Taser incident sparks more protest

3:58 p.m., Sept. 19, 2007

GAINESVILLE - In drizzling rain, about 50 University of Florida students assembled on campus Wednesday again to protest the Tasering of a UF student.

Andrew Meyer, 21, was arrested Monday during a forum with U.S. Sen. John Kerry, and an officer's decision to shoot Meyer with a Taser gun as he resisted has sparked controversy.

The students, several of whom have been active in other unrelated protests on campus in recent months, assembled on the Plaza of the Americas with the stated intention of forming a plan of action. The "plan" evolved throughout the afternoon, as students marched on the UF Police Department to register formal complaints about the incident.

The protest was a fraction of the size of one held Tuesday, which drew more than 100 people.

Organizers of the protest said they also plan to contact the State Attorney's Office, urging that charges against Meyer be dropped. Meyer was charged with disturbing a public event, which is a misdemeanor, and resisting arrest with force, which is a felony.

Meyer, who has been out of public sight since he was released from the Alachua County jail Tuesday, is the flash point that spurred on these students. Even so, protesters increasingly say that the treatment of Meyer isn't the sole focus of students' angst. Instead, they say the incident has stimulated a national discussion about larger issues, including free speech, police brutality and a perceived erosion of civil liberties in the post-Sept. 11 world.

Benjamin Dictor, a UF student who has emerged as a leader within the protest movement, said students are rallying against a U.S. "culture of suppression of free thought and free speech." Dictor pointed to the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act, which has been used to detain "enemy combatants," as examples of the culture of suppression that students find objectionable.

"All of these things have been eroding the First Amendment in this country and creating a far more censored state," Dictor said. "I think that these are things that everybody's upset about, but they only start being vocal about when it comes to knock on the front door."

On Tuesday, a small group of UF students also met with Patricia Telles-Irvin, UF's vice president for student affairs. Chelsey Hoff, a student who attended the meeting, said the group reached an agreement that they would meet with UF President Bernie Machen Oct. 18. Hoff said students hope to encourage Machen to engage in a forum with students about about a range of issues, including a perceived lack of openness and transparency from the administration.

"Students feel like they're very removed," she said,"(and) that the president doesn't care about the students."

FDLE begins investigation12:02 p.m., Sept. 19, 2007

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have launched their investigation into an on-campus incident at the University of Florida where a student was struck with a Taser.

"They came in yesterday and started gathering information," University of Florida Police Chief Linda Stump said Wednesday. "I have given them total liberty with their investigation. They have total access within our agency."

Stump said she didn't have additional details about the FDLE investigation and did not know when that agency would complete their review of the incident involving UF student Andrew W. Meyer.

UF Police struck Meyer, 21, once with a Taser and arrested him after they alleged he became disruptive at a town hall forum at which U.S. Sen. John Kerry was speaking. When officers were unable to remove him, they resorted to the Taser gun when he didn't "comply," according to police.

A FDLE spokeswoman said agents with the department's Gainesville field office were handling the investigation.

Calling for an independent FDLE investigation one was of several actions taken by UF following Meyer's arrest. UF President Bernie Machen also said a panel of UF faculty and students will review police protocols, and two UF Police officers involved in the incident were placed on paid administrative leave pending a conclusion of the FDLE investigation.

The State Attorney's Office, which has been asked to expedite its review of the case against Meyer, have indicated that process will take time as prosecutors await the FDLE report and speak with people involved in the incident.

- Lise Fisher/The Gainesville Sun

Police report student told them: 'You didn't do anything wrong'

5:52 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

Police have released the incident report detailing the Tasering of a University of Florida student during a campus forum with Sen. John Kerry Monday, and the officer who actually Tasered Andrew Meyer wrote in the report that Meyer later told police, "You didn't do anything wrong."

In the 12-page report, which gives accounts of the incident from the perspective of eight different officers who were present Monday afternoon, Officer Nicole Mallo writes that Meyer would only resist officers when cameras were present.

"As (Meyer) was escorted down stairs (at the University Auditorium) with no cameras in sight, he remained quiet, but once the cameras made their way down stairs he started screaming and yelling again," Mallo wrote.

Mallo was one of two officers who actually rode in the vehicle as Meyer was escorted to the Alachua County jail, and she said said he told them during the ride: "I am not mad at you guys, you didn't do anything wrong, you were just trying to do your job," according to Mallo's account.

