Has anybody else seen the video and heard all the uproar regarding Jared Massey and Trooper Gardner?

I wasn't there, I don't know the Utah statutes or UHP policies verbatim, and the video/audio is sketchy, so take my non-LEO/non-tazed armchair opinion with a grain of salt.

I think the officer committed several errors with regards to safety tactics and situation de-escalation, but the tazing of an argumentative resister that moves his hand(s) out of view, while walking away towards his vehicle with other occupants in it, during an arrest alongside traffic, after being repeatedly told by a lone officer to turn around and put his hands behind him...is legally and ethically justifiable, if not always necessarily the best course of action. Refusing to sign a ticket IS sufficient grounds for arrest in Utah. Signing IS NOT an admission of guilt. Ignorance of the law IS NOT a legal defense, a doctorate in diplomacy IS NOT a job requirement for LEOs, and a cop DOES NOT have to educate you on the traffic or criminal codes. The cop gave him a lawful order to "Turn around and put your hands behind you.". He walked away towards his vehicle and other occupant with his hand(s) concealed. WRONG ANSWER.

Can anybody legally AND ethically justify the driver in regards to:

A. The driver's actions after the cop told him "Turn around and put your hands behind you."?
B. His reason to refuse to sign the ticket?
C. Why the officer had to request his license and other document(s) more than once?

At the very least, I think the driver should have physically complied 100% if he wanted to verbally debate anything transpiring, let the cop solo in erring beyond any reasonable legal/ethical debate, and hired a Johnny Cochrane-worshipping lawyer to get medieval on the cop/department if he got anything more than a ticket.

The cop may have been shark-cruising for violations. The driver seemed like he got nipped on the foot while wading, and thrashed over a jagged reef towards the swells instead of the beach, where he proceeded to chew his own legal legs into arterial-bleeding stumps.

Let's hear the debate. I would especially like to hear opinions from somebody on the Utah Bar Association, whether for the prosecution or defense.

What LEGAL actions can a citizen choose if they don't feel safe in yielding to a LEO at some point, especially along a deserted road, with no cameras evident? There HAVE been instances of officers or imposters violating others when there were no cameras or witnesses around. There have also been instances of officers killed, even by little pregnant women, during seemingly-calm traffic stops.

 

in short id say.... use common sense.... cop is always gonna win in a fight cause 99% of the time the judge will believe him over you..... you can resist arrest by saying NO and trying to walk away...

dont want to get tazed.... dont put yourself in that situation. end

 

If you get tazed, there's a 99% chance you were being a dumbass and deserved it.

 

i live in canada and there have been multiple deaths from ppl being tasered. the last big incident was caught on tape at yvr airport (its on you tube, check it out). the guy who died didnt speak english and 4-5 cops tasered him and then tackled him, then he went unconscious as they were on top of him... but he was really dead. messed up if you ask me. i think they got those things turned up too high and ppl are dying. i had a cop point a taser at me and tell me to get on the ground, i wasnt even doing anything but there was a fight happening around me, so ya it didnt take me long to drop to the ground and play dead..."just dont shoot me with that thing man!"

 

ok well i just saw the video...... if i was a cop i woulda tazed him as well.... he had his hand in his pocket and was walken around like he coulda had a knife or gun in his pocket.... cop isnt gonna have anything done to him!


all because the douche was ignorant as hell and wouldnt sign a ticket..... doesnt most people KNOW that signing a ticket doesnt mean its a confesion of guilt..... total idiot!
but they cannt keep the tazer at a low setting.... havent you guys seen COPS some phycos can just shake off a tazer and keep running or fighting with the cop.... tazer may kill some people but its still ALOT safer than a gun shot! which as well some phycos shake that off as well and keep fighting...

 

lol i love how he went from hard ***....to bitch *** after he got tazed. "But officer excuse me im jus trying to understand why your doing this officer sir" haha he deserved it

 

I have not seen the vid so this is not based on it

It dont matter anymore, cops are brutal and have been for along time. What rights as humans that we have not had taken by the government the cops are sure enough trying to get. People get violent offender charges everyday for stupid crap but these power hungry ******** run around with guns, tazers, tear gas, and sticks and beat, shoot, and kill people all day. I say it's bull****.

 

^^^i agree........but the minority of lunatics in this world ruin it for the majority of the rest of us. The cops would never have to use force if there wasnt afairly goodchance that the individual has a weapon or is looking for a fight, which seems to be the norm nowadays. But your absolutely right with the power hungry attitude that i have found every cop has, with the exception of 2 who were very reasonable. Its almost like you have to be an ******* to even be considered as a cop. Its a pretty broad statement i know, but in policemen's case, the majority of ******** are ruining it for the minority of reasonable niice people.NWAsaid it right........... FTP!! lol

 

I'd have to agree with cops being way to brutal, taxering someone to death is completely rediculus. There are some decent cops out there but i havn't met many thats for sure. So FTP! is right in my book

 

I too have yet to see the video, but I will add my input.

If you are a police officer you need to make sure you are safe, as well as innocent bystanders. The guy was walking away and not listening, AND had his hands in or near his pockets where the Trooper couldnt see them. Im sure he was given several warnings prior to the tazing. "Stop or I will taze you". Kept walking and WOW HE GOT TAZED?

I view it like this.....If a cop tells me to stop, hit the dirt or whatever, I would do it. If I didnt do anything, why the hell refuse? Its only going to put you into a problematic situation, whereas if you just comply, chances are you will be let off. People who get locked up, tazed, or harassed by the cops usually deserve it. Some cops are gunho, but most are regular people. Remember, you catch more flies with honey....its as simple as that.