She told the sergeant she spoke to that the family believed the officers had conducted an illegal search and that they were considering filing a complaint. The young man lived, and Matt was justified, the grand jury found, but even then, it made him extremely uncomfortable. Bryce refused. But Taser International has latched onto the diagnosis as a way to explain many deaths that occur after someone has been shocked with a Taser. _____________________________________________________________. While he was able to finish high school, he didnt have the motor skills for sports anymore, and his diminished ability to think critically made college unlikely. Stacy had put herself in the shoes of Runnelss family. Long ago history and recent events informmy opinion. His mom and dad held his hand. The permanent injury he struggles with every day came as a result of the Taser. Then click "Follow," which will make all STDD diariesappear in "My Stream" of your Daily Kos page. Stacy and Matt cried as Bryce fought. He would sleep for a bit, forget again, then look in the mirror. Finally, he was clear, and the room celebrated. Riveting article. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, Just shoot them with the Taser, and its over and done with.. Bryce denied he was going anywhere near that fast. Former Deputy Chief James Tolberttestifiedthat Sanford drew the crime scene of the home for him on a blank piece of paper during his investigation, and the picture included the locations where the bodies were found. He sat on the witness stand and addressed the room, detailing what Runnels took from him. Please Join us. Matt also had to endure half a dozen funny Taser videos between slides. But there was no charge for the initial Taser deployment. The agents would confirm only that there was a dashcam video of the incident. A full 23 seconds after Runnels pulled the trigger on the X26 Taser, he let it go and handcuffed Bryce. The video above shows Runnels approaching a pulled-over vehicle being driven by Bryce Masters, then 17, who was on his way to play video games with a friend. He knows there are manydeserving cases, especially involving minority victims, that never see the inside of a courtroom. Over the past couple weeks, we havetried to showthat the plague of police brutality is not only an existential threatto Black and Brown Americansbut that under a culture of Comply or Die coupled with aggressive over-policing, nobody is safe. Get your ass out of the car, he said. Matt wondered: If Dr. Augustin was right, and the Taser caused Bryces cardiac arrest, why hadnt he known about the risks? Then hell get depressed at the idea that he needs to be reminded about something that just happened. Timothy Runnels, a 32-year-old former Independence, Missouri, police officer, sat at a large, rectangular defense table inside Courtroom 8B at the Charles Evans Whittaker Federal Courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, late last month. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark argued that the length of time that Runnels held down the Tasers trigger was an aggravating factor. If Runnels was trained when he was hired in 2007, unless he was adequately re-certified with updated information about the risks of cardiac arrest, it was likely he and Matt had the same false understanding of the weapon they both carried. I didnt need training to know that what he was doing was very, very wrong. Why dont you just leave me the fuck alone?. Since smell is subjective, and difficult to prove, officers can use marijuana odor broadly to justify probable cause, Matt said. Miami Trace High School recently released the second nine weeks honor roll and honorable mention. Talk to a staff member. The NAACP forwarded our bill to members of Congress, and we distributed it to members of the Congressional Black Caucus and other progressive members of Congress. According to the company, the preferred target area was changing for reasons that had more to do with the ineffectiveness of chest shots than any danger associated with them. He had to have done something.. He read a study by Patrick J. Tchou, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Copyright 2023 Warning: This video contains graphic scenes of police violence. This is a community diary. Single tears began to run down his face, but his pain was a good sign. Bryce dealt with the perception that he was somehow to blame on a daily basis. He found himself doing things out of character, like punching holes in the drywall at his parents house when he became frustrated. I have to admit that I teared up at the part about minority victims, that never see the inside of a courtroom. Eric Garner was killed right in front of our eyes and yet no one was held responsible. Hes not breathing.Matt hung up and hit the gas. This content was created by a Daily Kos Community member. Matt is a 19-year veteran of the Kansas City Police Department with a slew of warrior-cop credentials. Cops do fuck up. A screen grab from a bystander video of Bryce Masters lying on the ground after being tased by Officer Timothy Runnels, Sept. 14, 2014. If no positive reviews are shown, then no reviews are currently on file. Tears began to form in both his parents eyes, anticipating what everyone else in the room was about to see. Matt called the FBI agents he met on Monday. I get a lot of sympathy from my black cop friends, like, this is what weve been saying about cops for a long, long time. The video shook the convictions he had always held about law enforcement officers. Runnels said that 400 to 500 workers came in Monday to