Indiana cops shatter car window, extract passenger after alleged seatbelt violation

[rambone]

HAMMOND, IN — After witnessing a motorist allegedly not wearing a seatbelt, police escalated a violent confrontation to the point of shattering a window to extract a passenger when he claimed not to have an ID.

“Oh my God, he’s pulling me over like I robbed a bank,” recalled Lisa Mahone, the driver and alleged seatbelt violator. “The whole situation was just crazy.”

Police drew their guns on the guy when he looked for his ID in his backpack. The passenger expressed reluctance to get out of the vehicle due to the officers’ aggressiveness and mentioned that “People are getting shot by the police.”

After being asked repeatedly for a supervisor, the officer responded: “Look at my shoulder, dumbass. I got bars.”

“You’re going to come out of the car one way or another,” the officer menaced. “You want your kids to see you come out through the window?”

That's when the window was shattered and the electric punishment began. The children were showered with shards of broken glass.

READ MORE: Police shatter car window, extract passenger after alleged seatbelt violation

[CPUd]

LOOK AT MY SHOULDER I GOT BARS DUMBASS

[Mani]

http://www.myfoxcarolinas.com/story/...n-traffic-stop

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -

It started as a simple traffic stop and ended with a taser, tears and arrest -- and it was all caught on camera.

A family from Hammond said the video is dramatic evidence of police out of control. But Hammond police said they were left with no choice when one of the passengers refused a simple request.

The moment captured on cellphone video is now at the center of a lawsuit against Hammond police.

"The whole situation was just crazy," said Lisa Mahone.

Mahone, her boyfriend Jamal Jones, and Mahone's two children – 14-year-old Joseph and 7-year-old Janiya -- were driving in Hammond in late September. They were headed to Stroger Hospital in Chicago, where Mahone said doctors had called and said her mother was near death.

"I said 'oh my God, he's pulling me over like I robbed a bank,'" Mahone said.

Hammond police officers pulled Mahone over because she wasn't wearing a seat belt. She said she gave them her license and insurance card, but then things escalated when they asked for her boyfriend's ID.

With her son recording on his cellphone in the backseat, Mahone dialed 911.

"I gave him my license and insurance. I also let him know at the beginning to please hurry up because my mom is about to die," Mahone told 911.

Jones said he didn't have an ID to give to police because he recently got a ticket. When he reached into his book bag in the back seat to get the ticket, police drew their guns.

"I don't know you and I don't know what you're going to do," an officer told Jones. He responded, "That's why I have my windows up. I'm not no harm to you right now. I got my kids in the car and you're drawing your weapon."

Jones told FOX 32 News, "So once the kids were scared, I wasn't gonna get out of the car and leave my kids in the car. He was being so aggressive."

Jones then tried to give the ticket with his ID to police, but they refused to take it. He then asked the officers if they have a supervisor on the scene.

"You all got a white shirt?" Jones said. The officer responded, "Look at my shoulder dumb***. I got bars."

Police then continued to order Jones out of the car.

"You're going to come out of the car one way or another. You want your kids to see you come out through the window?" the officer said.

Mahone then again called 911 for a supervisor to come to the scene.

"I am scared. And the man--pulled a gun out. A gun! Why do my kids have to see that," Mahone told 911.

Three minutes after that call, police took action.

"Ma'am are you going to open the vehicle?" the officer said.

Mahone responded, "Why do you say somebody's not gonna hurt you? People are getting shot by the police--"

Suddenly, police broke open the window and tased Jones. Mahone's daughter began crying in the backseat after being sprayed with glass.

"I was just so sad. It was horrible," said daughter Janiya.

Police charged Jones with resisting law enforcement and refusal to aid an officer. The couple filed a federal lawsuit against Hammond police on Monday, with their attorney Dana Kurtz alleging the video shows officers clearly overstepped their authority.

"They had no probable cause, one, to even ask Jamal to get out of the car, or two, to engage in excessive force in tasering and arresting him," Kurtz said.

In a statement, Hammond police defend the officer's actions:

"The Hammond police officers were at all times acting in the interest of officer safety and in accordance with Indiana law... In general, police officers who make legal traffic stops are allowed to ask passengers inside of a stopped vehicle for identification and to request that they exit a stopped vehicle for the officer's safety without a requirement of reasonable suspicion."

