Cop Who Saved Lil' Wayne's Life Fired for Excessive Taser Use
April 23, 2012
NEW ORLEANS
A JPSO Deputy and veteran cop of 37 years is out of a job after being fired earlier this month for his role in the tasing of an arrestee in Marrero last year.Robert Hoobler, 55, says he was terminated from the sheriff's office April 13th after being suspended a day earlier in connection with the November 1 arrest of Leron Anderson, 32, who was picked up at his Marrero home for violating a protective order. A Jefferson Parish Crime report says Anderson kicked out a back window of a Hoobler's JPSO cruiser after he was cuffed and on the way to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center. That's when Hoobler parked his squad car, commanded Anderson to stop and eventually discharged his electronic control device and used it four separate times on the arrestee, according to the report. The deputy's report states that Anderson did not heed warnings to stop kicking the door and broken window glass he had just shattered. He was treated medically on the scene near the 500 block of Cohen Avenue and then driven to jail where he was booked and processed. Hoobler says video recorded from the camera on his Taser during the incident was reviewed and cleared by JPSO one to two days later, but he was notified earlier this month that his use of his Taser on Anderson was under criminal investigation.
He was fired a short time later.Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said the following in a statement Monday:
"I've reviewed the video and am overwhelmingly concerned. Hoobler gratuitously zapped the guy three times, and it was uncalled for because the deputy's safety did not appear in danger. The deputy was also cursing the arrestee for kicking the window of his new car. I've made the decision to have Hoobler terminated, and if he's not! charged by the DA's office, the FBI will be contacted to possibly pursue civil rights charges."
Normand also said the video taken from the Taser is considered evidence and won't be released until the investigation concludes, and that Leron Anderson is being sought by JPSO Deputies to offer his side in the matter.
Normand says he called for the investigation of Hoobler immediately after viewing the video which was presented to him by the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office.
As of Monday night, the DA's office has not filed charges.
Cop Who Rescued Lil' Wayne Fired For Excessive Use of Taser
In 2009, Hoobler received national publicity for having rescued Lil' Wayne in 1994 when the rap star accidentally shot himself at the age of 11.
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