Miami Graffiti Artist Assassination By Taser - Are police relying too much on stun guns?

The increasing trend for police to rely on tasers proved detrimental to Israel Hernandez-Bandera. Israel, an artist and photographer was caught by the Miami police spray painting graffiti on an abandoned Mcdonalds. When caught, Israel ran and failed to heed the commands of the police.

This particular case, highlights an alarming new trend for police to use tasers for non violent crimes. Even more alarming? A police spokesperson told the NY Times that no crime or negligence had been committed by the police officer and that he can be reinstated at any time.

Tasers are not as safe as many would think. There have been 500 taser deaths since 2001. Perhaps if the police can't use tasers responsibly, we should be taking their tasers away.

But the family has questioned why Tasers were needed to subdue a graffiti artist.

Most police departments do not publish data on Taser incidents, as they do on incidents that involve firearms. But statistics and police statements suggest Taser use is on the rise. A 2012 study by The Chicago Tribune found that Chicago police were involved in 197 Taser incidents in 2009. By 2011, the department was on a pace to hit 857 incidents.

In eight other cities across Illinois, the story was similar, with Taser use doubling overt the same time period. In Austin, Texas, police Taser use also doubled between 2009 and 2011, according to a 2012 Austin American-Statesman report.

Miami Taser death: Are police relying too much on stun guns?

Originally posted by elouina
A police spokesperson told the NY Times that no crime or negligence had been committed by the police officer and that he can be reinstated at any time.

Why is that alarming? Police were just trying to apprehend a vandal, it is the vandal's fault for running from police.

But the family has questioned why Tasers were needed to subdue a graffiti artist.

What artist? he was just a vandal, damaging someone else's property.

Well if these cops were not in such a hurry they might aim at the extremities instead of putting lethal current across the heart. You never know who may have heard defects.

They get away with it because they serve the public's best interest......laughable.

reply to post by hellobruce


Pepper Spray rubber bullets batons.....how about good old fashioned manual labor?.....run forest run, and not to the donuts shop either.

Cops art complete power hungry bullies with agendas to push. Just had one in a coc aine ring in my area get busted. I trust NO COP.

Originally posted by elouina
Tasers are not as safe as many would think. There have been 500 taser deaths since 2001.

Some months ago, this same issue came up in another thread:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

And that list of hundreds of tazer deaths was examined.

At that time, I wrote:

Looking through that list,
2009 = 59.
2010 = 64.
2011 = 42.
2012 = 19.
2013 = 3. (at this rate, maybe 12 for the year with a bit of extrapolation)
What I'm seeing is that maybe in the last few years they're getting things under control.

And examining the list again now that we're in August, we have so far 7 deaths for the year.
Maybe the final tally for 2013 will be less than 1 a month.

My previous statement still stands, although I know the facts dont suit the doomsdayer cop hating ATS view: What I'm seeing is that maybe in the last few years they're getting things under control.

reply to post by alfa1


When you have been assaulted detained then released with no charges pressed against you....you would hate the police also.

Yea i ran.....cause i didn't want to talk to them. So i was beaten with a flashlight in the process of jumping my own fence. I was not physical or verbal in any way, just had nothing to say to them.

I was cuffed stuffed and detained, i kept saying if im not being arrested to let me go.....after a while they had no choice.

To hell with the power hungry bullies that only want to impose their will onto us.

Have you ever thought the numbers are as fudged as the unemployment rates?

That's probably because doing graffiti and tagging does not make you an "Urban or graffiti artist" ..It make's you a criminal and guilty of most likely breaking 1 or 2 laws such as vandalism and trespassing.

It's horrible this person was tased, too bad they chose to take the course of action to cause that to happen by first breaking the law then by running.

I know though, in ATS world it's another case where the person breaking the law is the victim.

reply to post by opethPA


Ok i get if you do the crime you can do the time.....but tasering someone for running? that's retarded.....do a little work and chase him down. I guess an eye for an eye isn't valid.

I guess you support killing someone for spray painting? I dont care if he ran....its a misdemeanor crime. Kid was not some hardened murderous or violent felon.

Originally posted by shaneslaughta
reply to post by opethPA

 

Ok i get if you do the crime you can do the time.....but tasering someone for running? that's retarded.....do a little work and chase him down. I guess and eye for an eye isn't valid.

I guess you support killing someone for spray painting? I dont care if he ran....its a misdemeanor crime. Kid was not some hardened murderous or violent felon.

Nope I don't in anyway support someone dying for a crime like that.

I also don't support anyone that thinks graffiti makes you anything other than a criminal.
Running is just as retarded and right or wrong the criminal should not have broken the law, minor or major , and he would still be alive.
One person caused this situation and tragically and sadly they paid the ultimate price for that stupid choice.

