8 Year Old Girl Tasered by Cops

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**TheMeanDM**

Excessive?
Justified?
Should choke holds been used instead?

edit* the article is a bit unclear in its bad writing...I am reading it this way: including tasering this girl, the police department has used tasers a total of 9 times this year---not that they tasered her 9 times over the past year.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/09/us/south-dakota-taser-lawsuit/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

(CNN) -- Police warned the 8-year-old they were going to tase her.

"Within seconds," an officer fired darts from the electroshock weapon into the chest of the 70-pound girl, according to a lawsuit filed by the girl's mother. "The force of the electricity shot through her body, lifted her, and threw her against a wall. After the officers had stunned (the girl) into high voltage submission, they pulled the fish-hook like Taser darts from her chest, gave her emergency medical attention, bandaged the holes left by the razor-sharp hooks, and called the ambulance."

The reason the police were at the home was to keep the girl from hurting herself; the babysitter had called them because the child had a knife in her hand. All parties agree on this point -- the girl's mother, Dawn Stenstrom, as well as the defendants: the city of Pierre, South Dakota, its former police chief, Robert Grandpre, and the four officers at the scene on October 4, 2013.

But their opinions about the responding officers' actions diverge from there.

The girl's mother says the police used "excessive force" when they used a Taser on her girl. But Grandpre disagreed, telling CNN affiliate KSFY after the incident that the police "might possibly have saved this girl's life."

Because of the pending litigation, Pierre Mayor Laurie Gill refused comment on Saturday. And attorney Robert Anderson, who is representing the defendants, said he was "not going to comment on the merits of pending litigation."
After an independent two-month investigation, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation ruled in December that the officer had acted appropriately.

"Given the circumstances facing the officer at the time, it appears from the report that deploying a Taser was the best viable way to defuse the situation," Wendy Kloeppner, the Hughes County state's attorney, said in a statement.
"That's bull****," Stenstrom's attorney Dana Hanna told CNN on Saturday.
"Four trained police officers surrounding a 70-pound, 8-year-old Indian girl," should have used less risky tactics, Hanna said.
"One distracts her, another grabs the girl's arm. That's what they should have done," Hanna said. "She had a kitchen paring knife, but hadn't cut. She was a kid throwing a tantrum. They should have made an attempt to grab the kid, not use a weapon to throw her into a wall. A Taser's not meant to kill, but it does kill. Many people have died after being hit by a Taser by cops. It never should be used on a little child. She certainly wasn't presenting a danger to officers."
"I don't fault for the police being there because they were called. They were there. But what happened while they were there is why I'm upset," the girl's father, Bobby Jones, told KSFY soon after the incident.

One of the officers was a Taser instructor, while another was a hostage negotiator, KSFY reported.
Grandpre told KSFY last October that Pierre police had used Tasers nine times in the past two years, with the girl, who is identified in the lawsuit only as "L.M.J.," the youngest recipient of the electric shock.
"I don't think 8-year-olds should be Tased anywhere in the world," Jones said.

Jones and Stenstrom are not married, and the father is not a party to the lawsuit, Hanna said.

The plaintiffs are seeking at least $100,000 in damages, plus punitive damages and "other relief as the court shall consider to be fair and equitable."
"Her pain and suffering is going to be of that type that a jury will have to tell us what it's worth," said Hanna's co-counsel Patrick Duffy. "Part of that is going to be a reflection of the fact that you're not supposed to use a Taser on a kid. I don't know of too many cops that don't know that."

Anderson, the defendants' attorney, said he didn't know if the case would go to trial, but Duffy said he hopes it does.
"L.M.J." is getting mental and emotional counseling from a child counselor, Hanna said.

"What is it really going to honestly do for the rest of her life as she has to interact with authority figures and law enforcement?" Duffy said. "What's it going to be like first time she looks in the rear view mirror and law enforcement gives her a speeding ticket? She won't shake that."

Since the incident, Stenstrom and her daughter, who are members of the Rosebud Sioux tribe, have moved from Pierre back to the tribal reservation, Hanna said.

**Platuan4th**

Was she carrying quantum physics books through the ghetto?

**TheMeanDM**

Or do they owe her an apology?

**liquidjoshi**

One of the officers was a Taser instructor, while another was a hostage negotiator, KSFY reported.

