MSP Trooper gets 5-15 years in prison for Taser death of Detroit teen

[aj3647]

Former Michigan State Police trooper Mark Bessner received a 5-15 year sentence today after being convicted last month of involuntary manslaughter for tasering a 15-year old Detroit boy through the window of his police cruiser as he was driving, causing the boy to crash and die.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...n-for-tasering

Previous DYes thread: https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...per-questioned

The Judge did not mince words:

"It is the few officers like you who have caused the distrust of police officers that plagues our community in Detroit, the state of Michigan and throughout the country," Wayne County Circuit Judge Van Houten said.

[Honky Tonk]

Former Michigan State Police trooper Mark Bessner received a 5-15 year sentence today after being convicted last month of involuntary manslaughter for tasering a 15-year old Detroit boy through the window of his police cruiser as he was driving, causing the boy to crash and die.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...n-for-tasering

Previous DYes thread: https://www.detroityes.com/mb/showth...per-questioned

The Judge did not mince words:

"It is the few officers like you who have caused the distrust of police officers that plagues our community in Detroit, the state of Michigan and throughout the country," Wayne County Circuit Judge Van Houten said.

"tasering a 15-year old Detroit suspect who refused to obey a Police directive to stop and pull over, then tried evading the officer by driving his illegal, unlicensed ATV down a public sidewalk"

There you go, fixed that for you.

[Ray1936]

I can't imagine for the life of me doing something like that when I was on the job. Of course, we didn't have these tasers things back then, and we were instructed to back off if things became particularly dangerous. Still, I have to feel a bit for any copper ending up in jail for 5 to 10. Can't be pleasant.

[Meddle]

I can't imagine for the life of me doing something like that when I was on the job. Of course, we didn't have these tasers things back then, and we were instructed to back off if things became particularly dangerous.

Back then, I can remember quite a few times hearing a 6-0 come on the air and order 'Terminate your pursuit'. There were a lot of times they should have too, but didn't.

More recently, a Sheriff out here in the sticks refused to let Deputies carry Tasers due to the potential for abuse.

[detroitsgwenivere]

Finally.

He's lucky that he only got 5-10. Probably wont even serve that.

Good riddance to bad police officers. Guess they all can't be Ray.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Finally.

He's lucky that he only got 5-10. Probably wont even serve that.

Good riddance to bad police officers. Guess they all can't be Ray.

Dude was a bad cop period. Prosecution produced video evidence that he harassed people in the past, in a similar situation and got away with it. He didn't get away this time. Like you said, he won't do the full ride, he'll be out in less than 10. Was the kid wrong riding a ATV on the street, and avoiding the police. Sure he was. Still didn't deserve to be tased, leading to his death.

[Meddle]

Prosecution produced video evidence that he harassed people in the past,

Hope that was at the sentencing hearing. During the trial 'prior bad acts' can't be discussed and could be grounds for appeal or maybe a mistrial.

[ABetterDetroit]

Cop recieved what he deserved for his stupidity and uncontrolled actions.

Killing kids for running from cops is not acceptable. Police are trained and paid to act smarter than a dumb kid.

Expecting professional behavior from law enforcement is not asking to much as taxpayers and this incident was a total fuckup.

[Detroit Stylin]

"tasering a 15-year old Detroit suspect who refused to obey a Police directive to stop and pull over, then tried evading the officer by driving his illegal, unlicensed ATV down a public sidewalk"

There you go, fixed that for you.

So the kid deserved to die? 🤔

[poobert]

So the kid deserved to die? 🤔

No, but play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

I know Chicago cops. They don't pursue anymore. They don't want to end up like that cop. He did something stupid, but fleeing is stupider. In Chicago, they're too worried about bystanders or the lowlifes getting killed in pursuit so they just terminate pursuit - every time. The social justice warriors would have a field day if the lowlifes managed to slaughter someone or themselves in pursuit! Those poor babies! Now the criminals have free reign. And Chicago is doing great as a result. Who suffers? The law-abiding citizens who live there.

