When you cross that line, there are going to be consequences and they are going to be severe, he told the judge last week. He took a shot right to the heart, and that sent him into cardiac arrest.. Runnels had once been an officer inthe Kansas City Police Department, though Matt didnt work in his sector. Former Independence, Mo., police officer Timothy Runnels was sentenced Wednesday to 4 years in prison for violating the constitutional rights of a minor who was in his custody. Bryce denied he was going anywhere near that fast. This article was reported in partnership with The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute. Bryce refused. Finally, he was clear, and the room celebrated. For the next 24 hours, he would be in limbo as his brain tried to heal itself. For Matt, the most damning evidence came from within Taser International itself. They had seen the dashboard video and had a clear picture of what happened. These are only estimates, but the more you know, the more . Matt was surprised. He was recording the interaction with his cellphone. A scuffle ensued and Morgan was surrounded by four officers, who began firing when they spotted his service weapon. More importantly, if there was no warrant associated with Bryce or his car, why was he stopped in the first place? But he doesnt trust the company selling them. I read Zipes study, and it just blew me away, Matt remembered. KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and powerful storytelling. From The Intercept : I still get what cops go through, the decision-making process, the damned if you do, damned if you dont process, Matt said. Then he pulled him out of the car, handcuffed him, and drug him around the car. The permanent injury he struggles with every day came as a result of the Taser. He was completely immobilized, the ventilator still in place, but he was making eye contact with his mom and dad. Finally, in 2009, Taser International released the bulletin suggesting that officers should avoid shooting suspects in the chest when possible. Bryce Masters received CPR after being tased by Officer Timothy Runnels (top right), Sept. 14, 2014. NINTH GRADE HONOR ROLL: Elliott Anthony, Carter Bainter, Caleb Bennett, Peyton Black, Allena Blanton, Jesse Bryant, Kennidi Burkhart, Cameron Casto, Jacob Cline, Averey Cockerill, Nathan Cockerill, Jordan Cordell, Meghan Cory, Jake Daniels, Makenna Davis, Sara Dawson, Jonathan Donson, Michael . By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The video shook the convictions he had always held about law enforcement officers. He knows there are manydeserving cases, especially involving minority victims, that never see the inside of a courtroom. Timothy is related to Carolyn Ann Runnels . When Masters refused to get out of his car, Runnels tried to drag him out, then drew his Taser and shot him. Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. Lack of training? Bryces only mistake in this situation was following his parents advice to ask questions, particularly to ask why if stopped by law enforcement. Just shoot them with the Taser, and its over and done with.. He thought again about his own training, and how Taser International, by holding a virtual monopoly on the weapons, heavily influenced the information officers received. Please donatehere. Miami Trace High School recently released the second nine weeks honor roll and honorable mention. The officers found half a joint but let them go. I knew, in my heart, that I didnt do anything wrong to him, he said. Later, a different spokesperson would tell KCTV that the use of the Taser was in policy. Runnelss name wasnt initially released. A former Independence police officer has been sentenced to serve four years in prison after violating the rights of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop.Timothy Runnels used a Taser on Bryce . In finding that Runnels was not entitled to qualified immunity, the 8th Circuit adopted a position that it has rarely taken in the past. I felt like he would have cared for an injured animal better., I will never get over the fact that he put his foot on Bryces back, while he was literally dying, she said. Interment will follow in the Largent Cemetery. They turned the ventilator off, but left the breathing tube in just in case Bryce failed to breathe on his own. This case was investigated by the FBIs Kansas City Division and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Shan Patel of the Civil Rights Divisions Criminal Section and First Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark of the Western District of Missouri. His skin was pale, and his lips were light blue. They argue the doctrine has been a major obstacle to police accountability. Three years? Given the grim initial prognosis, the Masters felt lucky. As the video openswe seea gray Pontiac enter the frame, and Bryces dad, Matt, put his hand on his sons knee. theintercept.com Tased in the Chest for 23 Seconds, Dead for 8 Minutes, Now Facing a Lifetime of Recovery Some of Bryces memories are made and erased overnight, and sometimes more frequently. She told the