N.C. Cops Taser Man At Dad's Funeral

Police Apologize For Botched Arrest As Son Loaded Coffin Into Hearse

(CBS/ AP)  A North Carolina sheriff's official is apologizing for disturbing a funeral where undercover agents tried to serve an arrest warrant on the dead man's son - and used a Taser to do so.

The Star-News of Wilmington reports that the incident happened Saturday afternoon as the coffin was being loaded into a hearse. The officers planned to quietly arrest Gladwyn Taft Russ III, but it turned into a scuffle.

The 42-year-old Russ was charged with communicating threats against his ex-wife who lives in another state. Officials said he failed to turn himself in as promised.

New Hanover County sheriff's chief deputy Ed McMahon said the officers' move backfired in the emotional environment. McMahon said the officers should have waited until after the cemetery service.

"It was never my intention to create any more problems for the family, and I am truly sorry and apologize for that,” McMahon said, the newspaper reported.

Witnesses told the newspaper that two men wearing coats and ties appeared seemingly out of nowhere to arrest Russ and a scuffle ensued. Family members said the undercover police grabbed Russ, kneed him in the back of his leg and tasered him. At one point one of the officers' handguns fell to the ground, the newspaper reported.

In addition to the charges for allegedly threatening his ex-wife, Russ was previously convicted of resisting an officer, contempt of court and larceny. In the past, Russ also was charged with felony malicious conduct by a prisoner, assault on a government official, resisting an officer and disorderly conduct, the newspaper reported.

[harrisemmanuel]

The guy who was burying his father sounds like a real *******. Although the police are not perfect, I wouldnt care if they arrested him while he was in church, at his kid's christmas play, or on the alter about to get married. If it were your mother or sister or daughter receiving deadly threats I'll bet you wouldn't care either!!

[geovhill56]

You DO NOT do that at a funeral.
The police were wrong.
The fact that they pointed tasers at people during a funeral is STUPID!
Police are a bunch of bully idiots.
This is typical of stupid police work.
There is no excuse for this kind of garbage.
Police have gone too far in this country with their bully ways.
The people have had enough of dumb bully cops.
In this case, they again went too far.
If a cop did that to me while I was putting my dad''s coffin in a hearse, he (cop) would be dead.
No question.
Time to stop cops!
We have had enough of them!
I am,

George Vreeland Hill

[skbeachgirl]

His mom must be in like shock

[pcreversed]

Oh yeah, Wilmington is the same place that the cops shot and killed someone wanted on shop-lifting charges 2 years ago. Poor kid never hurt anybody. They shot him while he was openeing the door when they knocked and then they tried to justify it. Low-lifes with badges

[pcreversed]

I think NC would be much better off if we fired all the cops here and let the inmates take their places. the inmates have a better sense of right and wrong. I hate NC cops, they are more corrupt than the mafia and have worse attitudes too. I would rather have Osama Bin laden over for dinner and a beer than any NC cop and that goes for George Bush too. He is lower than NC cops

[secondmac]

In the other case, almost immediately, police said the use of the stun gun appeared to violate department guidelines, which explicitly bar their use "in situations where the subject may fall from an elevated surface."

[secondmac]

MeMeWolf,
You know they crossed the line. Blind faith is wasted faith.

[secondmac]

Idiocy at it''s best (worst).

[ann3332]

what is wrong these cops dont they have any respect or what especially he burying his father. That is shameful these officer need to be reprimanded .That was no reason for that especially at a funeral

[pcreversed]

Well, mlst NC cops are idiots and have no sense of honor. They should be fired for this stupid move. They act like modern day Nazi''s. I hate NC cops and give them no respect, they have not earned it.