Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

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Silverback
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Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

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Law enforcement officials in Travis County, Tex., where Austin is located, are standing behind the actions of a constable who used a Taser on a 72-year-old woman during a May traffic stop, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

The officials say the officer acted properly in a "dangerous situation" after Kathryn Winkfein, who was pulled over for speeding, allegedly resisted arrest, according to the incident report, the paper says.

Before the video was released, Winkfein told her side of the story to MyFox7, the local TV station in Austin, saying "I wasn't argumentative I was not combative, OK? This is a lie, all of this is a lie. Pulled away from him, I did not."

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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Earthpig »

Wow. This lady obviously thought she was above getting a citation. On the other hand, this Constable is a waste of a badge. He was obviously scared of her, as his voiced cracked over and over. If he was unable to place a set of cuffs on an old woman like that, he has no business neing on the street. But, such is the Constable in Texas....

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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by centermass »

She was an idiot, no doubt. But I concur with EP. Seems soft/hard hand techniques have been mentally replaced (with taser usage only by some) and lost completely was the proper escalation of force.
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Silverback »

centermass wrote:proper escalation of force.
I my opinion this is a vastly underrated skill for all personnel trained in the use force. Of course EOF can be taken to ridiculous levels but when properly trained a person can transition from verbal commands through the process to the use of deadly force very quickly.
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Silverback »

But...she did beg to be tazed!
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

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This made the news over here. It looked like the law man was not in control and well tazing a 73 year old woman was the wrong way to go about it. He could have really hurt her. Poor old lady. What if she had a heart condition? Or some other medical issue... He should have used his LE skills and not the tazer. Hell he should have called for back up. Imagine if this where a 20 year old... This LEO needs to do some PT and stop cowering at the site of a 73 year old woman.

Imagine the next day at the shop.... "You had to call for back up on a 73 year old woman!" Oooo that would have hurt more than the tazer. :roll:
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Bcosniper »

I saw the video on this and I think he was in the right. She was obviously beligerent and obviously felt that her age entitled her to special treatment. He repeatedly warned her and she didn't listen. As far as escalation of force goes, what would have been better a scuffle or just a hit with the taser and be done with it. In either case, the officer is made the bad guy. I think way too much emphasis is being placed on his actions and not enough on hers. She wouldn't have been tased if she had just signed the ticket and went on her merry way.
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by McD »

I don't care who it is or why it happens but I always laugh like hell when I see someone get tazed.

She asked for it!
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Flesh Thorn »

Based on my recent trip to Texas, is doing 60 in a 45 even wrong ?
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

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I still don’t think tazing old folks is okay. Whether or not they deserved it it’s still wrong. Besides it’s not like she did something WRONG or worth the time to discipline her. Imagine she had the write to contest the ticket and go to court. How this ended up this way to me was the fault of the LEO. He should have saw that the lady has an issue, which wasn’t worth the trouble. The day that people start to fear law enforcement is the day that the state becomes a police state. Hitler used his brown shirts and got his way. All I’m saying is that sometimes a bit of humanity goes a long way. I’m soft you say? I guess so when it comes to the elderly. Most of them are standing with one foot in the grave and are fed up with life’s problems so why make it worst?
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Rock Island Ranger »

A Tazer=$385.00 A speeding ticket, $150.00. Watching an old lady flop on the ground like a minnow on hot pavement....PRICELESS.
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Chiron »

Chiron wrote:I guess so when it comes to the elderly. Most of them are standing with one foot in the grave and are fed up with life’s problems so why make it worst?
Except for you Andy. You're going to out live all of us. :lol:
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Silverback »

I understand the moral disinclination to tasing a geriatric...but at what point in a person's life do they become unaccountable for their actions? Maybe right about the time they shouldn't be allowed to drive?
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by ANGRYCivilian »

Hahahaha! The screams at the end of the video were great.

She brought this down on herself. I'm glad he tazed her ass. Could he have cuffed her without tazing her, and without using so much force as to break her brittle bones? Tazing her may have been the less damaging method of controlling her.
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Re: Texas constable's office defends Tasering of grandmother

Post by Ranger Bill »

I always figure that when an LEO gives you a warning and you ignore it and smart off and resist, gives a second warning and you ignore it and smart off some more and resist, third, fourth and fifth warnings and you smart off and resist, well, you've got it coming. What would have happended to him if he had to man-handle her to put the cuffs on and she slapped him and a scuffle occurred with the old lady? Physically forcing an old lady's hads behind her back could have probably broken her wrists. She deserved it no matter her age, and because of her age she should know better than to act like an asshole.
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