So... I guess they just couldn't be bothered to do it properly then?
"Hey, should we try to talk her out of it?"
"Nah, CSI is on in like ten minutes. Just taze her bro."

I mean, my primary reaction to seeing a child holding a knife isn't usually to send 50K volts through them. Only ocassionally

**dogma**

"One distracts her, another grabs the girl's arm. That's what they should have done,"

I fail to see how that is a safer option.

**trexmeyer**

Platuan4th wrote:
Was she carrying quantum physics books through the ghetto?

She was about to start some gak man.

**Shadow Captain Edithae**

Jeez, couldn't they have just talked her down? Call for a police negotiator, a child psychiatrist or anybody whos qualified and able to deal with kids in a sympathetic and non-violent way?

**Grimskul**

In Shrek's words, I believe that was ogrekill.

You could have just knocked her out with an onionade and cleared out her lungs afterward, all she'd have would be internal tissue scars and terrible onion breath afterwards. Better than being tased like a Farquaad.

**liquidjoshi**

Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:Jeez, couldn't they have just talked her down? Call for a police negotiator, a child psychiatrist or anybody whos qualified and able to deal with kids in a sympathetic and non-violent way?

One of the officers was a Taser instructor, while another was a hostage negotiator, KSFY reported.

Apparently, thinking is for morons without tasers

**Dreadclaw69**

Four officers could not disarm an 8 year old girl?

**Platuan4th**

Dreadclaw69 wrote:
Four officers could not disarm an 8 year old girl?

Apparently, they were all actually Zach Braff characters and thus weaker than said 8 year old.

**Iron_Captain**

American police never fails to amuse (and scare) me.
Surprised this story hasn't been on RT yet.

**whembly**

Dreadclaw69 wrote:
Four officers could not disarm an 8 year old girl?

Depends... does she look like this?

**Random Dude**

Iron_Captain wrote:
American police never fails to amuse (and scare) me.
Surprised this story hasn't been on RT yet.

If American police scare you, I can't imagine what you think about Eastern European Police.

*edit- To be honest, we all have stereotypes about other countries (whether they are deserved or not).

**Slarg232**

On one hand, why the hell do four cops need to taze an 8 year old.

On the other, why the hell is an 8 year old brandishing a knife being dismissed as "A child throwing a tantrum". That kid has issues.

**jamesk1973**

Abuse of power.

**Random Dude**

Slarg232 wrote:
On one hand, why the hell do four cops need to taze an 8 year old.

On the other, why the hell is an 8 year old brandishing a knife being dismissed as "A child throwing a tantrum". That kid has issues.

I agree with the other hand. While some might see tazeing an 8 year old as too extreme, no lasting harm was done, so the situation worked out in the end.

*edit becuz wordz is hard.

**Mr. Burning**

I'm pretty sure a kid who feels the need to act out whilst in possession of a knife isn't going to react rationally when confronted by Americas finest.

I do wonder what led to the babysitter calling the cops though. A kid acting out? something more?

be interesting to see how this develops.

**Da Boss**

Tasering an eight year old?
Cowards.

**Random Dude**

Da Boss wrote:
Tasering an eight year old?
Cowards.

Let's have someone come at you with a knife and see how you react.

**Da Boss**

How do you know it hasn't already happened?

An eight year old with a knife is not a credible threat to four grown police officers. Give me a break.

**djones520**

dogma wrote:

"One distracts her, another grabs the girl's arm. That's what they should have done,"

I fail to see how that is a safer option.

Yeah... you do NOT want to close in on a knife.

I am not against the cops on this one. I have experience with a child who has "temper" issues, and when they fly off the handle there is absolutely zero chance of getting through to them with words. This child sounds as if it was a danger to others, and herself. This does strike me as having been the safest options. They reacted immediately to ensure her well being as soon as they used the Taser, it wasn't like it was a "Hey Jim, watch this" type of thing. Makes it clear to me that the experts present felt there was no other safe choice, had a plan, and enacted it.

In the end, the child was stopped, and no one ended up facing serious harm.

**Deadshot**

Mr. Burning wrote:
I'm pretty sure a kid who feels the need to act out whilst in possession of a knife isn't going to react rationally when confronted by Americas finest.

I do wonder what led to the babysitter calling the cops though. A kid acting out? something more?

be interesting to see how this develops.

