Officer Tasers Irate Lawyer at Code Enforcement Hearing

Tampa Tribune via YellowBrix

November 27, 2008

TAMPA, FL – A lawyer was stunned with a Taser twice this afternoon after he became upset at a Tampa Code Enforcement Board meeting, police say.

Tampa lawyer Carl Roland Hayes, 53, was addressing the board when he became irate and verbally abusive, said Lt. Ronald McMullen of the Tampa Police Department. Officials asked Hayes to calm down, but he did not, McMullen said.


As Hayes was being escorted out of the meeting, he slapped an officer’s face, McMullen said.

An officer used a Taser, but it had no obvious effect, police said. Hayes started “fighting and flailing,” McMullen said, and an officer had to press the Taser against Hayes’ body to “drive stun” him.

Hayes, of 5115 Branch Ave. N., was charged with battery of a law enforcement officer, obstructing or opposing an officer with violence and trespassing. He was released from Orient Road Jail at 8:43 p.m. after posting $4,500 bail.

McMullen said he did not know what issue Hayes had brought before the board or why he became upset.

An autopsy into the Black Friday death of an employee at Long Island Wal-Mart revealed that he was trampled to death. Newsday reports that Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey said the finding showed Jdimyati Damour of Queens died of "positional asphyxiation."

An unruly, restless crowd of customers broke down the Valley Stream's store's doors and knocked the 34-year-old down in a stampede. Two people injured in the stampede have filed a $2 million notice of claim against Nassau County and the police (but not Wal-Mart?), citing, "injuries to their neck and back, including but not limited to injuries of emotional harm."

Yesterday, City Councilman James Gennaro introduced a bill to require retailers to provide adequate security for doorbusters sales. According to NY1, he said, "These early morning, middle of the night crushes of shoppers are essentially street activities and they should be regulated. And there should be requirements put forth, which fortunately some retailers already observe and they have security personnel and they have crowd control. But some don't and we have to make sure that in every case that is the case."