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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Two police officers out after Georgia woman reports getting tased

July 13, 2010
WLTZ News

Two police officers are off the force in Richland, Georgia after a woman says she called police to her home, and ended up getting tased.

Janice Wells says she thought a prowler was outside her home on April 26, so she called 911. When police arrived, authorities say Wells refused to tell police the name of a guest who had been at her house.

Video captured by one of the patrol car's dash board cameras shows Wells being zapped by a stun gun.

Ryan Smith with the Lumpkin Police Department has resigned. Also, Tim Murphy with the Richland Police Department was fired for using pepper spray while trying to arrest Wells.




Ga. cop defends use of TASER
July 13, 2010
By Rhonda Cook, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

**SNIP**

... Smith, who quit eight days after the incident, remains unrepentant. "I did what I had to do to take control of the situation," Smith told the AJC about his decision to repeatedly discharge his Taser. Yet his former boss, Lumpkin police Chief Steven Ogle, was shocked when he saw the video. "I couldn't believe it," Ogle said. "You don't use it [a Taser] for punitive reasons, to prod someone. It was evident it was an improper use of force. He was an excellent officer other than that incident." Smith resigned just as Ogle started the process to fire him, the chief said. Smith now works for the neighboring Chattahoochee County Sheriff's Office. And on April 28, the Richland Police Department fired Murphy, who did not return phone calls seeking comment.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is absolutley horrible....how would they feel if someone did that to their elderly mother or family member, The old lady was just frightened by the prowler...and why is it any of their business on what guest she had at her house earlier???? How is Smith allowed to go work at another department???? Cops abuse their positions to much these days :{

Anonymous said...

No name here:

Police think they are above the law. Worse yet, when race is the issue. Those cops should be indicted for police abuse, without a doubt. The lady should continue with the law suit without fail, against the police dept, the two officers involved, (even though Murphy was fired, and Smith resigned), the mayor, the city council for not indicting the officers. This just shows the police need to show power one way or another.