Who would hold party elites accountable to the values they proclaim to have? Four years is not nearly enough for condemning this young man to alifetime of pain and suffering, but it is so much more justice than so many others got. When they opened his hospital gown, Matt saw two bright red marks that looked like bee stings on Bryces body. These are classic signs of a brain injury., What Id seen with his posturing made me want to look away, Stacy said. Cops do fuck up. It just may be too late. It was easier for himto view Runnelss actions as an error of judgment exacerbated by ignorance. Runnels stepped back, stood straight, took a shooting position, and again grabbed his Taser from its holster. Lonnie Ali at her husbands funeral: America must never forget that when police and young black boys speak, great things can happen.. Wake up, guy, the officer said. Just shoot them with the Taser, and its over and done with.. INDEPENDENCE, Mo. Matt retained his friend and former police officer Daniel Haus as the family attorney, and hecalled the FBI to request an investigation. Dr. Timothy Runnels. 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. As the boy went into cardiac arrest and technically died before paramedics resuscitated him, the aggressive cop was captured on video manhandling and stepping on the dying teens motionless body. Runnels grabbed his Taser from his belt and pointed it at Bryce, who repeatedly asked what he was being pulled over for. The driver was then-17-year-old Bryce Masters. They understood Tasers to be safe tools, but tools that were used on suspects who posed a threat to officers. His use of excessive force violated both the publics trust and his oath to uphold the law, Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, said in a written statement. He was fired from the Independence Police Department after the encounter. Worse, they were afraid his emotional vulnerability would cause him to take his own life. Each time, Stacy and Matt tried to gently remind him that he had been injured by a police officer. Bryce admits now that, given a potential lifetime of frustration, the thought crossed his mind. The other punctured several inches below and slightly left of his heart. 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. Dr. Augustin said, Thats not what happened, Matt remembered. He knows there are manydeserving cases, especially involving minority victims, that never see the inside of a courtroom. Dan Margolies has been a reporter for the Kansas City Business Journal, The Kansas City Star, and KCUR Public Radio. report. The Independence Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. And, when they do, theres someone on the receiving end of that., In his sons case, an officer is paying for his bad decision. 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. Another officer put his head inside Bryces car and said, It stinks bad in there like marijuana. As Bryce lay prone in the street, Runnels continued to deploy the Taser. The police kept referencing an outstanding warrant, but unless there was a ticket Mattdidnt know about, Bryces license was valid and his car had been registered to Matt and Stacy for over three years. The video showing what OfficerTimothy Runnelsdid to the teenager is almost unwatchable. And, to this day, were what, 15 years later since its hit the vast majority of departments, thats still the narrative.. He was intimately familiar with the grand jury process and how it skewed heavily toward exonerating officers in use of force situations. 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. These are only estimates, but the more you know, the more . Bryce dealt with the perception that he was somehow to blame on a daily basis. Copyright 2023 As if possessed, Bryce slowly got out of the car and lay down on the pavement at Runnelss feet. On April 5, for instance, Matt and Stacy wanted to surprise Bryce with tickets to a Kansas City Royals game. Members of the Daily Kos group Support the Dream Defenders launchedfour ongoing projects: 1. Both Matt and Stacy immediately wondered what it would show. He graduated from said college in 2002. Thats all it takes to support the journalism you rely on. This article was reported in partnership with The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute. In another incident, a police cruiser blocked him in; a few nights later he was pulled over. We need cops of good conscience to join the fight against their murderous brethren. He stopped the gray Pontiac because he believed the . finds relevant news, identifies important training information, Why dont cops know all this? Certainly some did, but for all the years Matt had carried a Taser, he didnt know. Please donatehere. The week of September 7, 2015, the Masters got a phone call from Ketchmark. They still didnt know how bad the damage was, but at least Bryce recognized his parents. Cops do make bad decisions. He was allowed to remain free on bond Tuesday and was given until Aug. 1 to surrender to federal authorities. 