72-Year-Old Woman Tasered: Kathryn Winkfein Tased By Texas Police

This was such a dreadful incident, given the obvious size difference between that big and burly policeman and Mrs. Winkfein...

Come on, tasing is supposed to be used for subduing violent situations , and does a 72 year old frail women present such a serious threat to the much larger stronger office that he has to resort to using it? On a violent , drunk, drugged up younger person maybe but on an elderly person that could have had a stroke or heart attck it should not have been used. He seems to be a bully.

As an "old school" Texas law enforcement officer with over 20 years experience in the field I found the video to be very uncomfortable to watch. I started out in law enforcement back in the early 80's when all we had were batons. In the 90's police officer's switched to using ASP's (we all know how those can be employed if you are familiar with LAPD and Rodney King) and as technology advanced, the taser was issued. I was always taught growing up that you were to be respectful to law enforcement officers, but my parents also taught me to be respectful to my elders as well. Yes, if you refuse to sign a speeding ticket a law enforcement officer has the obligation and duty to place you under arrest, but he also has all the pertinent information on the ticket to have an arrest warrant issued for you if you fail to appear in court. It used to be that 80% of law enforcement work involved public relations, some of us out there have forgotten that. I feel it could have been handled another way by both parties involved. We should all never forget to live by The Golden Rule.

Thanks for this, John. I'm at a loss for words after watching the video.

would the outcome be different if the person was 12, 27,37?  I would hope so,  you don't talk to a three year old the same as a 12 year old. And you sure as hell don't talk to a 27 year old the same as a 72 year old. Who cares if she was speeding she deserves a little bit of respect, so she's giving the officer attitude....who hasn't.. He should know better, ignor the tude give her the ticket and send her on her way.

Instead he treats her like shes about to takle him....man handles her...give me a break..

Definately  needing anger management....maybe even a hug.....don't think I'd want to get to close to him though....I might get tasered!

Congratulations, Jon! I linked your article to Care2 News and it made front page yesterday. It was front page all day today and engendered much lively debate.  Please take a look when you get time.  You know how powerful the Taser industry is.  I believe it came off front page immediately when I wrote a comment and mentioned the new terms that are substituted for death-by-taser:  "Excited Delirium" and "Sudden Death After Arrest Syndrome."  Those are highly valued terms used to help Taser manufacturers save themselves in lawsuits, so whenver you write an article on Tasers, it is best not to use those terms if you want high visibility.  They represent money saved to the "non-lethal weapon" crowd.  Amnesty International reports that 355 people have died after Tasering since 2001.  I believe the number is actually higher, but you may already know that some medical examiners have been ORDERED to delete Taser references from their reports on the corpses that are still piling up from Taser use by police officers in America and abroad. 

Enjoy reading the comments at the second link below!

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News: 72-Year-Old Woman Tasered: by TX Police on VIDEO

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I watched the video on the news and it does not show the type of disobedience or resistance that is described in the Austin newspaper that is being alleged by the police officer involved.

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In any case this woman in the video appeared to be elderly and not very stable and even if she swore at him that is not reason to take the chance of tasing her at her age and with her obvious agility issues.

No wonder people do not like the Cops.

Some good people do not understand that many aging senior citizens are on medications which can make them a bit "off the mark" in diplomacy and reasoning.
I do think the officer provoked her further with his actions.  Yelling at her, could cause disorientation and ignited her defensive posturing and combative actions.
The effects of a jolt of electric shock from a taser on an aged citizen can leave damage and accelerate mental denentia.  In reality, she may not have remembered her actions, due to the adrenalin rush of her fear and anger along with the effect of the taser.
The shoving was a real concern to watch, due to one wrong mis-step and she could have been left with broken bones. Older women may have extremely brittle bones. Is a war of words worth this happening?
Surely a bit more of professional and common kindness could have made a total different outcome in this altercation.
This is a very sad example of lack of training in a position of authority.

~Peace~

This old woman is a heroine. She just didn't want this police treat her as a delincuent, or as Bob Taylor said, property of the state. 

This police is not profesional, that's for sure, they where thousands of better ways to manage that situation. If there is some justice in this country this cop should be on jail for several years or at least do social working in a geriatric, so he will learn how to respect old people.

