Police officers used a taser with 50,000 volts of pu
re electricity on a pregnant 33-year old Black woman who voluntarily came to them for assistance. Keep in mind that this sister was not doing anything illegal. She feared for her safety, so Valreca Redden went to the Trotwood Police Station on Nov. 18 asking police to take custody of her 1-year-old son. When the police weren't helpful, she turned to leave. The police over-reacted ... I guess out of mortal fear of a 120-pound pregnant woman ... and used a taser on her neck.I'll stop right here and let you see the interview with Sis. Redden now.
The FBI read the Valreca Redd Police Report and they are investigating the Trotwood Police Department.
I need to hear some village voices on this one. Villagers, what say u?
29 comments:
Absolutely senseless. The report says that a local civil rights organization is planning to file a complicant. Let's track this case.
You know my mother broke this story to me last night. Boston has the same laws that allow desperate mothers who have no where else to turn a way to humanely and safely give their newborn to the state. Ohio and Massachusetts having passed these laws you would expect to be more understanding to her situation and even though her child was older the least they could have done was speak with her respectfully and get the full story.
This is clearly not an easy decision which would obviously explain her emotions.
Is there any explanation for the police action? Hell Fucking No!
I am getting so angered by this indiscriminate tasing in order to control the "unruly". To the police forces of this Nation we have become literally cattle.
I just went back and read the reports you provided and it is appalling that the child was released into the custody of the very man in which Ms. Redd was attempting to save the child from.
Tasing has replaced negotiating, listening, and the basic social concern for an individual. This is where our country is being led.
There is at this very moment an international company creating drone taser technology that will be sold on the international market.
Engaging in protest against the abuse of power is becoming an absolute necessity.
"Engaging in protest against the abuse of power is becoming an absolute necessity."
I agree. Currently, I am as afraid of the police as I am the gangs....but I pay the salaries of the officers to PROTECT ME.
It's just a matter of time before they start tasering folks engaged in peaceful demonstrations.
Damn, There is an all out national attack on black women (and black men). Women are suppose to be able to drop off a baby at a police or fire department. Police and fire departments are suppose to be a save havens for women to take infants. WTF! Let's see what the National "Advancement" of our peoples groups do about this! same stuff file a complaint with the FBI who will be given the responsibility soon of chasing pimps?
There was absolutely no need for that at all. The woman was not doing anything wrong. Its bad enough that it is a black woman being attacked but she was pregnant for crying out loud. Her and her baby could have been seriously injured. Cops really need to think before they act especially with tasers even more so after the Polish man was killed by them in Canada.
Eddie - I agree that this is a case that we need to track on a number of levels. My assumption is that the father of the children is a Blackman. I'm saddened that this single father was part of a process that resulted in the mother of his children needing to go to the police station for protection/safety.
Danielle - Thank you for the link to the article about the 1984-inspired drone planes that can see inside of our homes or use tasers and such.
You point out one of the key issues in the case ... why wouldn't the police be more compassionate and provide sanctuary for the child as requested. The police have some serious 'splaining to do!
AJ - How did we get to the point that we are as scared of the police as we are of the criminals in our community? We must regain control of our community ... one family at a time.
AAPP - I haven't heard what group in Dayton area is monitoring this case. Have you (or any other reading this thread) learned if NAACP Dayton branch is involved with this police brutality situation?
Gerri - Points well taken. Thanx for sharing your village voice with us!
Enough is enough!
She Was Tasered while Black!
http://taseredwhileblack.blogspot.com/
if what you have heard is true, then this is a travesty. i cannot imagine the horrors that this young lady had to endure at the hands of these jack-booted thugs! it appears that the taser has become the 21st century fire hydrant and water hose that was used to keep them nigra's in their place down in Birmingham, Alabama in the 50's and 60's!
@AAPP
Would this also qualify for the Police Brutality blog?
I'm so furious! It's a little hard to even comment on this story, because I'm a mother myself. Where is the humanity in this country and what were the other officers doing while this was going on. This mother was well within her rights. Did she have a weapon? Did she look high on drugs? Did you feel like your life was in danger? These are questions that should've been answered before you made your claim to fame as an abuser of a Black woman. The woman was trying to keep her baby safe and out of harms way. Now the young one is with the man that is the " harm". It's sad and I can only pray and hope that a real investigation will be conducted with all intentions of solving the issue. Also, I expect for that officer to be suspended without pay. The state should pay her some money for all that she has been through. This is a National issue not local. I have one question, has anyone seen Sharpton or Jackson on the front lines? Peace
Nice blog. Bad news- cops use tasers so casually. Check out a post on my blog (Tasers are a recurring topic there)http://half-a-bubble.blogspot.com/2007/11/taser-it-before-it-grows-cops.html
this just another in a long and growing list of atrocities. One thing folks need to do in their respective cities is put together a town-hall type forum and ask your local police Departments to come in and explain where they've placed taser use on thier "force continuum"
Many departments have placed the Taser at the 2nd or third position (just after a verbal directive or open hand) Departments "should" place taser use at the end of their 'force continuums' just above deadly force.
