking is disgusting and an excessive use of force. I am so dissapointed that our wonderful University is in the national news for such a travesty of civil liberties. We should be in the news for our crowning academic achievements, our illustrious alumni, and our mighty Gators - not this. The officers involved in this altercation need to be removed from the force and the remaining officers need to be lectured in excessive force. Please right this wrong.

Go Gators...

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77 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:41 PM

"If that dude was afro-american, the NAACP would be all over this"

If that dude had been black, he would have been shot, not tasered.

Posted by: The Ghost of Amadou Diallo | September 18, 2007 02:39 PM
--------------------

word.

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78 Posted by Judge Dredd | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:42 PM

No more criticizing the police or you will be tasered.

Go rent "Judge Dredd" or you will be tasered.

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79 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:42 PM

I am so tired of you ridiculous conservative *ssholes. You sit on your fat white asses and review contracts all day. What do you know about what happens in the world aside from what you see on Fox News or the Drudge Report?

The kid was speaking his mind and Kerry WAS ANSWERING HIS QUESTION! Did you watch the video? Why did they stop him--possibly because they didn't like what he had to say or that he was speaking about something controversial at all! That may also be why you're fine with his tasering.

God forbid we have political discussion with a politician. Most of you "taser him" idiots have never had to stand up for what you believe and wouldn't have the balls to speak for yourselves even if it were necessary.

Now I ask, when you have 5 cops on top of you and one says to another, "Taser him," are you going to lie still or fight like hell to get away. I know I wouldn't lie still.

Personally, I don't imagine when it could be appropriate to taser a student on a university campus. The kid was trying to stand up, that's all. He was not kicking, punching, biting or screaming.

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80 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:43 PM

BTW in Florida you are allowed to resist an illegal arrest without violence. There is absolutely a 1st Amendment problem here despite the brilliant analysis that he was violating other people's 1st Amendment rights, in which case the 1st Amendement would be a nullity. I am a former prosecutor who finds every reason to back up the cops but this is just inexcusable.

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81 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:48 PM

Watch the entire video... you will realize that it wasn't a rosy exchange between the kid and kerry as you suggest.

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82 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:51 PM

I did. Read the articles that interviewed people there and listen to Kerry in the background. He was answering the kid's question when the cops pulled him away, and Kerry continued to answer even when the cops had the kid pinned in the back of the room.

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83 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:51 PM

the kid was a moron-- he was harranging a us senator and former presidential candidate. his questions were silly and beneath the senator...

BUT...

FUCKING CAMPUS COPS SHOULD NEVER USE A WEAPON AGAINST A NON-VIOLENT STUDENT--- EVER.

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84 Posted by Wow | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:52 PM

I'm a liberal who's amazed that so many adolescents (or those just out of their adolescence) are so up in arms about this little punk being tazed. I watched two versions of the video, and on each he:
- went beyond his speaking time limits
- continued shouting after they turned his mike off
- physically resisted the police
- attempted to dictate terms to the police ("I'll walk out if you let me go...")
- fought his way to the floor
- attempted to make a scene and selfishly tried to grab the attention for himself
- didn't listen when police warned him they would taze him
- incredulously yelled out, "What did I do?"
- girlishly yelled out, "Don't taze me bro!" (hopefully to the black officer)
- was eventually collected by the police

There are so many more people deserving of our attention and outrage. We shouldn't cheapen the concept of civil disobedience by championing this kid's public temper tantrum.

He asked his questions and then wouldn't shut up. There have to be some limits.

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85 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:53 PM

This UF and Florida Law alum will not be dontaing a penny to either institution unless a formal statement condeming all involved (including Kerry) is issued forthwith.

That is all.

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86 Posted by The Ghost of Justice Stevens (wait, I'm not dead yet) | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:54 PM

I've got two reasons why the cops should have tasered Kerry instead of the kid: 1. Roberts. 2. Alito.

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87 Posted by Agreed | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 2:57 PM

FUCKING CAMPUS COPS SHOULD NEVER USE A WEAPON AGAINST A NON-VIOLENT STUDENT--- EVER.

Agreed- they should have simply kicked his teeth down his throat.