I'm glad that all comments are defending the true... except mike jones...

@Mike Jones: Yes, just because she is old, she deserves respect, only because that, is a shame that this basic principle is forgotten in this society, ( i'm not old, i'm 28 now ) and remember that many younger people had died by heart attack due this kind of weapons, is a miracle that this woman stay a live to keep fighting.

"the academy"...get off your high horse. the "academy" is for a bunch of previous bullies looking to institutionalize their aggression. if you need to taser a 72 year old, man or woman, you need to put in some time in the weight room.

There was no reason for such disrespectful and harsh treatment of that poor woman.  That "officer" clearly abused his "powers"...and should be disciplined....lucky the lady didn't have a heartattack when he tasered her....outrages!  Take him off duty before he hurts someone....he needs anger-management AND better people skills....

This policeman is a bully and should be removed permanently from the force. There is absolutely no reason for a policeman to take anyone who has no prior record to the stationhouse for a speeding violation.  Absolutely none.  I would imagine it was a warm day in Texas and this officer was looking for a way to get in by the air conditioning and the soda machine rather than being out in a warm police car and sitting for hours.  Further, how many decades younger and pounds heavier was this bully officer than the elderly 72 year old woman who was alone, without witnesses or protector  when the bully made his move? I rather doubt that this bully would have harassed and tasered the woman had she not been alone.  Why isn't the police force out really protecting the public safety by getting the drugges, alcoholics, menaces using their cell phones while driving, rounding up illegal aliens, rounding up real criminals instead of this garbage?  Because it is not about safety at all but an easy mark and dollars in fines to keep the bad system paid for and up and running. 

I cant believe some of the comments here, some of you idiot people think that the officer did his job by using a taser on a grandmother. Where is that ok in any rational line of thinking. A no good out of shape cop saw it necessary to taser a LADY over the age 70. He represents the good ole U.S. We need good representation in every aspect of functioning in this country. I call on every hiring entity in this country to dare to hire rational thinking , educated, fair, in shape, respectful and descent people to help represent this country in a good  and professional manner. No more getting your brother, cousin, sister, father, uncle, friends etc. a job, because this video is what you get. As for the cop, suppose a fellow officer taser your mother. "Now do you get it".

Since when an officer has to arrest you if you resign to sign anything?? Nobody can force you to sign anything you don't want... we have rights... From your point of view, it seems like we are living in a 70' latinamerican dictatorship, are we?? He was trying to arrest her, thats right, but for no reason... he should just left her go, and put her a ticket and post it to her home (thats simple), i mean, she was only a little more speedy, not too much, she wasn't in a bank robery and the issue here is not her possible mental imbalance or medication the issue here is that this policeman was out of control and the justice must put things in order, and the most serious thing is that she could had died due the tasing.

Thanks, Jon.  The poor sweetie was most certainly argumentative and she seemed to pull away from the officer.  But to Taser an elder was a horrid thing to do.  He threatened to do it again, and I believe he would have.  He would have killed her with that Taser if she had been able to stand and defy him again. 

No one gets too old or too young to be tasered by police in the USA.  The youngest victim I read about was only six years old, and I believe the child was Autistic.  Two 15-year-old children were tasered to death in Michigan within a month of each other this year. 

Police and their so-called "non-lethal" Taser toys are something!  I am glad the great grandmother lived.  Oftentimes, people who are Tasered do not die immediately, and many have lasting neurological damage.  I feel so sorry for her and her family and hope she will be OK a month from now. 

GOD BLESS OUR ELDERLY CITIZENS.  SAVE THEM FROM THE POLICE!  AMEN.

Let me ask all of you this then... At what age can someone not be tasered?  If this was a younger person, I do not think any of you would be offended.  She should have known better.  My favorite part was when she denied being difficult.  It made me laugh.

Would the outcome have been different if the person was 17, 27, 37?? 

This cop did nothing wrong.  Does being 72 warrant the right to disobey a police officer?  Regardless of your opinion, according to the law it does not.  She disobeyed multiple instructions repeatedly.  If a younger offender acted the same way they would have got their ass beat.  Quit whining.

