Police Zap Dad Accused Of Stealing Salad At Chuck E. Cheese

[slaveplanet]

Police Zap Dad Accused Of Stealing Salad At Chuck E. Cheese

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/4245190/detail.html

AURORA, Colo. -- Aurora police have reviewed a weekend incident in which a man accused of stealing salad from a Chuck E. Cheese salad bar was hit with a stun gun twice by officers and said that proper procedures were followed.


"They beat this man in front of all these kids then Tased him in my sister's lap," Mayo told the newspaper. "They had no regard for the effect this would have on the kids. This is Chuck E. Cheese, you know."

"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.

"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest," Felicia Mayo told the Rocky Mountain News.

[bleedingheart]

1. Wow ...Dinner and a Show at Chuck E Cheese...

Why oh why do I think that these Tasers are such a bad idea...

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bleedingheart]

42. based on the articles I have seen, some people have died after

being "tazed".

Some had underlying heart conditions as I recall and there were other issues at hand with others.

You can find the articles via google.

[Stand and Fight]

2. Two simple words:

Police. State.

Face it folks -- that is the kind of society we have come to live in, my friends. Think about how often you hear about the police using stun guns on people -- from small children to adults. It really is quite sickening, quite disheartening.

[driver8]

18. Exactly what I was thinking -- Police State.

You step out of line and disobey the "rules", the SS is going to come and set things right.

WTF is going on in this country? Has everyone lost their freakin' minds? This is unbelievable to me.

[katty]

72. 2 words: Police State - good morning, america....

watch out for those taser totin' robocops. the fascist, psycho whackos have taken control of open-ward america.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

38. My little town of Madison, AL has a very large police force...

...and they all wear those black combat-style uniforms. Based on some of the incidents I've read about, and actually witnessed myself, all these guys need are the Nazi armbands.

[tlcandie]

53. I think I finally see that in order to go to "POLICE STATE"

they had to implement the tazers.... THIS is how it will/is be(ing) implemented!! Now you will have people hopping mad at those who voice dissent because it's better than a bullet!!

Well, these should ONLY BE PULLED if you planned on popping a bullet from your gun...otherwise, they are holstered!!!

Did they plan on shooting this guy with a REAL bullet or any of the others which have died, etc.?

[mtnester]

3. I cannot decide which is worse...tasering people on a whim

or 100 MPH speed chases across 4 counties after shoplifters from Walmart that end up maiming and killing innocent bystanders over a $15.00 T-shirt.

World gone mad.

[slaveplanet]

4. Hey that was 15 cents

worth of lettuce buddy....

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. Sounds like the Aurora Police screwed up.

Lots of witnesses. Bad juju, that. For them.

*sigh* I went to school in Denver. It used to be nice, with really good police. Enlightened, even.

[ElectroPrincess]

6. Those police officers' behavior is SHOCKINGLY inappropriate ...

any excuse for zapping someone with high voltage ... someone who has not demonstrated a clear threat to the officers' involved ... well it's just plain RUBBISH! <scampering away>

[aden_nak]

7. It's not "lethal" so they fire that fucking thing off like it's a cap gun.

[soothsayer]

8. Finally police get to use their weapons on people freely! You

KNOW alot of them have been ITCHING to!

Sick.

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. I have never been to one of those places and never will

It doesn't sound like any "fun" at all. Another bogus happy faced place to relieve parents of their hard earned money in a dark dungeon filled with video games and other time wasters. And, if you appear to be out of line, the judge & jury calls in the goon squad and they shoot you.

Go pitch a few balls at the public park instead.

[Susang]

10. Having worked over 20 years in the restaurant industry

I can honestly say that if the product is not expensive, you just let them have it, rather than create an incident that will cause bad publicity. Like this one.

The manager and staff handled this poorly. Sounds like the police might have as well. Salad bars are ridiculously cheap, they didn't even know if the guy had actually paid for the salad bar or not, he was only guilty of being unable to provide proof of payment.

Sometimes it's in the restaurant's best interest to bend the rules, particularly if situations that might be a little sticky. Chuck E. Cheese needs to better train their management.

