6 Maryland State Troopers Club and Taser to Death a Diabetic Architect

[Guest]

A disturbing lawsuit has been filed against the Baltimore County Police Department by Linda Johnson over the death of her husband, Architect Carl D. Johnson on May 27, 2010. Johnson was pepper sprayed, tasered, and beaten before his death on the way home from Bible study class.

Linda Johnson is suing the Maryland State Police, Baltimore County Police, individual commanders and six officers. Her lawsuit claims that her husband suffered a diabetic attack after calling a friend and crashing on I-795. First to the scene was State Trooper Davon Parker who pepper sprayed Johnson after he lowered his window of his car, which had crashed into the median. When Johnson got out of the car, Parker clubbed him on the knee and then allegedly another officer (Loss) clubbed him. When Baltimore County Police Officer Nicholas Wolferman arrived, he also allegedly beat Johnson. Three more officers arrived and one, Baltimore County Officer Andrew O’Neill tasered Johnson twice. Officer Loss then allegedly punched him in the face. Eight more officers then arrived — leaving one wondering if there were any officers left at headquarters. The complaint states that “there were approximately 52 individuals that responded to the scene.”

We have been following cases involving the use of tasers and excessive force by police. However, Baltimore has been cited as a standout jurisdiction in the use of tasers — leading to calls for investigation.

Johnson was only 48 and leaves behind his wife of 27 years. Their son, Darren Johnson, predeceased his parents and Linda has now lost her husband.

http://visiontoamerica.org/10304/6-maryl...6-others-watch/

[Gail]

Wow, that's disturbing!

[olger]

[Edited by olger]

I didn't know the man died.

[phkrause]

That was really sad. I kind of remember hearing about this. I wonder what took her so long to file?

[lazarus]

Don't worry he was probably driving while black!

[Woody]

This statement sounds extremely biased. I would like to hear the explanation of the police officers. There's always another side. Like other well known cases - it's probably best not to jump to conclusions prior to knowing the facts.

(It's a shame one has to keep saying this. But that is the way it is. Our society is so quick to jump to conclusions. Why do you think we have hundreds of innocent citizens behind bars.)

[bonnie]

That was really sad. I kind of remember hearing about this. I wonder what took her so long to file?

Possibly because she has lost her life as she knew it.She had already lost her only son and then whatever the facts are,she lost her husband in a terrible way.Maybe she needed to catch her breath before she faced the onslaught and upheaval a lawsuit will bring into her life again

[phkrause]

Possibly because she has lost her life as she knew it.She had already lost her only son and then whatever the facts are,she lost her husband in a terrible way.Maybe she needed to catch her breath before she faced the onslaught and upheaval a lawsuit will bring into her life again

Your probably right. I do pray that she doesn't regret it as she has to replay all this again.

[bonnie]

Originally Posted By: bonnie

Possibly because she has lost her life as she knew it.She had already lost her only son and then whatever the facts are,she lost her husband in a terrible way.Maybe she needed to catch her breath before she faced the onslaught and upheaval a lawsuit will bring into her life again

Your probably right. I do pray that she doesn't regret it as she has to replay all this again.

The reasons for lawsuits can be varied.It is not always a simple "revenge" or monetary issue.

Depending on the insurance at the time covering her husband she may not have a choice in the matter or pay all expenses out of pocket.If someone else causes the death your own insurance company will enforce a lawsuit.

When I fell and injured my knee in my own backyard which led to knee and hip replacement I had to fill out several forms

attesting to the injury occurring in my backyard.Had I fallen in my neighbors yard I would have had to sue them or pay the entire bill out of pocket

[olger]

Racism is unresolved bitterness & pride.

[cricket]

The article is unsettling to me. It gives no reason as to why the man was attacked. Was he being unruly before he was first attacked? As near as I can tell, he wasn't even doing anything wrong--it was an accident.

And, 52 attended the scene? Wow. That alone is disturbing.

I'm going to look for more information...

[cricket]

witness told investigators that Johnson was speeding southbound on Interstate 795 and lost control of his truck, driving off the road near the interchange with the Beltway and colliding with a sign about 9:20 p.m., police said

A state trooper knocked on the window of the truck as Johnson appeared to be trying to drive off. Damage to the car prevented Johnson from driving off, the trooper said. Police say Johnson, of the 8300 block of Windsor Mill Road, rolled down his window and threatened the trooper, then got out of the truck and began striking him. The trooper used pepper spray on him, Hill said.