This is not about disobeying a police directive. This is about the tactics required to keep a particular situation under control. The cop has anger management issues and clearly has no skill in performing his job other than with a guerrilla-like mentality.  The fact that she was physically frail should of course be calculated into the BEST POSSIBLE way you might manage this scenario.

Mike Jones, you seem to possess a similar level of mentality/maturity as the cop. "Would have got their ass beat?"

Yeeehaaaw!!!! 

I'll quit whining when you start thinking. Deal?

MOST PEOPLE JUST DON'T GET IT, WE ARE PROPERTY OF THE STATE,THEY HAVE TAKEN OVER OUR LIVES AND IT'S UP TO US TO TAKE THEM BACK FROM THE GOONS RUNNING THE STATE.

Just one word for the police officer - Disgusting.

Why did he ask her to get out of the car in the first place. If they were on a road with a speed limit of 35 it shouldn't have been a difficult thing to write her a ticket and send her on her way. We see it all the time on freeways.

Officers leave the person in their car and write the ticket without getting them out of the car. Surely this officer needs to be sent back to training.  What would he have done if this had been a man?  Has he forgotten all the ways they are taught to handle difficult situations.

I have several thoughts on what was going on with this officer. Maybe his mother pissed him off recently, or maybe he just wanted to try out a new toy (the taser).  Or maybe he was having hormonal issues (do men have those)?

I know this was outrageous and this man has no respect for people.  I can only imagine what would have happened had she been a mouthy college student.

 

 

I am amazed.   Some of you just don't get it!   Don't break the law...  don't be ignorant and swear at an officer and become non-compliant and you won't have this happen to you!

I have been stopped a couple times in my 56 years and the outcome was nothing like this.

95% of our officers are very professional and great cops  (you have a few in every profession that shouldn't be there).

I have worked closely with law enforcement, though not an officer myself.  They take alot of garbage they shouldn't have to.

Would you rather the officer strike her a ASAP..  72 OR 22 you are tought in the Academy that you never lose control of a situation.  This woman was clearly escalating a "simple ticket violation"..  Was the Deputy at wrong... Lets let a court decide what do you think? 

So are you telling me that he should of use force to place her under arrest.  This lady was told "9" times to step back and all she had to do wa "step back".  Then under her own words clearly herd on tape, she said "take me to jail".  Under TX law,you refuse to sign a ticket, your under arrest.  Simple...  The Deputy was following the law.  But hey lets let a court decide, what do you think?

RSR says:

"I am amazed.   Some of you just don't get it!   Don't break the law...  don't be ignorant and swear at an officer and become non-compliant and you won't have this happen to you!"

 We all have a first amendment RIGHT to freedom of speech. If this 250+ lb. testosterone laced chump can't handle a 72 y/o Senior Citizen who is half his weight, physically or emotionally, then he needs a new career. Dealing with the public with rational and sound judgment, and having a thick skin, are a requirement in this field. Also, since when in your 56 years of driving (especially when you were over 65) have you been asked to step out of the relative safety of your vehicle and onto a busy road? Is that protocol when citing an elderly woman for a moving violation?  Can't handle the heat? Stay the away from the stove. Peace!

Well I dont see why that cop did that, couldnt he have tried 2 cuff her or even try 2 take her 2 the ground? Im not sayin she deserves unique treatment but come on a fully trained cop vs a 72yr old women n he tasered her in 2mins idk if thats allowed there but here in canada she would be suein and gettin a LOT of $$.

Just another case of a cop who has no people skills, using a taser to force his will on person. I am so sick of Cop always backing other cops when He obviously overreacted. This cop seems like the type of guy who never fit in during school and was made fun of, now has a gun and a taser to make people do what ever he wants. Thugs and drug dealer walking around and this jackaz needs to taser a 72 year old, give me a break. This guy should be locked and tased himself. If you are a policeman and you are afraid to pull normal people over without unsnapping your gun or think that if someone does not do what you tell them or call you a name or whatever, go get a job at walmart or somewhere else you can feel safe. why is it police in England fell no need to even carry gun, but America is full of crazy Grandmas.  Cops should be ashamed of this guy, and if you back this guy, your a jackaz too!