TX - Police Taser Councilman Jonathan Miller, Prairie View, 8 Oct 2015

[katydid23]

I have noticed that very few people have commented on the body cam video. People were clamoring for it yet now, silence. Any thoughts on the bodycam video?

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Not so sure about that. He could be a "local hero" among his peers (and constituency) because of this.

That could be why he did what he did.

I'm hoping that's not the case.

 

[nothingnew]

I don't know the background of any of the players,except for having seen the female cop in action in the past. From what I can see he was intent on finding out why LE were on his property and seeing what was going on with his guests. He also was trying to convey to LE that he lived on the property and the men were his guests. I think that is reasonable behavior.

There's local police dispatch that you can call on the phone and ask questions or file your own report, etc. That's is what reasonable folks would hopefully know to do. You don't interfere with an officer on the street with your opinions and questions. It's interference and incredibly annoying. Ignorance is no excuse from the law.

 

[kimlynn]

Do you have a link to a video showing that? I watched the one video linked here and I don't see what you describe.

http://www.khou.com/story/news/loca...prairie-view-councilman-being-tased/73760818/

This is a link previously posted by another poster. If you look at the tree trunk you can see that Miller is up against it compared to where he was when the officer requested he move away. He has moved back,but it doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy the officer even though Miller is standing quietly and not moving or speaking.
IMO

 

[Woodland]

Hopefully Mr Miller has learned a lesson and will grow as a person from this experience.

His friends were not in a situation where immediate action by him was necessary. JMO

I might be persuaded to think that in the end - the end isn't here yet though.

 

[kimlynn]

There's local police dispatch that you can call on the phone and ask questions or file your own report, etc. That's is what reasonable folks would hopefully know to do. You don't interfere with an officer on the street with your opinions and questions. It's interference and incredibly annoying. Ignorance is no excuse from the law.

Sadly I think trying to be reasonable is what got him into trouble. Most would think if you took the time to explain to LE (and they knew who he was) that the people they were questioning were your guests, and that you reside at the home in which the incident took place that they would understand that there hasn't been a crime and move on. IMO

 

[kimlynn]

There's local police dispatch that you can call on the phone and ask questions or file your own report, etc. That's is what reasonable folks would hopefully know to do. You don't interfere with an officer on the street with your opinions and questions. It's interference and incredibly annoying. Ignorance is no excuse from the law.

But is that call to taser a man that is down on his knees and facing away from the officers. IMO..no.

 

[Woodland]

There's local police dispatch that you can call on the phone and ask questions or file your own report, etc. That's is what reasonable folks would hopefully know to do. You don't interfere with an officer on the street with your opinions and questions. It's interference and incredibly annoying. Ignorance is no excuse from the law.

I doubt that without back up. Jmo.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

http://www.khou.com/story/news/loca...prairie-view-councilman-being-tased/73760818/

This is a link previously posted by another poster. If you look at the tree trunk you can see that Miller is up against it compared to where he was when the officer requested he move away. He has moved back,but it doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy the officer even though Miller is standing quietly and not moving or speaking.
IMO

I've watched that video and it's clear to me that Miller only moved a few steps away and the officer wanted him to be further away from the people being question.

The few steps that Miller took would not be far enough away for him to not verbally interfere with the officers questioning the suspects in my opinion.

 

[katydid23]

Sadly I think trying to be reasonable is what got him into trouble. Most would think if you took the time to explain to LE (and they knew who he was) that the people they were questioning were your guests, and that you reside at the home in which the incident took place that they would understand that there hasn't been a crime and move on. IMO

The councilman didnt give the cops a chance to do that. He was asked several times to step away and he refused. He took a few steps back, then then took one or two forward towards the male cop. The cop said " i have asked you already to step back, if u dont I will arrest you' --and he still did not step back.


There were two cops and 5 young men. The cops did not want to be outnumbered like that. All the guy needed to do was step back and give the cops some room/ The cops would have figured out the guys were not doing anything wrong and let them go on their way.

 

[Woodland]

All I can see at the moment is, we have no idea why LE was there at the time the guests were leaving or why the 'needed' to be questioned. Coincidence or planned? We don't know.

Anyone got a link yet as to why this went down in the first place?

 

[katydid23]

But is that call to taser a man that is down on his knees and facing away from the officers. IMO..no.

