Raw Story reports
police officer in the Syracuse, New York, area Tasered a 37-year-old mom repeatedly in front of her children during a routine traffic stop--and then arrested the mom, leaving the children alone in their family minivan for 40 minutes in freezing weather.
The incident took place in Onondaga County, New York, on January 31, but dashcam video of the incident only recently came to light.
According to a report at syracuse.com, what started out as a routine traffic stop "escalated quickly" when 37-year-old Audra Harmon challenged officer Sean Andrews' assertion that she had been talking on her cell phone when he pulled her over. Harmon disputed that fact, as well as the officer's claim that she had been speeding--doing 50 mph in a 45 zone.
An article at MSNBC.com describes the situation:
Harmon had been driving home with her 15-year-old son, whom she had just picked up from wrestling practice, and 5-year-old daughter. She said she was resting her right hand on her cheek as she pulled behind a sheriff's deputy to make a right turn onto the road where she lived. After she made the turn, the deputy pulled off the road to let her pass, then pulled out behind her with his lights flashing and siren blaring.
When Harmon got out of her minivan to show Officer Andrews that she wasn't in possession of a cell phone, and to ask to see video footage of her allegedly talking on the cell phone she didn't possess, the officer ordered her to get back in her car.
"And then he pulled out his taser and said I'm under arrest," Harmon said. "I got back in the car and he said he wanted me back out of the car now. And I said 'Why am I under arrest?' ... He then yanked me out of the car ... pulled his taser out and the first shot jolted me..."
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