finish restoring power to the some 400 customers who were still without power Monday after the storm had initially knocked out electric . They stared at Bryce as the reality that he might die washed over them. Keeping these facts in mind, Matt thought back to his training, and Bryces case. The video opened with a shot from the dashcam of Runnelss cruiser, the road rolling by, trees and sidewalks passing on both sides. Then he pulled him out of the car, handcuffed him, and drug him around the car. ', , that never see the inside of a courtroom, What's a cop to do when his son is beaten bloody by another cop? 716. You can receive all future diariesof Support the Dream Defenders in your Daily KosStreamby clickinghere. But his anxiety those first few months made such issues much more debilitating. A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. A rare instance when a cop actually went to jail for excessive force. The court found that the law surrounding the officers use of force was not clearly established. You need to get up here.. He was incredulous. And so many times thats just like an insert quote here in your report because thats going to cover your ass., Matt saw the phrasing and knew Runnels was looking for ways to justify both the stop and the attempted arrest. NINTH GRADE HONOR ROLL: Darren Abel, Elliott Anthony, Macy Aparicio, Carter Bainter, Caleb Bennett, Peyton Black, Zachary Bolen, Jesse Bryant, Courtney Carter, Cameron Casto, Jacob Cline, Broghan Cooper, Jordan Cordell, Meghan Cory, Audrey Craig, Jake Daniels, Makenna Davis, Jadyn Dawson, [] How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? All he had was the instinct that, as the son of a cop himself, he would have made sure to be respectful. He no longer had the ability to adequately control feelings of anger, frustration, depression, and anxiety. 1. Matt arrived at the hospital and went straight to the intensive care unit. It is my considered opinion that had this been a black Bryce, hewould be dead right now. During the third week of March in 2015, Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark informed the Masters that Runnels was going to face a grand jury. Bryce Masters in a coma at Centerpoint Medical Center, Independence, Missouri, Sept. 16, 2014. Another officer put his head inside Bryces car and said, It stinks bad in there like marijuana. One robbery happens every 15 minutes. A former Independence police officer who injured a teen driver during a 2014 traffic stop was sentenced Wednesday to four years in federal prison. Matt had been there before, a guy laughing in the room at the helpless contortions of Taser victims. The victim, Bryce Masters, sued Runnels in 2016 for violating his civil rights. First, according to Bryce, he and a friend named Curtis Martes were searched by two Independence officers, Travis Gillihan and Timothy Runnels. When Matt went back to work, he was eager to discuss the Taser with his colleagues. The conversation was still fresh in Bryces mind on September 14 when Officer Runnels pulled him over. It was so unnatural.Bryce was unconscious, and no one was telling Stacy he was going to be OK. Shecalled Matt. Independence Missouri Police Officer Timothy Runnels thought he had a warrant on his hands. Runnels may have been a bad cop, but if he hadnt been given a device that Taser International had assured him was extremely unlikely to kill, then he might not have been tempted to shock a teenager who simply wanted to know why he was being arrested. A friend at the Independence police station called Matt to tell him his son had just been arrested. This case was filed in U.S. Courts Of Appeals, U.S. Court Of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. After going for so long without oxygen, at least some brain damage was inevitable. Its a miracle hes alive.. He didnt understand why we wanted to go so early, and he threw a fit, Matt said. As part of his guilty plea, Runnels admitted that, while he . I knew, in my heart, that I didnt do anything wrong to him, he said. He wasnt just alive he was demonstrating awareness. It was clear he had vomited. I get a lot of sympathy from my black cop friends, like, this is what weve been saying about cops for a long, long time.'. We hope that todays sentence will allow Bryce to begin to focus on his future. A measure of justice for Bryce. While Taser International has updated its material to mention potential cardiac risks (as well as several other ways the weapons can cause injury or death), Matt sees that as mere fine print that neither the company nor many officers take seriously. Some of Bryces memories are made and erased overnight, and sometimes more frequently. First responders revived him, but he suffered hypoxia or oxygen deficiency to the brain. Timothy Runnels, et al Case Summary On 06/17/2019 Bryce Masters filed a Civil Right - Other Civil Right lawsuit against Timothy Runnels ,. Taser International Inc. headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hes going to prison. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). I get a lot of sympathy from my black cop friends, like, this is what weve been saying about cops for a long, long time.'