posted by Joe Polk at 12:03 AM /
A Mt. Lebanon pizzeria owner and his wife will receive a $100,000 settlement from Mt. Lebanon after a 2005 traffic stop that ended with police using a Taser stun gun. Frank and Josephine Caruso, of Castle Shannon, were stopped for a traffic violation near their Washington Road pizza shop on July 21, 2005, when police said Mr. Caruso became agitated, swore and made threatening gestures toward police, including cocking his fist.
Link 1: www.postgazette.com/pg/07032/758487-55.stmLink 2: www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_491162.html
Labels: municipality, police
13 Comments:
'Thatsa lotta Pizza Dough! "
Great news. I would rather give $100K to a loser who deserved a taser than a couple new playgrounds or a turning lane at Bower Hill Road.
This crap has got to stop. In Pennsylvania, it is way to easy to sue. In many other states, the dude would have been sent to jail and any lawsuits thrown out immediately.
I'm glad this settled in the Caruso's favor as it sends a message about Tasers' dangers. I'm very sad the taser incident happened in the first place.
I've been concerned about tasers since they gained popularity several years ago. They pack a wallop but people have the impression they are benign, so there's a danger of inappropriate use. They should be used as a substitute for strong physical action, like clubbing and shooting, but not for talk and negotiation.
The Carusos are maybe 5 feet tall, the size of my elementary school child. And even though Mr. Caruso is adult, I would guess some other form of intervention would have been effective. I can't imagine tasering my child, even when throwing a fist-shaking tantrum....anonymous mom of 3 (Thankfully I'll be returning to work soon and won't have time to post. This is addicting! Curses!)
If I'm stopped by the police, I don't throw a fit, threaten the police, and make fists. I act very nicely, and I am very apologetic.
As long as people can sue when they get what's coming to them, it only makes the police's job harder.
I believe everybody knows that you are not supposed to threaten and make fists when a police man confronts you.
But hey, somebody needs to pay all of those lawyers out there.....
The incident was recorded on video, but the municipality refuses to release the video. Why...?
Most likely, it shows that the officer acted inappropriately in using the taser on Mr Caruso. They settled to avoid embarrassment.
The only ones who should be embarrassed are the Carusos.
I am glad to hear that the Caruso's have successfully sued the Mt. Lebanon Police. Anyone who patronizes their pizza shop knows that the Caruso's are kind, hardworking people, not criminals. It's a sad day when the police department in your neighborhood tasers an older man because he parked on the sidewalk. Our police chief, that I always admired, stood by the actions of that officer. Kind of makes you wonder what will happen to you, if you happen to get pulled over for a minor violation. I think that the egos of some, not all, of our police officers need to be reminded that business owners, like the Caruso's, help pay their salaries, and that they should be more concerned with protecting and assisting them, than tasering them.
I am noticing a disturbing trend in this community….It appears that there is an utter disregard for authority and a lack of respect for others. Whether it’s the pizza shop owner, who first ignores the requests of the police, then escalates the situation to the point that the officers needed to use force to subdue him. Or, the high school students who disregard the directions of administrators, then whine when they are put in their place. Or, other students who mock an invited speaker to the point that she comments that she has never been treated so badly. WAKE UP MT. LEBANON!!! The bubble that apparently surrounded our town has burst. While the media still loves to blow any minor Lebo-related incident way out of proportion, we need to realize that most of what they report has these common foundations. Take a good look around because most of these problems start within our own homes. I am surprised more and more each day by the apparent lack of discipline at home, and the reliance on the school or the police to raise and baby sit our kids. My thought is that we have too many parents who want to be the “cool” parents, and be a friend rather than an authoritative figure. Obviously we see where that philosophy has gotten us. Time to try something different. How about teaching our children this….”When a police officer or school administrator tells you to do something….DO IT!!!” There should be no debate, and if this order is ignored, there should be consequences at home, in addition to those of the school or the police. Parents should support penalties that are established to teach their kids a lesson, rather than immediately being concerned with how they can get their kid out of trouble. The pizza shop owner who ultimately acted like one of these “privileged” kids, pled GUILTY to breaking the law (meaning admitting that he was wrong!), then turns around and sues the police department. Does anyone else see the irony in this?!? But, this is the type of message that we are sending out….Disregard authority because there won’t be any consequences, and it may just pay off! Speaking of paying salaries…I guess that someone needs to support our real local economy and compensate all of the lawyers in town!!
I am sick and tired of people bashing the police force. All you people do is complain about this and that, but you'll be the first to call them if someone breaks into your precious home or scratches your precious car.
People that plead guilty in court should not sue for the crime they admitted to. Our legal system is a joke when people like the Carusos can actually win a settlement even though they were wrong.
MLPD -- There are people out there that support you and what you do. Thank you for keeping our town safe.
Dear Sick and Tired - You realize that one can be critical of an action, yet still support the cause, correct? That was a hard lesson we learned in the 60's/70's. I'm supportive of the MLPD, but critical of this particular incident.
Over at ML Cop, a recent update reads:
The township has settled the civil rights lawsuit filed by [the] Carusos over the July 2005 taser incident. The spin being peddled by the township is that it's cheaper to settle than to fight the case. They claim the police acted properly in the incident and that the dashboard video of the incident proves their assertion. If this is so, why settle? It would not cost $100,000 to fight a lawsuit if the video evidence is so compelling.
The township spin machine is as naked as the township's penchant for secrecy is stupid. Show the video! Let the public decide whether proper force was used. Keeping the video of the incident secret creates the impression that officers did something wrong. This is not fair to the police officers involved. The continued secrecy also prevents the public from determining whether the secret taser policy, used to justify police behavior in this matter, is properly written.
"The truth will out." A number of people have seen the video. The details are deeply disturbing. This matter is not finished.
To all of the conspiracy theorists out there, obviously still stuck in the 60’s and 70’s….that war is over!! I bet the video will show who killed Kennedy too! Give me a break!! Do you think that it might be possible that the police department is not releasing the video because it shows this “innocent, little, old man” acting like a complete idiot, maybe to save him the public embarrassment? Oh well….I guess that at least in some people’s minds….TASERGATE will never die!
I'm not going to get involved with this debate but I feel the need to say that it is absolutely ridiculous that any Mt. Lebanon resident would even consider calling the Caruso's "losers." That is an absolute shame. Regardless of whether this video shows any inappropriate procedure on the part of the MLPD, it is incredible that these are the responses posted regarding one of Lebo's most well liked and hardworking families.
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