School defends tasering 16-yr-old student for hesitancy to show I.D.

By David Wall
Richmond County Daily Journal
Jun. 06, 2008

School officials are defending the use of a high-voltage shock to control a 16-year-old student at Richmond Senior High School last week.

Quayshaun Leak, 16, was tased before being arrested May 28. He was charged with disorderly conduct by disturbing students, assault on a governmental official/employee and resisting a public officer. The incident involved the Richmond County Schools Special Police at RSHS.

Law enforcement-issued Tasers shoot 1,200 volts of electrical pulses through the body at a rate of 19 pulses per second for five seconds. After the first shock, which usually lasts five seconds, the device is controlled manually and can be activated for any amount of time.

“The officer didn’t fire the taser at the student,” Associate Superintendent Dr. Robert Beck said. “The officer touched the student with the end of the taser.”

During the incident Leak admits to not complying with the officers instructions, but denies giving the officer any reason to tase him.

“I didn’t give him my I.D. badge when he asked for it,” Leak said. “I threw it on the floor. And as for when he grabbed me by my shirt, I didn’t push the officer. I just shrugged away and backed up against the wall.”

According to Leak’s statements, that was when he was tased by the officer.

Some models of Tasers have the capacity to have its cartridge removed and allow for the device to be held directly against an individual’s body to produce the charge; this is commonly known as the Taser’s “drive stun” mode.

“Policy was also followed after the tasing, when our officer asked the student if he suffers from any medical conditions or was under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” Beck said.

He said Leak did not indicate any physical problems or medical issues to the officer following the incident.

Beck referred to Richmond County Schools Special Police policy 4201, saying the department’s officers use the least invasive use of force possible.

According to the policy, “The use of a Taser, an instrument that is classified as ‘non-deadly force,’ may be considered as a reasonable use of force in limited circumstances in the professional discretion of the special police officer. The use of a Taser may be a reasonable use of force if the subject is actively threatening injury to himself or others and a lesser application of reasonable force will not, in the professional discretion of the special police officer, effect the safety of the subject or others.”

“All policies and procedures were followed,” Beck said. “The officer acted within the appropriate bounds of his authority.”

As a result of this incident Patti Almanza, Leak’s cousin filed two discrimination complaints Monday with the United States Department of Health and Human Services Officer for Civil Rights on behalf of Leak. The first complaint alleges Leak was “brutally attacked” and that his mother was not allowed to view the video tape of the incident. The second claims Leak was denied the right to file charges against the arresting officer because the magistrate “did not believe the child’s version.”

In 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice suggested that Tasers should be labeled a “less lethal” rather than “non-lethal” weapon.

A taser is a weapon described as a device which projects two small probes up to 35 feet away at a speed of 160 feet per second. Citizens can only buy the 15-foot distance model. The probes are connected to the Taser system by insulated wire. An electrical signal is transmitted through the wires to where the probes make contact with the body or clothing, resulting in an immediate loss of the person’s neuromuscular control and the ability to perform coordinated action for the duration of the impulse while allowing an instant recovery once the cycle ceases.