Updated Student Tasered at Kerry Speech

Updated: Student Tasered at Kerry Speech

UF Student Tasered

And John Kerry just keeps talking...

A University of Florida student was tasered and arrested during a forum for John Kerry on Monday, September 17th.

The student who was tasered by campus police is Andrew Meyer, a 21-year-old telecommunication senior and former columnist for the Independent Florida Alligator. He's been charged with a third-degree felony for resisting arrest with violence, according to a University Police Department report, which could mean up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

At about 1 PM, Kerry was at the end of a forum at University Auditorium, and audience members were allowed to ask questions at a microphone, but they had one minute and only one question was allowed, out of deference to the others present. The person in front of Meyer was told he would be the last person to speak. Meyer spoke out and said he was upset with that, so Kerry gave him the OK.

Andrew Meyer asking Kerry if he was a member of the Skull and Bones secret society while at Yale University.

When he took the mike, Meyer asked Kerry several questions, including why Kerry had conceded in the 2004 presidential election, why not impeach President George W. Bush now, asking “President Clinton was impeached because of a blowjob, why not Bush?”. He went on to ask whether Kerry was a member of the Skull and Bones secret society at Yale University. At certain points he seemed to be addressing his fellow students more than Sen. Kerry, as can be seen in this NBC news video. When reminded that he was only supposed to ask one question, not three, Meyer responded, "He's talked for two hours. I think I can have two minutes."

Let's not even get into the comment about Clinton, but being rude, talking beyond his allocated time and not accepting the one question rule was his first mistake.

At that point members of ACCENT, the student group sponsoring the event, asked campus police to escort Meyer out, and at first, students could be heard cheering as he is asked to leave. but Meyer refused, and when officers tried escorting him, he resisted. That was his second mistake.

Andrew Meyer being subdued by campus police after refusing to leave the forum.

Officers only partially got handcuffs on him. At least four police officers at a time tried to remove Meyer from the forum, and he yelled for help and asked "What did I do? What have I done? What I have I done? Get away from me. Get off of me! What did I do? ... Help me! Help! " The campus police repeatedly threatened to user a Taser on Meyer if he did not comply, but he continued to resist being handcuffed. He was then tased, which prompted him to scream "Don't tase me, bro!" and writhe in pain on the floor of the auditorium.

A Taser such as this delivers a jolt of 50,000 volts.

Resisting the officers after they were trying to handcuff him was his third mistake.

He now faces two charges: resisting an officer with violence and disrupting a school assembly, and is scheduled to appear in court at 9 AM Tuesday. Within hours of the arrest, articles about it and video of the entire incident were posted by friends on Meyer's Website, www.theandrewmeyer.com.

As officers escorted Meyer from the auditorium into the lobby, Sen. Kerry went on to explain that he did not think there was sufficient evidence of voter suppression to justify contesting the 2004 election. Kerry looked on, but did not offer to intervene, just urging the audience to "cool down." And before you make any judgment calls, watch this video posted by the Gainesville Sun.

Please also note that the University of Florida campus police were well aware that numerous people were videotaping and shooting photos of the incident, yet not once tried to interfere. A number of photos of Sen. Kerry's visit and the incident can be seen here on the slideshow posted by the Florida Independent Alligator. along with their coverage of the story.

One of videos (above) of the incident was posted here on Buzznet earlier today by Sockmonkey.

University police have stated that they are going to investigate the incident to make sure the use of the Taser gun was legitimate. "The police department does have a standard procedure for when they use force, including when they use a Taser. That is what the internal investigation would address -- whether the proper procedures were followed, whether the officers acted appropriately." said university spokesman Steve Orlando.

Opinion:

Don't even like to imagine the thought of a Taser firing 50,000 Volts up anywhere near my body, and can truly empathize with Andrew Meyer for having been on the receiving end of such a jolt.

But... had Mr. Meyer truly wanted answers, he might have chosen the best of his three questions and asked them of Sen. Kerry instead of choosing to embarrass himself (and the University) by mocking the Senator with a profane and childish diatribe that was completely self serving.

When it became clear to the organizers of the event that this individual had no intention of asking a question in a civil, respectful manner, and only intended on making an insulting, rambling speech, they did what they had to. ACCENT, the people responsible for bringing Kerry to the University of Florida, turned off his microphone. stating they cut it off because he used profanity, most likely the blowjob comment.

This isn't censorship, nor is it an infringement on ones rights. Freedom of speech certainly protects this guy from making a fool of himself by making degrading insulting remarks in front of a well known politician, but ACCENT and The University of Florida also have the right to remove the individual from their forum for being such a jackass in front of their guest, especially when the event was at an end. Every fall, fans at UF football games are removed from the stadium for being vulgar and unruly. This is exactly the same thing.