As county officers arrived, police said, Johnson continued fighting, injuring two county officers and the trooper. A county officer, a seven-year veteran assigned to the Franklin precinct, fired the Taser and struck Johnson. Police said it had no effect, and Johnson kept fighting. The Taser was used a second time by a different officer, a 14-year veteran assigned to the traffic resource management team, slowing Johnson enough to be placed in handcuffs.

Officers soon observed that he he had lapsed into unconsciousness, and medics transported him to Northwest Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Hill said Johnson did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. An autopsy was scheduled, and police said the investigation was continuing.

"The department does not take this lightly," Hill said.

Johnson had no arrest history in Maryland, according to public documents.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-05...-of-police-work

[lazarus]

Yup that's the account I read too!

This kind of deadly force is used all too frequently. Many stories like this that don't make the news.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-04-04/news/31283015_1_official-police-version-grand-jury-cops

[Naomi]

So many people are on drugs of some kind and the officers do not know what to expect when a person fights them, attempts to escape, etc. so how do they keep someone like this from this from the possibility of getting away and seriously hurting an innocent person. Not saying it is right, or should happen, but just what are the police to do?

Many stories of officers being assulted, drive-offs, or a "runner" also don't make the news. And, there are a LOT of them everywhere

Again, what is the answer?

[CoAspen]

From Wiki....

The definition of racism is controversial both because there is little scholarly agreement about what the word "race" means, and because there is also little agreement about what does and doesn't constitute discrimination.[4] Some definitions would have it that any assumption that a person's behavior would be influenced by their racial categorization is racist, regardless of how seemingly benign such assumptions might be. Other definitions would only include conscious malignant forms of discrimination.[5] Among the questions about how to define racism are the question of whether to include forms of discrimination that are unintentional, such as making assumptions about preferences or abilities of others based on racial stereotypes, whether to include institutionalized forms of discrimination such as the circulation of racial stereotypes through the media and whether to include the socio-political dynamics of social stratification that sometimes have a racial component.

Dictionary,

rac·ism  noun

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

[Guest]

witness told investigators that Johnson was speeding southbound on Interstate 795 and lost control of his truck, driving off the road near the interchange with the Beltway and colliding with a sign about 9:20 p.m., police said

A state trooper knocked on the window of the truck as Johnson appeared to be trying to drive off. Damage to the car prevented Johnson from driving off, the trooper said. Police say Johnson, of the 8300 block of Windsor Mill Road, rolled down his window and threatened the trooper, then got out of the truck and began striking him. The trooper used pepper spray on him, Hill said.

As county officers arrived, police said, Johnson continued fighting, injuring two county officers and the trooper. A county officer, a seven-year veteran assigned to the Franklin precinct, fired the Taser and struck Johnson. Police said it had no effect, and Johnson kept fighting. The Taser was used a second time by a different officer, a 14-year veteran assigned to the traffic resource management team, slowing Johnson enough to be placed in handcuffs.

Officers soon observed that he he had lapsed into unconsciousness, and medics transported him to Northwest Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Hill said Johnson did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. An autopsy was scheduled, and police said the investigation was continuing.

"The department does not take this lightly," Hill said.

Johnson had no arrest history in Maryland, according to public documents.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-05...-of-police-work

That's still no reason to kill the man. He was probably pretty well subdued after that first blow to the knee. Everything after that was just abuse. A bunch of cops just wanted to beat on somebody, it sounds like to me.

That seems to be what they live for these days.

[lazarus]

CoAspen, didn't you realize that racism has been redefined.

To think that racism may have been a factor is now in itself racist. Quite clever actually. To make the mere suggestion of racism racist essentially destroys a true understanding of what racism is and leaves the racists to continue in their racism.

Sounds like Doublethink........ To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it,

[Guest]

Don't worry he was probably driving while black!

Ok, so how many times have you been beaten for "driving while black"? Judging by the way you talk about it, I know it's at least once, probably more. So how many?

I was at the DMV the other day getting a tag renewed. There were many black people there, all getting tags to put on their cars so they could drive. And not one of them seemed to have the slightest bit of fear or hesitation about doing so.

Are the black people in NC just braver than most?

[Woody]

Racism is unresolved bitterness & pride.

[Woody]

Thank you Cricket for 'the REST of the story'.

Very telling.

[CoAspen]

CoAspen, didn't you realize that racism has been redefined.

To think that racism may have been a factor is now in itself racist. Quite clever actually. To make the mere suggestion of racism racist essentially destroys a true understanding of what racism is and leaves the racists to continue in their racism.

Sounds like Doublethink........ To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it,

Ya, we constantly try to redefine history....revisionism abounds!!