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Tasers are not fun

The Dale Davis story takes another twist -- he wasn't just arrested but subdued with a Taser. Joanee Gerstner writes in the Detroit News:

According to the police report, Davis allegedly caused a disturbance and assaulted someone at the South Beach Marriott.

Hotel security called police, and the officers confronted Davis in the lobby.

The police report did not say Davis was intoxicated or otherwise impaired.

Davis allegedly refused police orders to produce identification. A friend who was with Davis calmed him and got him to produce the ID.

Miami Beach police representative Bobby Hernandez said the incident could have ended there, without the arrest, if Davis had been cooperative.

"Once you threaten police, it's over," Hernandez said Wednesday night. "You can't go there."

The police and Davis proceeded outside, where Davis allegedly began to shout a profanity and accuse the police of targeting him because of his race. Things escalated when Davis allegedly put his hands in his pockets, a move police saw as a threat. They demanded he show his hands.

Davis responded: "I don't have a gun! Are you going to shoot me?"

He eventually removed his hands but then balled up his fists, as if ready for a fight, and walked threateningly toward officers, according to the report.

Davis was ordered to stop, or the police would use the Taser -- a device that shoots two probes, up to 30 feet, to deliver an electrical charge. The quick burst of electricity temporarily immobilizes the victim.

Davis ignored repeated orders to stop moving toward officers with his fists clinched, the report said. The police shot Davis with the Taser. He fell and was subdued for the arrest. Police said he was cooperative in custody.

Yeah, no crap he was suddenly cooperative -- witness the power of the Taser below:

Now, I wasn't there, but doesn't the above description of events make being shot by a Taser seem a little bit extreme? Davis' agent thinks so:

Davis' agent, Chubby Wells, said they are looking into their legal options against the Miami Beach police department.

"We're talking to attorneys right now," Wells said Wednesday.

"It's Dale's name on the line, and all I can say is that things did not go down the way they say it did."

The big disappointment is that I've yet to see an account of this incident which even attempts to explain why police were called in the first place. Maybe no one knows, or maybe all the reporters think the arrest is the story, not the preceding events.

It looks like the Free Press tried to look deeper into the events but were stonewalled:

A spokesman at the Miami Beach Police station couldn't locate the written police report Wednesday night, and managers at the Courtyard Miami Beach South Beach and the Courtyard Miami Beach Oceanfront said that the occurrence did not happen at their hotels.

Davis arrested in Miami Beach [Detroit News]
Reports: Pistons' Davis arrested [Detroit Free Press]
Mark getting Tased [YouTube]

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As much as I dislike the police, especially in the Miami area, this sort of thing could all be avoided if people would simply stay calm and composed. Shouting at Police officers especially ones that seem to be trigger happy is a recipe for disaster.

by William Chesterfield on Aug 4, 2006 3:02 AM EDT reply actions  

That taser video convinced me — I need the kind of friends who shoot me with a taser, then stand around laughing while I’m twitching and moaning on the floor. (BTW, didn’t it look for a second like the victim was going to pull a Curley and start running in circles on the floor?)

Back to topic, it’s only a feeling (unsubstantiated) but I think the privileged life might have made Dale a little more militant than he should have been. Disturbing the peace and flaunting your 6’11" probably gets you tasered no matter what color you are.

by LanierFan on Aug 4, 2006 6:24 AM EDT reply actions  

Video was hillarious! I had a friend hit with one by a cop and no shit he flew like 50 in the air from the jolt. Poor Dale he should know that the Miami Beach cops are some trigger happy,roid rage,KKK type guys. They live for shit like this and love to arrest athletes. They got Rodman like 20 times and got Gilbert Arenas last month as well.They are still pissed about the Hip hop party on Memorial wknd where they were embarased on national TV.

by MOTOWNMAN on Aug 4, 2006 7:36 PM EDT reply actions  

Davis should have closed his big yap, acted like a mature, CIVILIZED adult and done what he was told. He got what he deserved. Too bad he didn’t get shot, he might wanna consider himself lucky on that case.