Mallo also wrote in her report that he asked, at one point, if cameras would be present at the jail.

The report details the events leading up to Meyer's arrest, saying that Meyer was in line to ask a question of Sen. Kerry when it was decided that no more questions would be allowed.

Meyer continued down the aisle toward Sen. Kerry angrily, according to police, saying he wanted the senator to answer his question because he had been waiting for two hours.

Though Sen. Kerry directed that Meyer be allowed to ask his question, police reported that Meyer did not ask any specific question and instead "badgered" the senator, and at one point said something about President Clinton being impeached over a sexual act.

At that point, police reported that ACCENT Director Max Tyroler turned off Meyer's microphone and asked police to escort him out of the auditorium, saying, "He had said enough," according to Officer Mallo's report.

Officers then proceeded to attempt to remove Meyer from the room, but when he resisted, they placed him on the ground and tried to handcuff him. The six officers who actually took part in holding Meyer down while he was being handcuffed reported that they were only able to get a handcuff on his right hand because he was squirming so much.

The supervising officer, Sgt. Eddie King, attempted to Taser Meyer on his chest, but he reported that his Taser would not deploy. He then instructed Mallo to Taser Meyer, and she Tasered him on his shoulder, according to one of the officer's report.

The officers were then able to fully handcuff Meyer and escort him from the building. Each of the six officers reported that Meyer yelled things like, "They're going to kill me," and, "They are giving me to the government," while he was being taken from the room.

-- Alice Wallace/The Gainesville Sun

Friends say student arrest not a stunt6:37 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

Despite humorous videos, pictures and acts attributed to Andrew Meyer online, friends of the University of Florida student insist his arrest Monday at an appearance by Sen. John Kerry was not any sort of publicity stunt.

"I think he just got scared," said Jon Levy, who identified himself as a student and a friend of Meyer's. "He is a funny person, but he is a funny person who really wants political change.

"He went there to ask some tough questions," Levy said.

Another friend and UF student, Michael Goldman, said he didn't believe Meyer intended for anything unusual to happen.

However, one of the many videos circulating of the incident was shot with Meyer's own camera.

Clarissa Jessup, who was standing near Meyer just before UF Police Tasered him and took him into custody, said Meyer asked her to film him asking Kerry a question just before he approached the microphone.

That has given rise to rumors that Meyer, who aspires to work in the national media, was hoping to get arrested or videotaped as part of some sort of elaborate stunt. But Jessup, who says she never met Meyer prior to the forum, says she thinks he simply wanted a video of himself talking to Kerry.

"I don't even know this kid," said Jessup, rebuffing any notion that she'd collaborated with Meyer to film an incident he knew would escalate.

Additionally, some content on Meyer's Web site, TheAndrewMeyer.com, suggests that Meyer is a bit of a prankster.

For example, one post written by Meyer recounts a time that he wore a funny hat and a blue tank top to a nice restaurant. He said his friends should have been, "accustomed and expecting of my uncanny ways." The post also says: "There is no wiggle room in the world these days for the dancing jester. There are specific social mores that must be upheld no matter how silly the place, the rules must be followed."

A video titled "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" features a man dressed in drag who becomes an attractive blonde after a few drinks.

Friends said Meyer didn't create all of the movies on the site and weren't sure which ones he had.

One of the posts on his Web site is a described as a "disorganized diatribe."

It criticizes media content, especially about the Iraq War.

A major theme in the post is lack of media coverage of important issues like the War in Iraq and the media's focus on entertainment issues.

One excerpt from that article reads: "The news is designed to keep viewers watching and sedated and not thinking bad thoughts about America, because that would be bad for the economy. Stories about a severely unbalanced budget are out, train wrecks like Paris and Anna are in. A train wreck may be senseless and pointless, but Americans sure do love to watch."

Levy said that he feels most news media are missing the issue that Meyer's incident should have brought up.

"The issue he was trying to get at was getting people to be more informed and willing to ask questions," Levy said, adding that he had talked to Meyer earlier Tuesday.

He mentioned what he called the irony that Meyer was asking a question when the scuffle with University Police began.

Meyer was a student writer at one time for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. A description on the Sun-Sentinel Web site written by Meyer says: "Andrew tries to write mostly whimsical nonsense columns about nothing in particular, yet occasionally finds himself angry enough to rain down fire and brimstone on an unsuspecting politician or celebrity."

