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Subscribe to RSSSANTA FE, N.M. -- A New Mexico state police officer used his Taser to stun a 10-year-old schoolboy who refused to clean his patrol car, according to a lawsuit filed in Santa Fe County Court by the boy's family.
During a career day program at Tularosa Intermediate School in May, Officer Christopher Webb of the state Department of Public Safety pointed the stun gun at the boy and said, "Let me show you what happens to people who do not listen to the police," according to the lawsuit filed last week.
Webb said his stun gun went off by accident, sending two barbs carrying 50,000 volts of electricity for five seconds through the boy’s clothing and piercing his chest, the Albuquerque Journal reported, quoting court documents. The jolt caused the boy to black out, the suit said.
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Rachel Higgins, attorney for the boy who weighs less than 100 pounds and is referred to in the lawsuit by only his initials, told the court he has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, waking in the middle of the night clutching his chest in fear since the incident. He has scars the size of cigarette burns, she said in court papers.
The boy was only joking about not wanting to clean the patrol car when Webb asked a group of boys if they would, according to court documents.
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Webb, named in the suit along with the Department of Public Safety, received a three-day, unpaid suspension after the incident, the Journal reported.
Webb said in court documents he took the boy to the school nurse’s office and waited with him there until the student’s mother arrived.
The boy's family is seeking compensation and punitive damages, the Journal reported.
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Leave a Comment:
The majority of cops are good people who want to make the world safer. Unfortunately, it also attracts a minority that get off on the power it provides them.
Just like most teachers are great, but that profession also attracts pedophiles.
Any position that lures in people with such flaws needs to be especially diligent to make sure only people with the right motivation make it.
I say fire this idiot. At best he demonstrated a lack of maturity in the "joke" that should prohibit him from any sort of job with responsibility. At worst he's a sick bully. Imagine if it were his gun...
BUL$h1T!!
Cops are not your friend. If you need a friend then buy a gun.
Hey Warren............. I asked a man why he was a cop and he said it was because he got to carry a gun.......he was serious, no kidding from him.
When I was a teen I was involved in a car accident, it was my fault as I ran a stop sign and hit a car broadside. NO one fortunately was injured BUT, afterwards the cop gave me a ride home and even offed to go in to talk with my parents. I will never forget his kindness as I was scared @!$%#less.
Good cops, bad cops - good people, bad people.
Looks like this cop had an Eric Cartman "Respect Mah AUTHURI-TAH!" spaz fit
if this had been anyone else other than a police officer there would have been criminal charges filed.
One of two things. Either all cops should have to pass a psychological test, proving that they are at least at the twenty-one year old maturity level or be prevented from carrying anything more dangerous than a banana.
Accident or not, I believe the boy will collect. Nice guys can finish last too.
I have to believe this is an accident. Nobody stupid enough to taser a 10-year old could survive until adulthood.
The police are definitely going to pay through the nose though.
Well said, Scubasteve............if there was intent then fry that crazy man.
If it was an accident, then the officer should be accidentally fired. He was using a weapon inappropriately. The taser should never have left it's holster, it isn't for coercing kids to be your cleaning crew.
Wait !
Isnt anyone going to say that the mom is just trying for a big payday ?
Isnt anyone going to vilify the lawyer the mom is sure to hire ?
A taser should be treated just like a firearm: don't point it at anyone, ever, unless you intend to use it.
The boy SHOULD collect.
Law enforcement is hired to see to it that we Play By The Rules. When we don't, , , when we commit infractions either by Commission or by Omission - we pay. That's ok - we get it.
When these representatives of the law,,, that we're all required to obey,,, break the rules. Fair is fair - The penalties should be just as harsh, if not even more so.
Seriously - What was this freak thinking?? Is he really THAT power-mad, as to threaten a 10 year-old boy with 50,000 volts, knowing full-well what the risks might be?
I would SERIOUSLY question this officer's ability to make reasonable and responsible judgements in any situation, let alone ones regarding his job.
Find another line of work, dude.
Hardly Jeff...the officer used a taser on a 10-yr old for no reason. People seem to think using a taser is different from using a gun. The rule of thumb is that neither are too be deployed unless the intent is to fire...they aren't to be waved around. The officer needs to go back to remedial weapons safety training as well as judgmental training on when to deploy a weapon. I would say the officer was telling the truth that it went off accidentally..it can happen, but the point is that it never should have left the holster.
The mother and the boy have a legitimate case..there is no frivoulous suit here. While the injury itself seems to have healed OK, the ongoing emotional issues are probably going to require counseling...which has to be paid for. Now, if she or her attorney are trying to get a ridiculous amount like 10 million or so, I would say yes, inappropriate.
