A former soldier who died after being Tasered when he 'charged at' police had told his family of his wedding plans just hours earlier, an inquest heard. Platoon Sergeant Spencer Beynon, 43, was hit with up to 50,000 volts after allegedly 'charging' at officers in the street near his home.
The jury will be asked to decide if the police response was appropriate and reasonable and whether it was reasonable to use a Taser.
Gosh, why wouldn't it be? Meanwhile, in Nottingham:
I'm sure the policing experts on here would have subdued these two huge men using clever wordplay and Latin quotes
ReplyDeleteJaded
I do so enjoy noting that the only (apparently) salient point of a persons entire life history is whether they are or were (even if for only six months twenty years before) military, but of course only when said person acts inappropriately or commits a crime. (I was a nurse for <10 years, a soldier for 30 yet whenever I've [non-medically] saved someone I'm always an ex-nurse - go figure).
ReplyDeleteAmazing as it may seem, the military reflects the make-up of the society it is drawn from ... except its members commit 'less' crime than the general population, despite the press desperately searching for a way to portray the opposite.
I wouldn't mind so much if other, perhaps more relevant and immediate, aspects of criminals histories were similarly revealed. Such as (off the top of my head) political affiliation, race, culture, religion, nationality, whether their parents were married, how many times they had been arrested before, etc. ... you know things proven to have some relevancy to criminality.
I wont hold my breath though.
(I wonder what the rate of crimes committed by 'former journalist' is).
Being as cynical as I am though ...
I wonder whether he 'charged' or whether he merely 'moved towards' (or even just shuffled his feet whilst not complying with multiple conflicting instructions) since, let us be honest, the police 'will' present "evidence" to support whatever narrative excuses their behaviour, whatever the facts (we've all seen standing still as "obstructing", not following every instruction as "resisting", etc.).
The fact is my, and most normal people, now no longer even vaguely trust the police to even know how to spell integrity, let alone act in such a manner.
...spectemur agendo.
ReplyDelete"I'm sure the policing experts on here would have subdued these two huge men using clever wordplay and Latin quotes"
ReplyDeleteWell, quite!
"I do so enjoy noting that the only (apparently) salient point of a persons entire life history is whether they are or were (even if for only six months twenty years before) military..."
I think in these contexts, it's meant to signify the potential threat the police faced, by someone 'trained to kill'. Or possibly drumming up sympathy or laying the groundwork for a PTSD defence.