Testifying at an assault trial on Wednesday, a Cortez Police Department officer admitted under oath that he violated the city\u2019s stun gun policy in the Valentine\u2019s Day confrontation.<\/p>\n
On the witness stand for about 2\u00bd hours, patrol officer Boyd Neagle said under cross-examination that he defied the department\u2019s stun gun policy in three ways. Shane French, 38, of Cortez is charged with multiple counts of assaulting peace officers and resisting arrest.<\/p>\n
The stun gun policy, in part, requires officers to announce the use of the gun before it\u2019s deployed, document if it was used without a required warning and include a separate two-page stun gun form with any arrest or crime report. Neagle said he violated all three.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen that form,\u201d Neagle testified.<\/p>\n
Stunning French seven times, Neagle said he gave a verbal warning only once. Records show French was stunned twice in 11 seconds as officers attempted to handcuff him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was not complying,\u201d said Neagle.<\/p>\n
After French was in custody, Neagle stunned him five times in 2\u00bd minutes as officers patted him down for weapons and contraband. At least four officers were involved in the search.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a continuous, ongoing fight,\u201d said Neagle.<\/p>\n
According to department guidelines, officers are trained to use stun guns for compliance only, Neagle testified that one shouldn\u2019t be used as punishment.<\/p>\n
A 10-minute police video shown to jurors revealed that French repeatedly asked officers why he was being apprehended and stunned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d French moaned.<\/p>\n
Officers responded by telling French to \u201cshut up.\u201d In the video, officers also used profanity, calling French a \u201cstupid (expletive deleted).\u201d<\/p>\n