Matt called the FBI again. Officer Timothy Runnels stopped Bryce Masters, 17, in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, on Sept. 14, 2014 because Masters was driving a car owned by a woman with an outstanding. Bryces brain was deprived of oxygen for six to eight minutes while he was in cardiac arrest. Runnels grabbedBryces cellphone, throwing it in front of the car, demanding that he get on the ground. The video and other evidence presented at the sentencing demonstrates that Runnels then deliberately dropped the handcuffed victim face-first into the pavement. He was mean, especially to his parents. A screen grab from a bystander video of Bryce Masters lying on the ground after being tased by Officer Timothy Runnels, Sept. 14, 2014. Give me your hand, youre under arrest, Runnels said. The video shook the convictions he had always held about law enforcement officers. The agents arrived quickly and started taking pictures of Bryces mouth. During roll call one day, Runnels was describing a recent unsuccessful hunting trip. Independence is bigger than it seems with about 117,000 residents, the fourth-largest city in the state but still has the feel of a tight-knit, middle-class community. Young Bryce Masters is still recovering from the injuries he sustained at the hands of Timothy Funnels. It was the first and only time that I ever tattled on any of my siblings. Request a quote for the most accurate & reliable non-lethal training, DragonEye Tech: Leaders in LIDAR Speed Measurement, The teenage driver went into cardiac arrest after the officer used and ECD on him when he refused to comply. The judge read the count, and Runnels sat on the stand facing the crowd as he accepted the plea. Timothy Runnels was sentenced to four years behind bars for the 2014 . North Houston Spine and Sports Medicine 5643 Treaschwig Road Spring TX 77373 Work Phone: 832-934-9373 Website: North Houston Spine and Sports Medicine. He was intimately familiar with the grand jury process and how it skewed heavily toward exonerating officers in use of force situations. Given the grim initial prognosis, the Masters felt lucky. Long ago history and recent events informmy opinion. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark argued that the length of time that Runnels held down the Tasers trigger was an aggravating factor. Nurses cut his clothes off. Nineteen Republican governors chose to kill poor people by not expanding Medicaid. Matt took his time, doing his best to weigh a years worth of soul-searching. Witness video of Independence officer Tim Runnels arresting Bryce Masters following a traffic stop Sunday in Independence. Stacy and Matt cried as Bryce fought. These are classic signs of a brain injury., What Id seen with his posturing made me want to look away, Stacy said. Then Runnels released Bryces armsand allowed him to drop face first onto the street. Our project forces those governors to out themselves, clapping them in a Catch 22. Matt and Stacy said the agents seemed unsurprised by the injuries. And, when they do, theres someone on the receiving end of that., When asked if he still has faith in the system, considering that Runnels is one of the rare officers to face criminal punishment for using excessive force, Matt shakes his head no. The Taser did this. Yet the FBI and the U.S. attorneys office assured the Masters that the dashboard recordingwas definitive. More awesome news! Someone is raped in Texas every hour. Weve been fooled by a company that has made millions and millions of dollars off of the police departments.. Dr. Zipes is one of the worlds pre-eminent electrophysiologists (and often a witness against Taser International in product liability suits), so when Matt read the study he understood Dr. Augustins certainty in Bryces case. If he did wake up, there was a good chance he would never recover beyond a vegetative state. Medical staff furiously worked around him. Runnels faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for his conviction for violating the minor's civil rights. How many covert wars, miscarriages of justice, and dystopian technologies would remain hidden if our reporters werent on the beat? Independence, Missouri - Video released on Monday shows a new view of the moment a police officer used a taser on a teenager. On April 5, for instance, Matt and Stacy wanted to surprise Bryce with tickets to a Kansas City Royals game. But its undeniable.. Officer Timothy Runnels stopped Bryce Masters, 17, in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, on Sept. 14, 2014 because Masters was . While the number of people killed in Taser-related police interactions is in dispute and its unclear what role the Taser played in a number of these deaths Amnesty International has put the figure at more than 500. As he left Centerpoint Medical Center late Sunday afternoon, he walked with a noticeable limp, dragging his right leg behind him. Matt suspected that once it was clear the warrant association to the car wasnt sufficient probable cause for an arrest, Runnels needed