We've either got to start changing the policies or bracing ourselves for more outrageous nonsense like this...
This is a sad reflection of how life has become devalued. This officer (obviously did not go through sensitivity training) realizes that he will probably get the full support of his commanding officers.
I know about the "Code of Blue." I also understand that here is a mother who was trying to do things the right way and of course she was let down.
We don't need to see a "noose" hanging on a tree to get involved.
AAPP - I fear that your Tasered While Black blog will grow over the coming weeks. I know that the taser issue is a major one here in Cincinnati.
Plez - Your comparison with Bull Connor and the water hoses of the 1960s is appropriate. Hopefully, we will pull together as a nation and insist on respect from the police in our community. This Trotwood Ohio cop was wrong and needs to be punished.
AJ - It appears that Police Brutality blog took you up on your challenge. Thank you.
Ms. Scorpia - I haven't heard about what national groups or organizations that have stepped up in support of Valreca Redden. If you (or others) hear of a grassroots or organized response ... please let us know!
Shevek - Thank you for sharing your village voice. I will visit your blog shortly.
Kevin M - Thank you for the practical suggestion that each of us can bring to our own city. I had not heard of the term "force continuum" before. As an aside, can you share the contact information for the NAACP Dayton Branch office so that we can reach out to them for onsite information about this case?
Iriegal - The Code of Blue is known to many. It is time for us to control our own communities. We only get respect from others when we respect ourselves. I'm reading Bill Cosby book right now and he is on point in a number of his comments.
I've posted this story as well. I live in Ohio and plan to attend her court case on Dec. 9th. I will let you know what transpires.
Connie T.
http://www.connietalk.com
Connie - I am glad to know that a blogger will be in attendance. I look forward to your report on the hearing. In the meantime, I'm heading over to your blog to see what you/your readers are saying about this case.
Villager,
Sorry, that was a bit of a premature post...I wasn't finished with my article, I wanted to use some of the info you found, and link back to you.
You did a fantastic job with looking into this, and found a lot more than I could, even being closer to the area!
Your site is very similar to ours in that we do a lot of grassroots investigating & action...our latest success (although not over yet) was the fight to get Nick Hogan prosecuted for leaving a 2-time Iraq War U.S. Marine in a coma...we had many letters sent to prominent people.
Anyhow, my article about Valreca is up here now if you want to check it out.
Peace to you and much respect.
Connie
Hetep and Respect, thank you for brining this to my attention. WoW just WoW!
Two things strike me, One this is the 2nd Pregnant woman criminally tased by anti-humanist police (as you point out) and I have not seen a story on it in the MSM.
The Second thing that strikes me, is that we just had a Black woman in a weel chair, call on police for "help" and got tased to death for her trouble.
My conclusion is, enough is enough, we need action. I recommend three actions for all such cases of police brutality and/or criminality. 1. we need first responders, like we had for the Jena 6, that can descend on these places and register our communities outrage. 2. We need a national legal team to insure the prosecution and jailing of criminal cops. 3. We need the Black Muslims (they are the only ones in position to do it) and/or Culturally Healthy local churches to set up a 911 like service. We must start to manage our own community problems safely, only going outside the community, in extreme life and death situations.
No Culturally Literate African American should interact with a cop without a camera carrying Black Muslim, friend or family member present.
I seeded your article on newsvine, stop by and vote it up the vine and see if we can get this on MSNBC tomorrow. http://aunk.newsvine.com
Aunk - I like a brother that provides SOLUTIONS and not just problems. Your ideas are sound. At a minimum, we need to start taking control of our own neighborhoods and communities.
As for these taser incidents ... if the MSM won't report on them, then we need to do so ourselves.
peace, Villager
The officer has been fired according to the newspapers in the Dayton area. This was reported on 12/05.
MsLadyD - That is GREAT news. I gotta add that information for the rest of the village to see. Well done my nubian sista!
Greetings,
I have an update on this story. Wilmer did get fired today~not for the tasering incident. He was fired for pictures that he had posted on his Myspace page and for driving a city car at an excessive speed.
The taser attack is still "under investigation"
The announcement of his firing came from out of Cleveland. Richard Jones of the National Action Network is the person who gave the interview. This is a Rev. Al branch organization!
I read the article today. He is out but not for what he did to Sistah Redden.
MsLadyD - (smile). Al Capone was put in jail for income tax evasion. However, everyone knows that the legal system was on him as a result of his gangland activity.
Michael Wilmer is out of a job to diffuse this taser situation. Myspace pages and speeding (smile). That is convenient and I'm pleased that the young man is no longer able to hide behind a badge and a gun any longer ... but, I'm clearly of the mindset that he would STILL BE WORKING TODAY if not for the videotape of him tasing this distraught pregnant nubian. However, Trotwood PD gets him on MySpace pages ... that's fine to. Anyone have a link to his MySpace page?
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