Woman Says Son Tazed After Staying In Bathroom Too Long

Alabama Mobile Phyllis Love says her son is mentally impaired and hearing impaired.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Mon, July 27, 2009 - 9:39 pm CST Last Updated: Mon, July 27, 2009 - 10:06 pm CST

A Mobile woman says her son, who is mentally handicapped and hearing impaired, was pepper sprayed and tazed by Mobile Police after he didn't come out of a store bathroom quickly enough. Phyllis Love said her 37 year old son Antonio went to the Dollar General Store on Azalea Road Friday morning, had stomach problems and went to the bathroom, and that the manager called police. Love said, "The reason police had been called out was because the manager said he was in the bathroom too long." Antonio's brother, Brodrick Love, interprets what Antonio said happened after police arrived. First, pepper spray came under the door. Brodrick Love said, "He saw the red smoke coming through there and then he threw water and said, 'What's that?' Then, he started throwing water on the floor and the smoke came into his nose and he thought the devil was coming into him." Phylllis Love said Antonio "was trying to hold the door for them not to come. Mind you, he thought it was the devil because he has a mental problem. When the police came out, that's what they did: they kicked the door in, and, when they did, my son says they tazed him in the chest, in the stomach, and on his hand." Antonio's mother says her son carries a card in his wallet that says he's hearing impaired. Family members said they have filed a complaint with the Mobile Police Department. Stephanie Turner, Antonio's aunt, said, "I called, trying to find a supervisor, so we can figure out what happened, why he was taken downtown without any family members being called, any legal representation, anybody being called, no interpreter." Phyllis Love said, "I want justice done." The Dollar General Store referred News Five to officials at the corporate office, but there's no word from them as of yet. A spokesman for the Mobile Police Department said they were aware of the complaint, but there's been no comment.

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bigbirvington Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 2:12 pm

You and I are on the same page FlowerChild.
Is this incident really newsworthy?
If it were a child, I’d say yes.
A grown man resisiting officers.
Nah…
Book em Dano.

FLOWERCHILD Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 1:39 pm

I didn’t read in the article that permission was asked for him to use the restroom. The mother seems to be stirring the pot when she should have been there for her son. If you have a deaf child you are not going allow them to be in the bathroom alone for an hour. How could this mother shop in a dollar general for an hour. They don’t have that much stuff.

bigbirvington Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 1:23 pm

If he asked permission, the management should have know he was disabled.
By him holding the door, and not leeting the officers in didn’t help the situation.
I agree there should have ben a competent adult accompanying him.

Mike x51 Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 12:26 pm

Glad you enjoyed it seniorguy.

seniorguy302 Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 11:57 am

mike, ur post is funny, i needed a good laff. have good one. u made an old guy have a good day. GOD BLESS YOU

ickthus Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 9:06 am

somebody is bouncing brain checks here. lol

FLOWERCHILD Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 9:00 am

I would have been alarmed if I were the manager. An hour is a long time in the bathroom. Where was the mother when the boy was being tazed. She should have been nearby to tell the police that he was mentally challenged and handicapped. I don’t feel the manager was out of line. He didn’t know. An hour is a long time in a dollar general much less the bathroom. How could the mother shop for an hour in a dollar general and not know what is going on with her son. The mother is to blame.

cmb1 Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 8:28 am

I would think the employees of the Dollar Store would have know him, i’m sure thats not the first time he was in ther store? Totally brutality. But i think that is all the cops know these days its a wonder 5 of them didn’t shoot. Dollar Store if you don’t want people going to the john then don’t have one. You can tell by seeing him on the news he is not a 10 year old he is smarter than they give him creit for.

Mike x51 Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 7:13 am

Is there no safe place to drop a deuce these day? Poor man gets tazed by the cops, another woman go shot on the pot a few weeks ago. I’m worried about all this chithouse violence and just gonna start holding it.

carl Says:

Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 5:50 am

This might have been resolved without much ado if there had been a responsible adult with this man,but there wasn’t.I can’t really place any blame on the police or the store for what happened.The man could have been assembling a bomb or anything in there for that long of a time.A card around his neck would have been more appropriate and easier for people to see and understand and a supervising adult would have been even better.Zero dollars on any law suit and a lecture on better supervising of the mentally and physically disabled person is all I would give them.

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