Pregnant Woman Stun-Gunned In Ohio

Officers Were Not Aware Of The Woman's Condition; FBI Is Investigating The Arrest

(AP)  A policeman forced a pregnant woman to the ground and used a stun gun on her when she refused to answer the officer's questions and resisted being handcuffed, authorities said Thursday.

The incident is the latest in the U.S. involving stun guns, which have been used recently in several high-profile case, including on an 82-year-old woman in Chicago and on a university student in Florida who refused to yield the microphone during a forum featuring U.S. Senator John Kerry.

In this latest case, the pregnant woman went to the police department on Nov. 18 to ask officers to take custody of her 1-year-old son, said Michael Etter, Trotwood's public safety director.

The woman told the officer she was "tired of playing games" with the baby's father, Etter said. The woman refused to answer questions, became frustrated and tried to leave with the child, Etter said. The officer feared allowing her to leave could jeopardize the child, and he decided to detain her to get more information.

He said the officer grabbed the woman, got the child away from her and forced her to the ground. When she resisted being handcuffed and tried to get away, the officer used the stun gun on her, Etter said.

The woman wore a winter coat and did not tell the officer she was pregnant, Etter said. "She was totally uncooperative," he said.

The woman was arrested for obstruction and resisting arrest, Etter said. When she arrived at the jail, it was discovered that she was pregnant, and an officer took her to the hospital, he said.

The condition of the woman and the fetus was not known.

The FBI is investigating the arrest, and Etter said the police department is conducting its own probe to determine whether excessive force was used.

He said the officer remains on duty.

A report by the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics last month said arrest-related deaths involving stun guns or other conducted-energy devices are rising. From 2003-2005, there were 36 such deaths, with a jump from 3 cases in 2003 to 24 in 2005.

[tngreen]

Did the thought cross anybody''s mind that this woman suffers from a mental illness? Do her actions sound like those of a normal person? She sounds depressed and confused. She should probably have been taken to a hospital, not brutalized.

Every single day, nurses in our hospitals deal with patients who are disoriented and who become combative. Nurses are kicked, punched, scratched, pinched, and slapped, but they somehow manage to get their patients under control without tazers, guns, or night sticks. If a 110-pound woman can manage a disoriented patient without resorting to violence, what is wrong with our police forces? Too little training, and too much testosterone.

[cdfoxtrot]

This country is degenerating back into the Wild West. Cops are OUT OF CONTROL. These taser guns are being used as a matter of routine and the cops are clearly misusing them. They were sold to the public on the basis they would only be used in situations where ordinarily deadly force (i.e. guns) would be used. This has turned out to be a lie. We need to get these dangerous weapons off the streets and out of the hands of these cops who clearly cannot be trusted to show restraint.

[grazinggoat]

AND I FORGOT TO ADD..AS THE HEADLINE CLEARLY INDICATES..SHE WAS EFFING PREGNANT..she does not need a taser gun SHE NEEDS A CASTRATION.
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Posted by libsluvsuvs at 06:17 PM : Nov 30, 2007

- Idiot ignorant like you need not posting on this thread! Women undergo ovarectomy or hysterectomy! Castration is reserved for ignorant males like you. Maybe then you''d be more balanced, having a brain bigger than ballls. LOL!

-This taser gun is a real danger introduced to control individuals... It''s causing more and more death because it''s not well used, abused, matter of fact.

[libsluvsuvs]

NOW BEFORE ALL YOU BLOOD SUCKING BLEEDING HEART MISGUIDED LIBERALS START SHOOTING YOUR CONSPIRACY THEORIES..PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE..

"In this latest case, the pregnant woman went to the police department on Nov. 18 to ask officers to take custody of her 1-year-old son, said Michael Etter, Trotwood''s public safety director.

The woman told the officer she was "tired of playing games" with the baby''s father, Etter said. The woman refused to answer questions, became frustrated and tried to leave with the child, Etter said. The officer feared allowing her to leave could jeopardize the child, and he decided to detain her to get more information."

[mswolfestock]

Mothers of NEWBORN INFANTS can drop their kids off if they cannot care for them. This woman''s kid was one year old. WHY DON''T THESE IDIOTS USE BIRTH CONTROL. Then maybe we wouldn''t be wasting our time blaming the cops for this woman''s stupidity. That kid should never have been born, period.

