Police tactics questioned in graphic video
POLICE have been accused of being “heavy handed” when they tasered and tackled a man after they tried to talk to him in Southport in November last year.
Kurt Anthony Lane was yesterday fined $400 in the Southport Magistrates Court for one count of obstructing police.
Four other obstructing police charges and one count of wilful damage were dropped by police yesterday because of insufficient evidence.
Defence lawyer Campbell MacCallum, of Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, said Lane was “confused” and “frightened” during his en- tire interaction with police.
“It was an example of a small offence escalating into violence when police tactics were heavy handed and unnecessary,” he said.
Police had wanted to talk to Lane after he walked on to the set of a movie filming in Southport.
Footage of the incident obtained by the Bulletin shows Lane sitting on the floor of Bliss Health and Bulk Foods in Young St while police point a taser at him.
When police make no moves after a few moments, Lane stands and stares at them.
The officers still do not react and Lane turns to walk away.
That is when police pounce.
Officers are seen tackling Lane to the floor, knocking over a shelf of essential oils and then tasering him.
Lane is heard to be telling police he is “stopping” before calling for an ambulance.
“I am not sure how it becomes necessary for a taser to be deployed when a person is on the ground and subdued,” Mr MacCallum said.
In the struggle glass bottles were broken and Lane was left with a large cut, which requitred him to be sent to hospital. Police officers were also cut.
Mr MacCallum said if the police reaction had been more measured, it would not have resulted in Lane being taken to hospital with cuts or officers being injured.