Oakland Student Tasered during High School Protest

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:53 PM EST

Article Source: Inside Bay Area

LaShun Frieson, 16, said two School Resource Officers were trying, unsuccessfully, to wrestle him to the ground and cuff him, prompting one of them to tase him multiple times. The reason for his arrest?

Stepping between the police and his friend, 100-pound Arwa Omar, when an officer went to handcuff her.

The reason for Omar's near-arrest?

As far as I can tell, from the police and students' accounts, it was that she was standing in the street, potentially blocking traffic, and declaring she wouldn't go back to school until the officers freed another student from the back of a patrol car (which they did, ultimately).

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4.7

{"commentId":1510566,"authorDomain":"digits"}

Digits

I am glad this young boy didn't die due to his multiple taserings.

{"commentId":1510566,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"digits"}

3 votes

#1 - Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:55 PM EST

{"commentId":1511488,"authorDomain":"atonhunter"}

atonhunter

You keep finding these don't you. Now, let's see if some fascist apologist comes into this one to say the boy "somehow" deserved it..

{"commentId":1511488,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"atonhunter"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:34 PM EST

{"commentId":1511647,"authorDomain":"digits"}

Digits

You keep finding these don't you. Now, let's see if some fascist apologist comes into this one to say the boy "somehow" deserved it..

I posted that last one on purpose. [I'm no propogandist!] Sure I have a cause and that is to ban tasers but sometimes there's one that [previously] *could* have been justifiable. This one is not. And I stand by my statement: In my opinion, the police have lost the right to use tasers due to their numerous abuses.

Not to mention I think students should have the right to protest - as any person does - without fear of torture or a torture-related death due to taserings.

{"commentId":1511647,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"digits"}

3 votes

#1.2 - Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:18 PM EST

{"commentId":1513902,"authorDomain":"mrhomer4"}

Mark Homer

Digits,Thanks for bringing these articles to the front,If they slip by us then we have allowed them to be buried and not discussed,By discussing them allows them to be noticed and causes us to be more aware of the pulse of the problem.It would be wonderful if every-time someone reads your column they find nice sweet little uplifting articles that depict a perfect peaceful world,Reality is that this is a world full of injustices and unfairness,Plus you speak for some that can't do it for themselves.You are an asset to "Newsvine"by being an advocate for many and I thank you,Some people don't understand how hard it is to do these articles,And how many forms of abuse occur daily,What is sad to me is all the abuse we never hear about that goes under the carpet.More "Viners"should take up this worthy cause and be part of the solution,So thank you and keep doing what your heart has moved you to do. Many of these comments just prove what is being said here.Thanks ,Mark :>)

{"commentId":1513902,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"mrhomer4"}

3 votes

#2 - Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:45 AM EST

{"commentId":1515023,"authorDomain":"digits"}

Digits

hard, yes. indeed. sometimes. :)

{"commentId":1515023,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"digits"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:46 PM EST

{"commentId":1518173,"authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

Dr Know

The kid did interfere with the police in the performance of their duty. The girl was violating the law. It is likely that the police only intended to cuff her for the effect then let her go. The boy elevated the confrontation. That said, he likely did not need to be tased "multiple times". The extra applications were meant as punishment and punishment only. The cops knew they could get away with it.

{"commentId":1518173,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"DrKnow"}

2 votes

#3 - Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:57 PM EST

{"commentId":1518478,"authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

Brian White

standing in the street, potentially blocking traffic

That is jaywalking, punishable with a ticket, not handcuffs and arrest. Except for the fact that 99.9999% there is actually no punishment. My favorite was a couple years ago a pedestrian got run over in DC, and the police gave him a ticket for jaywalking as he lay there bleeding.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201801.html

The collision's force, witnesses said, caused Atherton to fly out of his shoes and left him crumpled on the road, bleeding from his head and nose after his head smashed into the windshield.

Before paramedics rushed him to the hospital, police issued Atherton the ticket, which his family found among his belongings when they visited him at George Washington University Hospital.

{"commentId":1518478,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"wbrianwhite"}

1 vote

#3.1 - Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:10 PM EST

{"commentId":1524937,"authorDomain":"digits"}

Digits

a pedestrian got run over in DC, and the police gave him a ticket for jaywalking as he lay there bleeding.

outrageous.

{"commentId":1524937,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"digits"}

#3.2 - Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:35 PM EST

{"commentId":1524049,"authorDomain":"darkknightjrk"}

Jared Kardos

Oh God I wish I wasn't at my school library, else I'd swear my @!$%#ing lungs out at this.

{"commentId":1524049,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"darkknightjrk"}

#4 - Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:42 PM EST

{"commentId":1646050,"authorDomain":"sandra-mpb"}

Sandra-261662

I am a substitue teacher at jr high and high schools in my area. I am both apalled and horrified at the use of tasers on our children. Have you noticed that the students being tasered keep getting younger! I supposed that tasers gained acceptability on school campuses to 'keep predators and dangerous adults' from coming onto campus. Hey, if the drugs that the schools force upon kids cannot make them docile, maybe electrocuting them will.

{"commentId":1646050,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"sandra-mpb"}

1 vote

#5 - Tue Apr 1, 2008 11:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":1646130,"authorDomain":"digits"}

Digits

Hey, if the drugs that the schools force upon kids cannot make them docile, maybe electrocuting them will.

Brilliantly said!

{"commentId":1646130,"threadId":"225442","contentId":"1326756","authorDomain":"digits"}

#5.1 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 12:00 AM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"225442","isPrivate":false}

DIGITS

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Oakland Student Tasered during High School Protest

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