- Kanaeta
- uploaded: Jul 13, 2009
- Hits: 2825
Tucumcari Police Chief Roger Hatcher has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into last weeks Taser shooting of a teenage girl.
Hatcher said he shot two Taser darts at Kailee Martinez, 14, Thursday while responding to a domestic dispute between the girl and her mother. One hit her in the head and the other struck her back.
Martinez said she was released from Albuquerques University of New Mexico Hospital on Sunday following a two-hour surgery to remove one of the darts from her head.
The surgery left her with 18 staples and six stitches.
"I feel good being home," Martinez said Tuesday. "It is a lot better than being in a hospital."
Martinez mother, Stacy Akin, said she drove her daughter to police headquarters after they fought about a cell phone.
Hatcher said the girl walked away from the police station and when he talked with Akin she had a bloody lip and scratches from a fight.
Hatcher said he found the girl in a city park, but when he tried to talk to her she ran into traffic without looking.
Hatcher said he was unable to catch her and used the stun gun because he didnt know where she might go and he had to get her stopped.
"I was going to the park to clear my mind," Martinez said. "I go there when I get angry. It is a place where I can calm down."
Martinez said she saw Hatcher drive around the park and did not want to stay there and deal with him. She said she was walking west across Monroe Street when Hatcher got out of his vehicle and told her to stop.
"I remember him saying 'stop, stop' and then watching him pull it out (Taser)," Martinez said. "The next thing I remember was being in the ambulance, handcuffed."
Akin said her family has hired an attorney but declined to discuss any legal actions the family may take.
Akin said they will return to Albuquerque in a week for a follow-up doctors appointment.
"To be honest, none of this should have ever happened," Akin said.
Rose said Hatcher was placed on administrative leave Monday
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11 comments
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Meko390 November 1, 2009 9:42:12 PM CET
You took the words right out of my mouth. She committed no crime yet she got hurt and he did it in front of her mother. I wounder how he feels now and would he do it again. And if he did have a daughter and that happened how in the hell would he feel about that. In my opinion he should be tasered, fired and sued.
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Joebanana November 1, 2009 4:52:33 AM CET
These are just the new form of torture regularly administered by the US. These are a government approved torture device. they're not used on violent offenders, they're used to settle arguments. Leave it to the US to come up with remote control torture.
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Sayanwarrior October 6, 2009 12:16:37 PM CEST
thats becouse he had almost no love from his mama.thats why he put his agression on a 14 year old child.very weaksorry for my crappy english
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Spazomaticyeti July 16, 2009 5:50:22 AM CEST
This video= Listen to the police or they will try to kill you for not "obeying a direct order". Looks like he shot her in the back of the head. Those who shoot should be shot. I would believe that if the police can use tasers because they are "non lethal" then citizens should be able to use them on officers. Hey they are safe, right? No harm done, right? Wonder if that officer has a daughter? Wonder if he would like his daughter shot with a taser in the back of the head? I know that police have a hard job. That is no reason to hurt the citizens they are "sworn" to protect. This kind of action warrants a fire bomb on their front porch. Police are people, too. Subject to the same laws that they enforce. Those who judge should be judged more than those who do not. Who trained this guy? Shooting kids with weapons? Like the matter could not be solved another way? If it was still an eye for an eye people would think more about the things they do to one another. Whatever this girls condition was it did not warrant being hunted down like a dog and shot. This officer obviously forgot about "think before you act". Or he was trained that way. Either way he scarred a citizen for life even though he swore to protect them. He should lose his job on that principal. There are better people for the job. Thank you
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Kanaeta July 14, 2009 4:34:31 PM CEST
agreed
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Domineeloso July 14, 2009 12:35:29 PM CEST
Fat ass cops too lazy to chase people these days, thats why they have the taser.
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Remanuelli July 14, 2009 1:04:26 AM CEST
fire him...he should have a less dangerous job like making dounts instead of eating them...rdf chipped and ready
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Yendor65 July 14, 2009 12:44:32 AM CEST
There is absolutly no reason that i can think of to taser a 14 year old girl whatsoever! This is another example of police abuseing there authority!
