Here comes the Lawsuit

[SeaCat]

Now we all know the outcome of this. The young pissant will sue for Police Brutality.

Teen points pellet gun at off-duty deputy in Port St. Lucie
Click-2-Listen
By PAUL QUINLAN

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, August 13, 2007

PORT ST. LUCIE — A 16-year-old boy faces an aggravated assault charge after authorities say the boy pointed a pellet gun at an off-duty Palm Beach County deputy and his family.

The deputy, 34-year-old Michael Hans, told police that while he and his family were driving down the 1900 block of Newport Isles Boulevard, they came upon a group of teenagers crossing the street, according to an arrest report.

The boy hung back from the group, before pulling what appeared to be a black handgun from his waist and pointing it at their car, Hans told police.

Hans stepped out of his car and identified himself. He chased after the boy. When he caught the 16-year-old, Hans told police he injured the boy's eye by grabbing his shirt and accidentally hitting his glasses, the report said.

The boy told police he pulled the pellet gun because he thought the driver was going to "try and start something," because he and the others were not walking on the sidewalk.

The boy was treated at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center before being taken to the juvenile detention center, the report said.

Of course there will be some who will defend the punks actions. He felt threatened etc. He will claim, as will his defenders, that he did nothing wrong. He was after all just defending himself.

Cat

 

[Liar]

Can it be police brutality if the cop is off duty?

 

[The_Darkness]

Can it be police brutality if the cop is off duty?

That, my friend, is for the courts to decide. Unfortunately. Juries seem to love handing it to the police.

If it was me running the show, the kid would have been tasered and zip-cuffed. He'd lucky the undercover ID'd the weapon as a pellet gun. If it was Los Angeles, the headline might read different.

 

[Liar]

That, my friend, is for the courts to decide.

Um. Why? Shouldn't that be written clear-cut somewhere?

 

[The_Darkness]

Um. Why? Shouldn't that be written clear-cut somewhere?

I would think so. But then I've seem some crazy-ass law suits in the last few years. If the off-duty identified himself as a cop (as he appears to have) then there should be no problem. However, there could be a question of "whether the cop went too far" when the punk's eye was hurt. Depends on the judge, depends how good the attorneys are...hell, it depends if it even goes to court.