Heidi Gill is a 38 year old woman who was arrested on September 2nd, 2007 for disorderly conduct. She was out drinking at a local bar. Patrolman Richard Kovach arrested Heidi, and later used a taser on her. Officer Kovach has been placed on a leave of absence while the police district investigates his behavior in association with the Gill arrest. Some are claiming that the use of a taser was overly aggressive and unnecessary.
The Heidi Gill arrest video then shows Kovach getting help from a bystander to pick up a dazed and handcuffed Gill, who begs another bystander for help. Gill is brought to her feet and put in the back of the car, where she is heard yelling the word ‘‘please’’ loudly several times.
Kovach turns the camera to show himself and Gill inside the cruiser. Heidi Gill is screaming for help and at one point lies on her back, kicking at the cruiser’s back door window.
Less than a minute later in the video clip, Kovach opens the back door and uses the Taser to shoot Gill, who continues screaming before getting shot with the Taser gun again. After she’s hit, she swears and stiffens up. Kovach threatens to shoot again if she kicks the window again, saying, ‘‘You’re destroying my cruiser.’’
A woman nearby yells, ‘‘there was no reason…’’ and Kovach tells her to leave before she too is arrested, according to the video.
More officers now arrive, and Kovach orders Gill to walk to the other cruiser. She is jolted again, because Officer Richard Kovach claimed Gill started to run. However, it’s unclear in the recording if she ever started running at all.
Heidi Gill hit the pavement and was knocked unconscious, according to the police report. A man can be heard on the recording saying, ‘‘like magic’’ after the Taser was used on Gill the last time.
Officer Richard Kovack has been relieved of duty pending an internal affairs investigation of the incident. Heidi Gill has filed a lawsuit against Kovack and the Warren Police department.
And that the news on the Heidi Gill taser video incident.
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