Kurtz responded, "There was absolutely no search, no nothing to suggest there was criminal activity going on. And certainly not anything that would authorize to taser someone and pull them out of the car and shatter glass into the back seat with children present."

One of the officers involved in the confrontation has been involved in two prior excessive force lawsuits, with the City of Hammond making payouts to settle both cases.

Hammond police also said the officers wanted to write Jones a seat-belt ticket as well, which is why they asked for his ID. But Jones said he was wearing his belt and the cops never told him that.




So one of these officers has been harassing and attacking civilians TWO other times, and the CITY (tax payers) had to pay for his abuse...Now it's happening a THIRD TIME!?!?!

Third time he's being sued.

And nothing happens to him. The department releases it's statement...Officer Safety..blah blah blah. And things just continue...



Kudos to the kids for taping the whole thing. Smart kids. Also hopefully they learned valuable lessons.

[SeanTX]

Ah, the good old "show me some ID!" method of escalating things strikes again. The woman showed her ID; I think in most states a passenger isn't required to present ID unless there is probable cause they committed a crime (of course, none of that matters anymore, the enforcers ARE the law and just do whatever they please).

I'm sure some strongly worded letters of disapproval will make things all better -- or an online petition. I think this was on Good Morning America earlier (I was in the shower so could just barely hear it) ; if so, good that it's getting some attention in mainstream news at least.

[Anti Federalist]

I'm sure some strongly worded letters of disapproval will make things all better -- or an online petition. I think this was on Good Morning America earlier (I was in the shower so could just barely hear it) ; if so, good that it's getting some attention in mainstream news at least.

That, and voting harder.

[moostraks]

I almost never carry ID on me unless I am driving. I would be dumbfounded to be harassed for not having it on me as a passenger. Smart children. The will always carry this memory with them with regards to police. Long term life lesson that's for sure.

[fisharmor]

The will always carry this memory with them with regards to police. Long term life lesson that's for sure.

D.W.B.
They already knew.


And this is the last media we'll ever see on it.

However, the next time a giant of a man robs a convenience store and ends up dead, or a violent teenager tries to pummel someone's head into the concrete and ends up dead, there will be 25/8 news coverage on every major network for months.


I tell ya, if I was black, I'd have an endless stream of articles pointing out how the tendency to focus on $#@!heads like Mumia and Trayvon is, bar none, the chief remaining cause of racism in this country.... and it's not something white people are necessarily doing.

[Czolgosz]

We need to educate people. Harder.

[presence]

I can hear the voice but I don't want to listen
Strap me down and tell me I'll be alright

[oyarde]

I never drive in that area.It is dangerous.

[JK/SEA]

We need to educate people. Harder.

i don't know if we have to educate anyone, the stasi are doing that on their own, one tazer and beating and shooting at a time..

''hi, ima cop, and ima dumb $#@!, so watch out''....

[mosquitobite]

Everyone should have an app on their smart phone to record instances like this. Livestream.

[SeanTX]

Everyone should have an app on their smart phone to record instances like this. Livestream.

As the technology becomes less expensive and better, it should be possible for most people to have an in-car system where you can just hit a button and in real-time record and upload video and audio of any raging Enforcer you may encounter.

Then links to these videos should be posted in local forums -- maybe if enough people start to see them then they will wake up (I know, many people refuse to do that, though I think part of that is "oh, that didn't happen here, things like that don't happen around here").

I'm sure that encounters like this must happen hundreds of times each day -- maybe not as intense, but still abusive and traumatizing for the victims being screamed and cursed at by their "protectors" -- for things like not wearing a seat belt.

[jjdoyle]

That, and voting harder.

Exactly this. I don't know why we don't see it. Voting harder worked for the Founding Fathers. The people in positions of power are just concerned with our safety. Notice this important line from the department: "The Hammond police officers were at all times acting IN THE INTEREST OF OFFICER SAFETY..."

Last I checked, police officers are "protecting and serving", so that falls directly in line with their actions here. They are one of us. Some just can't see it.

[Christian Liberty]

i don't know if we have to educate anyone, the stasi are doing that on their own, one tazer and beating and shooting at a time..

''hi, ima cop, and ima dumb $#@!, so watch out''....

In my personal experience this isn't true, then again I am at a very conservative college. But in my personal experience most people are clueless to just how bad police are.

