South Caroline cops face jail over tasering woman

[darnkatz]

What the actual fuck?   AT LEAST EIGHT TIMES?

South Carolina cops face prison after shocking woman eight times

Two officers who plead guilty to depriving woman's rights could spend as much as two years in prison
April 27, 2015 2:52PM ET

Federal prosecutors want two former small town police officers in South Carolina to spend at least a year in prison for shocking a mentally disabled woman at least eight times with a Taser without giving her time to follow their orders.

Both Eric Walters and Franklin Brown will be sentenced on federal charges Monday in Florence. The two Marion police officers pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law in October.

Walters was patrolling in Marion early on the morning of April 2, 2013 when he saw 40-year-old Melissa Davis walking out of the yard of a home for sale. He asked her what she was doing, thinking she might have broken into the home, then shocked her with his Taser, according to court papers.

After Davis fell to the ground, Walters ordered her to put her hands behind her back, then shocked her four more times before she could respond, prosecutors said.

By the time Brown responded, Walters had determined Davis did nothing wrong and was removing the Taser probes from her back. Brown noticed one of Davis' hands had slipped from her improperly applied handcuffs and ordered everyone to move away and shocked Davis again, even though she was not trying to fight or escape, according to court papers.

Brown shocked Davis twice more, then offered to let her go if he could shoot her in the forehead one more time with his Taser, prosecutors said.

Brown told the other officers at the scene he shot Davis with the Taser because he "did not want to touch that nasty (obscenity)," according to his plea agreement.

Both officers are white. Court records did not indicate Davis' race.

Prosecutors said they agree with federal sentencing guidelines that ask for 12 to 18 months behind bars for Walters and an 18- to 24-month sentence for Brown. The guidelines are tougher for Brown because Davis was in a vulnerable position when he shocked her.

Walters' lawyer asked for a six-month prison sentence and six months of home detention because he is in poor health after several heart attacks suffered before age 39. The lawyer added that Walters had a good record as an officer before the incident. Brown's lawyers did not file any motions asking for mercy before the sentencing.

Prosecutors said the officers should have known Davis had a diminished mental state, and a lawsuit filed by her caretaker against the officers and the city of Marion said she was well known around town.

The civil suit said along with the physical pain and suffering from the shocks and their after-effects, Davis also continues to need help to deal with mental anguish from what happened. Her lawsuit is seeking a minimum of nearly $2 million.

The officers originally faced state charges, which were dropped when federal prosecutors took over. At least three officers in South Carolina have been recently charged with shooting unarmed suspects.

The Associated Press

[andrealynn]

He would let her go if he could taze her in the face? What the actual fuck?

[jln]

That is sickening. That poor woman. I hope they serve the maximum amount of time in jail.

[orangeblossom]

 

[orangeblossom]

Apr 27, 2015 21:51:44 GMT -5 @songforyou said:

I'd bet money she is black. Marion is majority black.

Yes and yes, especially with the part about the officer calling her a name. 

[cookiemdough]

What the hell

[elleblue]

Apr 27, 2015 22:05:27 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Apr 27, 2015 21:51:44 GMT -5 @songforyou said:

I'd bet money she is black. Marion is majority black.

Yes and yes, especially with the part about the officer calling her a name. 

Yeah, that's exactly what I was afraid of.   This whole thing is horrifying. 

[LadySusan]

I feel like I should post something but what? This stuff is so unconscionable. What can I even say?

[darnkatz]

Apr 27, 2015 19:01:07 GMT -5 andrealynn said:

He would let her go if he could taze her in the face? What the actual fuck?

I can't get past this either.

[nursewife]

Horrific.

[shortcake2675]

I'm sitting here crying. What the hell is wrong with people?

[Kattey]

This is truly horrific. There aren't enough wtf's for this story. I'm starting to think a lot of asshole cops are just looking for excuses to "play" with their tasers.

[WOT?*]

And two years? That's wtf-able right there.

[NewOrleans]

No mercy. No justice, no peace.