University of Florida Taser incident

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On September 17, 2007, police from the University of Florida forcibly removed Andrew Meyer, a 21-year-old student, from a forum with Democratic Senator John Kerry, restraining him with the help of a Taser.

Details of the event

During a question-and-answer session with a few remaining questioners, Kerry announced he would take no more questions from the two short lines. Meyer, who reportedly had been waiting in line, rushed to an open mike and insisted that Senator Kerry answer the questions of the remaining people in both lines. Kerry agreed that it would only be fair to answer the questions of the remaining people as well. Kerry completed an answer to the other line, then returned his attention to Meyer's line and pointed at Meyer. Meyer prefaced his question for the audience and Kerry, then proceeded to ask three questions:

Why did Kerry concede the 2004 presidential election before results were tallied and despite numerous irregularities (as documented by journalist Greg Palast in his book Armed Madhouse)?
On what grounds does Kerry not support the impeachment of President George W. Bush?
Were Kerry and Bush both members of the Yale University secret society known as Skull and Bones?

Just after Meyer had asked his third and final question, the microphone into which Meyer had been speaking was cut off and two University of Florida police officers seized him as Kerry said, "Let me answer his question." The student pulled away and demanded an explanation of the officers' conduct. He shouted "Help!", "What have I done?" and "Get away from me!", with his arms raised in the air. All four officers began forcibly ushering him to the back of the room as Meyer attempted to stand his ground. During this time, some audience members shouted phrases such as "What has he done?", "Why are you doing this?" and "Let him go!". Once in the rear of the hall Meyer attempted again to break away from the officers. The officers wrestled him to the ground and attempted to handcuff him. As Meyer lay pinned by the five officers, they threatened to taser him. Meyer stated that if allowed up, he would gladly leave. The officer replied that he does not have that option. Meyer said "Don't tase me bro, don't tase me", but was tased shortly after. He continued screaming for help as the officers removed him from the room. During the altercation, Kerry urged everyone to calm down, made a joke and kept speaking to Meyer's question, which he referred to as "very important". Meyer was then escorted off the premises.

Rambo cthe chinese wonder wiesel, although highly involved in the ch3eese affair, was not tased in the process. although, he is still frazzled and upset, and is consulting his attorneys. more to co6me. he also would like to thank his mom and jesus. ccheya ccheay saaaaaaaaaeng! G

This is quote from a student that was present at this incident that DOES not shade it as the above account*:

Update 12:15am 9/18. UF student Tyler Antar was there and e-mails his account of what happened. Looks like there was more to the story than meets the eye:

So I went to the John Kerry town hall forum this morning trying to get students registered to vote. I run a student government organization called Chomp the Vote. Anyway I went inside to watch the event. Senator Kerry took the podium and began delivering a speech about the Middle East, Iraq, dimplomacy, etc. Anyway, after he was done, a university ambassador asked Kerry a few premade questions. Once that was over, Senator Kerry announced he would take questions from the students. There were two microphones placed on each side of the aisle. One on my side and the other on Andrew Meyer’s side. Senator Kerry began answering the student’s questions from each aisle. Eventually it was announced that there would only be a few more questions answered. Since Meyer and I were both in the back of each line, it did not seem likely that our questions would be answered. However, while Senator Kerry was responding to a student’s question, all of a sudden Meyer rushed to the microphone with cops in pursuit. At that point no one knew what was going on. Could he have a gun, a bomb? Immediately, Meyer began yelling into the microphone that he had been waiting in line forever and that Senator Kerry should “spend time to answer everyone’s questions!” Senator Kerry tried to calm the student down by telling him that he would “stay here as long as it takes to get the questions answered.” The police approached Meyer who began taunting them by saying “what! are you going to taser me? are you going to arrest me?!” The police grabbed Meyer, but Senator Kerry asked the police to let him go and that he would answer his question. Senator Kerry finished answering the other student’s question and then proceeded with Meyer. (*This entire scene is not in any video I can find so far. This is why 2 cops are seen right behind Meyer at the start of some videos*). Meyer approached the microphone and began to talk about a book he had which stated that Kerry won the 2004 election because of disenfranchisement of black voters and faulty voter machines that produced “Bush” as the winner. He then posed another question about why President Bush had not been impeached. “President Clinton was impeached because of a blowjob, why not Bush?”. The third and strangest question he posed to Senator Kerry was asking him if he was part of the skull and bones society with Bush at Yale. Meyer’s mic cut off after that, probably because he had mentioned the word “blowjob”. The cops grabbed him, but Meyer was able to get away several times. Eventually more cops were brought in to help subdue Meyer. Meyer continued to resist arrest, scream, curse; however he was enventually subdued by about six cops up around the entrance. As he is on the ground, he is told several times to put his hands around his back. He is also warned that he will be tasered if he does not comply. Eventually he is tasered twice. The video does not show whether he complied or not. Senator Kerry was trying to answer his question to the audience, mostly the one about faulty voter machines. I am a die hard conservative Republican but I do respect Senator Kerry for trying to soothe the situation as best he could and trying not to escalate the situation. He DID intervene by letting the student at least present his question. I never received an opportunity to ask my question, but when Senator Kerry ended the show after the Meyer incident, he did come off stage to shake hands and give autographs. At that point, I was able to ask him my question, shake his hand, and get a autograph at the same time. Now why couldn’t Andrew Meyer do that? I don’t know if this is relevant or not, but Andrew Meyer is a former sports writer for the school newspaper The Alligator. In his columns, he has been known to make ridiculous statements in order to gain attention for himself. Was today a publicity stunt?

