New trial for trooper's taser thief

A man convicted of stealing a taser from a Michigan State Police trooper in Van Buren County will get a new trial after a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling Tuesday.

[Great]

So were going to release this guy? The troop should have been a better shot.

[DJ Shadow]

who gives a crap, i'd probably grab the thing to. if you ask me the cop used excessive force. did the guy have a gun, knife, drugs. or just getting pulled over for speeding? Mabe i shouldent jump the gun but some of these cops are power crazy. come on now. what'chya gona do when they come for you.

[buster]

It's funny how people have such a hard time following instructions from Law Enforcement officers. If you're busted....you're busted!! Take the cuffin, sit down and shut up. Ya know the "right to remain silent" thing. Simple...no one gets hurt...except maybe the offenders ego. If you are not guilty of anything...why RUN?? Always remember that an officer has to answer for his/her use of force. The choices they make are based on that and them going home at the end of their shift.
If someone took my taser...I would shoot them too...until the threat was gone. The guys is lucky to be alive. The lord must have purpose for this idiot.

[Postee]

If the suspect had shot the trooper with the taser, the trooper would have been totaly incapacited. The suspect could have then grabbed the troopers gun and killed him. There is no question that the trooper was justified in shooting the suspect. Everyone is so quick to cry excessive force...usually those who are guilty.

[Sharon]

The Trooper should have shot him first.

[gr resident]

jeff heaton wrote:

ficken pigs

wow, you're so tough bad-mouthing the cops behind your computer!

[edbull38]

Postee wrote:

If the suspect had shot the trooper with the taser, the trooper would have been totaly incapacited. The suspect could have then grabbed the troopers gun and killed him. There is no question that the trooper was justified in shooting the suspect. Everyone is so quick to cry excessive force...usually those who are guilty.

But he didn't shoot the tropper and he wasn't trying to grab his gun he was... and from the troppers own words trying to run away. They had his car so eventualy they would have him from the information in the veical.

[retired]

Just wish the trooper was a better, 2 in the 10 ring and we would not be having this discussion

[GR Pete]

First of all as I understand it they made a major mistake by conducting part of the trial w/o the Defendant or his attorney present, I am not sure about the prosecutor. It sounds like it was a dumb but fatal mistake so that would put the stink on the trial judge's porch.

Second there is a little discussed war going on out there between law enforcement and civil rights advocates. The police want to be able to strool up to you or your door at anytime for any or no reason and confront you by asking you questions or asking you to produce ID or other documents. The Courts have determined that this is legal ONLY if your cooperation is completely voluntary. Therefore if they are asking for your voluntary compliance and you refuse, which you should do, there is nothing they can do. The rub comes in determining when the request is a "lawful order" that you have to comply with or face felony charges and when it is a request for voluntary compliance that you can refuse or ignore. In theory if the request is for voluntary compliance you can refuse, keep walking or slam the door shut. In practice the cops will sometimes claim the request was for voluntary compliance when you comply and a "lawful order" when you refuse. There should be a requirement that they identify the nature of the request in advance but of course there is not because it would thwart the whole con job effort.

Let the fun begin.

[Ha Ha]

GR Pete wrote:

First of all as I understand it they made a major mistake by conducting part of the trial w/o the Defendant or his attorney present, I am not sure about the prosecutor. It sounds like it was a dumb but fatal mistake so that would put the stink on the trial judge's porch.
Second there is a little discussed war going on out there between law enforcement and civil rights advocates. The police want to be able to strool up to you or your door at anytime for any or no reason and confront you by asking you questions or asking you to produce ID or other documents. The Courts have determined that this is legal ONLY if your cooperation is completely voluntary. Therefore if they are asking for your voluntary compliance and you refuse, which you should do, there is nothing they can do. The rub comes in determining when the request is a "lawful order" that you have to comply with or face felony charges and when it is a request for voluntary compliance that you can refuse or ignore. In theory if the request is for voluntary compliance you can refuse, keep walking or slam the door shut. In practice the cops will sometimes claim the request was for voluntary compliance when you comply and a "lawful order" when you refuse. There should be a requirement that they identify the nature of the request in advance but of course there is not because it would thwart the whole con job effort.
Let the fun begin.

Well said....

[buster]

edbull38 wrote:

<quoted text>
But he didn't shoot the tropper and he wasn't trying to grab his gun he was... and from the troppers own words trying to run away. They had his car so eventualy they would have him from the information in the veical.

What...was the trooper supposed to let this potentially dangerous/uncooperative person just run away...stop...or I'll say stop again!!! What if the car was stolen/borrowed...etc. That would tell you nothing. I would not..run away from or take a taser from a POLICE OFFICER. Period! They have a job to do and if there was some kind of mistake/misunderstanding...it would be worked out.
Not all cops are Saints...but 99% of them are professional and risk there lives for us everyday.

[buster]

GR Pete wrote:

First of all as I understand it they made a major mistake by conducting part of the trial w/o the Defendant or his attorney present, I am not sure about the prosecutor. It sounds like it was a dumb but fatal mistake so that would put the stink on the trial judge's porch.
Second there is a little discussed war going on out there between law enforcement and civil rights advocates. The police want to be able to strool up to you or your door at anytime for any or no reason and confront you by asking you questions or asking you to produce ID or other documents. The Courts have determined that this is legal ONLY if your cooperation is completely voluntary. Therefore if they are asking for your voluntary compliance and you refuse, which you should do, there is nothing they can do. The rub comes in determining when the request is a "lawful order" that you have to comply with or face felony charges and when it is a request for voluntary compliance that you can refuse or ignore. In theory if the request is for voluntary compliance you can refuse, keep walking or slam the door shut. In practice the cops will sometimes claim the request was for voluntary compliance when you comply and a "lawful order" when you refuse. There should be a requirement that they identify the nature of the request in advance but of course there is not because it would thwart the whole con job effort.
Let the fun begin.

Con Job!!! who tells the police the truth. Criminals lying to you on one end and defense attorneys trying to discredit you on the other. It's a wonder anyone wants to be cop nowa days...every idiot is a victim!

[HopeForToday]

Postee wrote:

If the suspect had shot the trooper with the taser, the trooper would have been totaly incapacited. The suspect could have then grabbed the troopers gun and killed him. There is no question that the trooper was justified in shooting the suspect. Everyone is so quick to cry excessive force...usually those who are guilty.

The most sensible comment here. Thank-you.

[friend of cops 006]

DJ Shadow wrote:

who gives a crap, i'd probably grab the thing to. if you ask me the cop used excessive force. did the guy have a gun, knife, drugs. or just getting pulled over for speeding? Mabe i shouldent jump the gun but some of these cops are power crazy. come on now. what'chya gona do when they come for you.

Who gives a crap... tell ya what... the taser will totally incapacitate a person... ultimately allowing the criminal to grab the troopers duty weapon, and killing him. excessive force... not at all. The guy might not of had a gun or a knive... but he did have a troopers taser. The trooper was completely justified in shooting the suspect, I give the Trooper kudos for taking another scum bag off the streets. the suspect should just be thankful that he is still alive.