[peterh]

15. Damn…this Chuck E Cheese has a history….

While I agree with you that this was poorly handled….by everyone involved…me thinks its history were in the minds of a few….still over-the-top though….


http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/media/cases/DunlapCECfinal1.pdf


Defendant has repeatedly admitted to killing Sylvia Crowell, Colleen O’Connor, Ben Grant and Margaret Kohlberg at a Chuck-E-Cheese restaurant in Aurora, Colorado on December 14, 1993. The jury also found him guilty of attempting to kill Bobby Stephens and of the related crimes of aggravated robbery, first degree burglary and theft.

[Susang]

24. Different situation entirely

Nathan Dunlap was a disgruntled ex-employee who returned for revenge and planned on murdering the supervisor who fired him. When he found out she wasn't working that night, he hung around after closing with the people he used to work with, robbed the restaurant and killed the people who were with him.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=co&vol=1999sc%5Csc0308a&invol=1

That's a little different from dealing with an unhappy customer in the middle of the dinner rush.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

39. One minor point....the customer wasn't unhappy until the police....

...arrived to arrest him for the now-infamous "theft of salad makings", and then started poking him in the chest when he questioned the logic behind being arrested. The customer got even more unhappy when he was, IMHO, unjustifiably tasered by some eager officer wanting to test his new toy in front of a bunch of screaming children "in the middle of the dinner rush".

While I certainly agree with your premise that the two cases are like comparing apples and oranges, this particular case has presented some real issues that someone is going to have to address. Chuck E. Cheese is extremely fortunate that the customer didn't have a cardiac arrest like a few that I've been reading about over the last several months. As it is, I hope the customer takes them to civil court and sues them into bankruptcy. The police are going to have their own set of issues to deal with...and I hope firing their butts is the first step.

[Robb]

49. Wow, were you there?

Whatever your beef is with law enforcement, you're spinning this story out of control based on a pretty poorly written article.

Ever been tased? It sucks, BTW. Before they get to use it, as with pepper spray, LE gets a taste. It's not a toy, and LE know it.

Of course the guy wasn't "unhappy" until the cops got there. :eyes:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

55. Did you read the article? Why all the crap thrown in my direction?...

I'm not "spinning anything out of control"....that was accomplished by the meathead manager that chose to call the cops to arrest a man that he THOUGHT was stealing salad from the salad bar. From that point on, everything tookk a nose-dive.

But that's okay...blame me for the stupid action by the manager, and the over-reaction by police using a taser in a crowded restaurant packed with kids.

No, I've never been tased, but unlike you, I still know the meaning of common sense.

[piece sine]

32. Right on, Susang

One Million dollars worth of horrible, horrible P.R. for Chuck E. Cheese over 15 cents worth of lettuce. Everyone involved except the kids should be truly ashamed of themselves.

[Julius Civitatus]

11. Has anyone seen George Lucas' movie "THX-1138"???

We are quickly turning into that type of society:

A high-tech police state where they make you take Zoloft-like and feel-good drugs or you get punished. A brutal and impersonal police state where you can get severely and mercilessly beaten for the silliest of infractions.

[Tyler Durden]

12. Hey, easy on us "Zoloft Junkies."

Without that shit, I have massive panic attacks on a nightly basis, otherwise it has all of the effect of taking an "M & M."

That said, LOVE THX-1138. "My time is yours."

Figure we have less than 3 years before the Theocons get every Deacon a TASER: has to happen before the 2008 primaries.

[Lilith Velkor]

69. That's weird, man.

When I took Zoloft I started having panic attacks every day after awhile. I also had hyperrealistic dreams.

That being said, I will now research tazerproof vests. Ta.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

41. That was a very good flick...full of moments that really make one think.

[ernstbass]

13. Enough is enough

this tasering shit has to stop! (But I'm all for the feel good drugs)

[progressivebydesign]

14. A STRUGGLE ensued... why is that not the headline?

I"m tired of these 'cops are evil' stories... and headlines. If you struggle with the police, then you're going to get your ass kicked, or zapped. End of story. I'm quite certain that the police are just itching to beat a man in a pizza parlour for children... yeah right.

[Ms. Clio]

16. Maybe you should read the article before you defend those pigs

"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.

"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest," Felicia Mayo told the Rocky Mountain News.

She was there with her 7-year-old son. She told the newspaper that Gale told the officer "You don't have to do that." She said Gale never put his hands on the officer who was confronting him.