new justifications. The FBI told him to be patient and that an agent would contact him sometime in the next few days. Timothy Kendall Runnels Addresses 56th St NE , Snohomish, WA Ridge Rd , Orondo, WA PO Box , Mill Creek, WA Relatives Laurin R McCrory Timothy Allen Runnels Matt H Runnels Helen Jean Runnels + 1 more Phone Numbers (425) nay - peek (425) nay - peek View phones View Tim's Current Address | View Tim's Phone Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium Post-trial, Runnels argued that he was entitled to qualified immunity the legal doctrine that shields government officials from liability for conduct that does not violate clearly established law. You are also welcome to join us onThe Porchover at the Black Kos Community group on Friday afternoons at 4 p.m. I dont understand, when you watch that video, how you could treat anybodys kid that way.. The neurologist calmly explained that 15 is the best score, indicating a patient is fully aware and awake. Joining is simple and doesnt need to cost a lot: You can become a sustaining member for as little as $3 or $5 a month. The dashcam video showed officerssearching through Bryces vehicle asBryce was carted off in an ambulance. It was clear this was not a random stop; Runnels knew exactly who Bryce was. Police said Morgan was belligerent and fired first, while Morgan said police started firing as soon as they saw his gun, and denied firing a shot, the report notes. Bryce will forget that an event has occurred, and then get irritated with his parents for reminding him that it has. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. He told them a plea agreement had been finalized. Nah, that cant even happen, he remembered saying. Matt found it hard to believe the federal government, given the vague guidelines established for proper Taser use, and the broad authority officers had to use force, could make a charge stick. The details didnt make sense to Matt and Stacy. Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. We saw as the officers dragged Freddie into the paddywagon,but yet no one will be held responsible for his death. Runnels, who was fired from the Independence Police Department after his encounter with Masters, pleaded guilty in 2015 to a single deprivation of rights charge and was sentenced to four years in prison. While he still values the profession, his newfound empathy made him more aware of the real damage some officers inflict. Even so,the prosecution agreed that the initial Taser use was reasonable and within common police practice. Runnels also was indicted on charges of depriving Masters of his civil rights under color of law and obstruction of justice. They still didnt know how bad the damage was, but at least Bryce recognized his parents. He and Stacy sat Bryce down. While he still values the profession, his newfound empathy made him more aware of the real damage some officers inflict. People were just shaking their heads, Stacy said. Two law enforcement families were devastated by these events and we all simply wish that day had never happened.. Today, he sees law enforcement through the eyes of a victim. Am I under arrest? Runnels seemed to reconsider using the Taser, holstered it, and then reached into the car, attempting to pull Bryce out. So Runnels grabbed him by the armsand pulled him, with the boys legs dragging on the ground between Runnels shuffling feet, toward the side of the road. According to the court filings, Runnels also admitted that his actions resulted in bodily injury to the minor. The lesson, Matt, is that it shouldnt have to take the near killing of your loved onefor you to acknowledge the pain and suffering of your fellow man. This content was created by a Daily Kos Community member. The Supreme Court has said that the doctrine is necessary to give officers breathing room to make reasonable but mistaken judgments. Without it, according to the court, the possible threat of personal liability would make them overly timid and discourage people from entering public service. The next eight weeks were crucial to his recovery; doctors advised the Masters that Bryce would make his most significant gains in the first couple months after his injury. It was unacceptable the way hed talked to her. Bryce let out a piercing scream. By Sunday, Bryce was ready to leave the hospital. (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.). (A member of Runnelss defense team, asked for comment, said he had no information about his clients departurefrom the Kansas City Police Department. report. See, I was somewhere around 8 or 9 years old when I saw my brother abusing one of our dogs. Our law has been submitted as a Resolution to the NAACP. Once Bryce learned to drive again, Independence squad cars followed him several times, sometimes even pulling up next to him so the officers could smirk or wave. It goes back to the way he was trained. save. No one said anything about avoiding the chest, and this was five years after Taser International officially changed the target area. Matt told him