[ZENemy]

I almost never carry ID on me unless I am driving. I would be dumbfounded to be harassed for not having it on me as a passenger. Smart children. The will always carry this memory with them with regards to police. Long term life lesson that's for sure.

I keep my ID IN the car, I do not carry it on me.

Ive been throw to the ground at least once for NOT having ID and I still do not carry it.

[CPUd]

They will drop the charges, and settle out of court on the other lawsuit. Probably get about $25K out of it to not talk about it anymore.

[FindLiberty]

Safety belt <> Contempt of cop <> Safety glass <> Taser <> Settlement

I do not like this circus

[kahless]

Not sure which one tazed and broke the window but if it is the same one that has two prior excessive force lawsuits he is now endangering children. Yet not behind bars and I am guessing probably still allowed to be around kids. So much for CPS.

[mac_hine]

Nothing new...

[SeanTX]

I saw this story again on GMA just now, and it was on the NBC Nightly News last night. Good that it's getting some attention -- a lot. Meanwhile, far worse cases (complete with even more dramatic video) never make the national news at all.

[Deborah K]

Gunny's new sig needs to be read by every American.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=1#post5666780

[Keith and stuff]

All 49 states that have adult seat belt laws should abolish them! Adult seat belt laws are designed to give police another way to harass drivers and passengers. New Hampshire never created adult seat belt laws. Heck, NH still has old signs up saying that even children don't have to legally wear seat belts. This is partly why free staters worked so hard to stop Obama's push to create an adult seat belt law in NH in 2009. Take your bribe money and go F yourself Mr. President! We will never have seat belt laws in NH!

[JK/SEA]

Being reported on morning local news this morning with partial video on Seattle news stations...

Another violation, another law suit, another settlement, and another day in Amerika dawns....

Makes me wonder how many more people are waking up lately to this $#@!. Gotta be a few more at least...

Cops are their own worst enemy.

[JK/SEA]

All 49 states that have adult seat belt laws should abolish them! Adult seat belt laws are designed to give police another way to harass drivers and passengers. New Hampshire never created adult seat belt laws. Heck, NH still has old signs up saying that even children don't have to legally wear seat belts. This is partly why free staters worked so hard to stop Obama's push to create an adult seat belt law in NH in 2009. Take your bribe money and go F yourself Mr. President! We will never have seat belt laws in NH!

I'm not convinced this was just about seat belts. This cop is a complete train wreck, and is just one of the 'cars' that is involved in the derailment.

This crap is about 'control'...nothing more.

[KCIndy]

Gunny's new sig needs to be read by every American.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=1#post5666780

You BET it does! Best I've read in a long, long time. In fact, I believe it's the best ever. Since he was the first to use it, I may have to pay him a franchise fee and lease the rights to it so I can use it myself

[Anti Federalist]

People laughed at me when I told them 20 plus years ago, that ths is what mandatory seat belt laws would lead to.

And even I was not enough of an agent of doom and gloom to predict cops would be manhandling people onto gurneys and sticking them with needles for their blood at DUI roadblocks.

Land of the free, my aching $#@!ing ass.

[Deborah K]

You BET it does! Best I've read in a long, long time. In fact, I believe it's the best ever. Since he was the first to use it, I may have to pay him a franchise fee and lease the rights to it so I can use it myself

I'm with ya.

[acptulsa]

All 49 states that have adult seat belt laws should abolish them!

But but but buttt--the fedgov will take away all the money we paid in Federal Gas Taxes and not give it back!! How will we fix the roads?!

Muh ROOOOOOADS!!....

[HOLLYWOOD]

Seltbelt laws were written by Auto Insurance companies... Of course they bought and paid for Washington DC to make this enslavement policy nationwide. Insurance companies win, because they can take refuse to pay on bodily injuries if someone injured, didn't wear a seatbelt.

Government loves this too... not only do they receive huge campaign donations from the insurance trust, but they also have a new Revenue generator in writting tickets and confiscating property.


Still reminds me of that Press Junket Dubya W. Bush had on signing the new "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005''. Bush, " This Act will save American businesses a minimum of $20 Billion per year..."

Dubya just forgot to mention it was drafted and pushed by Banks/Credit Card companies/US Chamber of Fascism...


It's all US FASCISM today.... the POLICE thugs are to keep the citizens as obedient milk cows to the state.