Obviously those pigs were just itching to beat a man in a pizza parlor for children.

[ElectroPrincess]

28. Good point Ms. Clio ... the truth probably lies somewhere in

between:

Picture this: A frazzled father (do you know the decibel level inside those horrid places?) just told off an young employee (they're all seemingly a minute over 16 y.o.) because his pizza was *ice cold*. The teenager did not take kindly to some old codger mouthing off to him/her and noted him heading for the salad bar WITHOUT first ordering (and paying ... it's the cafeteria-hell system). Damn, after all, the pizza sucks and is cold, Dad's here (instead of that lazy Mom) being tortured so yeah, His pizza was late, cold and tastes like cardboard and wall paper paste. Therefore Dad's gonna go get some "salad bar" for retribution.

The man heads off to the salad bar, the teen's had to put up with sh*tty tips and singing with a "stuffed rat" all day. But today he's in luck for the "big get even." That is, NOW he happens to know of two COPS across the room.

He runs over to them AND ====>
IT'S "Officer! Someone's absconding with our precious LETTUCE at the salad bar without first paying?!?" The officers, already pissed and irritable (everyone SANE over 21 is - and that's a truism) that they're being subjected to 90+ decibels of screaming rug rats smearing their greasy hands all over their cop pants and asking stupid question ... well, they're already for a (any!) confrontation.

Bingo! The perfect scenario for a BAD situation. Everyone's WRONG. But still, this "whip out the TASER" for anything but a direct physical threat to oneself and one's partner is UN-SAT.

Note: the above scenario is fiction ... dreamed up by a Mom who's been to and held numerous parties at that horrid place (for adults it's living hell - for small children it's a slice of heaven).

Isn't it usually the case that both parties PLAY some part in the tragedy ... it's never like the movies in real life = nobody's completely innocent?

[Ms. Clio]

29. That scenario sounds very plausible to me

I count myself extremely fortunate that I have never set foot in one of those places--your description makes me shudder!

But what bothers me is that if the guy never touched the cops at all, how can anything that happened be described as a "struggle?" An argument, a confrontation, but a "struggle?" That implies physical contact between the two parties, but the witness clearly states that only the cops were the ones getting physically aggressive before they hit the guy with the taser.

[KansDem]

31. F*ck the junk-food places!

About 20 years ago I stopped at a Wendy's or Burger King and got a hamburger with drink and fries. At that time I like to put a lot of ketchup or catsup on my fries and eat them with a fork. This way, I would avoid getting all that condiment on my fingers. Well, I asked the attendant for a fork, which he grudgingly supplied, and then a plate (of the Styrofoam variety--I liked to dump the fries on the plate, drench them with ketchup or catsup, and eat them with the fork). He looked at me like I was some kind of miscreant about to pull a heist and said "no plate." I suppose he thought the instant his back was turned I was going to make a bee-line for the salad bar and steal some of his f*cking ice-berg lettuce and all that tasteless, nutrition-less crap to put on it, including the cellophane-wrapped crackers.

And they call themselves "restaurants." I haven't been back since...

[Robb]

37. Maybe you should go easy on the "pigs" stuff.

Let's bold some other words in your excerpt:

"According to witnesses(multiple) (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.(singular)

[Ms. Clio]

43. I will use the terminology that seems most appropriate

According to witnesses(multiple) (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman.

Yeah--the police spokesman says that, nobody else. Why aren't those witnesses quoted in the article?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

44. Yes, let's examine that statement....

"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron."

Sounds like you're backing a police spokesman who is paid to cast the police in the best light possible, and wasn't even present when the action went down. In a court of law the police spokesman's statement would be completely inadmissable as heresay. Additionally, the only people that would be allowed to testify in court would be the officers, the customer, and the actual witnesses to the event.

Now, would you like to reconsider the bolding in your post?

[Robb]

47. Give me a break.

Police witnesses get to stay out of the public eye; their testimony is inherently better because of it.

Sounds like you're backing someone who wanted to get her name in the paper.

[Ms. Clio]

50. What a joke

The woman tells the truth about what happened and now she just wants to get her name in the paper.

Cause the police would never, ever lie about using excessive force, would they?