that if an officer ever stopped him, he had every right to know why he was being stopped, and whether he was under arrest. I dont think Ill ever, ever be able to forget that., As hard as it was to watch, Bryce felt vindicated. Bryce, bettersit up, he said. Matt headed to jail and posted Bryces bail. Matt Masters and Stacy Masters at their home on June 2, 2016. He was just being completely uncooperative with the officer, the spokesperson told KCTV. He told Bryce that the officer shouldnt have gone into his pockets and the search was likely illegal. Dont give me that bullshit, he now thought. But the wounds Bryce suffered from that part of the assault have largely healed. Former Independence, Missouri, Police Officer Timothy Runnels will spend 48 months in jail for a 2014 taser incident that left a teen in a coma after pleading guilty on June 1 to federal charges he violated the constitutional rights of a minor while in custody.The US Department of Justice released dashcam video of the September 14, 2014, arrest of Bryce Masters, then 17 years old, on June 6 . They hit play. Finally, the Masters thought, they were going to get some closure and understand exactly what went wrong. Our bill quickly earned endorsements from the NAACP and the ACLU. He wondered what he could repair, and if he was ever going to be the same. As Matt and Stacy were getting ready to leave the house, Curtis called back again. Other sources, such as an informal list known as Truth Not Tasers, put the figure at nearly 1,000. According to a press release from the FBI, Runnels had deprived the minor of his civil rights by deliberately dropping the minor face first onto the ground while the minor was restrained and not posing a threat to Runnels or others. A court date was set for September 11, almost a year after Runnels tased Bryce. Organize a group to go to a meeting with your congressperson. Bryces only mistake in this situation was following his parents advice to ask questions, particularly to ask why if stopped by law enforcement. It was the Taser that almost killed Bryce. While the majority of law enforcement safeguards our communities with fidelity, the department will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute officers who violate their oath by using excessive force., This former police officer was trained and entrusted to enforce the law impartially, said U.S. Attorney Dickinson. Runnels faced a dire sentence that day up to 10 years in federal prison. All rights reserved. He read a study by Patrick J. Tchou, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Runnels also spoke last week and apologized to Masters and his family. When Matt went back to work, he was eager to discuss the Taser with his colleagues. Miami Trace High School recently released the second nine weeks honor roll and honorable mention. Timothy Runnels Bryce Masters v. Timothy Runnels, No. He knows there are manydeserving cases, especially involving minority victims, that never see the inside of a courtroom. Dash camera video of the incident depicts Runnels handcuffing the minor after the taser deployment and then picking him up. Needle caught anything and everything thrown at him. But Bryce wasnt moving. Matt assumed cardiac arrest would be a prominent part of the conversation. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Bryce has vague memories of that Wednesday night. Download Citation | Influence of the Ground Effect on the Precise Landing of an Unmanned Aircraft | This paper examines a multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle and the influence of the ground effect . Cops do make bad decisions. Then, to Runnels: Hes turning blue., Watching the video, Stacy was astounded. Timothy Runnels pleaded guilty in September to violating the civil rights of then 17-year-old Bryce Masters during a 2014 traffic stop. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS You could see blood coming out of his mouth. At that point, Matt and Stacy were not at all worried about Bryces safety. Why dont cops know all this? Certainly some did, but for all the years Matt had carried a Taser, he didnt know. Its the only thing we need, Matt remembered an agent telling him. He politely let them know that Bryce was doing OK, leaving details unsaid. Bryce Masters and his family at their home on June 2, 2016. 