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. Our bill quickly earned endorsements from the NAACP and the ACLU. Bryce was given simple tasks, things kindergartners could do, as he put it. Bryce wasnt fighting anybody.. Matt once received a standing ovation after a grand jury cleared him of any wrongdoing in shooting a 16-year-old armed robbery suspect four times. Even on the night of Runnels sentencing, Bryce said, he was followed by an Independence squad car for at least 3miles. Used both as a description of a state of mind as well as a medical diagnosis, excited delirium is a phrase that medical examiners sometimes use in official reports after a person is severely injured or killed in an intense police interaction. What do you mean? Bryce asked. Copyright 2023 Later in the evening, as things quieted down, Dr. Augustin arrived to check on Bryce. He found himself doing things out of character, like punching holes in the drywall at his parents house when he became frustrated. In the video, Runnels refers to Bryces August arrest, which was being contested by the Masters. According to the indictment, Runnels continuously deployed a Taser against Bryce while he was on the ground and not posing a threat to the defendant or others. It was the first time the Masters realized that Bryce had been repeatedly tased. Rick Guilbault, the former head of training at Taser International, testified on behalf of Runnels that his use of the Taser was consistent with common practice and training. A friend at the Independence police station called Matt to tell him his son had just been arrested. His memory had improved a bit. He believes that when Runnels said, All right, fine, fuck it, he was making a conscious decision to punish Bryce. Get your ass out of the car, andattempts to pull him out by force. I remember thinking, Oh my God. Bryce was scheduled to startrehab the very next day. One barb lodged in his chest and another in his abdomen. It was clear he had vomited. Runnels didnt answer. Theyre working it backwards. Matts experience as a cop taught him that officers can sometimes write themselves out of trouble through exaggerated and self-serving reports. Following a five-day trial in December 2018, a jury awarded Masters $5 million in actual damages and $1.5 million in punitive damages, including $500,000 for prolonged use of the Taser and $1,000,000 for the pavement drop. He politely let them know that Bryce was doing OK, leaving details unsaid. Matt, Stacy, and Bryce sat around an oval conference table with their attorney Daniel Haus, a few FBI agents, an attorney from the Department of Justice, and Ketchmark. But in conversation after conversation, his fellow officers either doubted or were also surprised by Dr. Augustins theory. Timothy Runnels, 32, previously pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of 17-year-old Bryce Masters. Bryce Masters was 17 at the time of the September 2014 confrontation with former Officer Timothy Runnels. Then he pulled him out of the car, handcuffed him, and drug him around the car. Matt took his time, doing his best to weigh a years worth of soul-searching. Both blood and mucus had crusted around Bryces nose. Timothy Runnels, et al Case Summary On 06/17/2019 Bryce Masters filed a Civil Right - Other Civil Right lawsuit against Timothy Runnels ,. We hope that todays sentence will allow Bryce to begin to focus on his future. The sentencing hearingbegan with a surprise. The recent Tasering of then 17 year-old Bryce Masters by Missouri cop Timothy Runnels has sparked outrage in the community and around the world. The federal government isn't actually measuring how inflation is hurting rural America, Kansas City singer Ida McBeth, 'unmatched in melody and soul,' dies at 70, Jessie Montgomery, composing from a place of self-honor, After 18 hours, Kansas City police standoff ends with 1 man found dead inside house, Court Gets Unusually Specific On Police Taser Gun Use, Case Of Autistic Missouri Teen Who Was Tased After Stopping To Tie His Shoe Moves Forward, Jury Sides With Police In Tasing Case Of Maryville, Missouri, Teen With Autism, Juror: Jury In Tased Teen Case Wasnt Told Why They Couldnt Hold City Of Maryville Liable. Driver uncooperative, struggles, taser deployed, additional struggle. Timothy Runnels, 32, previously pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of 17-year-old Bryce Masters. He mostly kept out of trouble and hung out with friends from school. Runnels orders Masters to exit his . Then hell get depressed at the idea that he needs to be reminded about something that just happened. The best result we found for your search is Timothy Glynn Runnels age 60s in Atmore, AL. In a rare instance of a court denying qualified immunity to a government official, the 8th U.S. Taser International Inc. headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona. Timothy Runnels, 32, previously pleaded guilty. And it sure wasnt lack of training that made D commit such a cruel and dangerous act against a loving, loyal, and protective dog. 4. Although the minor suffered cardiac arrest and facial injuries, he survived the incident due to timely medical treatment by medical personnel at the scene and at the hospital. Instead of getting angry at his fellow officers, though, Matt felt sympathy for them. He acknowledges that the number of Taser deaths is small compared with the total number of Taser deployments, but he worries about the people like Bryce who are unnecessarily put at risk. Keeping these facts in mind, Matt thought back to his training, and Bryces case. I read Zipes study, and it just blew me away, Matt remembered. I have to admit that I teared up at the part about minority victims, that never see the inside of a courtroom. Eric Garner was killed right in front of our eyes and yet no one was held responsible. Thats what caused him to go into cardiac arrest. Long ago history and recent events informmy opinion. He pled guilty to one charge and was sentenced. Finally, in 2009, Taser International released the bulletin suggesting that officers should avoid shooting suspects in the chest when possible. It was Bryces only option, doctors told Matt and Stacy. Warning: This video contains graphic scenes of police violence. