Moral Philosophy: Tasered Dog Walker

This is a moral philosophy poser for those interested. The most complete coverage I have found is at:

http://www.mercurynews.com/pacifica-news/ci_19914243

I am interested in your views on the moral transgressions and/or failures that apply to this incident; and who transgressed. There could be more than one.

Allegedly the violation was initially, walking a dog off leash where prohibited. It is not clear that a citation or arrest was imminent based on this one alleged violation. Subsequent alleged violations were: providing false information and refusing (repeated) orders to remain at the scene while identity was being checked. Allegedly the tasing took place after all of these three violations occurred. Reportedly he was eventually released without charges.

What is your opinion of the moral transgressions/failures? Who transgressed, what was the transgression or what were the transgressions, and under what moral theory or system do you find it to be a transgression? For example, consequentialism, duty theory, categorical imperative, Biblical Vedic, Kuran, etc. Please be as specific as you can. If you need to make any assumptions, please state them. If you rely on the Babcock information, please say so.

Originally posted by JS357
This is a moral philosophy poser for those interested. The most complete coverage I have found is at:

http://www.mercurynews.com/pacifica-news/ci_19914243

I am interested in your views on the moral transgressions and/or failures that apply to this incident; and who transgressed. There could be more than one.

Allegedly the violation was initially, walk ...[text shortened]... make any assumptions, please state them. If you rely on the Babcock information, please say so.

there is no moral consideration here, only a legal one. the questions that should be asked are:
-did the park ranger have authority/justification to demand identity from the individual?
-did the park ranger have authority/justification to detain the individual?

other considerations:
-did the individual provide false information (weather or not he was obligated to do so?)

and most importantly, did the ranger attempt a peaceful arrest before resorting to the use of a taser?

keep in mind that a taser is legally supposed to be used against violent suspects in lieu of a firearm when non-lethal take-downs are possible.

what this means is that any situation where officers would be justified in firing their gun, they have the option of using a taser instead.

from witness accounts, there was no legal justification for the park ranger to use her taser. she should be reprimanded and sent on non-paid leave pending retraining.

as for the misdemeanor charge of providing false information, the individual in question likely deserved to be released without charges based on the injustice heaped upon him.

i agree this isn't a moral issue. it has to do with what level of freedom you have in the given society. i am not a fan of identity checks by anyone without a reason. it seems the ranger didn't make an arrest, didn't accuse him of anything, didn't communicate with him. i don't agree with voidspirit that she should be only reprimanded (if that is what void suggested). i think that she should be accused of kidnapping. she held another citizen at gunpoint and deprived him of his freedom. that is pretty much the definition of kidnapping. without having made an accusation and arrest, she should have no right or power to hold someone for 10 seconds, let alone 10 minutes (in which the man obeyed the authority figure)


if this given society allows an authority figure (guard, policeman, etc) to detain someone without an arrest or at least accusation, it is another topic. (and wrong)