Old News Kicks Off Series of Misfortunes

Tasered ex-CCC Teacher Pleads to Misdemeanor 

The cops were eager to try out
Waterloo PD's newly purchased
Tasers

April, 2007. WATERLOO, IA A former community college instructor who was shocked by a police Taser has pleaded to misdemeanor charges stemming from a disturbance at a convenience store. Tommy George, 55, of Waterloo, entered an Alford plea to a charge of interference with official acts causing injury, which alleged he pulled away from an officer who was escorting him from the store, and injured the 220-pound officer in the process.

"I removed my arm from the grasp of a Waterloo police officer," Tommy, a former communications teacher at Cornfield Community College, wrote in a written plea filed with the  court.

As part of the Alford plea, Mr. George didn't admit any wrongdoing but acknowledged there was a strong possibility he would be convicted if the matter went to trial. A trespass charge was dismissed as part of the pleadings, and Associate Judge Nate Calhoon granted a deferred judgment, meaning the offense will come off his record if he successfully completes a year of self probation. He was ordered to pay a $625 civil penalty plus court costs.

Tommy George has stated that the use of the Taser on him was unwarranted. Police said they were called to a dispute between him and the clerk at Qwik Star, W. Ninth St., at about 3:30 a.m. April 23, 2007. Officers were leading him from the store when he turned around and continued to argue with the employee.  George allegedly began to struggle when police attempted to place him under arrest, and he was shocked with a Taser, police said. One officer said he injured his left elbow and twisted his shoulder during the scuffle.

Mr. George said the clerk refused to accept his returnable pop bottles and then declined to sell him a bottle of cream soda. He said police asked him to leave and took him by the arm, and he turned to ask the clerk's name so he could write the company. That's when officers "swarmed" him, he said. "The cops were as high on something," he alleges, "and were playing with the Tasers just bought by the department." CCC officials were not immediately available for comment as to the timing and conditions of Tommy George's separation of employment from the college.

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