You do not point a weapon at someone unless you intend to fire it. Tasers were sold to the public as a weapon to use in lieu of deadly force, so this is no different than if the cop had pointed his revolver at the boy. The man should be fired and never again allowed to carry a weapon. It's really sad that the boy needs to say he was joking when saying he did not want to clean the car; he may have been, but it's irrelevant, and clearly he believes he was tasered because of what he said.
So Rick if you did it you should just get fired from your job too right B.S he shouuld be roped through the system like anyone else citizen or not that did the same
Yes, "makes me", if I'm too stupid to know not to point my weapon when I do not intend to fire it, I should be summarily fired. There is no need for any "system review", he stated what he did.
No he shouldn't be treated like any other citizen... he held a position of authority and abused that position, accident or not, you have no business pointing a weapon at a 10 year old for refusing to clean your car... he should be treated harshly...
You never pull a weapon unless you plan to use it. That is common knowledge. Need more be said?
It's all fun and games til someone gets Sued!!
Or, it's all fun and games until a 10 year old gets tazed. How sickening.
Sarah! Agreed!
That a hole should be fired, 3 days suspension with no pay? JOKE! He has no business having any type of weapon. What if it had been his gun? Oh, wait he took the kid to the nurse. Gee what a prince.
Blue state.
Yes, because one can catch "@!$%# on a power trip" by supporting a particular, political party.
I guess we know who you support. I never said. All I said was Blue state, that is true.
True, and completely irrelevant. Why post it?
Because he's an idiot.
In what possible world does an officer pointing a weapon at an innocent 10 year old and discharging that weapon have anything to do with the state being predominantly Democrat?
Either you're saying that officers are stupid in blue states, or you're saying that nobody would have the nerve to file charges against the officer in a red state. Care to elaborate which idiotic option you're suggesting is true?
@totherepublic: Its people like you that are the problem with this country. You make me ashamed to be from a "red" family. But then again, so does Romney with his lies. My father will still vote for him because he thinks red before common sense, but I will not. I can't say I like Obama much, but at least he's been honest (or the more honest of the 2 anyway). Ignorant people are all well and good - we need people like you to keep our cars clean and serve us food at mcdonalds, but ignorant people should not be allowed to spout their bull@!$%# in a public venue without being muzzled. Its an embarrassment to the entire country.
As to the issue at hand (well done trying to avoid the actual issue - same as Romney does), I hope this cop gets fired. Accident or not, you do NOT point a loaded weapon at a child, even in jest. Doing so is far beyond something that can be written off as bad judgement.
On top of that, let this kids family have about 25% of the police departments annual budget. Enough to really make this sting, so that maybe they will not let this type of thing happen again.
And people wonder why others dont like cops? Cops think they can do anything they want, no they can not. "went off by accident"? Really? So why was it accidently pointed at the kids chest then. THAT COP NEEDS TO BE LOCKED UP!!!! Bet that kid don't want to be a cop now. Makes me sick what this country is.
Typical loser pig....I've said it before and I'll say it again cops are just angry little boys who were breast fed by their mommy's into their late teens. Punks a*s B*itches end of story
Reckless endangerment. Child abuse. Disorderly conduct. Assault with a deadly weapon. Jail time, revocation of his rights. Just like anybody else who did the same thing.
This country is as dysfunctional as its always been, starting with the genocide of the native Indians and the enslavement of Africans. Its an elitist mentality, thinking they can do whatever to whomever they want. Karma never sleeps, and whatever is coming, can't no one stop it and we will get exactly what we deserve. just sayin...
Kharma is really busy right now.
tell me about it.... sometimes you have to go with kharma's cousin, public shame.
That police officer is an idiot. Not only should he not have asked the kids to clean his patrol car (that's his job), pointing his taser at the boy -- even in jest -- is grounds for him being fired.
I can't imagine the officer's reason "it was an accident" would fly with anyone. He pointed a weapon at a kid. If any lay person pointed their weapon - be it a knife, gun, taser or whatever - at a police officer, would they take it as anything other than a serious threat and respond with overwhelming force? If that child had a heart condition, he could have died. This officer should be restricted to desk duty for a long time at the very least.
Desk duty? This c**k-sucking mother f**ker should be fired! END OF STORY! Fired and then prosecuted. Three days unpaid suspension is a joke and a terrible example of getting away with almost murder. This child could have been killed from that kind of jolt! That hunk of s**t has no business being a police officer. If he gets away with this, it's frightening to think about what cops will get away with in the future.
Manny Loggins! cop who killed this unarmed veteran has desk duty.
Fire the cop, but no big payday for the lawyers. I feel sorry for the boy, but @!$%# happens and this is just one those times.
"@!$%# happens" makes for a good defense neither in civil nor criminal court, whether or not the lawyers get a dime.
..and they said it couldn't be done.....
