Bizarre, Criminal law, Society, Torts

Shock Video: Minneapolis Officer Tasers Man in Neck While His Hands Are on Hood of the Car

In a highly disturbing video, Minneapolis police officers are shown tasering a man who is clearly shown with his hands on the hood of a car and not resisting arrest. Rolando Ruiz is seen and heard screaming in pain from the taser, which is applied to the back of his neck and held to his body as he falls to the street.

The Minneapolis Police Department has been previously sued for such abuse caught on videotape.

Remarkably, Ruiz is asking only for $75,000 and discipline against the officer for violating his civil rights. That is a bargain basement price for the city, which should settle this case in a nanosecond.

I cannot imagine what could justify such an assault once the suspect is yielding in this fashion. Even if Ruiz was previously uncooperative, he is clearly not threatening the officer at the time of the tasering. What is particularly striking is not just the apparent submissive posture of the suspect but the cavalier attitude of the officer on the video. This comes on the same week that we posted other stories of the troubling use of tasers, here and here.

Here is some of the coverage of the tape from the station that first revealed the story:


For the video, click here

Unless there is an extraordinary untold story here, there is obvious grounds from not just tort liability but possible charges against the officer.

For the story and another video link, click here

46 thoughts on “Shock Video: Minneapolis Officer Tasers Man in Neck While His Hands Are on Hood of the Car”

  1. LOL

    My comments come from a guy who can recite the little banner information paragraph on the Bud bottle verbatim.

    Don’t know if horse piss would pass, but I’ve been known to enjoy a Pabst Blue Ribbon.

    Of course, Sam is better than all of these. But in the world of beers, I have had some that make Sam pale, in comparison. But I still buy it.

    I tried Yiengling (sp?) and didn’t like it at all. But what do I know, ‘cept what I like. Stick to the Sams and the good stuff when I get by there.

  2. BuelahMan
    “Sadly, the best beer available for me (close at hand) is a Sam Adams (yes, sad). Anything else is at least an hour drive round trip.”

    BuelahMan, I’m a proud Sam Adams drinker and I’m thinking about having one of his Irish Red brews with lunch in fact. They make a perfectly good beer in a variety of styles for a reasonable price. And he was a patriot. Patriot and brewer. It’s your American duty to drink Sam Adams beer.

    We have a really good local brewery owned by the Schlafly family and they make some excellent beer but since it’s Schlafly (Of Phyllis Schlafly founder of the Eagle Forum fame.) I won’t drink it. She was no patriot and I won’t enrich her family.

    Sam Adams, patriot and brewer!

  3. Byron,

    No problem, next time you visit your sister (who I believe you said was in Denver), let me know. My day job is at one of the bigger liquor stores in the State which is in one of the ‘burbs. I could give you a tour of our beer room.

  5. Gyges knows far more than I, but I do know what I like.

    🙂

    Sadly, the best beer available for me (close at hand) is a Sam Adams (yes, sad). Anything else is at least an hour drive round trip.

    I am really intrigued by the Maredsou Abbey Ale #11, BiL was discussing.

    And I agree that Unibrau has several different varieties that I have tried and are excellent. I haven’t tried the apple, but would if I could find it.

    I live in a very small town still enamored by Budweiser.

  6. Gyges:

    thanks for the info. I am not a hop head. I like a more understated role for the hops. You should know they are there but they should not beat you over the head. They can overpower the other flavors in the beer.

    I actually like the Belgium Style beers that I have had, but I have had limited exposure.

    A buddy and I are going to do a little home brewing this Saturday and for some reason he was asking if I knew any good beers. I only know a couple but I figured you would as would Buddha.

    Beulah Man seems to have given the common denominator of Malty Magnificence as both you and Buddha are fans. I should have figured it was that good when he said he would drive 4 hours to get a few bottles.

  7. Almost forgot,

    With bottle conditioned beers (which have live yeast and are sometimes called “on lees”) don’t pour the whole thing (Except with some wheat beers), you’ll get the yeast, and in addition to clearing your digestive track out the next day, you’ll change the flavor significantly. It takes a little practice, but it’s pretty obvious once you hit the yeast.