He also expresses his disdain for referring to himself in the third person, yet in most of his posts and on his Facebook.com profile he refers to himself as The Andrew Meyer.

-- Megan Rolland/The Gainesville Sun

Machen: 'We want to have civil discourse'2:40 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

GAINESVILLE - University of Florida President Bernie Machen told members of the media assembled at a campus news conference that UF officials will take a number of steps following Monday's incident in which student Andrew Meyer was Tasered during an on-campus speech by Sen. John Kerry.

"This is a university, and we want to have civil discourse," Machen said. "The fact that it didn't occur is as troubling to me as it is to our students."

Meyer was restrained by several University Police Department officers after he refused to leave the microphone during a question-and-answer session following Kerry's talk.

When he continued to struggle while being removed from the auditorium, he was subdued with a Taser.

Machen said that two UPD officers involved have been put on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

He also said he has asked the State Attorney's Office to "act expeditiously" in deciding whether to bring any charges in the incident.

Machen said that he did not see the incident and will wait for a full report before making any further decisions.

"We will make our decisions based on the external review," he said.

-- Diane Chun/The Gainesville Sun

Tasered student videotaped by own camera5:24 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

One of the many videos circulating of a University of Florida student being Tasered by police was shot with the student's own camera.

Clarissa Jessup, who was standing near Adam Meyer just before UF Police took him into custody during U.S. Sen. John Kerry's speech at UF, said Meyer asked her to film him asking Kerry a question just before he approached the microphone.

That fact has given rise to rumors that Meyer, who aspires to work in national media, was performing an elaborate stunt. But Jessup, who says she never met Meyer prior to the forum, says she thinks he simply wanted a video of himself talking to Kerry.

"I don't even know this kid," said Jessup, rebuffing any notion that she'd collaborated with Meyer to film an incident he knew would escalate.

-- Jack Stripling/The Gainesville Sun

UF identifies two officers placed on leave4:30 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

The University of Florida identified two officers placed on administrative leave with pay after a student was shot with a Taser and arrested during a speech Monday by U.S. Sen. John Kerry.

Sgt. Eddie King and Officer Nicole Mallo have been placed on leave, said UF spokesman Steve Orlando Tuesday afternoon.

The two officers were identified as the supervising officer who had ordered that the Taser be used and the officer who used it.

Additional information about how long the two have been with the department was not immediately available.

Suspending the officers was one of several steps taken by the university after the arrest of UF student Andrew W. Meyer on Monday.

UF Police Chief Linda Stump has requested that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conduct the formal investigation into Meyer's arrest. The officers' suspension is pending the outcome of the investigation.

The university also is planning to assemble a panel of faculty and students to review police protocols, management practices and the FDLE report and come up with recommendations for the university.

-- Lise Fisher/The Gainesville Sun

Students march to protest Tasering1:37 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

About 200 people marched to the University of Florida Police Department Tuesday afternoon in protest of the arrest of a college student who was shot with a Taser gun during a speech by U.S. Sen. John Kerry Monday.

The crowd, made up mostly of UF students, carried signs that said, "Don't Tase bro" and "Free speech is not a felony." Some called the police names.

But the march remained peaceful with protestors being met by a UF Police lieutenant. UF spokesman Steve Orlando also spoke to the group, who were told that two police officers, one the officer who used the Taser on student Andrew W. Meyer and the sergeant who had ordered the action, had been placed on paid administrative leave.

UF Student Body President Ryan Moseley also tried to speak to the crowd.

An online post announcing the march, which started at the Plaza of the Americans, had called for officers involved to be suspended and investigated, policies involving disrupting speech and using weapons such as Tasers to be re-evaluated and all charges against the student to be dropped.

The group began to disperse at about 12:45 p.m. after learning that UF President Bernie Machen had announced a news conference had been scheduled for 2 p.m. at Emerson Alumni Hall.

There were no reports that officers arrested or cited any of the protestors.

-- Chad Smith/The Gainesville Sun

ACLU: Incident should have been avoided2:47 p.m., Sept. 18, 2007

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has released a statement condemning the use of a Taser gun in the arrest of University of Florida student Andrew Meyer on campus Monday.

Executive Director Howard Simon said aside from the possible use of excessive force, the response of the University Police Department "squandered the free speech rights of both Kerry and Meyer."

