The video below is from Tuscaloosa, Ala., and went viral over the weekend. According to the Crimson White, the officer was responding to a complaint about loud music. We obviously don’t see the events leading up to where the video begins, but note that the officer initiates the violence and that he refuses to answer the apartment occupants’ questions about whether they’re being arrested or detained. At one point, he says he’s going to arrest man who is in the apartment, but won’t say why. Then the beatings begin.
Video from last night of the Tuscaloosa Police aggressively arresting 2 guys outside their apartment. Very intense. pic.twitter.com/RI50UFu1ta
— Pete Pajor (@petepajor) November 8, 2015
This video shows a man getting Tased, despite little evidence that he’s even resisting arrest, much less presenting a threat to the officers. Again, we don’t see what happened in the seconds before the video begins, but by the time he’s shocked, he certainly seems to be complying.
Is this legal? This happened in Tuscaloosa over a noise complaint. Make this go viral pic.twitter.com/sb7UG34sPa
— Kellen Kling (@kelloggskling) November 9, 2015
I’ve seen some online comments and Twitter reactions derisively referring to the students in the video as “student lawyers” or “wannabe lawyers,” and, “If you just do what the cops say, you don’t have to worry about getting Tased.”
Legally, this is nonsense. You’re under no obligation to obey a cop’s orders if they’re unlawful, and you’re under no obligation to let a cop into your home if he has no legal right to enter. And even if you find these students to be complete jerks, there’s no law that allows cops to beat or shock you because they don’t like your attitude.
Practically, it’s a different story. As we’ve discussed here before, among some law enforcement officers, there’s nothing more infuriating than you stating your rights or using language that indicates you’re aware of your rights when interacting with them. And most of the time, there’s very little you can do after the fact once your rights have been violated.
I suspect that this case might be different. So far, the only criminal charges to be filed appear to be related to the violence initiated by the police officer. The incident was captured with multiple cellphone cameras. (Incredibly, the cop had to have been aware of the fact that he was being recorded, yet escalated anyway.) These are white college students, presumably from families with some social and political clout. No, that shouldn’t make a difference. But yes, when it comes to accountability, it definitely makes a difference.
Both the City of Tuscaloosa and the Tuscaloosa Police Department have said that the incident is under investigation.