Teh One Who Knocks
10-24-2013, 11:04 AM
By Sarah Rae Fruchtnicht - Opposing Views
http://i.imgur.com/7EIKsPB.jpg
An African American teenager in Richmond, Calif., is suing the city after he says police violated his civil rights when they Tasered his scrotum.
According to Andre Little, the incident occurred at train station when a Richmond police officer approached him and asked if he was associated with a group of teens who were “previously detained for questioning.”
Little claims he told Officer Kristopher Tong that he wasn’t part of the group.
Tong allegedly told him to move to another part of the station, but Little refused. Per the complaint, Tong grabbed Little by the wrist and another officer wrestled him to the ground.
Little claims he yelled, "Stop! Let me go! You have the wrong guy!"
"Tong then pulled out a Taser and pointed it at [Little's] head," the complaint reads.
Little says he pushed the Taser away, then Tong pointed at his groin.
He yelled, "Don't Tase me bro! Please don't Tase me in the balls! You don't have to do this!"
Tong allegedly Tasered Little’s scrotum at that point. The teen was rolled onto his stomach, and then officers allegedly Tasered him on the back, as well.
"The officers finally stopped the attack when the Taser dart became lodged in [Little's] back," the lawsuit says.
U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said Little will have to amend his claim because he failed to prove the officer singled him out or acted out of racial animus.
“If it can be plausibly inferred that Tong approached Little and questioned him about his association with the detained African-American men because Little is also African-American, “Corley wrote, “such racial animus provides the further plausible inference that Tong’s actions occurring in close temporal proximity — ordering Little to move down the platform and the use of force — were also motivated by racial animus.”
However, Corley refused a dismissal of Little’s claim that police used "threats, intimidation or coercion" to interfere with his legal rights in violation of California's Bane Act.
http://i.imgur.com/7EIKsPB.jpg
An African American teenager in Richmond, Calif., is suing the city after he says police violated his civil rights when they Tasered his scrotum.
According to Andre Little, the incident occurred at train station when a Richmond police officer approached him and asked if he was associated with a group of teens who were “previously detained for questioning.”
Little claims he told Officer Kristopher Tong that he wasn’t part of the group.
Tong allegedly told him to move to another part of the station, but Little refused. Per the complaint, Tong grabbed Little by the wrist and another officer wrestled him to the ground.
Little claims he yelled, "Stop! Let me go! You have the wrong guy!"
"Tong then pulled out a Taser and pointed it at [Little's] head," the complaint reads.
Little says he pushed the Taser away, then Tong pointed at his groin.
He yelled, "Don't Tase me bro! Please don't Tase me in the balls! You don't have to do this!"
Tong allegedly Tasered Little’s scrotum at that point. The teen was rolled onto his stomach, and then officers allegedly Tasered him on the back, as well.
"The officers finally stopped the attack when the Taser dart became lodged in [Little's] back," the lawsuit says.
U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said Little will have to amend his claim because he failed to prove the officer singled him out or acted out of racial animus.
“If it can be plausibly inferred that Tong approached Little and questioned him about his association with the detained African-American men because Little is also African-American, “Corley wrote, “such racial animus provides the further plausible inference that Tong’s actions occurring in close temporal proximity — ordering Little to move down the platform and the use of force — were also motivated by racial animus.”
However, Corley refused a dismissal of Little’s claim that police used "threats, intimidation or coercion" to interfere with his legal rights in violation of California's Bane Act.