I watched 2 videos from the links provide, one was 4+ minutes from the time he had the spit guard applied, and then the ensuing electronically charged wrestling match. The other was the 1.16 min UK version when the officer said he'd tase til he ran out of batteries.
So how about a view from a guy who has been there, done that?
BTW, let me explain that most folks would see the number of officers as being excessive force; the fact is the more officers, the easier it is to restrain / subdue an inmate / subject without hurting them. Or if they're bad officers, really kick the subject's butt
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1) originally the inmate was softly restrained, that's why his hands could be pulled close enough, and he could bend over enough, to pull the spit mask down. Oh, and BTW, he didn't get in the chair accidentally, he was being a problem before that. Then sliding the chair and trying to pull out of the restrains - so he's obviously still resisting.
2) the officer on the right arm was attempting to move the restraint to another location at the end of the chair side rail, to prevent an further effort to escape the chair / spitguard but the inmate was resisting.
3) officer # 3 comes in to help get the right wrist restraint secured. Inmate still resisting.
4) inmate resists the officer holding the spit guard, leans forward, and is trying to BITE officer #3's forearm.
5) At this point the taser is brought in.The inmate ALWAYS had the opportunity to comply. He was communicating during tasing. He could well have said "enough" just as well as said "FU".
Based on the repeated tasing, the inability of the officers to fully secure the right arm (and needing to resecure the left arm) it APPEARS like it's torture. IMO, it's not.
Even if during each tasing he was so tensed up that he couldn't comply, when they stopped each application and his body relaxed, he could have gone limp in compliance. He CHOSE not to.
What you're seeing is an incredible amount of rage and willpower. Do you want to deal with that guy, once he gets out of the restraints? I wouldn't - and actually I have - and it's scary as hell.
Now I really think we DO have an excessive force issue with LE in the US, I think that the tide is turning and most officers know they're under the microscope now. These detention deputies SURELY know there was a camera filming them from several directions. They tried to be as gentle as the inmate would allow - he forced the issue.
so in the famous words of Strother Martin from Cool Hand Luke ... " What we've got here is failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it. . . well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men."
If I were on a civilian review panel, I'd call it a justified use of force, and advise the subject to straighten out his life, because as he can see, "stupid hurts"
Steve