Police officers in Texas have some explaining to do after they tasered a woman in a wheelchair. According to Sheketha Holman, 36, deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department in Houston were arresting her pregnant daughter at a neighborhood gas station. When Holman confronted the officers and began taking pictures, she claims they became angry. As she was arguing with the officers, one of them tased her while she was in her wheelchair, causing her to fall out of the chair onto the ground and then tased her again. Holman stated, “When I came to, I was like face down or whatever, and my leg was underneath me. They still was tasing me, man. That’s wrong.”
Holman was then arrested and charged with resisting arrest and trespassing by the deputies. She was taken to a hospital for treatment and then to jail where she spent three days in custody. The incident was captured on security cameras and now an investigation has been launched. Harris County Senior Deputy Thomas Gillard stated to media, “When the investigation is complete, if any policies and procedures were violated, then disciplinary actions will be implemented, which may be suspension and or termination.”
According to a department spokesperson, a deputy can use a taser when he or she feels a person is out of control or not complying. Holman’s daughter was arrested for possession of marijuana and criminal mischief after she allegedly broke out a patrol unit window. Her mother stated to media, “It’s bad what happened to me and whatever, but I feel like once the word is out, then they won’t be so quick to attack people like that.” She has a court appearance on the charges in December.
