• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Mall

JANFU

Land by the Gulf Stream
Supporting Member
DP Veteran
Monthly Donator
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Messages
58,865
Reaction score
38,456
Location
Best Coast Canada
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Slightly Liberal
Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Mall

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/17/u...-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well

Monique Tillman was 15 years old when, she says, a police officer pulled her off her bicycle, slammed her to the ground and tased her after she rode through a mall parking lot in Tacoma, Wash. The arrest, in which she was accused of causing a disturbance, was caught on surveillance video. Now, the 17-year-old is suing the officer, the mall and some of its security guards.

The footage of Ms. Tillman’s arrest in 2014 by the officer, Jared Williams, is the latest video to garner national attention and spur debate over what activists have denounced as the unduly harsh treatment of youths, mostly black or Hispanic, by police officers, including recent cases in South Carolina and Texas.

The complaint accuses Officer Williams of negligence in his treatment of a minor while working off duty as a security guard at the mall, and it seeks unspecified damages for physical and mental harm.
Video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgM...ion=click&contentCollection=meter-links-click
Over zealous enforcement?
Monique Tillman did not listen to the Officer- Security Guard?
Your opinion is??
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

It could go either way from the video. Looks like they are just talking and exchanging info until the red shirted figure makes a run for it. Then tries to run again.

The video description says the officer was off duty. I'm guessing he's moonlighting. I think it should be policy across departments that off duty officers who are moonlighting should not be wearing their work uniforms.
 
Last edited:
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Hmmm, there have definitely been plenty of videos showing excessive force but I don't think this is such a case. He doesn't lay hands on her until it looks like she is about to try and ride away. That was appropriate force. She resists. He gets more forceful. She resists. He tries to take her down. She resists. He grabs her hair to better control her and take her down. He tries this several times and she resists.

At this point he has 3 choices. Let her go. Taze her. Get even more physical with her, which could injure her even worse.

I'm the furthest thing from a police apologist but in this case the officer didn't go overboard. If he had gone straight to the tazer or yanked her off the bike by her hair and slammed her at the first flinch of movement I would be all over him. But it looks as though he kept trying to use the minimal amount of force necessary and escalated incrementally as she continued to resist.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

1. The boy tried to run off.

2. He resisted, obviously.

3. His sidekick tried to assault the cop.

No brutality there.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Was the girl charged and/or convicted of a crime ??

:thinking

.....Ms. Tillman was charged with assaulting the officer and resisting arrest, but the charges were later dismissed at trial.....
 
Last edited:
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

I don't see it as excessive force. People have to understand decisions made can have consequences. That goes for the LE as well as those who are stopped by LE.

The teenager should not have tried to ride away.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Mall

The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia


Video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgM...ion=click&contentCollection=meter-links-click
Over zealous enforcement?
Monique Tillman did not listen to the Officer- Security Guard?
Your opinion is??

Both. YOu can see when they initially stop her she is yelling at the guy who stopped her.. then it seems to calm down. he takes out a notebook and writes a few things down and she tries to take off on her bike. So she did not listen and was at first being confrontational. However the officer or guard whatever he is definitely had overzealous enforcement, way over the top unnecessary force. I would sue them too.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

After reading the article and watching the video I'd say that girl is correct to file suit.

1. It appears there is no clear policy on people riding bicycles in the mall parking lot, therefore the initial stop is probably unwarrented.

2. An off duty officer who is moonlighting as a security guard should not be wearing his police uniform and should not be acting in the capacity of a police officer unless his department is okay with the liability for his actions...just as the mall is liable for his actions.

3. I think that officer displayed poor judgment. He should have advised the girl and her brother to leave the parking lot and let her go on her way. Because he didn't, he very well could lose his job, cost the mall and the police department a lot of money...not to mention the increase in the local community's bad opinion of police.

All in all, I'd say the whole incident was caused by a boneheaded move by the officer.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

I don't see it as excessive force. People have to understand decisions made can have consequences. That goes for the LE as well as those who are stopped by LE. The teenager should not have tried to ride away.

He had no authority to stop her in the first place. She was well within her rights to ride away.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Both. YOu can see when they initially stop her she is yelling at the guy who stopped her.. then it seems to calm down. he takes out a notebook and writes a few things down and she tries to take off on her bike. So she did not listen and was at first being confrontational. However the officer or guard whatever he is definitely had overzealous enforcement, way over the top unnecessary force. I would sue them too.

When I saw him fling her around like a rag doll, I think at that time he had lost it. That will be a critical point in the suit, over reaction from a trained LEO. Your thoughts?
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

After reading the article and watching the video I'd say that girl is correct to file suit.