[Robb]

51. Here's a different spin for you.

Of course, you'll just assume the cops are lying for whatever reason... From RMN:

(snip)

Officers were dispatched on a report of a "larceny in progress." When they arrived, they asked Gale to step outside to resolve the dispute out of the view of other customers.

The restaurant, which seats a maximum of 562 people, was teeming with weekend birthday party crowds and families.

"There's a lot of people, little ones, there," Martinez said. "Let's try to resolve this issue outside. But he just started cussing and using a four-letter word. He was yelling and screaming."

Martinez said Gale escalated the encounter by shoving one of the officers. The two officers responded by attempting to put him in a wrist hold, but he continued flailing.

"He's fighting with them. He's told he needs to settle down, but he won't do it. They fall into a booth," Martinez said.

An officer used a Taser twice... The first time, Gale showed no reaction. Minutes later, the officer got closer and was able to make direct contact, shocking Gale for 2 to 5 seconds, Martinez said.

"Management had asked him to stop. The police officers asked him to stop. None of this, none of this, would have taken place if this gentleman had done one thing - complied with the officers and went outside."

(snip)

Martinez said the department approves the use of Tasers on "a case-by-case basis."

"We don't know how somebody is going to act from our mere presence," he said. "In this incident, we wanted to maintain control."

(snip)

"We don't just use a Taser on every contact. I'm a father and a grandfather, and I, too, would be upset," he said.

But Martinez argued that Gale should have responded differently when he realized police were involved. The suspect's actions, he said, put himself, the officers and other patrons at risk.

"If someone knows you are an officer, they should work with you. They don't have to take it that far."

[Ms. Clio]

52. No, it's the exact same spin from someone who wasn't even there

The one witness who has been quoted so far says that Gale never touched the cops.

I know who I believe.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

57. Your post sounds like the kind of spin that would work well....

...on a certain conservative board frequented by people with a real hardline view on how police should handle various situations.

"Larceny in progress"?? What a hoot.

[William Bloode]

59. How about this scenario?

The cops uyse thier brains and wait till the suspect exits the restraunt. That would be a more proper procedure for such a case. Especially over so little as a salad.

The bottom line is the cops could have used better judgement. The manager as well bears responsibility as well. It could have been easily handled by telling the gentleman he is no longer welcome at Chuck E Cheese, please finish and leave.

[Robb]

61. Everybody's missing the boat here, IMO.

We have no idea what kind of behavior, other than supposedly not paying for food, the guy was exhibiting to make management call for the cops.

For all we know, they tried "please finish and leave" and he told a female manager to stick it up her ****.

Everyone seems to be spinning towards "evil pigs" with nothing other than a poorly written article -- geared to do just what it did, incense people into making the "tased for stealing food" connection -- to send folks into a frenzy.

I watched a regional paper do this kind of crap about a month ago with a similarly gut-wrenching story, roughly "school principal burns books". The actual story was old books the 100-student school couldn't give away after five years of trying got sent to the dump. But six issues of the paper and a dozen letters to the editor later, circulation went through the roof and the moron who wrote the thing even got picked up by AP.

EVERY story like this is written to make you feel a certain way, not to inform you. This story written properly would be shorter than this post.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

63. Right. Everybody is "missing the boat", but you. Here are....

...a few simple questions for you:

1. Did the customer actually steal anything, and does salad at the salad bar count as "anything"?

2. Did the manager over-react to what he thought was the "theft" of salad from the salad bar when he called the police?

3. Did the police even bother to find out what was actually allegedly stolen before they attempted to arrest the customer...was there another way the situation could have been handled?

4. Did the police over-react by pushing the man into a ladies' lap that already held a 10-month old baby?

5. Did the police over-react even further when the tased the customer, not once, but twice, in full view of hundreds of children and their parents?

6. After subduing the customer, why didn't the police attempt to find out how the customer's two visibly upset children were going to get home?

Those questions are just or starters...I'm sure the customer's lawyer will have lots more before launching two civil suits...one against Chuck E. Cheese, and one against the local police.

[slaveplanet]

67. OK _I'll Bite

I posted this because it was a report as it filtered out into the national media at the local level. I see this time and time again, how things are spun a certain way as it hits in other regions from where it happens.

