As long as no one is getting physically harmed, it is not against the law to be upset, to yell or to curse. But in the presence of police, those actions can trigger a series of reactions that can then lead to an arrest, as they did for Qyontae Billy Sampson, an 18-year-old resident of Palm Coast, on Monday.
The incident took place on Richfield Lane in Palm Coast’s R-Section. Deputies were dispatched there just before 11:30 a.m. because of a reported verbal disturbance. When they arrived, Sampson was reportedly yelling in the front yard along with his mother, his girlfriend and his brother.
Sampson and his girlfriend live together at a different address, but that morning they’d been arguing, police later found out. Sampson went to his mother’s place on Richfield Lane. A friend dropped off Sampson’s girlfriend at the same Richfield address. Some of Sampson’s belongings were in the car. He had thrown them out of the car, because he was “agitated,” and the car’s driver was in a rush, but all on scene agreed that nothing physical had happened, “and there were no threats of violence,” the police report notes.
That was established only after the confrontation with police. By then, Sampson was on his way to the county jail.
Sampson, the report states, “continued to yell and use profane language while deputies were speaking with him.” He was told several times not to walk away from deputies. But he kept walking toward the open garage. A corporal told Sampson that the deputies needed to figure out what had taken place, and therefore to be able to talk to him. Instead, the report states, Sampson started to walk toward one of the deputies patrol cars at the end of the driveway “while continuing to yell.” He made a brief utterance that was redacted from the report.
His mother tried to calm him down for about two minutes. Then a deputy told him that he was about to be put in handcuffs “for officer safety,” and ordered to put his hands behind his back. One deputy grabbed his right wrist, another grabbed his left, but Sampson began to twist and get away. He freed his left hand, and, according to the report, allegedly pushed the corporal in the chest. He then started to run even as another deputy briefly held on to his wrist. Then he broke free.
Two deputies pursued him as Sampson ran between one house and another on Richfield, and soon the corporal fired his Taser (specifically referred to, in the report, as a Dart Firing Stun Gun), but only one of the two probes connected. Sampson briefly continued to run in the backyard, then complied with an order to lie on the ground. He was handcuffed and taken to a patrol car.
A responding medic removed the dart from his back. Sampson was charged with resisting arrest with violence, resisting arrest without violence, and battery on a law fnorcement officer. He posted bail on $3,500 bond and was released.
Moe Syzlak says
so the moral of the story is don’t push a police officer and don’t run from the police and you wont get tasered.
sunshine says
The smug look on his face , says it all.
JohnStanton134 says
How the hell can someone be charged with resisting WITH violence, and WITHOUT violence? I swear, resisting arrest is the most unfair, catch-all charge on earth, and to think, NYPD Commisioner Bratton wants to upgrade it to a felony, sickening. Nearly everyone I have ever known is charged with RA when they have done nothing but say they’ve done nothing but claim their innocence, apparently with too much passion. Police nowadays are trained all wrong, they’re trained to be cowards.
look in the mirror says
I was arrested ONCE ever in my life foe being at the wrong place..wrong time.. FIRST thing I said was “I AM NOT RESISTING YOUR ARREST” over and over again.. guess what??? NOTHING HAPPENED.. I NEVER got tased.. NEVER got roughed up… and NEVER was charged with anything.. WHAT A MIRACLE RIGHT??? OH and I am Puerto Rican.. go figure.
Anonymous says
DON’T RESIST
Samual Adams says
Yep, I agree….Its all a NEW WORLD AGENDA plan to have total control over the population. Do as I say or your a FELON and we will TAKE your GOD GIVEN RIGHTS from you…..Its happen America, everyday, more and more, and more. Keep your distance from police and NEVER allow them to take your RIGHTS !!!!
Anthony says
Moral of the story: Don’t be dumb. He was told he wasn’t being arrested, then escalated the situation. Oh well, no sympathy on my part.
What's Happening says
I was detained in Volusia a few years back, after being pulled over for an alleged traffic infraction. The cop looked at my middle-aged white lady face and asked me to step out of the car. I immediately complied, after explaining that yes, I was exiting the car.
This has never happened before to me and I feel quite sure it will never happen again. But not only was I detained, I put up with a bunch of verbal abuse for daring to inquire why I was being detained. And yes, I asked politely, in my middle-aged white lady voice. At one point, this woman cop came up behind me, slapped handcuffs on me, and hissed in my ear that she had 50,000 volts on her hip and she wasn’t afraid to use it. And her by-now gaggle of four other cops–yes, it took five uniformed officers to detain my 5″2″ lady butt–backed her right up. All five of them…all the bad apples on the entire force, one supposes.
All this for a moving violation? Uh, no, not really, that was just an excuse to pull me over. As it turned out, my car resembled–resembled–one used in a bank robbery the day before. That’s *all*. My lawyer had a field day with this, he got the subsequent ticket dropped and then some, because these people treated due process like it didn’t exist. And they didn’t care. It was unbelievable.
