Man who was TASERed at council meeting speaks

Student says he didn't struggle, was exercising rights
By Terry Camp
ABC 12
Nov. 20, 2006

The man who was TASERed at last week's Saginaw City Council meeting says he never attacked anyone.

Charles Littleton says he was only standing up for his rights -- rights he says society continues to lose every day.

That is what got 22-year-old Littleton in trouble. He didn't obey a rule inside Saginaw City Council chambers. That rule is that all men must remove their hats.

"It means more than just a hat," Littleton said. "It's like my crown. It's like asking a king to remove his crown."

Littleton had his Los Angeles Dodgers hat on at last week's council meeting.

He was dragged out of the meeting after being TASERed following what was described as scuffle with police, but Littleton says it didn't happen that way.

"I never kicked, punched, swung or anything like that," he said. "They are making it seem like I attacked the officer, then had to be TASERed because I was attacking them. That's not true at all."

The Detroit-area resident and Saginaw Valley State University student has now been charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor because of the incident.

He was attending the meeting to get extra credit for an urban sociology class. He was unaware of the council rule, which calls for all men to remove their hats.

"It's not about them trying to bring order to a meeting because my hat -- not its shape, form or fashion -- disrupted the proceedings," he said.

"They just want to control us and tell us what we can or cannot do. I will not bow down and bow out and follow blindly."

Littleton says he believes the rule discriminates.

"A Jewish man -- would you ask me to remove my yarmulke? A kofee? A turban? Anything like that?" Littleton said.

"But I guess a Los Angeles Dodgers hat is not a religious symbol. That is secular. You respect religion but you don't respect this."

Littleton plans on going to the Saginaw County Courthouse this week to be arraigned on the charges.