(and an honorable mention goes to the ONE idiot who voted him up)
Being shot with a taser does not just happen! The employers of this officer are responsible for his dumb behavior so the big payout is coming regardless of how stupid you are .
I think a taser should be considered a firearm as it can kill. Florida's 3 step law is: show a gun=10 years; fire a gun=20 years; kill someone-life. (Jeb Bush). If the kid was in a wheelchair with one arm/leg, he would be dead.
i have the perfect punishment: while the officer cleans the boy's room, the boy tasers him. repeat tasering until room is completely cleaned. and of course lots of money for the boy.
jajajaja sargent pepper, whats good for the geese is good for the goose
Cops take a psychological exam before becoming cops. Those that fail are hired. They prove this everyday.
Pointing a control weapon at 10 year old? Notice how they use a "Power Word" to describe a 10 year old "Child"? If it was my "Child" getting torture by a "Trusted Officer" sworn to protect and keep the peace...all bets are off and I would do whatever it takes to remove that same "SyKo" (My Power Word) off the Force. Lucky this "Child" wasn't suffering an illness which would have stop his heart. But, my belief is the Police Department will call in a it's PR outlets to paint this as a innocent accident making impossible for the D.A's (Elected Official) case against said SyKo. Than it's gets bump as a Federal violation involving "Constitutional edicts?" which the DOJ will not file. Now it becomes a common "Lawsuit" which the SyKo's "Widows and Orphans $$$" will pay "The Syko's" bills and City pays for damages and so on. Have a nice day, N2C
And this was at a CAREER DAY! What did this officer show all the other students there? Not that officers main concern is to protect & serve for sure. He showed all the other students that officers pretty much have free reign to do whatever they want, just because they're the ones with badge & uniform. The officer should not have even had this taser on the school property let alone pull it out & point it at someone!! As with a gun, it shouldn't be pointed at anyone unless there's valid REASON to use it! It's not a TOY to play with officer!!
jajajaja this is a funny post. Is an example of our badly run our system is. jajajaja. I have read alot about the actions of cops which reminds of the idea of cops and robbers, grow up people and get a life. I wonder if they ever heard of physical restraining a child, what i mean about physical restraining a child is hug him until he calms down, but I have also heard people say they don't do it because they are afraid of being suit, well here is an example of what happens when they don't do it. If a normal child of ten years old get mad, hug him, let him get mad and then tell him you love him. another story is about the child of ten years old that shoots and kills his dad because he is a neo nazy. gee. what are they teaching the children. even the people in the school are afraid of being suit, geee teach the children, they are in your classroom.
I certainly hope the cop has at least been let go over this. Just the act of drawing a weapon in a situation like that should be enough to send the guy to prison for a few years.
Webb, named in the suit along with the Department of Public Safety, received a three-day, unpaid suspension after the incident, the Journal reported. He is not a cop people, he works for the department of Public Safety not the police department, lets not get confused between the two department and blame the cops for this incident. The love of a good father is a reflection of a major love. The love that our heavely father has for us.
No..the article clearly states the officer was a state trooper. "A New Mexico state police officer used his Taser to stun a 10-year-old schoolboy." The police department is a part of the Department of Public Safety.
Today's young police are into power and control. In the old days police were there to help. I am 60 years old and I see the older police still wanting to be helpful while the younger police are more like Nazi stormtroopers. They have shaved heads and take steroids and many are ex-military. We don't need to militarize the police. Most crime is the result of failed government policies like the criminalization of drugs. I grew up in the 60's and drugs were not a problem until Nixon created the DEA and criminalized them. Now that the government is involved it has created an entire industry that benefits from this. Why is it that American's believe that criminalizing everything will create a better society. When it comes to police I don't think they prevent crime and may very well cause an increase in crime. They are there after the fact so they are not preventive one iota. More police don't make for a better society, in fact just the opposite happens. The officer who tasered the boy needs to find another line of work. Ban him from police work for life.
Plain and simple, cop should be FIRED! This is just like hime pointing his service weapn at someone and "joking" around. Not an example of someone who is suited to prtect and serve. 3 day suspension = joke! I hope they sue the heck out of the cop and the department.
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Yeah, yeah, an 'accident.'Here's hoping they throw The Book at said flat foot for abusing a 10 year old boy 'by accident.'
Sorry, but Thee firmly believes that all people need to know their limitations regardless of their Lot in Life. Or their lifeless lot in life.
It is disgusting that the cop was not fired by the police department. Besides being fired, he should be indited for assault and battery. A felony. He should be facing jail time. I was an MP in the army. We were told every day in formation, "Never take out your weapon ( a 45 caliber pistol), unless you intend to use it, and if you use it you'd better be right."
Cops are like doctors. There is no excuse or tolerance for an "OOPS"