No evidence of officer wrongdoing in "taser threatening" incident
Posted by: Jon Ben-Mayor on 08/20/2013 10:49 AM
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You might recall the story of the Indiana youth pastor/firefighter who filed an official complaint after he was stopped and threatened with a taser by Evansville police for waving at them. Well it would seem that the officer's actions were okay according to the, might I add very quick, internal affairs investigation.
According to the Courier Press, the investigation has found no evidence of an officer who pointed a stun gun at a bicyclist and handcuffed him on the ground during a traffic stop last week violated any police department rules or regulations.
The bicyclist, Evansville Firefighter George Madison Jr., had filed a complaint against Officer Jason Clegg after the stop Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 13, on South Weinbach Avenue.
Madison, who is also a youth pastor at Memorial Baptist Church, said he was stopped after he waved to two Evansville police officers when they turned in front of him at the intersection of Weinbach Avenue and Riverside Drive. Madison acknowledged he did not stop at the intersection, which is a four-way stop.
Police Sgt. Jason Cullum said during a news conference Monday afternoon that in his complaint Madison had said he felt that he was stopped on Aug. 13 only because of an arm gesture he made toward officers. In his complaint, Madison told department investigators he felt Clegg was angry and aggressive, that Clegg said unprofessional things and that he felt intimidated by the officer, Cullum said.
During the traffic stop, Madison reportedly attempted to call Police Chief Billy Bolin on his cellphone.
In response to the findings of the internal investigation, Madison said Monday afternoon, “I need time to pray and to think about this because I want to handle this the right way.”
Madison told the Courier & Press last week he did not feel the stop was racially motivated.
Madison was not cited during the traffic stop.
According to the Courier Press, the investigation has found no evidence of an officer who pointed a stun gun at a bicyclist and handcuffed him on the ground during a traffic stop last week violated any police department rules or regulations.The bicyclist, Evansville Firefighter George Madison Jr., had filed a complaint against Officer Jason Clegg after the stop Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 13, on South Weinbach Avenue.
Madison, who is also a youth pastor at Memorial Baptist Church, said he was stopped after he waved to two Evansville police officers when they turned in front of him at the intersection of Weinbach Avenue and Riverside Drive. Madison acknowledged he did not stop at the intersection, which is a four-way stop.
Police Sgt. Jason Cullum said during a news conference Monday afternoon that in his complaint Madison had said he felt that he was stopped on Aug. 13 only because of an arm gesture he made toward officers. In his complaint, Madison told department investigators he felt Clegg was angry and aggressive, that Clegg said unprofessional things and that he felt intimidated by the officer, Cullum said.
During the traffic stop, Madison reportedly attempted to call Police Chief Billy Bolin on his cellphone.
In response to the findings of the internal investigation, Madison said Monday afternoon, “I need time to pray and to think about this because I want to handle this the right way.”
Madison told the Courier & Press last week he did not feel the stop was racially motivated.
Madison was not cited during the traffic stop.
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