Portland police taze, beat black boy; matter under official review.

[grasswire]

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/09/portland_police_arrest_tasing.html


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North Precinct officers, according to police, contacted a group of young men and women, including Thai Gurule, on the east side of North Philadelpha, just north of Ivanhoe Street.

"Officers attempting to place him into handcuffs became involved in a struggle with him, which resulted in a sergeant deploying a Taser to overcome the subject's active aggression, including his choking the female officer involved in the struggle,'' Sgt. Pete Simpson said in a statement.

After one cycle of the Taser, officers were able to put the 16-year-old into handcuffs. The police reports describe officers using multiple "knee strikes'' and punches to take the boy into custody.

Sgt. Jason Lile fired the Taser at the teen. Lile wrote in his report that he saw the teen place Officer Betsy Hornstein in a head lock and that "he feared one of us was going to get seriously hurt.'' He said he believed the use of the Taser "would likely end the fight.'' Lile said he told the teen he would be shot with a Taser if he didn't get on the ground. Lile fired at Thai Gurule's back, his report said.

Lile wrote that other tools, such as pepper spray or a baton, wouldn't have been appropriate given the "close quarters struggle.'' Thai Gurule was treated at the scene by firefighters, then taken to a city hospital for "an examination of a medical condition'' before he was taken to the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Home, Simpson said. Firefighters told police the 16-year-old had an extremely high heart rate for his age, according to police reports.

Thai Gurule is accused of second-degree assault, interfering with a peace officer, resisting arrest, assaulting a public safety officer, attempted assault on a public safety office, harassment, fourth-degree assault and attempted strangulation.

He was not held in jail. Assaulting a public safety officer is a Class C felony but not a Measure 11 offense.

[grasswire]

1. and here's the other side of the story

Giovanni Dmitri Gurule, 20, was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on allegations of second-degree disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer and resisting arrest. By Monday afternoon, Giovanni Gurule pleaded not guilty to the charges and was out of custody. After his pleas, Gurule said, "Bottom line is I'm hurt.''

He said he and his brother and other friends were walking back from Pier Park's skate park to meet up with their mother at the Safeway in St. Johns when they were stopped and questioned by police. Giovanni Gurule said he saw police wrestle his younger brother to the ground and couldn't understand why. "My little brother was beat up by three officers who are supposed to protect and serve. This is not protect and serve,'' he said.

No charges were filed linking either brother to the reported property damage, police said.

"Not enough information or evidence to support additional charges,'' Simpson said.