as you can see there are two sides to every story....

Legal action

Meyer was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace. He spent one night in jail and was released the following morning. His attorney, Robert Griscti, stated he will seek to have the charges dismissed. Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, believed that excessive force was used; he said, "I would find it highly likely that is going to sue."

Fox News quoted two experts who believe Meyer could claim the use of excessive force in the incident. Attorney Karen Conti said Meyer has a good argument for excessive force since officers Tasered him when he was under control. Conti said, "I think the police officers were probably embarrassed that this was going on," Conti said. "I think they weren’t expecting anything like this and I think they overreacted." Fox News also quoted Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a free-speech group. He said the videotape(s) could help prove excessive force.

Response from university officials

University spokesman Steve Orlando said Meyer was asked to leave the microphone after his allotted time was up. The university president, J. Bernard Machen, issued a statement during a press conference saying he requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the arrest. Officials said it would determine whether the officers used an appropriate level of force. The University of Florida Police Chief has made a similar request. Machen called the situation "regretful" and announced that two officers involved in the incident were placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the probe.

Student Response

Hundreds of University of Florida students marched to the steps of campus police headquarters the following day, chanting that police used excessive force and waving signs that read, "Tasers Kill." They demanded that Tasers be banned from campus, and that charges be filed against the police officers that restrained and tased Meyer.

Response from Senator Kerry

On the day following the incident, Kerry's office issued a statement:

In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way. I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody. I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building. I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted.

Background

Andrew Meyer has been described as "a known prankster who often posts practical jokes online". Videos posted by Meyer contain pranks against Harry Potter fans along with diatribes against the media and the Iraq War. In addition, officer reports state that Meyer was "laughing and being lighthearted in the car, his demeanor completely changed once the cameras were not in sight." The report also states that Meyer asked a woman if she was recording him moments before beginning his questions.

References

"Florida College Student Who Was Tasered, Arrested at John Kerry Campus Forum Is Released From Jail". FoxNews.com. September 18 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
"Florida Student Tasered at Kerry Forum". The Village Voice. September 18 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
"Florida uni cops taser shouty student". The Register. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |dare= ignored (help)
^ "Florida student Tasered at Kerry forum after election question", Associated Press, September 18, 2007
^ Wilmath, Kim. "Meyer released from jail", The Independent Florida Alligator, September 18, 2008
^ "Florida College Student Who Was Tasered, Arrested at John Kerry Campus Forum Is Released From Jail". FoxNews.com. September 18 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Students Erupt In Protest, Demand Charges Filed Against Officers At Kerry Event, WKMG-TV's website www.local6.com, September 18, 2007
Office of Senator John Kerry, "Kerry Statement on Florida Campus Incident", September 18, 2007

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