Masters that Bryce had scored a three. The past 20 months have been emotionally and physically exhausting, the statement said. Federal prison records show he was released on Dec. 27, 2019. State police reinvestigated the case and found that a deputy who originally gave sworn testimony that Sanford drew an accurate diagram of the crime scene, later contradicted that testimony, the prosecutors offices statement said. In the video you see Runnels opening the driver's door telling Masters to get out. By Wednesday morning, Independence police released Officer Runnels search warrant application, and the probable cause appeared to have changed. Our thoughts and prayers are with him. . What do you mean? Bryce asked. Bryce had other plans. Please Join us. Now, he thought about his son. Tasers told everybody, If youve got to put your hands on somebody, why? Gillihan claimed hed received a call about a suspicious car parked overnight, and he was waiting when Bryce walked outside. His attorney, J.R. Hobbs, asked Whipple to place Runnels on probation. Later in the evening, as things quieted down, Dr. Augustin arrived to check on Bryce. Hobbs asked that the judge recommend that he be placed in a prison facility as close to Kansas City as possible. He was especially concerned about officers trained before 2009, who may have never been re-trained on updated information. After excessively tazing a fellow cops underage son during a traffic stop and slamming the handcuffed teen face-first onto the street, an overzealous officer was recently sentenced to four years in prison for violating the minors civil rights. The recent Tasering of then 17 year-old Bryce Masters by Missouri cop Timothy Runnels has sparked outrage in the community and around the world. Cops do make bad decisions. Independence Police Department squad car. Hes going to prison., Matt and Stacey were obviously outraged by what happened to Bryce and dealt with the heartbreaking circumstances of his injury every day. Masters nearly died, according to testimony last week. Get your ass out of the car, he said. Finally, the Masters thought, they were going to get some closure and understand exactly what went wrong. _____________________________________________________________. "The department remains committed to ensuring that police officers who violate their sworn oaths by using excessive force are held accountable," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Gupta. Matt and Stacy didnt sleep at all that first night. Independence, Missouri - Video released on Monday shows a new view of the moment a police officer used a taser on a teenager. Timothy Alan Runnels October 5, 1963 - June 13, 2022 (58 years old) Terre Haute, Indiana Give a memorial tree Plant a tree Light a candle Illuminate their memory Timothy Alan Runnels Obituary We are sad to announce that on June 13, 2022 we had to say goodbye to Timothy Alan Runnels of Terre Haute, Indiana. ), Watching the video, Stacy was astounded. He stopped the gray Pontiac because he believed the . share. One robbery happens every 15 minutes. Bryce repeatedly asks if he is under arrest. Officer Timothy Runnels flagged Bruce Master in 2014, but the incident led to the boy's cardiac arrest and long physical and emotional recovery after Runnels tasered him. The case status is Pending - Other Pending. Bryce Masters used his mobile phone to record his encounter with Officer Timothy Runnels on September 14, 2014. Matt imagined the stop every day. Someone is raped in Texas every hour. As Fox 4 Kansas City reported, Masters nearly died after he lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest. An official website of the United States government. Matt believes Runnels should have never been hired by Independence after he resigned from Kansas City. Its sickening to me to listen to Taser even speak, Matt continues. According to the indictment, Runnels continuously deployed a Taser against Bryce while he was on the ground and not posing a threat to the defendant or others. It was the first time the Masters realized that Bryce had been repeatedly tased. While most of the 15-minute session was spent on updated legal information, and situations in which Taser use was not advised, there was no mention of potential cardiac risks. This time, he didnt reconsider. 83 comments. But it was a crime scene at that point, with several officers there and yellow tape stretched to cordon off the section of property where the interaction had played out. I felt like he would have cared for an injured animal better.. Baristas at two Kansas City-area Starbucks locations plan to unionize. Ending qualified immunity a doctrine established by the Supreme Court nearly 40 years ago has become a central goal of proponents of police reform in the wake of the murder of George Floyd a year ago by a Minneapolis police officer. There were four counts total, two related to obstruction of justice and two related to deprivation of rights. 2021) Annotate this Case Court Description: [Kelly, Author, with Colloton and Melloy, Circuit Judges] Civil Case - Civil Rights Act. In every interaction, whether at school or out in public, the question of what he did, what responsibility he must have for his own injury, hung over him. He had been assured by instructors, trained by Taser International, that the electric current discharged by the Taser would not cause death. While he was able to finish high school, he didnt have the motor skills for sports anymore, and his diminished ability to think critically made college unlikely. Being a convicted felon and losing the only career he ever aspired to was a significant punishment for Runnels, Hobbs said. Runnels says, Youre under arrest. The companys use of the condition in public statements and court testimony is controversial as well. I dont play games., Ive been tased a dozen times, Runnels said to Bryce. Matt had heard that people sometimes died after a Taser shock, but chalked it up to a syndrome called excited delirium, which hed learned about in his Taser training. His colleagues chuckled as suspects screamed and cops stood heroically at a distance, pumping them with electricity. Witness video of Independence officer Tim Runnels arresting Bryce Masters following a traffic stop Sunday in Independence. Kos Media, LLC. Independence Missouri Police Officer Timothy Runnels thought he had a warrant on his hands. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym. During the third week of March in 2015, Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark informed the Masters that Runnels was going to face a grand jury. 716. What did I do? It was hard to accept that a police officer, someone he was taught to trust, could injure him so grievously. Dr. Augustin was firm. Just shoot them with the Taser, and its over and done with, Mattsaid. He wanted the judge to know he was a good person, a strong person, and despite all hed been through, determined to make the most out of his life. Youwere are the greatest. The neurologist calmly explained that 15 is the best score, indicating a patient is fully aware and awake. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson of the Western District of Missouri announced that former Independence, Missouri, Police Officer Timothy Runnels was sentenced to 4 years in prison for violating the constitutional rights of a minor who was in his custody. Aside from dealing with a traumatic brain injury, Bryce has battled the perception that he is somehow responsible for the crime committed against him. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Bryce dealt with the perception that he was somehow to blame on a daily basis. And I am., After almost 20 years as a cop, it had become easy for Matt to split the world into good guys and bad guys. The new officer referred to Bryce, lying there stationary. It was easier for himto view Runnelss actions as an error of judgment exacerbated by ignorance. Timothy Runnels pleaded guilty in September to violating the civil rights of then 17-year-old Bryce Masters during a 2014 traffic stop. Even on the night of Runnels sentencing, Bryce said, he was followed by an Independence squad car for at least 3miles. Later Wednesday, Masters family issued a statement thanking investigators, prosecutors and medical personnel who treated Masters. Former Independence, Missouri, Police Officer Timothy Runnels will spend 48 months in jail for a 2014 taser incident that left a teen in a coma after pleading guilty on June 1 to federal charges he violated the constitutional rights of a minor while in custody.The US Department of Justice released dashcam video of the September 14, 2014, arrest of Bryce Masters, then 17 years old, on June 6 . As a police officer, his opinion about whether Tasers could kill mirrored the standard explanation he and his fellow officers had heard from the companys trainers, that Tasers causing cardiac arrest was just a tall tale concocted by attorneys and the media to disparage a useful police weapon. After getting the phone call from Ketchmark, Matt and Stacy talked about what type of punishment would feel like justice to them. I thought he shot him. Masters was able to crawl out of his car before falling unconscious face-down on the pavement. After serving his sentence, Runnels will be placed on supervised release for two years. Independence, Missouri, is an aging suburb, the kind of place wealthy residents of Kansas City used to move to. It was daylight outside, and in the distance ahead, they could see Bryces gray Pontiac driving along as Runnelss cruiser followed far behind. Rick Guilbault, the former head of training at Taser International, testified on behalf of Runnels that his use of the Taser was consistent with common practice and training. Officer Timothy Runnels stopped Bryce Masters, 17, in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, on Sept. 14, 2014 because Masters was driving a car owned by a woman with an outstanding. 735. Give me your hand, youre under arrest, Runnels said. I felt like he would have cared for an injured animal better.. The court found that the law surrounding the officers use of force was not clearly established. 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