Was this guy "Gale" an ignorant idiot? -Yes
How would I have handled it?- cops approach (unbeknown). Knowing that force curriculum is in full effect and they have the power to take my life and get away with it. I initiate the dialog before they have a chance: Am I under arrest sir? cop- NO, AM I free to go Sir? cop -No, I have some questions regarding a complaint that a suspected larceny has occurred. AT this point, and this point only are you allowed to invoke your constitutional rights . because now you are in a state of seizure, and are effectively detained. Immediately I invoke my right to assistance of council guaranteed by the sixth amendment. From here on out I won't answer any questions without assistance of council, I will however offer my ID , noting that I'm doing so under duress and in fear of my life and liberty.

I will most likely be taken to Jail(or beaten) as an uncooperative witness at this point, however, because I've invoked my rights in front of witnesses The police are liable for anything that happens from that point on and can be sued on a personal level.

What the problem is , and what you call the other posters' misconceptions that the cops are evil. Is the proliferation of shows like COPS' which literally train the public on the improper way to deal with police (and on the flip side How cops should act unconstitutionally)

Most likely the scenario you posed in one of your other replies did play out and "Gale" became unruly.(probably after he was prodded, but before invoking his right to AOC, which If I were to guess he never bothered to invoke)(OR the police could have interpreted "foul language" as aggression) (OR the police are just flat out lying)(OR the police refused to answer him when he asked if he was under arrest, which seems to be a new illegal tactic they are using , watch the show COPS if you don't believe this)

Key word "unruly", Police are trained follow rules of procedure(unfortunately they don't on every occasion} . Gale needs to follow the citizens rules of procedure as well, it's the only thing the police understand. "Gale" failed to follow the rules of procedure and thus was deemed unruly and thus force curriculum took it's effect.

All this over 15 cents (guess at CEC's cost) worth of salad.

Was the Innkeeper within his right-Yes
Were the Cops within their right-Yes
did "Gale" break the rules of procedure taking him outside his rights-Yes - therefore he will lose in the UCC commercial courts

This is why the spokesman is right in saying his officers were following proper procedure.

Was it smart for the Innkeeper to enact his right as a representative of the Chuck e Cheese Inc- Absolutely NOT

[TX-RAT]

71. Just a few thing i noticed

Multiple witness said he was out of line.
One witness says he wasn't
He wasn't charged with theft, but he was charged with trespassing. That would lead me to believe he was asked to leave by the manager.

He was charged with disorderly conduct. Maybe the Multiple witness were correct? He got upset with the management when asked to leave and started to yell and make a scene,( most likely why the management called the police).

He was charged with resisting arrest
According to witness he became argumentative and shoved one of the officer.
( that sounds like he still didn't want to leave even when asked by the officers)

I'm not saying he should have been tased, but i think he brought this on himself.
He should have just walked out the door.
Sure would love to read the other witnesses story's and the officers reports. I hate it when the media writes a report using only one witness.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

56. Police spokesmen show up AFTER an incident to try to explain away....

...anything that might look bad for the police. The police spokesman was the person being quoted in the article, was he not?

Sounds like you're backing a losing horse in this race. Give it up.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jasop]

27. pathetic.. getting posts deleted because they disagree.. n/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

36. The end of YOUR story is that you failed to read the article....

If you really believe that tasers should be used in restaurant full of little kids, you should really consider getting help, and lots of it.

If you really believe that the police should have been called for "stealing salad", I offer the same advice as above.

You don't like "these cops are evil" stories? Too bad...as long as this kind of police behavior is condoned, you're going to be reading about a lot of them.

Deal with it.

[methinks2]

64. Hey , I live in the central florida area, a man here was tazed

to death a few years ago. He refused to pick up his bag and leave the premises of a hotel. He sat down in the lobby and just refused to move. Instead of putting on the padding and wrestling him out of there, they just tazed him until he died. (Since he was a local, we haven't forgotten him.)

I talked to an officer about this case, they said that because of insurance prices they are instructed to taze people instead of risking their own injuries. All to keep the insurance premiums down.

[scarface2004]

19. all police are sadistic em effs!

the children heard the cops scream they were going to kill the em effer and any child that cried would be wacked too!!!

[ElectroPrincess]

30. No, I believe the majority of people do "their best" to be GOOD Cops ...

But imagine a job where NO-body's happy to see you, save for people who called and they're already upset and peeved in their own way.