1. It appears there is no clear policy on people riding bicycles in the mall parking lot, therefore the initial stop is probably unwarrented.

2. An off duty officer who is moonlighting as a security guard should not be wearing his police uniform and should not be acting in the capacity of a police officer unless his department is okay with the liability for his actions...just as the mall is liable for his actions.

3. I think that officer displayed poor judgment. He should have advised the girl and her brother to leave the parking lot and let her go on her way. Because he didn't, he very well could lose his job, cost the mall and the police department a lot of money...not to mention the increase in the local community's bad opinion of police.

All in all, I'd say the whole incident was caused by a boneheaded move by the officer.
Nice to see a clear analysis of the incident. I missed that he was in uniform.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

When I saw him fling her around like a rag doll, I think at that time he had lost it. That will be a critical point in the suit, over reaction from a trained LEO. Your thoughts?

Nope. She escalated by trying to ride away. He escalated to match. She escalated by trying to run away again. He escalated force to match. She escalated yet again continuing to fight the officer. He tased her.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

He had no authority to stop her in the first place. She was well within her rights to ride away.

Not how it works here, or anywhere actually. If you believe you are stopped by police unjustifiably you have the right to take them to court. Riding away at that point will only get you charged and rightfully convicted (if the DA wants to take the time).
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Before I read anything other than the headline, I knew it would be about blacks with attitude and big mouths to go with the attitude.

I must be a visionary.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Nope. She escalated by trying to ride away. He escalated to match. She escalated by trying to run away again. He escalated force to match. She escalated yet again continuing to fight the officer. He tased her.

Flinging her around by the hair? Standard practice, I think not. He could not subdue a small girl? Has that entered into your thoughts??
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Not how it works here, or anywhere actually. If you believe you are stopped by police unjustifiably you have the right to take them to court. Riding away at that point will only get you charged and rightfully convicted (if the DA wants to take the time).

You have the right to leave if the police do not have reasonable suspicion to detain you. Hence all of the charges against this girl were dismissed.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Nope. She escalated by trying to ride away. He escalated to match. She escalated by trying to run away again. He escalated force to match. She escalated yet again continuing to fight the officer. He tased her.

A police officer and a punk are not equal parties in a conflict.

Punks must obey cops.

Cops do not have to obey punks, or even listen to them.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Not how it works here, or anywhere actually. If you believe you are stopped by police unjustifiably you have the right to take them to court. Riding away at that point will only get you charged and rightfully convicted (if the DA wants to take the time).


In this case the cop was not on duty, he was not acting as a police officer but as mall security
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

A police officer and a punk are not equal parties in a conflict.

Punks must obey cops.

Cops do not have to obey punks, or even listen to them.

In this case there was no cop, (he was off duty
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

He had no authority to stop her in the first place. She was well within her rights to ride away.

Really? Please explain why that is so.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

The 4th Amendment.

- The linked OP article gives one side of the story. What is missing is the Security (LEO) statement of the incident and the Mall's spokepersons information.

Without the incident report and looking at the info from all sides, I stand with it is not excessive force. Now if you want to provide more detailed information and not just from the "victims" side, the situation can be further reviewed.

Playing devils advocate, most States require people riding bikes to obey traffic laws. Not so sure the two bike riders were.

Also, what prompted the Security people to respond? Did anyone call something in? etc. etc.

You may be correct in citing the 4th. but you failed to provided information that it applies. If you just going by the news story, that is pretty weak.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

- The linked OP article gives one side of the story. What is missing is the Security (LEO) statement of the incident and the Mall's spokepersons information.

Without the incident report and looking at the info from all sides, I stand with it is not excessive force. Now if you want to provide more detailed information and not just from the "victims" side, the situation can be further reviewed.

Playing devils advocate, most States require people riding bikes to obey traffic laws. Not so sure the two bike riders were.

Also, what prompted the Security people to respond? Did anyone call something in? etc. etc.

You may be correct in citing the 4th. but you failed to provided information that it applies. If you just going by the news story, that is pretty weak.

The charges against her were dismissed by a judge on the grounds that he had no probable cause to stop her in the first place.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

Nice to see a clear analysis of the incident. I missed that he was in uniform.

Was that the only "clear" analysis because you agreed with it? :2razz:

I thought BrewerBob's was pretty good too.
 
Re: Teenager Sues Over Being Pulled From Bike, Tasered and Arrested Outside Tacoma Ma

The charges against her were dismissed by a judge on the grounds that he had no probable cause to stop her in the first place.

Then the judge is a ****ing idiot because all that's needed for an initial stop is "reasonable suspicion". You'd hope a judge would know that.
 
Back
Top Bottom