People make it seem like the police just went up to him and zapped him with the Taser for asking a legit question. Watch the videos carefully, as I have done. The guy was being a complete buffoon, and when the event sponsors decided he had embarrassed himself and the University enough in front of their guest, they asked him to leave. The police were simply doing their job when ACCENT made the decision to stop his ranting. He refused, shoved an officer who was escorting him out of the building (which is assault) then further resisted arrest. He was repeatedly asked to calm down and comply, and was warned of the consequences if he refused. He acted like a utter, belligerent fool, and was treated with appropriately. None of this would have happened had he asked his question like a mature adult. None of this would have happened if he would have sat down when the officers approached him, or quietly walked out of the venue. Freedom of Speech does not give him the right to act like a complete lunatic

I can truly feel for Andrew Meyer for having been on the receiving end of such a jolt from that Taser, but if he has followed the examples of those who had preceded him to the microphone, it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

And shame on John Kerry for not stopping this. Just a word and he could have helped avoid all of this.

It is a shame that so many people in this country refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.

Update:

Andrew Meyer at his arraignment. Police announced this morning they will release Andrew Meyer. Judge Mary Day Coker had ordered the student released on his own recognizance because he has no prior history and because he is a student. Meyer has promised to appear for all his court dates. His parents and other supporters were in the courtroom during the arraignment, but didn't talk. Students are protesting the treatment of Meyer by police and had scheduled a noon rally on campus.

Police are recommending charges of resisting arrest with violence, a felony, and disturbing the peace and interfering with school administrative functions, a misdemeanor, but prosecutors will make the call. Meantime, the University has said that it will review whether the officers used excessive force.

John Kerry issued a statement on Tuesday in which he stated that he regretted that a healthy discussion was interrupted and that he had never had a discourse end that way in 37 years of public appearances. He also said he hoped neither the student nor police officers was injured.

"I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but again I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention," the statement said.

Technorati tags: Andrew Meyer, Don't tase me, bro, Skull & Bones, blowjob, John Kerry, U of F, Taser, JargonTalk, Florida, journalism, forum, speech, WTF

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Comments (23)

