Share

Ex-Michigan trooper gets prison for teen's Taser crash death

Share

DETROIT (AP) — A former Michigan state trooper was sentenced to at least five years in prison Monday for causing the death of a Detroit teen who crashed an all-terrain vehicle after he was shot with a Taser.

Judge Margaret Van Houten said Mark Bessner, a lawyer and experienced officer, used poor judgment when he fired the immobilizing device from the passenger seat of a moving patrol car. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after a second trial in April.

“You abused the public’s trust. … It is the few officers like you who have caused the distrust of police officers that plagues our community in Detroit, the state of Michigan and throughout the country,” the judge said.

The maximum penalty is 15 years in prison, but Bessner will be eligible for parole after five. He quit the state police after the August 2017 incident.

Bessner and a partner were patrolling a Detroit neighborhood when Damon Grimes, 15, drove an ATV near their car. The white troopers turned around and pursued the black teen. As they got closer, Bessner fired a Taser, which releases stainless steel barbs.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

Grimes crashed into a parked pickup truck and died. Bessner said he believed the boy had a gun in his waistband, but Grimes didn’t have a weapon.

“A child is a terrible thing to lose,” a family member, Helen Stinson, told the judge. “To sit at the table and see his empty chair. To look at his empty bedroom has become more than we can bear.”

Bessner acknowledged the “tragedy” and turned to the family to apologize. He said he wished he could step into a “time machine” and change what happened.

“It is a no win-situation for police out there,” said Bessner, who added that it’s impossible to perform perfectly.

Two months before Grimes’ death, an arbitrator had cleared Bessner of misconduct in how he used his Taser while chasing a crime suspect in a different incident. State police wanted to suspend him for 10 days.

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwhiteap

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation