Today in Police Brutality: 5-Year-Old Cuffed and Charged with Assault
Michael Davis is a hyperactive 5-year-old diagnosed with ADHD who frequently gets into fights at school. His mother calls him an "energetic, loving, good kid" who is misunderstood by school administrators at Rio Calaveras Elementary of Stockton, California. They disagree, frequently complaining to his divorced parents that he is a discipline problem. When the school didn't see any improvement, they took matters in their own hands, and invited a police officer to the school to scare Michael straight.
According to a police report filed after the incident, the officer, Lt. Frank Gordo (pictured, upper-right), says he placed his hand on Michael's and then "the boy pushed my hand away in a batting motion, pushed papers off the table, and kicked me in the right knee."
When Michael wouldn't calm down, Gordo cuffed Michael's hands and feet with zip ties and took the boy to the Stockton Kaiser Psychiatric Hospital in the back of a squad car.
He had not called Michael's mother or father at that point.
Michael was cited for battery on a police officer.
At least he didn't tase him?
Michael's father was the one who picked him up from the psychiatric hospital, his son emerging hours later with his hands still zip-tied behind his back. It took several weeks before his mother was even informed that her son had been zip-tied at all. The charges were eventually dropped by a juvenile court judge, and the case is currently under review by the San Joaquin County Grand Jury and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. [KCRA via BoingBoing, Screengrabs via KCRA]