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Texas: Video Shows Officer in Dallas Suburb Tasing Handcuffed Man

HeadlineMay 18, 2017

In Texas, a leaked police body cam video from 2016 shows a white police officer in a Dallas suburb using his Taser to electrocute a handcuffed black man who was not resisting arrest. In the video, an unidentified sergeant with the Balch Springs Police Department draws his Taser and shocks 39-year-old Marco Stephenson, who collapses. The sergeant then jabs his Taser into Stephenson’s back and repeatedly electrocutes him.

Sergeant: “Don’t pull away! You understand? You understand? Don’t pull away. You understand? Don’t pull away. You get it? Do you get it?”

Marco Stephenson: “Yes, sir.”

Sergeant: “Are you going to straighten up?”

Marco Stephenson: “Yes, sir.”

Sergeant: “Because I ain’t playing with you today! Do you understand? Do you understand?”

Marco Stephenson: “Yes, sir.”

The video was mailed to Dallas TV station FOX 4 from an unknown source. The Balch Springs police chief says the sergeant was not fired over the incident and instead was temporarily removed from contact with members of the public until he completed classes on conflict resolution. This is the same police department where former officer Roy Oliver shot and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards in April, after firing his assault rifle into a car carrying five black teenagers as they drove away from the officer. Oliver is awaiting trial for murdering Edwards.

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