Originally posted by shaneslaughta
I guess you support killing someone for spray painting?

I fail to spot the part where he ever said any such thing.
Can you point it out to me?
Is it above or below the part where he said it was horrible that the guy got tazered?

reply to post by opethPA


So you support a minor criminal being executed because he ran. WOW MAN.

It was no excuse for that cop to use any force. He might have broke the law but he was not endangering anyone's life.

Do you pull a knife on someone bacuse they scratched your car or broke your mailbox?

I mean come on, there has got to be limits.....accepting this is HANDING the police the right to abuse you.

reply to post by alfa1


Do you see the edits? Could have been added after my response post.

Ok its tragic and yet he supports it because the kid ran?

Originally posted by shaneslaughta
reply to post by opethPA

 

So you support a minor criminal being executed because he ran. WOW MAN.

It was no excuse for that cop to use any force. He might have broke the law but he was not endangering anyone's life.

Do you pull a knife on someone bacuse they scratched your car or broke your mailbox?

I mean come on, there has got to be limits.....accepting this is HANDING the police the right to abuse you.

"Nope I don't in anyway support someone dying for a crime like that."
That's how I opened up my reply to you.

Try again and try harder with the "edits could have occurred after my reply"
The edits occurred because I forgot to use an escape character with something so a few words merged and also because I spelled something wrong.

I like how you say "supports him being killed because he ran" ..Never said..He should have been arrested and paid the fines for breaking the law. He should have expected consequences for being an idiot and running after he broke the law. He should not have expected to die for it but no one held a gun to his head and said "go break the law"

reply to post by opethPA


Ok fair enough. How can you support the cop and his itchy trigger finger. Do you get shot at and executed for speeding? Cause you can kill someone like that.....but this kid was killed for spray paint.

I just dont see how the actions were justified. Sure if he was physically resisting the cops not just running. A right hook to the cop and sure i can see that being warranted.

Originally posted by shaneslaughta
reply to post by opethPA

 

Ok fair enough. How can you support the cop and his itchy trigger finger. Do you get shot at and executed for speeding? Cause you can kill someone like that.....but this kid was killed for spray paint.

I just dont see how the actions were justified. Sure if he was physically resisting the cops not just running. A right hook to the cop and sure i can see that being warranted.

When have i ever said I supported the cops in this case?

What I said is that the criminal is the only person responsible for causing this chain of events and that graffiti does not equal art but is just breaking the law.

We have the right to fair and equal treatment.....and let the punishment fit the crime.

I hope the prick pig has trouble sleeping at night.....he deserves worse. This kid is a minor criminal...not a hardened murder....not a violent robber or rapist. He was spray painting something.

Your saying its OK because he ran, i say the cops should have to RUN too.

Equal force, not greater force.

reply to post by opethPA

It sounds to me like your a COP. You defend them at every turn.

Yes he was a criminal, yes he broke the law.....no he didn't get treated fairly or justly. Weapons should only be sued to defend from imminent life threatening danger. If the kids only crimes were running and vandalism, how can you say that it was his fault.....the cop pulled the trigger on him and he was not making any threatening gestures or anything.

I say the cop in this care is a complete retard. Not every cop is bad, but this takes the cake for me.

Originally posted by shaneslaughta
reply to post by opethPA

 

It sounds to me like your a COP. You defend them at every turn.

HA!! that is awesome. I am about as far from a cop as you can get but whatever makes you feel better.

So because I don't subscribe to the ATS belief that their is no such thing as a criminal just bad cops that makes me a cop?

"If the kids only crimes were running and vandalism, how can you say that it was his fault"
How can I say it, look at the first part of your statement i just quoted as you answered your question for me.
He should not have died for his crimes. That is not at debate.
He also should not have made the choice he made to put this chain of events into action.

reply to post by opethPA


It may be someones motto but not mine. There are criminals and bad cops everywhere. He was a criminal, but he got killed for a can of paint.

We have murders and rapos walking the street committing crimes every day, and this poor kid is killed by a cop with an itchy trigger finger.

Sorry i was not trying to attack you or anything, it just sounds like your a cop when you defend the cops actions of force for something as piddly as spray paint and running.

Sounds to me like the cops didn't want to run and break a sweat....so shoot him first ask questions later.

Originally posted by opethPA

He should not have died for his crimes. That is not at debate.
He also should not have made the choice he made to put this chain of events into action.

edit on 12-8-2013 by opethPA because: (no reason given)

Your right he shouldn't have. Whats at debate here is your defense of using force when the kid didn't use force against the cop. do you advocate the taser for running?