Boing Boing: UCLA chancellor Abrams blames student for tasering

Friday, November 17, 2006

UCLA chancellor Abrams blames student for tasering

Yesterday, I blogged a story and video about a UCLA student who refused to show ID to campus cops at Powell Library. The cops responded by grabbing him and repeatedly tasering him as he writhed on the floor in handcuffs, screaming alternatively in outrage and for mercy. The cops threatened to taser other students who asked for their badge numbers.

Now the UCLA Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams has issued a mealy-mouthed statement defending his policy of requiring ID after 11PM (because anonymity becomes less constitutionally protected and more deadly after 2300h), essentially blaming the student for going to the library without his student card in his pocket. He says that compliance is critical for everyone's safety and well-being, presumably because failing to comply means that you'll be shackled and tortured by the campus police. It's like carrying garlic to protect you from vampires.

UCLA students should corner the Abrams every time he shows his face on campus and demand to see his papers. What a jerk.

University police are investigating an incident late last night in which police took a student into custody at Powell Library. Investigators are reviewing the incident and the officers' actions. The investigation and review will be thorough, vigorous and fair.
The safety of our campus community is of paramount importance to me. Routinely checking student identification after 11 p.m. at the campus library, which is open 24 hours, is a policy posted in the library that was enacted for the protection of our students. Compliance is critical for the safety and well-being of everyone.

Link, Link to Andy Sternberg's detailed post on the attack (Thanks, Glyn!)

Update: Jordan sez, "This is a link to the personal/job description of the acting chancellor, or should I say 'high chancellor.' This is a blurb from the last part of the page that explains quite well where this man is coming from. Prof. Abrams' most recent book, Anti-Terrorism and Criminal Enforcement, (2nd ed., 2005), also published in an abridged version, is the first casebook to deal comprehensively with the rapidly evolving field of anti-terrorism law and the criminal enforcement process. This book analyzes how that process is affected by the government's invocation of the concept of a 'war on terrorism.'"

Update 2: Brian sez, Tasered UCLA student gets high profile lawyer.

Attorney Stephen Yagman said he plans to file a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing the UCLA police of "brutal excessive force," as well as false arrest. The lawyer also provided the first public account of the Tuesday night incident at UCLA's Powell Library from the student, Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a 23-year-old senior.

posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:02:10 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments

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