Friday
Sep102004
Black Minister Searched and Tasered by Police
Friday, September 10, 2004 at 06:24PM 
The Rev. Gregg Wilson admitted that he did not cooperate with officers last week, but he said the incident should never have happened. The incident began with Kansas City police searching for a black man wearing a light shirt and dark pants. "I didn't cooperate because there was no explanation given to search me," Wilson said. Wilson was about to take some kids to a ballgame when police officers pulled up. "At the time, when I greeted him, I said, 'Hi, what's going on?' At that time, the officer just started trying to pat me down," Wilson said. Weinbaum reported that officers were responding to a report of a weapon in the area and from there it all fell apart. "I yanked away from him. The other officer came and said, 'Put your hands on the car.' I crossed my arms," Wilson said. That is when the Taser gun came out and that is when Wilson said he ran. "I am partly responsible. I accept my responsibility for running and everything. I am partly responsible," Wilson said. But he claims the responsibility ultimately lay with the officers for immediately laying hands on him without an explanation. "I work in the community. I try to help these kids stay out of trouble, and you walk up and approach me, not knowing who I am and you treat me like I'm already a hardened criminal?" Wilson said. [more
]
Reader Comments (2)
It's always been my understanding that "police brutality" is the unnecessary and/or unlawful use of force against a person by govt law enforcement officials.
That is certainly not the case here!
The good Rev claimed he didn't cooperate with the police because he wasn't given an explanation for their search upon him.
He didn't claim he was not convinced that the people attempting to search him were not in fact legitimate law officers.
He didn't claim that their initial use of force against him was so excessive that it demanded the response he submitted.
No, basically he admitted that he didn't cooperate because the officer's didn't allow him to dictate or control what was transpiring during the incident.
HELLO ???
Sorry folks, but that's what cops are supposed to do during situations like this.
When a police officer is attempting to determine if a subject is armed or not, courtesy always takes a back seat to safety.
I hate to say it, but once again I find myself reading about an African-American who is responsible for the escalation of the force brought against him by cops who are just trying to do their jobs.