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. They argue the doctrine has been a major obstacle to police accountability. At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. But he also believes Runnelss argument that he didnt know that Tasers couldcause cardiac arrest. ), Watching the video, Stacy was astounded. Matt, Stacy, and Bryce all said that the harassment has become worse. Independence, Missouri, is an aging suburb, the kind of place wealthy residents of Kansas City used to move to. Baristas at two Kansas City-area Starbucks locations plan to unionize. The incident happened in September of 2014 when former Independence, Missouri, police officer Timothy Runnels, 32, pulled over Bryce Masters, which an investigation determined was without cause. Witness video of Independence officer Tim Runnels arresting Bryce Masters following a traffic stop Sunday in Independence. But I did.. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym. Matt assumed it was due to positional asphyxia a condition where breathing is inhibited because of awkward positioning or restraint. A federal felony is not a slap on the wrist, Hobbs said. We need White people of good conscience to join the fight against police cruelty and unlawful behavior. His mom and dad held his hand. Masters was able to crawl out of his car before falling unconscious face-down on the pavement. I felt like he would have cared for an injured animal better.. Because youre only as good as the training.. Our law has been submitted as a Resolution to the NAACP. A scuffle ensued and Morgan was surrounded by four officers, who began firing when they spotted his service weapon. The cop was like, You want to mess with me, and pulled out his Taser and tased him, witness Michelle Baker recalled after recording acell phone videoshortly after the incident. He was transported back to the moment when everything changed, and despite how hard his life had become, he thought he would do it all the same way again. Weve been fooled by a company that has made millions and millions of dollars off of the police departments.. The catalyst for the crime was the 23-second Taser deployment straight into Bryces chest. According to the company, the preferred target area was changing for reasons that had more to do with the ineffectiveness of chest shots than any danger associated with them. The Kansas City Star INDEPENDENCE, Mo. He felt terrible for missing the game. Hes going to prison. Independence Police Department squad car. I didnt need training to know that what he was doing was very, very wrong. 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. His fingers and toes were curled inward, and his arms bent at near 90-degree angles toward his chest. Bryce would spend several hours cooling down, stay cooled for a minimum of 24 hours, and then be slowly warmed back up. Today, he sees law enforcement through the eyes of a victim. I dont think Ill ever, ever be able to forget that., As hard as it was to watch, Bryce felt vindicated. Since then, he has trained at the Moody Health Center, become . After going for so long without oxygen, at least some brain damage was inevitable. It really should be that if someone with the power to deprive others of life, liberty, and freedom is found to have falsified evidence that resulted in a conviction, then they themselves should be sentenced to the full term that the charge carries. Our state version of the MBOPRA is currently in committee in the Kansas legislature. The neurologist calmly explained that 15 is the best score, indicating a patient is fully aware and awake. A snapping thud filled the room the sound of Bryces 175-pound frame hitting the pavement as his teeth crashed together and his jaw dislocated. Timothy is related to Carolyn Ann Runnels . They stared at Bryce as the reality that he might die washed over them. Hey Matt, get here he just tased Bryce.. By Wednesday evening, the medical staff was ready to give Bryce a crucial test. Matt was irate, screaming, You bunch of fucking cowboys! at the officers assembled to gather evidence. He can recall family and friends coming in to offer their support, standing around his bed. The dashcam video showed officerssearching through Bryces vehicle asBryce was carted off in an ambulance. 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 Begin to focus on his future, handcuffed him, and KCUR Public Radio, and hecalled FBI! 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