I have had the pleasure of interaction with both military and civilian cops. Of course you have the extremes, but IMO most want to be fair with the public.

Often the "clutches" of BAD cops (and procedures) stems from poor (overly authoritarian permissive) leadership. The tone is set in the squad room before heading out on the street. Good "leadership and training" can serve to promote the proper level of intervention.

But no one takes the blame for promoting the hard-a** attitude shared by far too many cops. Unfortunately, IMO it give the GOOD Police an undeserved bad reputation.

The last time I interacted with a member of the Sheriff's department I had been broadsided by someone pulling out of a parking lot. Both police officers were professional and ensured that insurance forms were exchanged and that no was was reporting an injury. The "woman cop" was even kind enough to call me at home to give me the incident # of the police report.

I've had more good experiences than bad but that could also be related to where I live.

[Guckert]

20. This guy must be a flag burning traitor who loves Al-Queda!! or he just

wanted some croutons???
Your choice. Rush and Hannity chose traitor.

[atommom]

22. Geez. That sounds like a scene from a bad Ben Stiller movie.

[Yavin4]

23. A Man Gets Tasered For Stealing A Salad, But Ken Lay Walks Free

Steal a $.15 salad, get tasered. Steal your employees' life savings, walk around free as a bird.

[abelenkpe]

73. Yeah! Where is the justice? nt

[PunkPop]

25. This manager sounds like an idiot

If the guy really 'stole' a salad then let it be Mr. Chucky Cheese manager. He's just an asshole and calling the cops isn't going to make him any less of an asshole. Just take the loss, what, say a couple of bucks?

If he didn't steal a salad, well...I can definitely see why the guy would be pissed.

[d.l.Green]

26. They suspected him because he picked up the only healthy meal in the

place. Guess there are limits to "all you can eat"?:shrug:

[funkhowser]

33. Wow

I can't believe the manager called the cops to report a larceny in the first place. Unreal. Guess the bad publicity and potential business fallout is worth the $5 retail meal the guy "got over" from them. Great management skills there manager-person!

I'm in FL and there have been many reports state-wide of the police using tasers in a questionable manner. Tasering young kids, seniors, etc., and the trend has been that all instances have been cleared as following appropriate policy and procedures. I might be confusing the issue, but I think there has even been an instance of someone dying following a tasering.

I don't have much involvement with the police, but it has been my knowledge that if you give them a false name, you can be charged with resisting arrest. Are we to the point that something of the sort or slipping the "pig" slur earns you a tasering? Frightening!

I have always instructed my kids that it's "yes, officer", "no, officer" ... cooperate and kiss their ass ... the power dynamic of the situation is that the cops really hold the cards and can cause you a lot of problems ... you don't need to offend a power-tripping cop unless you're prepared to deal with a lot of anguish (and possibly spend a lot of $$$).

[AnneD]

40. There is some disturbing info

it seems that it raises certain cardiac enzymes into the bloodstream similar to heart attack. I think it was not tested properly before it was rushed to the market-much like many drugs. I can only imagine what it does to a pacemaker. I fear that because it is 'non lethal', the police are more indiscriminate in the use of tasers. I don't care if the cops ARE following procedures.We have had several deaths here in TX and one guy was tasered 6 times (had the burns to show for it).....honestly, that can't be a good thing. I see this as similar to torture (and all the psychological trappings that go with that) and exertion of power. Not only has torture become acceptable in POW situations, it has become acceptable on our own shores.....and common sense has taken a holiday.

[HEyHEY]

34. Just a guess that a man named Gale would have a lot of anger at the world

[ElectroPrincess]

54. Yes, but as humbling as it can be in front of your kids, don't challenge a

cop ... you will always lose. Later, Yes! By all means, get a lawyer, but please don't lose your temper or show disrespect. I have an seemingly inborn resentment toward authoritarian personas, but my Momma raised me smart. Whenever I've addressed a Police Officer, I'm a shameless suck up ... and NOW with Taser-Mania one's survival may just depend upon cooperation lest we be CHARGED in more ways than one. :evilgrin:

On edit: I wanted to say, first and foremost, that I *adore* your slide show HEyHEY. :-) Kudos for showing us such natural beauty in the wild.

