Free Thought Project – by Matt Agorist
Carter County, OK — Cowardice is defined as a trait in which excess fear forbids an individual from taking a risk or facing danger. It is the exact opposite of courage. On the night of July 4, 2019, Joshua Taylor and Brandon Dingman both provided a perfect example of cowardice when they moved to arrest Jared Lakey for the non-crime of running down the street while yelling. Because they are police officers, they refused to let him go on his way but because they are cowards, they killed him with their tasers.
Dingman and Taylor were too scared to attempt to handcuff the entirely incapacitated Lakey that night, so, for over ten minutes, these two cowards deployed their tasers out of fear. The cumulative amount of time Lakey was tasered was over four minutes.
“Axon/Taser warns against simultaneous exposure and cumulative exposure exceeding 15 seconds,” according to attorney Steven Terrill. “Jared was Tased for approximately four minutes of cumulative exposure.”
“Put your hands behind your back for me,” Dingman said three times to Lakey.
For unknown reasons Lakey could not or did not comply but he was still not a threat and non-violent.
“Non-compliance is gonna get you Tased,” added Taylor.
That’s when the officers decided to start shocking him, and shocking him, and shocking him. During the torturous event, the video shows that the officers deployed their tasers simultaneously at several points — doubling the the volts into his body.
Terrill said Lakey was shocked 53 total times by Taylor and Dingman and placed in a chokehold by an unidentified backup officer for 40 seconds.
While in the chokehold, Lakey stopped breathing and became unresponsive. However he began breathing again and was taken to the hospital, according to the OSBI.
Adding to the cowardice exhibited by these officers is the fact that after they repeatedly tasered him for over four minutes, they refused to provide him with any life saving measures as he lay dying on the ground, not breathing.
“No officers initiated any life-sustaining measures for over 3 1/2 minutes after determining he wasn’t breathing,” Terrill said.
Though the reason is unknown, Lakey was naked during the arrest. While some may conclude that he was on some type of drug that induced psychosis, this would be incorrect.
“Jared’s toxicology screen from the medical examiner came back clear of any illicit drugs,” said Terrill, who filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Wilson. The only thing abnormal in the toxicology report was Lakey’s high blood sugar.
The state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Lakey’s death was due to complications of a heart attack “and law enforcement use of electrical weapon and restraint,” the Daily Ardmoreite reported.
According to ABC News, after finishing its investigation, the OSBI turned over a report to the Carter County District Attorney’s Office, which charged Taylor and Dingman with second-degree murder.
The unidentified officer who placed the incapacitated man in a chokehold for 40 seconds was not charged.
After the two coward officers were arrested and charged earlier this month, their union appointed attorney, Ryan Hunnicutt said he looks forward to their day in court.
“The death of Mr. Lakey saddens us all. We are confident that the legal system will provide an opportunity for all the facts to be known and look forward to our day in court.”
When watching the video below, you can see all the fact you need to come to the conclusion that the fear exhibited by these two officers led to them torturing a man to death via electric shocks. Disturbing indeed.
If you think that you cannot be tasered to death, think again. Taser deaths are an all too common reality among police departments and so is pepper spray.
On August 14, 2013, Kathy and Robert Dyer got a phone call one night that is every parent’s nightmare — their son, Graham, was in the hospital. The 18-year-old boy had been severely injured during a struggle with police and was fighting for his life — a fight he would lose.
It would take years for the Dyers to see the video footage from that fateful night. Once they did, they found out everything the cops told them was a lie and their son was repeatedly tasered — including in the genitals — in the back of a squad car, until he died.
One step closer to military police. Then when that happens, nothing will change. Killings will get worse, and more will die.