You gotta love this story about all the asinine comments he made and then the treatening movements, etc. and then you got this moron Chubby Wells saying how ridiculous the cops acted. Uh, I think the only thing ridiculous in this whole scenario was DALE DAVIS.

Get over it bro, you’re not above the law, no matter what color your skin or how much money you make. But everything’s racial to these guys, period. It’s not an issue of race, and they know it. The race card is just a trump, a cop-out for lack of anything else to say when they don’t get their way. Pathetic is what it is.

And lastly, you ain’t all that. uh you bounce a ball on wood for a living. Now THERE’S a REAL accomplishment.

Overated, asinine, conceited, disrespectful thugs. Thats all these NBA playahs are. Thugs.

by Stehr Ster on Aug 5, 2006 1:22 AM EDT reply actions  

Stehr: I find it ironic that you say race is never a factor in how players are treated and then immediately make a prejudiced comment that all NBA players are thugs. I’m sorry you feel the way you do.

by Matt Watson on Aug 5, 2006 2:12 AM EDT reply actions  

If this actually happened in the lobby of a big hotel chain (especially in a place like South Beach), there is probably a surveillance video. The claims and counter-claims ensure that we’ll be seeing it soon.

by LanierFan on Aug 5, 2006 6:39 AM EDT reply actions  

What is a guy who thinks all NBA players are thugs doing reading a basketball blog?

by Pat Hunt on Aug 5, 2006 10:32 AM EDT reply actions  

Having read all of the comments thus far it is ironic to see the person who really is pathetic is this Stehr Ster character. I have no doubt Mr Davis’ conduct was reprehensible but in trying to take shots at Dale Davis Stehr Ster has only implicated himself as being many of the things he claims Mr Davis to be. Your racism my friend is unbecoming, no doubt the result of your insecurities, failures and poor self esteem. I agree that it is very likely that Dale Davis has allowed his wealth and celebrity to make him feel above the law to some degree. The militant attitude is a problem that will be perpetuated because of those instances where racism really is a factor. Some people do inappropriately use racism as a trump card and that’s unfortunate. However, racism is still a major issue in this country.

by roy smith on Aug 5, 2006 12:02 PM EDT reply actions  

Well as they say there are 3 sides to every story in this case ,there’s Dale’s, the police’s and then there’s the truth.We’ve only heard one side thus far, so lets’s wait before coming to judgement.

by RJ on Aug 5, 2006 1:30 PM EDT reply actions  

Bottom line is…maybe they used excessive force, maybe they didn’t. If you mouth off to police no matter what the situation it’s their discretion on how to handle the situation.

White/Black/Hispanic whatever…it shouldn’t matter. The only reason this is a big deal is because 1. He’s a pro athlete and 2. He’s a minority. If this happened to JJ Redick we’d all be saying “oh well, remember he had that DUI not too long ago, he probably deserved it”. In this case, no matter what the previous history of the police force may or may not suggest, we’re all quick to jump on the fact that it was excessive force on a black guy.

It doesn’t matter to me what race the person is, if you step out of line, you deserve to be dealt with accordingly. End of story.

by Boney on Aug 8, 2006 4:48 PM EDT reply actions  

Boney,

Who stepped out of line? Who made the complaint? Perhaps the hotel did? I am certain of this, it does matter what one’s color and ethnicity is when police determine their actions against an individual. The cop’s response itself is deplorable. Are we now in a police state where anyone can make a complaint and the police presume guilt because they are summoned (consider the 88 year old woman attacked and killed in her home in Atlanta)? As regards your comments on JJ Reddick…the police would never have been called! I could go on about the “Hispanic” officer but I won’t. I only bring it up because the reporting media mentioned it: which, in itself, is a statement worthy of a lesson in American culture from racism to illegasl immigration, to equal employment opportunities, to exploitation of minorities……

by sebastian on Dec 2, 2006 11:34 AM EST reply actions  

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