ABC News AuA lawyer for two police officers says the court cannot rule out the possibility that a man was screaming with joy when he was being repeatedly tasered at the Perth Watch House more than five years ago.
Aaron Strahan and Troy Tomlin are on trial accused of assaulting Kevin Spratt by repeatedly tasering him in August 2008.
Sergeant Strahan, who was a Senior Constable at the time, had arrested Mr Spratt in Bayswater.
Mr Spratt was under the influence of alcohol and possibly drugs when he was repeatedly tasered after refusing to go to a room to be strip searched.
The officers have denied any wrongdoing and today Sergeant Strahan testified he tasered Mr Spratt because he was acting violently and had broken free from four other officers.
The officer testified he feared that he or somebody else was going to get hurt.
Mr Tomlin, who is now an auxiliary police officer, told the court he fired his taser because he believed Mr Spratt was going to launch himself at the officers.
Their lawyer, Karen Vernon, has argued that five of the seven charges against her clients should be thrown out because the evidence does not support the allegations against them.
The Magistrate questioned Ms Vernon about hearing Mr Spratt screaming in anguish, but she said people responded differently to pain, and the screams could have been with joy or laughter.
However, the Magistrate dismissed her argument and ordered that the case continue.
The trial continues tomorrow.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-16/lawyer-for-police-argues-against-evidence/5203772