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88 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:01 PM

Wow! You're no liberal. The kid was speaking at a university function. He may have been out of line, but there is NEVER reason to taser someone given these circumstances. A taser may be a better option to prevent injury to police, but there was no such risk here.

Two have been suspended, thankfully. Let's hope this leads to new policy. I could never imagine this happening at my college (even during the rallies and speaking engagements I attended). That, however, might be because my university police force isn't equipt with tasers to quiet students.

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89 Posted by Wow | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:03 PM

Being liberal doesn't mean I'm overly-permissive of stupid. There is nothing wrong with the public having standards and enforcing those on people. The police aren't always right, but they have a very important function.

We all have to live in this world.

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90 Posted by annoyed | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:04 PM

By the way, look at the photo here:

http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070918/NEWS/70918008

They were set to taser him from the beginning.

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91 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:04 PM

2:02 LOL! Man, I would pay a lot of money to taser that hippie bastard. Classic.

Don't forget, if you're a UF security dude, you do NOT want to get punched or knocked around in your job. That's why you use maximum force---its just better for everyone. When I did that type of work, I didn't have a taser and to avoid getting wacked, I'd have to use a choke hold.

To all the liberal d-bag posters: Why don't you stand up for the cops who did everything in their power, before tasering the guy, to bring the meeting to order?

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92 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:08 PM

3:04 we aren't standing up for the cop because they should not have exercised their power. I can see them saying sit down etc etc but not manhandling the kid for pure political speech.

Also the email I received didn't say the officers were suspended, they were placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. This is all standard procedure. No punishment to officers yet.

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93 Posted by Wow | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:09 PM

I meant to say "overly-permissive OR stupid"

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94 Posted by O.J. Simpson | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:11 PM

This kid deserved it! He killed Ron & Nicole.

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95 Posted by Taser Him Again | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:12 PM

There are real political protest issues. Wear a t-shirt to a Bush event and you will be arrested, according to a recent court settlement. That is wrong. But someone disrupting an event like this, refusing to leave, fighting the police, ignoring warnings. Anyone in the room would have tasered him, regardless of political leanings.

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96 Posted by Boko | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:15 PM

I like the part in the video where the cops taser that guy. Classic!

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97 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:15 PM

Yeah...tasering him brought the meeting to order. Listen, you cannot invite a political candidate to speak at your university and not expect dissent. It's a university for god's sake. However, violence should only be used (1) in response to violence or (2) to protect officers. Watch the damned video again. He was a shit. He was yelling, but he was not violent. Hmmm...

The reason why so many people are distrustful of police officers is because there are arses like yourself out there who think POs are beyond reproach. I am a proud liberal d-bag, who has cops on both sides of my family, and I generally trust them. I, also, have done enough criminal defense work in my short career to know that some cops lie, cheat, steal, abuse, profile and just overall f#ck with people, because they think they can. Those bastards should be locked up, not kids who want to know why our country is so f#cked up.

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98 Posted by Homer Simpson | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:16 PM

They should have hit him in the groin with a football.


And then tasered him.

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99 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:17 PM


WASHINGTON D.C. – Sen. John Kerry issued the following statement today, in response to the arrest of a student at the University of Florida.

“In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way. I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody. I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building. I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted."

http://kerry.senate.gov/cfm/record.cfm?id=283508

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100 Posted by Find his parents | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:18 PM

Track down his parents and taser them as well..

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101 Posted by Anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:22 PM

Brains and privilege are wasted on shmucks like 3:16 and 3:18.

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102 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:24 PM

"I'm a liberal", your summary of the events betrays your moniker. In fact, if I turn on Rush Limbaugh, I'm betting he uses the exact same "description."

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103 Posted by Fuck you douchebag | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:24 PM

Brains and privilege are wasted on shmucks like 3:16 and 3:18.


Fuck you douchebag- How do you like them apples?

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104 Posted by Gene Siskel | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:25 PM

I like the part of the video where 3:22 is a total douchebag.

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105 Posted by I concurr | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:26 PM

I like the part of the video where 3:22 is a total douchebag.

An excellent point Mr. Siskel.

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106 Posted by Uh, Lat? | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:27 PM

How come the article doesn't address what happened to the Summers who tasered that guy? Did they, too, get cold-offered? Why has nobody brought this up?

