An independent investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol has cleared several Ozark police officers of any wrong-doing in a July 18 incident in which a Branson teen was Tasered repeatedly after allegedly jumping from an overpass on U.S. 65.
Christian County Prosecutor Ron Cleek released the report at a 4 p.m. news conference.
According to some of the witnesses interviewed by the patrol, the teen, Mace Hutchinson, had been at a party where alcohol and drugs were being consumed prior to the incident.
At least one of Hutchinson’s friends told the patrol Hutchinson had consumed a significant amount of LSD, an illegal hallucinogen.
After suffering a bad reaction to the drug, Hutchinson allegedly jumped from a moving vehicle near the overpass at U.S. 65 and Christian County F.
He fled into the woods but later returned and jumped from the overpass onto U.S. 65, according to statement’s the teen allegedly made later to friends.
Hutchinson, who suffered a broken heel and fractured vertebrae from the fall, was lying on or near the roadway when police arrived in response to several 911 calls from passers-by.
Witnesses reportedly said the teen repeatedly attempted to stand and move into the roadway.
The report states two Ozark officers deployed Tasers when the youth failed to comply with directions to stay down and place his hands behind his back.
The officers each shocked the teen nine times — for a total of 18 bursts — but Cleek said the teen could have been injured more severely had the officers instead used hands-on techniques to take him into custody.
“Once they got there they were trying to use the least amount of force necessary,” Cleek said. “They were attempting in the best way possible to get this young man to comply, which he didn’t do.”
Cleek noted that “there seemed to be no reaction” when the Tasers were used on the teen, who allegedly told a friend he did not remember being Tasered until told about it the next day.
“I don’t see any probable cause — neither does the highway patrol — that there was any evidence of excessive force,” Cleek said. “ ... You would hope that there wouldn’t be so many tasings, but that’s apparently what was required.”
Cleek said he does not plan to file criminal charges against Hutchinson, who was a minor at the time of the incident, but noted that the teen, now 17, faces several felony charges in Taney County.
Hutchinson, reportedly still wearing a back brace at the time, was arrested Aug. 29 for allegedly firing a gun at a house in Merriam Woods.
Notice the comments at the bottom of the article's page. This is the view of the average SW Missourian towards cops. Cops can do no wrong around here. No one questions anything, even after a drug test at the hospital shows that the teen had no drugs in his system. It's just accepted that he was on LSD, no questions asked.
The officers each shocked the teen nine times — for a total of 18 bursts — but Cleek said the teen could have been injured more severely had the officers instead used hands-on techniques to take him into custody.
“Once they got there they were trying to use the least amount of force necessary,” Cleek said. “They were attempting in the best way possible to get this young man to comply, which he didn’t do.”
I am speechless. The spin doctoring is astounding.
This kid had to have been flopping around like a fish out of water when tased 18 fucking times. But this was more gentle huh. Right... But that they were cleared doesnt surprise me at all. Pigs clear pigs all the time. It's what pigs do. .