And I'm a Democrat and a liberal. But I still know who the good guys and the bad guys are. Spoiler alert: the drug boys, pimps, muggers and rapists are still the bad guys.

[Honky Tonk]

So the kid deserved to die? ��

Those are your words not mine, so let's stop with the dumb victim games, shall we? The kid died as a result of his own stupidity. And through his stupidity, a cop has been incarcerated. All the other cops are looking @ this scenario thinking "fuck it". Next time no one shows up when you're in a jam to help you, remember this.

[aj3647]

Those are your words not mine, so let's stop with the dumb victim games, shall we? The kid died as a result of his own stupidity. And through his stupidity, a cop has been incarcerated.

He died because a police officer with a documented history of abusing people with his taser violated his own departmental policy and fired a taser out of the window of a moving car and struck the kid, directly causing the crash that killed him.

A jury of his peers, after reviewing all of the evidence, came to the same conclusion.

"This officer is going to prison as a result of his own stupidity." There, fixed that for ya. Wouldn't you agree? It's interesting the double standard you seem to have, where you pin the blame of this kid's death entirely on his own criminal actions, and yet absolve the officer of any and all responsibility of the consequences of his criminal actions. Why is that? Why is the officer not responsible for the consequences of his actions, but the kid is? Why not both?

But hey, since you care so deeply for this now convicted felon, maybe you can write him love letters in prison.

[Honky Tonk]

He died because a police officer with a documented history of abusing people with his taser violated his own departmental policy and fired a taser out of the window of a moving car and struck the kid, directly causing the crash that killed him.

A jury of his peers, after reviewing all of the evidence, came to the same conclusion.

"This officer is going to prison as a result of his own stupidity." There, fixed that for ya. Wouldn't you agree? It's interesting the double standard you seem to have, where you pin the blame of this kid's death entirely on his own criminal actions, and yet absolve the officer of any and all responsibility of the consequences of his criminal actions. Why is that? Why is the officer not responsible for the consequences of his actions, but the kid is? Why not both?

But hey, since you care so deeply for this now convicted felon, maybe you can write him love letters in prison.

He died because he chose to run from the cops instead of pulling over. His choice of action resulted in his death.

But hey, since you care so deeply for this now convicted felon, maybe you can write him love letters in prison.

I would but your mama would get jealous.

[dtowncitylover]

He died because he chose to run from the cops instead of pulling over. His choice of action resulted in his death.

He died because a reckless cop defied department rules and shot a taser from inside his patrol car causing the kid to crash and die. Period.

It was his [wrong] choice to flee, yes. It was the cop's [wrong] choice to react thus resulting in a needless and undue death.

What's the old phrase we were taught growing up? Two wrongs...

"You're 100% correct because you undoubtedly know that this officer would never have pulled his "Taser a child from a moving vehicle" cowboy stunt if he was patrolling a neighborhood in Brighton."

Seriously, it would've been a scene from Leave It to Beaver. "Hey, son, that's dangerous. You best be getting home now." But a black kid? DEADLY FORCE NOW!

[Meddle]

He died because he chose to run from the cops instead of pulling over. His choice of action resulted in his death.

He died as a direct result of the misbehavior of a Trooper with a checkered history of misbehavior.

People flee police all the time. Every day all across the country, city and rural. They don't all die as a result.

Should they flee police? No.

Should they be killed if they do? No.

[aj3647]

He died because he chose to run from the cops instead of pulling over. His choice of action resulted in his death.

A judge and jury disagreed. They win, you lose. But hey, maybe if you cry just a LITTLE bit harder, your butthurt tears will magically spring him from the prison cell where he will rot for the next 10 years!

Do you love all convicted felons this much, or does this one hold a special place in your heart? Because he is a convicted felon, and here you are, slobbering over him. Maybe I'll start calling you "criminal lover" since you love convicted criminals so much.