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107 Posted by 3:22 | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:31 PM

It's just so easy. You little girls get excited when I insult you, but you have no problem with police brutality or any other horrendous thing that happens in this world (I imagine).

Kudos to you. Still, I stand by my original statement. A waste.

Please go back to reviewing your contracts for that new water plant in Tajikistan or studying securities regulation or whatever exciting it is you do.

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108 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:33 PM

331 - I hate you... mainly because I'm reviewing securities regulations and can project my unhappiness on you.

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109 Posted by Fat bitch | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:35 PM

I see neither brains nor privilege were wasted on you, 3:22. Thank God. More for the rest of us.

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110 Posted by I Love the 80s | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:37 PM

12:39 - I've also heard if Meyer dies from his tasering injuries, he's going to donate his eyes to Stevie Wonder

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111 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:46 PM

3:27 - We don't know whether the Summers who tasered him got offers or not becuase they were Summers from a completely different law firm! They just happened to be at the lecture too, but their firm had nothing to do with this at all- NOTHING!. Did you actually read the article and watch the video??!! Jeeessshhh!!

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112 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:46 PM

My supervising partner tasers me if I try to leave before 7pm -- what is the big deal?

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113 Posted by Sieze him! | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:50 PM

Please go back to reviewing your contracts for that new water plant in Tajikistan

ummm, the Tajikisatn water project is classified. You will not make it home tonight beause you apparently know about it. Men are en route to kill you.

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114 Posted by Surrounded by Incompetence | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:52 PM

Your all MORONS!!! Learn to friggin' Read!!! You're posts are RETARDED!!!

THE COPS WEREN'T SUMMERS!!!

How do illetterates even come to be at a blog, anyway???

LLLLAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!!

Please delete these trolls.


PS: First, bitches!

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115 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:56 PM

The cops may not have been Summers, but you have to admit, that one that the kid spilled his drink on was pretty fat!

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116 Posted by Reconciler | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:00 PM

Liberal or conservative, I think we can ALL agree that if the kid had sung the "fat bitch" song to the cop he would have deserved tasering.

Really a missed opportunity, when you think about it. I mean, he was tasered anyway. Might as well have gotten a few bars out before they juiced him.

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117 Posted by anon | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:07 PM

The kid shouldn't have sent the email to the whole UF law listserv. No wonder he got tasered.

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118 Posted by UFstudent | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:07 PM

First- The kid came into the auditorium with the intention of causing a scene. He came into the place late with several cops in tow acting crazy and making a scene. Kerry agreed to answer his question anyway and you saw what happened.

Second- He wasnt tased for asking questions or even just being obnoxious. He was tased because he was resisting police officers with physical force. The cops are trying not to hurt the kid, who obviously has serious mental problems, and tasing him was the best option. Using pure force to put the cuffs on him could very easily have broken his arm or wrist, tasing caused 20 seconds of pain.

His actions embarrassed his school and the State of Florida and I hope he is prosecuted. He deserves everything he received, and will receive in the future.

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119 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:18 PM

So here is one liberal who thinks that kid got exactly what he deserved. His first "question" was being answered, but he also wanted to spout conspiracy theories about skull & bones. When asked to leave, he refused and argued with the police; when forced to leave he refused and resisted. If he had let them get him out the door he never would have been tasered.

And Christ, what a pussy. "HELP! HELP! OWW! OWWW!" "MOM!"

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120 Posted by Bitchy McBitchington, III | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:24 PM

It's always a sign of insecurity and inferiority when a person calls out dissenters by referring to them as "little girls." Well, I refer to those people as "men with little dicks who I wouldn't f**k with Paris Hilton's vagina."

And scene.

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121 Posted by GO NOLES | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:26 PM

SUCKS TO BE A FLORIDA GAYTOR

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122 Posted by Go Gators! | Permalink Tuesday, September 18, 2007 4:36 PM

Sucks to be a Florida Gator? That's hilarious coming from a loser Nole! What does a UF and FSU student have in common? They both got accepted to FSU!!! You know why that's so funny? Because it's true! Only the complete idiots at my high school went to FSU and only because they got denied admission to UF. Additionally, we are far superior sportswise evidenced by...facts. And the Noles are??? Nothing.

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123 Posted by