. The Department of Justice included parts of our law in their reports on Ferguson, Missouri, in 2015. Matt found it hard to believe the federal government, given the vague guidelines established for proper Taser use, and the broad authority officers had to use force, could make a charge stick. We saw as the officers dragged Freddie into the paddywagon,but yet no one will be held responsible for his death. Matt imagined the stop every day. Runnels improper use of the Taser caused Bryce's heart to stop for eight minutes. interacts online and researches product purchases Everyone was at a loss, not just over the gravity of Bryces medical distress, but over what had sparked the use of force to begin with. Timothy Runnels Bryce Masters v. Timothy Runnels, No. When the loud thud of the drop boomed throughout the courtroom, gasps echoed out. Lexipol. Bryce tried to appreciate the moment, but he wasnt nave. "Today the jury sent a clear message to law enforcement that excessive force will . The 17-year-old went into a coma after what started as a traffic stop ended with Runnels using his Taser for 20 seconds, four times longer than officers are supposed to keep the electricity running. He retired as a reporter in December 2022 after a 37-year journalism career. Consider what the world of media would look like without The Intercept. When you cross that line, there are going to be consequences and they are going to be severe, he told the judge last week. Matt, Stacy, and Bryce all said that the harassment has become worse. Runnels says, Youre under arrest. "These outages are minimal compared to what we saw today," Runnels said . He said hed once been funny and quick-witted, and could fit in with lots of different groups. Finally, she asked one of the nurses. It goes back to the way he was trained. We didnt think death, Matt remembered. Sentencing was not in place, but Runnels had agreed to plead guilty to one of the four charges, violating the constitutional rights of a minor. They argue the doctrine has been a major obstacle to police accountability. And, when they do, theres someone on the receiving end of that., In his sons case, an officer is paying for his bad decision. You could see blood coming out of his mouth. Any positive reviews previously submitted about Dr. Timothy D Runnels, DC will appear here. Select this result to view Timothy Glynn Runnels's phone number, address, and more. But it was a crime scene at that point, with several officers there and yellow tape stretched to cordon off the section of property where the interaction had played out. The hearing lasted no more than 30minutes. Timothy Alan Runnels October 5, 1963 - June 13, 2022 (58 years old) Terre Haute, Indiana Give a memorial tree Plant a tree Light a candle Illuminate their memory Timothy Alan Runnels Obituary We are sad to announce that on June 13, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Timothy Alan Runnels of Terre Haute, Indiana. After excessively tazing a fellow cops underage son during a traffic stop and slamming the handcuffed teen face-first onto the street, an overzealous officer was recently sentenced to four years in prison for violating the minors civil rights. While we are pleased that Mr. Runnels was held accountable for his actions, no one really wins in this scenario. Outraged, Stacy called the station and demanded to speak to the officers involved. In the video you see Runnels opening the driver's door telling Masters to get out. Of all those involved in this case, I was most interested in the reaction of Bryces dad who is himself a cop. Request a quote for the most accurate & reliable non-lethal training, DragonEye Tech: Leaders in LIDAR Speed Measurement, The teenage driver went into cardiac arrest after the officer used and ECD on him when he refused to comply. Runnels didnt answer. Matt was furious. It was clear this was not a random stop; Runnels knew exactly who Bryce was. 71. . Timothy Runnels, 32, previously pleaded guilty. The incident happened in September of 2014 when former Independence, Missouri, police officer Timothy Runnels, 32, pulled over Bryce Masters, which an investigation determined was without cause. Runnels told him to get up. Post-trial, Runnels argued that he was entitled to qualified immunity the legal doctrine that shields government officials from liability for conduct that does not violate clearly established law. Yeah, I kind of do, he concluded. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS The Taser did this. All rights reserved. This case was filed in U.S. Courts Of Appeals, U.S. Court Of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. The next eight weeks were crucial to his recovery; doctors advised the Masters that Bryce would make his most significant gains in the first couple months after his injury. But the wounds Bryce suffered from that part of the assault have largely healed. Officer Timothy Runnels stopped Bryce Masters, 17, in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, on Sept. 14, 2014 because Masters was . Government officials enjoy broad protection against federal lawsuits, but a federal appeals court last week refused to extend it to an Independence police officer who was tagged with a $6.5 million jury verdict in a police brutality case. Be careful shooting fleeing suspects. Police officers are not above the law and will be held accountable when they violate the civil rights of the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve.. Dan Margolies has been a reporter for the Kansas City Business Journal, The Kansas City Star, and KCUR Public Radio. By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Set up meetings. Copyright 2023 Evidence at the hearing revealed that as a result of the tasing, the minor went into cardiac arrest and became unresponsive. True, Black and Native Americans areat least 21 times moreat risk to be shot and killed by overzealous Law Enforcement Officers, but white people are at risk, too. 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