735. Bryce and his two siblings remained in the Independence school system. This time, he didnt reconsider. An official website of the United States government. By Wednesday evening, the medical staff was ready to give Bryce a crucial test. In my heart of hearts, I felt like he was slipping away, she said. If Runnels was trained when he was hired in 2007, unless he was adequately re-certified with updated information about the risks of cardiac arrest, it was likely he and Matt had the same false understanding of the weapon they both carried. Over the past couple weeks, we havetried to showthat the plague of police brutality is not only an existential threatto Black and Brown Americansbut that under a culture of Comply or Die coupled with aggressive over-policing, nobody is safe. His initial thought was that maybe, somehow, even though hed carried a Taser since 2004, hed simply missed something in training. He took a shot right to the heart, and that sent him into cardiac arrest.. I cant tell you what is on there, Stacy remembered one agent telling them. It was unbearable for Matt. Facebook gives people the power. Timothy Runnels - today's latest news and major events - Sputnik International Read today's latest news on the topic Timothy Runnels: Missouri Teen Dead for 8 Minutes After Cop Tased Him for 23 Seconds (VIDEO), International Timothy Runnels Articles Choose a period Missouri Teen Dead for 8 Minutes After Cop Tased Him for 23 Seconds (VIDEO) Contact your United States senatorandcontact your representative in the United States Congress. How he dragged the near-unconscious boy away from the dashcam and then callously dropped him so that his face hit theconcrete sidewalk is sickening. Told ya! he said. And, if his future was going to be the way that they described to me if he did make it, I didnt know if I wanted him to.. On one occasion, he said, he was out bowling when two officers approached him and sarcastically asked how he was doing. Instead, today's story involves an over-zealous cop whose use of a Taser caused irreparable harm to a teenager who had committed no offense. Matt was furious. Why risk getting hurt? He was athletic and made good grades. Bryce Masters awake at Centerpoint Medical Center, Independence, Missouri, Sept. 17, 2014. Copyright 2023 Police1. Dr. Timothy Runnels. Masters was 17 at the time of the incident and had sued the city of Independence along with police officer Timothy Runnels, who shot the teen with a taser after Masters refused to get out of his car. Matt consoled him and told him it was OK, but also said that he needed to apologize to his mom. As a police officer, his opinion about whether Tasers could kill mirrored the standard explanation he and his fellow officers had heard from the companys trainers, that Tasers causing cardiac arrest was just a tall tale concocted by attorneys and the media to disparage a useful police weapon. I felt like he would have cared for an injured animal better.. When you cross that line, there are going to be consequences and they are going to be severe, he told the judge last week. He screamed at Stacy. 1,144,178 separate arrests were made by Texas law enforcement officers in the year 2010. Mostly Bryce struggled because he couldnt rely on his own memory of the incident. I thought he shot him. As part of his guilty plea, Runnels admitted that while he was employed as an officer of the Independence Police Department, he deprived the minor of his civil rights by deliberately dropping the minor face first onto the ground while the minor was restrained and not posing a threat to Runnels or others. Call their office. Police officers are not above the law and will be held accountable when they violate the civil rights of the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve.. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. Drawing shapes, holding objects firmly in his hand, walking without a limp, hearing a story and trying to synopsize it back to the storyteller things that used to be second nature were now exhausting chores. Judge Dean Whipple had not yet watched the government's key piece of evidence a dashboard video because he wanted to do so with attorneys present to make arguments. Bryce was scheduled to startrehab the very next day. What do you mean? Bryce asked. His short-term memory loss was severe, and it exacerbated his emotional instability. I get a lot of sympathy from my black cop friends, like, this is what weve been saying about cops for a long, long time.'. His chin was split open. He tells Bryce to get out but doesnt give a reason. And it sure wasnt lack of training that made D commit such a cruel and dangerous act against a loving, loyal, and protective dog. He was waiting to learnhis fateafter pleading guilty to a federal crime he committed almost two years ago, on September 14, 2014. He graduated from said college in 2002. Cops do fuck up. When Matt watches his son suffer, he sees the marriage of a police culture that is too eager to blindly justify force and a company shrewd enough to take advantage. The Masters could see Bryces heart heaving up and down on the screen, an indication that he was going through cardiac arrest. One woman looked down and covered her eyes with her hand. In a rare instance of a court denying qualified immunity to a government official, the 8th U.S. It is my considered opinion that had this been a black Bryce, hewould be dead right now. Runnels improper use of the Taser caused Bryce's heart to stop for eight minutes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ketchmark informed Matt that the policies and case law pertaining to Taser use routinely justified broad uses of the weapons uses that Matt now considered dangerous. 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