[gpp1004]

Those are your words not mine, so let's stop with the dumb victim games, shall we? The kid died as a result of his own stupidity. And through his stupidity, a cop has been incarcerated. All the other cops are looking @ this scenario thinking "fuck it". Next time no one shows up when you're in a jam to help you, remember this.

It is a sad state of law enforcement if the two alternatives are either abuse of power or not showing up.

[softailrider]

I think it was sheer stupidity on the troopers part. He let his emotions get the best of him and the situation. He obviously got pissed off that the kid drove away on him. Using his taser from a moving vehicle through a window, it was outrageous conduct - anybody who thinks that is acceptable needs their head examined. He wasn’t chasing after a serial killer, he was after some dumbass on an ATV.

[Honky Tonk]

I think it was sheer stupidity on the troopers part. He let his emotions get the best of him and the situation. He obviously got pissed off that the kid drove away on him. Using his taser from a moving vehicle through a window, it was outrageous conduct - anybody who thinks that is acceptable needs their head examined. He wasn’t chasing after a serial killer, he was after some dumbass on an ATV.

I think it's perfectly acceptable to say "fuck you" to a cop and take off, so maybe I do need to be evaluated. I'll give it a shot next time time the flashers come on. I'll let you know how I did.

[ggores]

[QUOTE=He wasn’t chasing after a serial killer, he was after some dumbass on an ATV.[/QUOTE]

True that.

This Officer was obviously mis-guided, and we should all feel shame for an otherwise Good Cop reacting to the moment.

Now he will be imprisoned for years.

Methinks his first mistake was being a cop.

This case was/is about nothing more than race.

[ABetterDetroit]

This case was/is about nothing more than race.

I respectfully disagree. This was about Justice.

If the same cop was chasing a kid on a ATV in Northville or Rochester and tasing him while he was in motion causing a kid to loose control and kill himself crashing into something they would have nailed that cop right to wall with every possible charge. Better off people don’t feel any better about their dumb kids getting killed by stupid cops. They just have better lawyers and connections to ruin the cops life with.

[swingline]

This case was/is about nothing more than race.

You're 100% correct because you undoubtedly know that this officer would never have pulled his "Taser a child from a moving vehicle" cowboy stunt if he was patrolling a neighborhood in Brighton.

[gpp1004]

We can infinite regress on this all day long. He died probably because of blunt force trauma or internal bleeding or something like that. Because he crashed. Because an officer tazed him. Because he fled. Because LE was attempting to pull him over. Because he was doing something illegal. Blah blah blah.

If someone is sympathetic to LE, then they'll probably place more blame on the kid. If not, they'll think the cop biffed up. Personally, I don't have a lot of respect for LE, so the idea of Bessner rotting in jail seems justified. Hopefully he'll never be a cop again. He's demonstrated over and over again that he's unfit. That being said, the kid was acting like a little shit. If I saw a teenager riding an atv at 40 mph down my street I'd be the first to call the cops. But we don't get to pass judgment on him - he's dead.

Honk said: "It's today's blatant disregard for the law entitlement that bothers me the most." From what I've read on this forum, he and I are pretty far from agreement on most things. But I get this. However, [[some) LE are very much to blame for today's disregard. Black folks and white folks often times get treated very differently. Because of this, it goes beyond disregard of LE - hell a lot of black people are terrified of cops. We have a problem in this country regarding the relationship between minorities and law enforcement. So I agree with you: today's blatant disregard for the law does bother me. What bothers me more is law enforcement beating the shit out of [[or shooting, or roughing up...) for being black and having a broken tail light [[or wearing a hoodie, or just walking down the sidewalk minding his own business). This problem goes both ways.

[brizee]

Prostitution is illegal.
Having sex with a hooker against her will is no longer rape.

[Wheels]

http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/loca...etroit-traffic

This is what you get now that Detroit cops are looking the other way! Good luck getting those insurance rates down.