[klingon69]

Far as I''''m concerned I will make sure that my children DO NOT go to an officer for help in any way if there is an emergency! God help anyone who does!
Posted by ingie912 at 06:05 PM : Nov 29, 2007

The cops have become a jack-booted terror squad. Much like the Brown Shirts of Nazi Germany. In order to get anything against them, you must have witnesses and best is video, provided these thugs don''t take the camera away. Evidence of this facist state was first evidence in the 1960''s in the protests with the dogs, the clubs and riot gear. I don''t trust or even want the cops around me.

[seancky]

Whoever needs video here it is

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gw9kj1jnttk

[klingon69]

I cannot believe that this woman was raised to believe that you can give a kid away, like putting your old clothes in a yard sale. And as for her having trouble with the child''''s father, maybe they ought to arrest him, too. The charges - Terminal Stupidity and Breeding Without a Brain.
Posted by mswolfestock at 03:44 PM : Nov 29, 2007

I thought it was a allowable for a mother to drop an unwanted child at a church, hospital or police station instead of abandoning the child.

[gopack443]

"obstruction and resisting arrest" Obstruction of what? what law did she break? Do we live in a police state? Is obstruction a law to cover everything in case a cop want to bust someone who hasn''t broke any real laws?

[gunnerv1]

MichelleM99 Please NO I Demand to see where you got your quote "the constution is just a piece of godd@mn paper". it''s put up or shut up time.

[alexma50085]

So when did a trained police officer need a taser to take down a women smaller than himself?
Take his badge and give it to a less aggressive minded officer.

[griking]

Does every instance of a person being tazered need to be considered news nowadays? Every story like this that I read seems to describe the person as resisting arrest, violent, etc.. I have not yet read a story of a police office just walking up to a random person and tazering them. The lesson here is listen to the officer (duh) and we won''t have as many of these issues.

[luckygirl042]

I fear the "Police State" is here.

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[ireanna-2009]

...Kudos to luvcomments, bb19631 and USGeneral...

The only one posing a danger to this child was the cop! He had many other choices, but he chose his handy dandy stun gun because it was easiest. Meanwhile, a nice-guy approach may have made all the difference in the world (i.e., "Please let me help you", "what can I do", or "let me escort you home").

"Nah, thats just too much trouble man. I don''t feel like working or playing like some pansey "nice guy". Lets be my usual thrill-seeking, immature, arrogant self, who doesn''t have any real people skills. I show no sympathy or concern towards anyone. Yup, I''ll really heat things up by trying to tackle and cuff her. Then when she tries to defend herself, I''ll just ZAP her real good. Yes, all because she''s aggravating me. Don''t worry, I''ll think up something to charge her with afterwards, and have my buddies back me up on it. I''ll even have our lawyers help with a statement and mention the kid as my excuse (yeah I was concerned for him, that''s right, thats the ticket). They boy who I almost forgot was even there when I fired my sparks. That outta teach her to answer me when I ask a question. Yep, I''m a big bad a** cop who lived for this power all my life. Yeah thats right - I love my stun gun! Don''t even look at me wrong, or you''re going down Ladies!" O------u--- what a man.

Freedom in the USA - all the way!? (ha ha) We should really be

[ireanna-2009]

She walked into the police station with her kid, commits no actual crime, so why not walk out with him? Who are they to attack her from behind with handcuffs like a criminal in front of her kid just because they weren''t finished talking? My guess is she got tired of waiting and walked out.

If he claims "obstructing justice" -- what investigation was underway, and when did he let her know this, or read her some rights before questioning her? This is just ridiculous and has me sick! They are paid by our tax dollars to protect the people, right?

It seems the reason this made news was that not only was she stun gunned but she was pregnant. Even without being pregnant, I couldn''t understand anyone who would think this was appropriate under the circumstances provided thus far.

[bb19631]

All a cop is a hired thug with a gun and badge, and can get away with more illegal things than any other person. After all it''s she said, he said- the cop will always win!!

[hereticzero-2009]

Moral is: Don''t ask cops for help. If you need services for your child, take it to family services, and not the police station.

[dmhphils]

Torturing the unborn, by way of electrocution?

Where do these abusive pigs draw the line?


Posted by FeelFree1 at 08:44 PM : Nov 29, 2007
--------------------------------------------------
For once we agree.

[toolmangler-2009]

Where do these abusive pigs draw the line?

Posted by FeelFree1 at 08:44 PM : Nov 29, 2007



If they know what they are dealing with, they act accordingly. The few that act other wise are exposed in the papers. but you are saying that ALL cops and ALL soldiers and ALL priests are evil sadistic sexually depraved murderers, really feely thats what you say.