Moral of this story: 1) being white and middle aged was surely the only thing that stood between me and a beat down. 2) This didn’t happen _yesterday_ and the cops have gotten worse since and 3) All you people who think it’ll never happen to you as long as you yessuh and nossuh and anything you say officer suh are DREAMING.
ygsampson says
I’m going to say something because this is my brother 1rst my brother is very paranoid if u touch him he gets crazy the officer had no right to touch him officer safety really? and they lied he didn’t push him in the chest i was all there when it happened and took place.
Joy says
Really??!!
Real Florida residence says
OK start over! Someone felt that the situation was worth calling LEO right? Now upon arrival they observe a somewhat out of control male. As you know only one person can speak at a time so the male was asked repeatedly to allow his side of the incident to be told but must refame frome swearing and stand still. As the young man became more agitated, LEO have to make safety decision and adjust their approach. In other words take charge of the scene. I understand when a person is angry, they won’t follow instructions of parents or police, but with his mother on scene, he could’ve at least allowed her to intercede on his behalf. Now bond money and court appearance is the end result, not LEO’s fought. Not once was he not allowed to speak but in a manner in which all parties must feel safe, nothing cowardly about this or poor training!!!!!!!!
wake up! says
Wow are we all lucky they didn’t shot him! Jessie and Al would have a riot brewing before nightfall.
David S. says
He deserves what he got.
Nalla C. says
Poor training is a big part of it–perhaps not necessarily in this situation, but in general, these cops are tasing or shooting first and asking questions later. It’s either poor training or it’s “expedience”. Either way, those who continue to insist that simply “obeying” and/or “not resisting” is the only answer, it is not.
But hey, keep it up; this can happen to anyone. It does not always matter if you just behave yourself, everything will not always be just fine. You will learn the lesson very painfully that it does not always work that way anymore, no matter what color you are. My best advice to those folks is to stop holding your ears shut and repeating this fantasy and start listening to those of us telling you it is NOT the only answer. If you won’t, one day, you’ll learn the hard way. And I won’t feel empathy for you at all, because people keep trying to tell you and you simply cannot be bothered to listen to reason.
hhmmm? says
Sooo many opinions from those who have no clue, have not served (Law Enforcement or Military) and have no idea what it takes to do the job. The unknowns, the real experience and learning by trial and error (getting swung on etc…) And training, you have no idea how much training they have and continue to have throughout a career. Whats the saying, ‘haters gonna hate’ but damn if they aint bold with the keystrokes! Most of these haters do so because of their own illegitimate degenerate lives.
SW says
Poor training. They did a stellar job under the circumstances
What's Happening says
So you were forced into this job? How does that happen in America? And how is your job so much more important than anyone else’s, that you no longer need to honor the Constitution, when “doing what it takes”?
Citizen says
I know this kid and he is a good kid. The sheriffs office has manipulated the story to “justify” THERE actions. Yelling does not justify a taser in this situation. He is fidgety, but he is a harmless kid who was another victim of the flagler county s.o…..
Anonymous says
He wasn’t just yelling. He was screaming profanities at them, a form of verbal abuse. He wriggled his way out with they tried to detain him and allegedly pushed one cop. Did you even read the article?
There is a serious lack of respect for law enforcement, teachers, or any kind of authority among some young people. You’re not helping this young man by making excuses for his behavior; you’re enabling him.
SW says
he’s 18 an adult and should know better.
Anon says
Officers should have not grabbed his wrists if he wasn’t doing anything or had any potential to act physically. He was aggravated and had the right to walk away if they weren’t arreating him. It’s only resisting arrest after the cops messed up. There is nothing wrong with a little yelling fight, or else my family would all be locked up. But officers can’t just leave people alone, instead they hand cuffed and tased him for no reason, which both officers should be reprimanded for
ryan says
It’s obvious the kid has an attitude problem. I have to admit that the FCSO is a lot more professional than many other departments across the country.
lop slop says
These idiots are so ready to hand their rights over to LEOs. Moral of the story: Don’t call the cops unless you want to be tased, have your dog shot, or get shot yourself. The police are not there to protect you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_v._District_of_Columbia
Police are not hired if they have above average IQs.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/court-oks-barring-high-iqs-cops/story?id=95836
Real Florida residence says
Don’t know if you’re aware but a bit of insight for some! If you call 911 and they respond, when you tell them that their assistance is no longer needed, they will leave and on to the next emergency call. Unless they identify a threat while present, but remember they will not leave unless the scene is calm. Most of you are correct, but had they left and and the girlfriend, the young adult male amd the mother became physical toward each other, many would blame LEO for not helping the caller. Also any family member can advise LEO if a person has diagnosis that may prevent them from following basic instructions. I.E. stand still, sit down, lower your voice, show me your hands ect. Please it helps LEO better understand how to address your family members…… I know LEO will listen to you, had to do it for my older brother on several occassion many years ago.