  8. Bron,

    How on earth did I miss a beer discussion?

    Just drank the last of a four pack of La Fin Du Monde last night (We call it stupid juice around my house, due to the 750 two of us split one night). I love Unibrau, and aside from their Apple beer (and that’s just because I didn’t like the style, the quality was great), haven’t had a bad one from them yet. They tend to do Belgian styles, so expect a fairly high alcohol content that’s fairly sweet and will sneak up on you. LFDM is a triple, which is sort of hit or miss with me, some are a little too bubblegum-sweet (Belgian beers sometimes have candy sugar as an adjunct).

    If you’re looking for good ‘extreme’ beers (higher alcohol, unique flavors, one a night type deals): Dogfish head, Unibrau, Avery, Laginetas, Boulevard, and Ommegang (which actually makes most of my favorite Belgian style beers) are a great way to go, and are pretty widely available.

    For more regular session beers: Left Hand, Windmer, Brooklyn, and Sam Adams are all good American brewers; Paulaner, Spatan, and Warstiener are my favorite German brewers; Samual Smith, Youngs, are good English. I’d have to know a little more about what you think is a good beer to recommend anything specific.

    A warning about Beer advocate and Rate beer: They tend to be populated by hop heads, so some low-hop styles are reviewed poorly just because the people doing the review don’t know what they’re talking about.

    I believe the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) has their guidelines posted online, and at the end of every style description will be a list of beers they feel are excellent examples of that style. But just because a beer isn’t on that list doesn’t mean it’s bad, just not what people expect for that particular style, or not widely available.

    Some other good resources would be to get a hold of one of Michael Jackson’s books or Garrett Oliver’s “The Brewmaster’s Table.”

  11. And Byron?

    You’re a fool not to take that four hour drive. ‘Nuff said. 😉

  12. B-man,

    That is an excellent ale. But you are right about the alcohol content. It WILL sneak up on you. So will another fine ale (made in Belgium) called Maredsou Abbey Ale #11. It’s a tripple. Possibly one of the tastiest malt beverages I’ve ever had although a bit darker and fuller bodied than La Fin Du Monde, but man oh man, it can sneak up with Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. I’ve been told me and a furniture designer buddy celebrated his birthday one year with pitchers of Maredsou. I don’t recall specifics of the evening, or indeed, that entire weekend. The #11 runs at about 10%. It’s almost a barley wine, but so tasty you almost forget it’s beer. If you like ale and haven’t tried it, it’s worth a taste. I don’t drink often, but about twice a year I get a craving and go have one. They also make a dupple (8%) and a blond (6%) which may be more to your tastes if you like La Fin.

    Byron,

    Check out this sight if you want good beer reviews.

    http://beeradvocate.com

  13. LOL

    Didn’t mean to infer that I do it often JUST for the beer. My work takes me thru Memphis often enough for me to replenish whenever necessary. I probably don’t drink, on average, 1 beer per week, if that.

    But I used to…

    🙂

  14. BMan:

    that must be some good beer! I would not drive 4 hours for an illict affair with Eva Mendes.

  15. The alcohol content sneaks up on you, but you can’t really “taste” it. I’m telling you, after having all kinds of beer from all over the world, this is my favorite Ale, by far.

    Down here, I only know of one place to buy it and I have to drive two hours one way.

  17. Puzzling:

    “Over time, the collective failure of prosecutors to pursue police abuses could become a significant factor in destabilizing society.”

    Aren’t most police offers law abiding? The abuses we see are concentrated because of this blog. And certainly not all prosecutors are honest. But isn’t it because most police are professional and most prosecutors are law abiding that the malfeasance seems that much more egregious?

    Much like when you are sick, it is not a natural state and so you react negatively.

  20. Gyges:

    I need your help, what are some good beers? You seem to know a thing or 2 about beer.

    If anyone else wants to chime in please do.

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