Simon said people have a reasonable expectation to ask questions in a public setting, and Sen. John Kerry had a reasonable expectation to be able to answer those questions.

"That is free speech, plain and simple," he said.

-- Diane Chun/The Gainesville Sun

Sen. Kerry releases statement1:22 pm, September 18, 2007, Sept. 18, 2007

Sen. John Kerry said that through dialogue he may have been able to resolve the outburst that occurred during his speech Monday at the University of Florida.

He issued the statement Tuesday afternoon indicating his regret for the incident that resulted in police Tasering a student.

"I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention," Kerry's statement said.

"In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way," Kerry said adding he was in the process of responding to Andrew Meyer's questions when police intervened.

-- Megan Rolland/Gainesville Sun

Two officers suspended in TaseringSept. 18, 2007

University of Florida Police are seeking an independent review of an incident Monday where a student was shot with a Taser and arrested during U.S. Sen. John Kerry's speech. Two officers involved also have been placed on paid administrative leave, a letter from UF President Bernie Machen states.

A letter has been sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement asking for an independent review, UF Police Chief Linda Stump confirmed.

“We plan to assemble a panel of faculty and students to review our police protocols, our management practices and the FDLE report to come up with a series of recommendations for the university,” Machen's letter states. “Administrators and police officials plan to analyze the incident and conduct an internal review and will consider changing protocols in response to this incident, if necessary.”

“Obviously I think that's the right thing to do. I think it has risen to the level where it needs outside scrutiny to be judged independently,” Stump said Tuesday morning.

A news conference on the incident has been scheduled for 2 p.m. in Emerson Alumni Hall.

UF student Andrew W. Meyer, 21, was being released from the Alachua County jail on his own recognizance Tuesday morning after university police arrested him Monday.

Meanwhile, some students had planned a march on the UF Police Department regarding the incident.

Meyer, a student in the College of Journalism and Communications, questioned Kerry about why he didn't contest the 2004 presidential election and why there had been no moves to impeach President Bush. Officers tried to physically remove him and eventually threatened to use the Taser on Meyer.

Meyer did not “comply,” according to police, and resisted being handcuffed. He was then shot with the Taser.

Meyer was charged with resisting an officer with violence, a third-degree felony, and disturbing the peace, a second-degree misdemeanor, according to court records. Alachua County court records do not show he has been charged in any other criminal cases in the county.

Meyers is being represented by a private attorney, according to court records. The attorney listed, Gainesville lawyer Robert Griscti, could not immediately reached Tuesday morning.

An announcement about the march had been posted online and said it was planned to start at noon in the Plaza of the Americas.

"The student didn't do anything to deserve getting pulled down by six officers and then Tasered as they held him to the floor of the auditorium," the post stated. "The charge is bogus. Watch the videos. He was censored."

The post also includes a list of demands. "Despite the call from other groups to ban Tasers on campus, here's what I'm asking for," it states. It calls for the officers involved to be suspended and investigated, policies involving disrupting speech and using weapons such as Tasers to be re-evaluated and all charges against the student to be dropped.

- Lise Fisher/The Gainesville Sun

A letter from J. Bernard Machen

12:51 p.m.

To students, faculty, staff:

I have received a great deal of communication and input last night and this morning regarding the incident that occurred Monday at the conclusion of a town hall forum being held by Sen. John Kerry. The incident resulted in a student being tasered.

We are interested in learning what happened and are taking the following immediate steps to ensure the university utilizes best practice protocols.

University of Florida Police Chief Linda Stump has requested the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conduct a formal investigation into the arrest of UF student Andrew Meyer. An independent review such as this will make sure the results are objective and impartial. Chief Stump's priority is to ensure that the public remains confident in the department's ability to keep the campus safe.

Two officers involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

We plan to assemble a panel of faculty and students to review our police protocols, our management practices and the FDLE report to come up with a series of recommendations for the university.

Administrators and police officials plan to analyze the incident and conduct an internal review and will consider changing protocols in response to this incident, if necessary.

Finally, as is standard procedure, the State Attorney's Office will review the charges brought against Mr. Meyer. We have communicated with the State Attorney and understand he plans to expedite his review.

I will talk about the incident and answer questions at a news conference scheduled for 2 p.m. in Emerson Alumni Hall.

Sincerely,

J. Bernard Machen