I think that was a questionable call. But then again, the councilman was not putting his hands behind his back. The cop did not want to get into a tussle because he and the female cop were outnumbered.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

The councilman didnt give the cops a chance to do that. He was asked several times to step away and he refused. He took a few steps back, then then took one or two forward towards the male cop. The cop said " i have asked you already to step back, if u dont I will arrest you' --and he still did not step back.


There were two cops and 5 young men. The cops did not want to be outnumbered like that. All the guy needed to do was step back and give the cops some room/ The cops would have figured out the guys were not doing anything wrong and let them go on their way.

You make some excellent points.

These cops have to worry about their own safety. If someone is not complying with their commands to back off it makes them wonder why.

JMO

 

[sonjay]

In the body cam video it is clear that the councilman came out to the street and interfered. The male officer asked him a few times to 'go back' and step away from the investigation. He did not do so. He was given a verbal warning twice. And again, did not heed the warning.

It would have been SOOOOOOOOO easy for him to have not gotten tased. All he had to do was refrain from interfering with the police doing their jobs.

He's a councilman, for heaven's sake. He should know there's plenty of opportunity later to challenge LE actions through legal channels if he thought they were harassing his friends. No excuses here. He was just looking for trouble, and he found it.

 

[kimlynn]

I've watched that video and it's clear to me that Miller only moved a few steps away and the officer wanted him to be further away from the people being question.

The few steps that Miller took would not be far enough away for him to not verbally interfere with the officers questioning the suspects in my opinion.

It may have looked that way because according to the reporter the cop followed behind him as he moved away. At any rate it appeared to me that it was more than a few steps away,but we all see things differently. I used the tree as a guide to how far away he moved.
In that video he isn't saying anything after he moved away so I have to wonder if this cop was using his badge as a power play.
Keeping in mind that he seemed to have a former grudge or opinion of Miller. IMO

 

[Elley Mae]

All I can see at the moment is, we have no idea why LE was there at the time the guests were leaving or why the 'needed' to be questioned. Coincidence or planned? We don't know.

Anyone got a link yet as to why this went down in the first place?

It appears to be a routine check on an area that has been plagued w/ problems in the past.

It started when Officer Goodie pulled up to question three of Miller's fraternity brothers, who had come out of his house to practice a step routine for Homecoming. They were standing by one of their cars changing their shoes when she arrived.

"There's been drug activity, little girls and little guys in the car doing whatever, so when we see this, we come investigate," Officer Goodie says on the tape.

http://www.khou.com/story/news/loca...prairie-view-councilman-being-tased/73760818/

bbm, it is a known problem area, maybe as a councilmen he should move to a nicer location if this area is known to be a problem area.

 

[Woodland]

You make some excellent points.

These cops have to worry about their own safety. If someone is not complying with their commands to back off it makes them wonder why.

JMO

I would agree with that if I knew why they were there at that particular moment. Can't wait for the answer from a reliable source.

 

[kimlynn]

I think that was a questionable call. But then again, the councilman was not putting his hands behind his back. The cop did not want to get into a tussle because he and the female cop were outnumbered.

Three cops to one man that was down on his knees and facing away from them. Not a threat. IMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

It would have been SOOOOOOOOO easy for him to have not gotten tased. All he had to do was refrain from interfering with the police doing their jobs.

He's a councilman, for heaven's sake. He should know there's plenty of opportunity later to challenge LE actions through legal channels if he thought they were harassing his friends. No excuses here. He was just looking for trouble, and he found it.

I thought that him being a councilman would mean something but I think that his young age may be a bigger factor.

I think he let his emotions guide his actions instead of his intellect.

JMO

 

[al66pine]

Exactly, it's a two way street. The police have an obligation to cooperate with citizens and answer certain questions. Such as, .... What are you doing on my property?

^ sbm bbm rbm. Without re-watching vids,* IDK if Miller actually asked question ^ way. Azz-ume for a moment -
- Miller said ^.
- LEO said, We're questioning these three (four?) men.
- Councilman said: I want to know what's going on. (my paraphrasing)
- LEO said: Go stand over here.

At this point (afaik*):
Miller did not go stand over there; he did not say, You are trespassing, so get off my property. Instead seems, imo, Miller wanted to ask more questions of LEOs & comment about these three (four?) men.

Seems imo from that point forward, Miller's ^ actions may have interfered w official LEO duties.*

ETA: ^ after multiple requests for Miller to stand over there, he did not. Ditto, warnings about taking him to jail.


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* Doubt if I've seen all avail vids and most def haven't seen LE reports, so I still have my hand on fence.