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

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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"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.

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

"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.

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So the kid deserved to die? 🤔

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Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

So the kid deserved to die? 🤔

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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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

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

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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.

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Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

So the kid deserved to die? ��

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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.

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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.

[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.

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Originally Posted by ggores

This case was/is about nothing more than race.

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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.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by ggores

This case was/is about nothing more than race.

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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.

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Originally Posted by aj3647

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.

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

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Originally Posted by aj3647

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

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I would but your mama would get jealous.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

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.

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

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

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

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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!

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Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

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!

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Just like most of your posts on this forum, they're rooted in fantasy. You don't think white kids ran from the cops? You don't think white kids got the shit kicked out of them by the cops when they caught up to them? Hah! We [[I) sure did. In your world, all the white kids live in affluent neighborhoods in the 'burbs, and all the black kids live in poor ghetto neighborhoods in Detroit. Talk about Leave It To Beaver.... Regardless, the kid probably would have been alive today. It's today's blatant disregard for the law entitlement that bothers me the most.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

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

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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.

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Originally Posted by Meddle

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.

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Did the cop want to kill him? No.

Was it an accident? Yes.

If he seriously wanted to kill him, he would have shot him.

White people would put our corpses on trial for our own murder if they could.

And charge our families for emotional distress.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

It's today's blatant disregard for law entitlement that bothers me the most.

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Since we're fixing each other's quotes. ;)