Maybe the kid was threatening to stab the babysitter or cut herself. If anyone is brandishing a knife you should call the cops.
however, the cops acted ridiculously and it was excessively violent, imo. Easy enough to grab her arm and take the knife away. Job done.

**djones520**

Deadshot wrote:
Mr. Burning wrote:
I'm pretty sure a kid who feels the need to act out whilst in possession of a knife isn't going to react rationally when confronted by Americas finest.

I do wonder what led to the babysitter calling the cops though. A kid acting out? something more?

be interesting to see how this develops.

Maybe the kid was threatening to stab the babysitter or cut herself. If anyone is brandishing a knife you should call the cops.
however, the cops acted ridiculously and it was excessively violent, imo. Easy enough to grab her arm and take the knife away. Job done.

No it is not. It is not easy to grab the army of a knife wielding wild child. People need to get that through their head.

**Da Boss**

They were lucky. Tasers are not at all a safe piece of equipment.

That said, I think compensation for the victim, especially that amount, is wrong too. Better to discipline the officers in question and send a message to other police.

Christ. I would say I can't believe people are defending this, but I've been posting in the OT too long.

Edit: Even if it's not easy, it's the right thing to do.

**Random Dude**

Da Boss wrote:
How do you know it hasn't already happened?

An eight year old with a knife is not a credible threat to four grown police officers. Give me a break.

Anyone with a knife is definitely a credible threat.

**Da Boss**

Anyone? Laughable.

**nkelsch**

Did any of you actually read the extremely detailed independent investigation?

http://www.drgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Report-on-2013-Tasing-Incident.pdf

*Babysitter called police daying "The child has a knife and is threatening to kill herself."
*child actually tries to stab herself while on the phone with 911
*Child had two knives.

So, the alternative would have been pepper spray. The child was waiving a weapon and threatening suicide. Not sure how you are supposed to stop someone without incapacitating them.

8-year olds are not small either. I doubt a single one of you could disarm and incapacitate a violent suicidal 8 year old without her either harming herself or you. No one should be expected to take a few knife wounds to stop a violent child from being dangerous.

It is all in the report. Child deserved it. Child either has mental issues or is a poorly raised monster.

**Deadshot**

djones520 wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Mr. Burning wrote:
I'm pretty sure a kid who feels the need to act out whilst in possession of a knife isn't going to react rationally when confronted by Americas finest.

I do wonder what led to the babysitter calling the cops though. A kid acting out? something more?

be interesting to see how this develops.

Maybe the kid was threatening to stab the babysitter or cut herself. If anyone is brandishing a knife you should call the cops.
however, the cops acted ridiculously and it was excessively violent, imo. Easy enough to grab her arm and take the knife away. Job done.

No it is not. It is not easy to grab the army of a knife wielding wild child. People need to get that through their head.

I have done it on at least 20 seperate occassions this month alone. I have a brother who's 11, prone to tantrums and is quickly approaching puberty. He thinks knife flashing is acceptable. Presumably the officers were wearing Stab-Proof vests at the very minimum having recieved a call about a knife.
You distract the girl as mention, quickly step inside the arce of the swing and grab hold of the wrist, hook your fingers inside hers and around the knife handle and pull it out. I can do it solo and 4 cops can't? Bull gak

**Random Dude**

Deadshot wrote:
djones520 wrote:
Deadshot wrote:
Mr. Burning wrote:
I'm pretty sure a kid who feels the need to act out whilst in possession of a knife isn't going to react rationally when confronted by Americas finest.

I do wonder what led to the babysitter calling the cops though. A kid acting out? something more?

be interesting to see how this develops.

Maybe the kid was threatening to stab the babysitter or cut herself. If anyone is brandishing a knife you should call the cops.
however, the cops acted ridiculously and it was excessively violent, imo. Easy enough to grab her arm and take the knife away. Job done.

No it is not. It is not easy to grab the army of a knife wielding wild child. People need to get that through their head.

I have done it on at least 20 seperate occassions this month alone. I have a brother who's 11, prone to tantrums and is quickly approaching puberty. He thinks knife flashing is acceptable. Presumably the officers were wearing Stab-Proof vests at the very minimum having recieved a call about a knife.
You distract the girl as mention, quickly step inside the arce of the swing and grab hold of the wrist, hook your fingers inside hers and around the knife handle and pull it out. I can do it solo and 4 cops can't? Bull gak

stab-proof vests? Officers on standard duty do not wear Kevlar vests.