	twisssssted: 09/18/2007 8:53 AM ....I'm not sure what you would of wanted John Kerry to do.....? The guy was obnoxious---didn't follow the rules... or even proper etiquette for that manner.... resisted the officers..... would he have stopped simply because Kerry said to do so? Maybe I misread.... not sure..... just can't figure out what he was supposed to do in this situation. T. ;-)
	taciturrn: 09/18/2007 9:02 AM This is absolutely insane. What caused this guy to act like a total madman?! That was terribly rude and childish of him. I don't know if the police should have gone as far as tasering him, but you're right, if he had simply complied with the officers like a civil human being, then none of it would have happened. Wow, and I find it rather embarrassing to me that John Kerry actually tried to keep on talking while all of this commotion was going on. I mean, I doubt that he could have stopped the whole mess entirely with just a word, but to continue on with his speech like that? Disgraceful is what I call it. I thought he knew better.
	laceylace: 09/18/2007 9:05 AM nods I definitely have a new hero.
	H.Ballad: 09/18/2007 9:05 AM People sadly, don't realise the origins of an escalating situation, so I guess a heated "Police brutality" debate has occured. He was told to shut up politely and nicely the begin with. If he had done so, followed the rules so then he may have just walked away. I'm not saying being tasered was the right thing for the police, but resisting arrest and shoving around like a bumbling idiot is going to get your ass arrested. He should have known when to stop...
	H.Ballad: 09/18/2007 9:06 AM p.s, on the tape, I'd like to point out, Meyer was formly told he was going to be tased if he didn't stop and calm down. He did get warning
	bizarreland: 09/18/2007 9:08 AM Wow John when I first started to read this I tought your opinion would have been completely different. I have been seeing this video all morning on the news at first I thought these cops are totally out of control [and yes I think they could have used a different way to subdue him] but after reading your description of the words that he used " It seems that he was egging them on, and truly staging something to be put on camera " I think he should be charged with Menacing and resisting arrest. Yes shame on John Kerry but I'm not sure he would have been able to do anything to stop him. This guy was just out to cause a scene and got a little more then he expected..........JJ : )
	twisssssted: 09/18/2007 11:35 AM kiastar67 said: I totally think the guy is an ass and insane but they did not need to Taser him. Just my opinion. I could be wrong fact wise but opinion wise it is how I feel now.Cops are trained to deal with people like him and there were enough to deal with him and his insanity without the volts.It is too dangerous and they are starting to use the Taser even on children. I do not like the idea of the cops being so casual in it's use. He needed to go down but the Taser was too much. Creeps like that ruin events and speakers coming next time for everyone. I hope he gets a felony charge! Nice reporting John! (as always) ....Actually I don't think the taser was too much.... he was warned.... and thankfully cops now have the use of tasers....and not just guns.
	ArtsySF ©: 09/18/2007 11:36 AM Thanks for keeping us up to date!
	leirdasim: 09/18/2007 12:06 PM O_O he was a fool, yeah, but the police intervention was excessive, from my point of view. He was being rude and childish, but that ain't a crime, just stupidity.I bet they could have found the way of escorting him out without handcuffing or tasing him......Even when he was resisting..... I don't like this world, at all.
	H.Ballad: 09/18/2007 12:14 PM leirdasim said: O_Ohe was a fool, yeah, but the police intervention was excessive, from my point of view. He was being rude and childish, but that ain't a crime, just stupidity.I bet they could have found the way of escorting him out without handcuffing or tasing him......Even when he was resisting.....I don't like this world, at all. Did you watch the video? The police was asked to escort him out of the building. The fact of the matter is he flipped out at that. He shoved around and went crazy, hollaring his words. The police were trying to escort him but he wasn't having any of it. He was pinned for arrest because of his behaivour and when that didnt work, he was tased. He was warned if he didnt calm down it would happen. He should have learnt when the fight was over. The police tried to move him out of there......
	catiag: 09/18/2007 12:40 PM well... I don't think Meyer's approach was the most intelligent one, but using a Taser was just too much, I believe.
	copgirl: 09/18/2007 1:09 PM Thanks for posting this. So often, people don't stop to think of things from our side. As I wasn't there, I can only comment on how I am trained. First off all, every Officer I know has to get tased to use one. So we understand what it's all about (and the second it stops, the pain is over...unlike the dreaded pepper spray or baton, which can last for hours!) From all of my training and experience, using a Taser on a person who is resisting arrest is the safest and quickest way to gain complaince and decrease possible injury to the arrestee and the Officers. Using pepper spray would not have been good in a crowded environment like that. Also, Officers are trained to understand the need to gain compliance quickly in situations like this, as letting this go on could increase the chances of things getting out of hand and total loss of control (ie. riot). Even 4 officers on 1 resisting individual can create the chance of injury again to both the arrestee and officers as well as innocent bystanders nearby. While people often think it's part of the job, nothing says I have to duke it out with my fists to arrest someone. I always want to be one up on a person. I have many tools available to gain complaince and the Taser causes the least amount of chance for any type of injury. Had they continued to struggle with him, others could have potentially gotten hurt. I try very hard not to second guess officers without having all the facts. Keep in mind, we often have to make these decisions in a matter of seconds, while the worlds has days and weeks to set back and ponder our choices. And yes, we also realize that everything we do has the chance to be on video. In my opinion (which means nothing really), these Officers acted appropriately.
	twisssssted: 09/18/2007 1:34 PM copgirl said: Thanks for posting this. So often, people don't stop to think of things from our side. As I wasn't there, I can only comment on how I am trained. First off all, every Officer I know has to get tased to use one. So we understand what it's all about (and the second it stops, the pain is over...unlike the dreaded pepper spray or baton, which can last for hours!) From all of my training and experience, using a Taser on a person who is resisting arrest is the safest and quickest way to gain complaince and decrease possible injury to the arrestee and the Officers. Using pepper spray would not have been good in a crowded environment like that. Also, Officers are trained to understand the need to gain compliance quickly in situations like this, as letting this go on could increase the chances of things getting out of hand and total loss of control (ie. riot). Even 4 officers on 1 resisting individual can create the chance of injury again to both the arrestee and officers as well as innocent bystanders nearby. While people often think it's part of the job, nothing says I have to duke it out with my fists to arrest someone. I always want to be one up on a person. I have many tools available to gain complaince and the Taser causes the least amount of chance for any type of injury. Had they continued to struggle with him, others could have potentially gotten hurt. I try very hard not to second guess officers without having all the facts. Keep in mind, we often have to make these decisions in a matter of seconds, while the worlds has days and weeks to set back and ponder our choices. And yes, we also realize that everything we do has the chance to be on video. In my opinion (which means nothing really), these Officers acted appropriately. Agreed! T. :-)
	counterculture from the underground: 09/18/2007 3:15 PM thanks for these details Lex. there is a weird power dynamic in that video ... it looks like Meyer is putting himself into a power struggle with the most powerful person in the room, Kerry ... & that's not the act of a powerless victim. Meyer is trying to put on a show with himself as the victim, but up until the tasering, he is in complete control of the situation. his behaviour puts me in mind of a two-year-old - too self-absorbed to really understand what's going on, but able to draw the attention of everyone in the room. guys like that annoy the hell out of me. they are expert at making everyone around them complicit in their little games. now the campus police are gonna take crap for doing their jobs, the other people in the auditorium are gonna be called apathetic for not putting themselves at risk for him, and it may go down as a mark against Kerry's record. just so some dork with an agenda can throw a tantrum. it belittles the struggle of people who really are subjected to police brutality/police state tactics. what would Jane Elliot have to say I wonder?
	counterculture from the underground: 09/18/2007 3:24 PM & the saga continues here.
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