The Feds are here. Are you next?

Here's some news that should scare the living bejesus out of innumerable taser wielding Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers...


The Press-Enterprise (6 April 2010) - Two Desert Hot Springs police officers were federally indicted today on charges that they used a Taser on inmates who were handcuffed. Desert Hot Springs Sgt. Anthony Sclafani, 40, and former Officer David Raymond Henderson, 51, are scheduled to appear in Los Angeles federal court after being indicted by a grand jury, according to the U.S. attorney's office following an FBI investigation.

Sclafani is charged with two counts of deprivation of rights under the color of law on charges that he used a X26 Taser to stun suspects twice in February 2005. In one case, a man was stunned while handcuffed, court documents allege. In a second incident, a woman was doused with pepper spray and Tasered after being taken into custody, according to court documents.

Henderson is charged with using a Taser on a handcuffed suspect in 2004.

Each charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. [LINK]  via [TNT]

See also LA Times [LINK].


I wonder if word of this will spread like wildfire through the Law Enforcement and Corrections community?

I wonder what percentage of professionals will suddenly realize that they've done worse over the past few years? Perhaps MUCH worse...

Note that these alleged offenses occurred in 2004 and 2005. Five or six years ago. The Feds are probably combing through the files seeing if any other such incidents occurred since then. It may take them years to finish up this investigation into this massive and systematic violation of rights that stems from the lies of stungun salesmen and the clearly-defective training.

I strongly suggest that those folks might want to stock up on sleeping pills. They'll be needing them as they lay awake at 3:00am tonight struggling to remember all those time that they tasered arrestees or inmates already handcuffed (or similar).

Lights will be burning late tonight at The Church of Taser.