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Georgia Police Waffle on Charging Officers: Officers Involved in Tasering Waiter for Fun Resign From Force

image_8601941Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Gary Miles was fired and Sgts. Chris Parry and Joey Parkerson have not been charged with tasering a Waffle House waiter for fun, but instead will be allowed to resign from their position as police officers.

An investigation showed that the officials used the weapon as a joke on Daniel Wilson, 22. Wilson said that the officers would routinely point the red laser at him if he did something that they did not like — such as playing music on the jukebox that they disapproved of.

On Feb. 16th, Wilson was talking with Parry and Parkerson when Miles came up behind him and stunned him with the Taser — delivering 50,000 volts. Miles insisted it was only a “spark test” designed to “just to scare him a little bit.” Neither Parry, 41, nor Parkerson, 39, reported the incident. There is also an allegation that a fourth officer pointed a Taser at Wilson’s groin on an earlier occasion.

When Wilson asked Miles to apologize for the accidental tasering, he insists that Miles said, “Who says I did it by accident?”

danny_porterAt least thus far, Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter has declined to bring charges against the other officers. However, to their credit, Miles was arrested.5163EBuhJ30A57A3.med

It was also disclosed that the Waffle House was giving free food to the officers — something that should be prohibited by the department. We have seen a series of cases where such expectation of free food has led to problems with the officers, here, here, here, and here. Indeed, officers and food establishments have proven a bad mix of late, here. Of course, prosecutors seem to have the same difficulties, here and here.

Wilson is suing the police department.

There is always concern over police officers being given special treatment in such cases. Officers at times charge citizens for the slightest contact, here and here.

However, there is a series of cases where officers were involved in crimes or abuse but either not charged or given relatively light punishment by their colleagues, here, here, here, here, here, and here, here.

For the full story, click here.

22 thoughts on “Georgia Police Waffle on Charging Officers: Officers Involved in Tasering Waiter for Fun Resign From Force”

  1. Published on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
    Memos Provide Blueprint for Police State
    by Marjorie Cohn

    http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/03/04

    As an aside, there’s a pretty powerful, policy group known as the LEIU — the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit. I believe that they receive public funds, but are FOIA-exempt, as I understand it.

    We have, to the best of my knowledge, sixteen different intelligence agencies. How is it that the right hand ever really knows what the left is doing? It’s no wonder that our liberties have been seriously undermined.

    Let’s hope that it isn’t already too late to restore what has been degraded to an extreme degree.

  2. We’re inching closer to a police state, if we aren’t already there. It’s truly frightening.

    A number of years ago I made some inquiries into the unsolved homicide of a friend. While initially admitting that the cold-case had been mishandled, the police later became overtly hostile when I continued to pursue the matter. It’s now clear to me who runs this country, especially in the wake of 9-11. May God help us, if we’re unable (or unwilling to try) to turn back the tide.

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