Shocker: Shrieking Subversive Student Sob-Sister Sues For Stun-gunning

I posted this hours ago. But it got eaten. I kept looking at the blog wondering, "Didn't I actually post another news story sometime during the day?"

I did, but it got lost in the ether.

Anyway, here's current buzz about this high-voltage case. I think he conducted himself poorly; he's obviously not a well-grounded individual. Should have offered less resistance and just gone with the flow.

Watt's the worst that would have happened?

The UCLA student tasered in the Powell Library when he refused to show his identification to campus police today filed a federal lawsuit alleging that his civil rights were violated and that police acted in a brutal fashion.

In a 16-page lawsuit, Mostafa Tabatabainejad, 23, sued the university, campus police and a half-dozen officers for unspecified monetary damages, claiming they used excessive force and violated the Americans With Disabilities Act in the Nov. 14, 2006 incident.

Part of the confrontation was captured on video by a student using a cellphone and broadcast around the world, sparking widespread debate and protest.

Tabatabainejad was repeatedly stunned with a Taser after he refused to show his student ID card to a security guard. Authorities said the student wouldn't leave Powell Library, went limp and asked others to join his resistance.

Paul Hoffman, an attorney for the UCLA senior, said the ultimate goal of the lawsuit is to force fundamental changes in campus police culture.

"What everyone saw on videotape demonstrates that the UCLA police department lacks the professionalism that parents of UCLA students expect from a public institution," Hoffman said. "The larger goal of the suit is to change the way UCLA police behave and treat people on campus, their discipline and their training."

The suit noted that Tabatabainejad suffered from bipolar disorder but the officers' lack of training meant they treated him with "brutality instead of sensitivity," Hoffman said.

Really? That caterwauling conniption-junkie is bipolar? AC/DC? Should have figured he had some bad wiring that might scramble his circuits and blow a fuse.

If I were on the jury, I'd find in his favor -- the cops did use unncessary force in a situation that simply wasn't dangerous nor spiralling towards dangerous.

And what would I award him? Why, One Big Tall Glass of Water, because I'm sure he's pretty dehydrated after all that crying.

Thanks to Jack Straw.

Mourning Becomes Electric: The old clip (language, tasering warning).

Just to be clear, I think the cops did wrong here.

But if this was wrong, it's my kind of wrong.

The kid was bipolar. Maybe the cops were trying to help him with some novel, improvised epidermal shock therapy?

Just saying.

posted by Ace at 08:12 PM

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