[kodi]

35. lets see the instant replay. they use cameras at chuckie cheese

.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

45. I wonder if the underqualified manager has already trashed that tape?

[MissMarple]

46. Aurora police have had other troubles, they let a rapist run loose.

Brent J. Brents had been in prison and in psychiatric care since 1988, he is TURNED LOOSE in about July. He registers as a sex offender, but access to this info is so narrow a woman he started dating and checking up on him can't access it. So, he molests her 8 year old son. They report it, police interview him, he admits it, and they LET HIM GO. Several rapes of women and children and at least one incredibly brutal attack later, he is finally arrested....in Grand Junction on the other side of the state.

Argh. So let's keep starving the evil beast of government because some folks don't like to pay taxes. We get what we pay for. Now how stupid is that?

[Chicago Democrat]

48. for "stealing salad"???!!!!

Lord forgive them for they know not what they do!

[NNN0LHI]

58. Can you just imagine munching on your dinner while this shit is going down?

This sounds like a scene out of a bad movie. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Don

[Maat]

60. I so agree with the viewpoint that calling the police was a huge..

mistake. I, unfortunately, have been in a Charles-E-Fromage numerous times.

Been even questioned if I had purchased the 'all-you-can-eat.' Guess I was fortunate I wasn't tased.

The noise is atrocious. You pay a couple of hundred dollars or so for a birthday party ... you can't even hear your adult friends ... there's barely enough pizza for the kids ... it is in questionable condition when it gets there ... you have to buy extra for the adults ... I, frankly, can see how the average mom or dad there finally starts arguing with the teenager giving him a hassle.

Now, an atrocious incident was set-up - by calling for the police. Trust me, this story will spread among parents far and wide ... and their sales will go down. Then the big lawsuit will hit.

This will be a tragedy all the way around.

Someone just could have calmly looked the other way while the dude got some salad. Can't eat that much of it anyway.

[ElectroPrincess]

62. Oh yes, I agree and sort of suspect they were already present (convenient)

Plus, I kid you not, I know good personalities who just happen to be police officers who would have resolved the situation this way:

<slapping a $10 bill on the counter in front of the Chunk-E-Cheese manager> "Here Sir, I will pay for this man to visit your salad bar. After seeing the situation in here, I understand that he might just be having a bad day. BTW, my pizza was cold and tasteless also." :P

PERIOD. End of Story! Take your cop partner and LEAVE to do *actual* police work of keeping our streets safe.

I honestly believe that most cops would not wish to "sink" into the mire of arresting ANYONE at a place where there's scores of young children.

Many cops are able to practice such discretion as I described above. All it takes is an ounce of empathy and an accurate "bull sh*t" detector. :-)

[Maat]

70. The cops I know would have defused the situation and ...

responded like you say.

I responded to calls with them for seven years as a social worker. We had enough genuine crises in San Bernardino County (the birthplace of the meth trade); we did not have to create any. When I worked there, we were the per capital murder capitol of the USA; the deputies certainly have quite enough to take care of, as did I.

Good story. That's exactly what a smart officer would have done.

This is disgusting, and I am certainly not encouraged to visit Chuck-E-Cheese again.

Maybe I ought to fire off an e-mail to their corporate offices, after I do further investigation.

[SaveAmerica]

65. I can't believe a review of the situation shows 'proper police

procedure' was used in bringing out and using the taser. In my opinion the use of a taser twice in such close proximity to a 10 month old could have done much more harm to that baby than anything the accused did. (Can you imagine if the stun-gun had come into contact with the baby?)

"She was there with her 7-year-old son. She told the newspaper that Gale told the officer "You don't have to do that." She said Gale never put his hands on the officer who was confronting him

The argument escalated until Gale was shoved into the lap of Mayo's sister, who was sitting two booths away, holding a 10-month-old baby. That's when police pulled out a Taser stun gun to subdue him."

[methinks2]

66. Right on

I made the same comment to my husband. Maybe the woman with the baby should consider a major lawsuit. She and her infant were in harms way due to the officers action.

[johnfunk]

68. They should change the name of the eatery to Chuck E. Taser...

... it'd guarantee a rube FReeper clientele guaranteed to go for the hi-fat, hi-calorie fare and eschew the salad bar.