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Los Angeles Times - August 2, 2007
Report criticizes use of Taser on UCLA student
By Scott Glover
Even with use of force policies that are "unduly permissive," a UCLA police officer violated department rules when he repeatedly shocked a student with an electric Taser gun last fall during a confrontation captured on video and posted on the Internet, according to a report released Wednesday.
Los Angeles police accountability expert Merrick Bobb found that the decision to use the Taser on student Mostafa Tabatabainejad was "unnecessary, avoidable and excessive."
The findings are at odds with an earlier inquiry by UCLA Police Chief Karl Ross, who cleared Officer Terrence Duren and two colleagues of any wrongdoing.
Tabatabainejad, then a 23-year-old senior at UCLA, was in the campus library one night last November when a security guard asked him to provide identification during a routine check to make sure everyone in the library after 11 p.m. was a student or otherwise authorized to be there.
Tabatabainejad, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent, refused repeated requests to provide his identification, explaining later that he thought he was being singled out because of his Middle Eastern appearance.
In an ensuing confrontation with university police, Tabatabainejad was shocked at least three times with a Taser when he failed to get on his feet and walk out of the library as officers demanded.
Much of the encounter was captured by students with cellphones or digital cameras. Some of the footage was posted on http://www.YouTube.comand drew viewers from around the world. After student protests, a flood of angry e-mails and calls from concerned parents, then-Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams asked Bobb to conduct an independent review.
Bobb's 77-page report, titled "A Bad Night at Powell Library: The Events of November 14, 2006," was critical of Tabatabainejad and campus police.
The student has filed a federal lawsuit against UCLA, the police and several officers over the incident, contending that his civil rights were violated and that officers failed to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The lawsuit states that Tabatabainejad has bipolar disorder….
The footage on YouTube provided plenty of fodder in the court of public opinion. The footage begins with Tabatabainejad screaming in pain, apparently in response to being shocked.
"Here's your Patriot Act. Here's your [expletive] abuse of power," he can be heard saying, his voice filled with anger. "Stop fighting us," one of the officers interjects.
"I'm not fighting you," Tabatabainejad responds. "I got tased for no reason. I was leaving this Godforsaken place. You stopped me. You're abusing your power."
By this time, many people, apparently students, have gathered around and are watching the incident unfold. A male voice tells officers he wants their badge numbers. A female says plaintively, "It's so wrong."
Meanwhile, officers are repeatedly shouting "Stand up!" with one adding "or you're going to get tased again."
Seconds later, Tabatabainejad is again heard screaming in pain. This time, the electrical clicking sound of the Taser is also audible.
Police used a Taser on the student at least one more time.
Before the final jolt is administered, an officer says, "Stand up. That's all we want."
A female voice chimes in, "Pick him up."
Moments later, Tabatabainejad again screams in pain.
Shortly thereafter, he is dragged from the library.
As students mill about and express their displeasure to police, one officer tells a student who apparently is not following instructions, "Back over there or you're going to get tased too."….
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucla2aug02,1,5087569.story
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