Illinois Teen Shouting for Jesus Dies When Police Taser Him

[MrrrrrNiceGuy]

Illinois Teen Shouting for Jesus Dies When Police Taser Him

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Associated Press

JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — Authorities are investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy who died after officers in this St. Louis-area community shot him twice with a stun gun while he carried a Bible and cordless telephone, shouting "I want Jesus."

Roger Holyfield died Sunday night at a St. Louis hospital, a day after the former Jersey Community High School's confrontation with police.

In a statement obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, police in this community about 40 miles north of St. Louis said Holyfield would not acknowledge officers who approached him, continuing to yell "I want Jesus."

Holyfield became combative when officers tried to calm him, then was shot with a stun gun after ignoring their warnings to comply with their commands, police said. He was shot a second time when he continued struggling, police said.

Holyfield vomited at the scene and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, then was flown to St. Louis' Cardinal Glennon Hospital, where he died shortly after 8 p.m. the next day, police said.

STORY CONTINUES HERE. . .

 

[rocklife]

so sad to hear this

the teen should have respected the police by talking with them though, that was a mistake. surely it shouldn't have cost him his life though.

 

[aigiqinf]

The teen shouldn't have to respond to the police.

 

[rocklife]

The teen shouldn't have to respond to the police.

why's that?

well, I don't know why he was doing that, I hope he was following God about that. It just seems a strange thing to be doing.

 

[aigiqinf]

Sorry, I hadn't read the entire story. But if a police officer just starts trying to have a conversation while your busy you should have to talk to him if it isn't police bussiness. The offical ruling was that he was high.

 

[rocklife]

Sorry, I hadn't read the entire story. But if a police officer just starts trying to have a conversation while your busy you should have to talk to him if it isn't police bussiness. The offical ruling was that he was high.

I believe you are getting things mixed up. The end of the Fox report is talking about a 41 year old man, who was killed while in police custody, but THAT man was high on drugs.

not the teen with the bible.

just want to clear that up, thanks

 

[aigiqinf]

Oh... opps...

 

[rocklife]

Oh... opps...

that's ok, I do that kind of thing a lot

 

[aigiqinf]

Now what article is this? lol just kidding.

 

[krys4ever]

Its sad to hear this.

 

[kiwimac]

Who was it who said Tasers were non-lethal?

Kiwimac

 

[aigiqinf]

The taser company.

 

[Athanasian Creed]

The teen shouldn't have to respond to the police.

Of course he should -

Authorities are investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy who died after officers in this St. Louis-area community shot him twice with a stun gun while he carried a Bible and cordless telephone, shouting "I want Jesus."

Obviously, any police officer doing his/her job would be alarmed by such behaviour and rightly wanting to know if this person was in his/her right mind (which it sounds this young man was not!) If there is a confrontation, the police will use whatever force necessary to bring the person into subjection.

That being said, it will be a crime soon enough in America for being a Christian as it is close to becoming here in Canada.

Ray

 

[Doer]

Of course he should -

Authorities are investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy who died after officers in this St. Louis-area community shot him twice with a stun gun while he carried a Bible and cordless telephone, shouting "I want Jesus."

Obviously, any police officer doing his/her job would be alarmed by such behaviour and rightly wanting to know if this person was in his/her right mind (which it sounds this young man was not!) If there is a confrontation, the police will use whatever force necessary to bring the person into subjection (but we all know American police use far too much force for the slightest instances - pulling guns whenever the 'spirit leads them')

That being said, it will be a crime soon enough in America for being a Christian as it is close to becoming here in Canada. Sodomites have the right to change the definition of marriage, their right to do so is protected and favoured and God forbid for a Christian to preach against sodomy or for Christian businessmen/women to refuse to accomodate sodomites (as a printer who refused on religious grounds to print pro-sodomite literature and the high school teacher who spoke out against the lifestyle)

You Yanks who believe your president is a Christian will soon be crying in your root beer when the truth is revealed, which will be soon enough. Mark my words! Your country (much less mine) do not trust in 'God' - at least not in the God of the Bible!



Ray

Most of us know this my friend. Hopefully our next president will be better.

 

[GALGAMETH]

the guy sounds crazy, i probably would've acted the same as the cops

 

[GreenMunchkin]

I don't understand why this story hasn't been splashed all over the international news.

 

[LovesTruth]

the guy sounds crazy, i probably would've acted the same as the cops

Sadly I must agree with you. I am all for prayers in public, street evangelism, and Bible study. None of that was involved in this case.

He was obviously mentally disturbed or on medication or illegal drugs. If I were a police officer I'd have reacted similarly.

The stun gun is used in place of lethal force. Had the officers tried to wrestle a man high on crack, they could suffer serious injury. You never know what causes wierd and unresponsive behavior, so prudence is justified.

Tweak the story a little. Imagine he were calling for his girlfriend and carrying a romance novel. Or imagine he were calling Elvis etc. You can see this isn't a safe situation for the officers.

I am sure they didn't want to kill anybody, let alone a mentally sick person. It is a trajedy. It is not a police crime.

That is just my opinion.

 

[Controverse]

The teen was an idiot because he refused to comply with the police in this matter.

The police are idiots because they had no viable reason to shoot him in the first place.

Ark

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Humm, I'm not sure any of them are "idiots", though... I dunno.

It sounds like he was just absolutely filled with the joy of The Lord. And as Christians, ultimately we answer to God, not to the police.

The police officers must feel dreadful, too. Tis just important that we don't villify anyone in this cos it was a horribe accident.

 

[Unbroken]

I'm not quite sure what was up with the teen, but obviously there was something more going on than what the media has shown you.

The police quite probably had a reason to taser the boy than the media is NOT telling you about. Perhaps he became aggressive when told to stop? He was making a public disturbance. While I pray for him, he was in the wrong.

And please be advised, tasers do NOT kill people. I'm a Corrections Officer, and I myself have been tasered during the training process. Though it hurts severly, it causes no effects besides stopping muscle movement [does not cause -ANY- effect on the heart, my heart rate didn't chang the entire time I got tasered].