A rookie Detroit police officer pointed his Taser stun gun at his 10-year-old nephew, then fired in an attempt to threaten the boy, according to Wayne County prosecutors.
Caleb Williams, 21, was arraigned Friday in Detroit’s 36th District Court on one count of felonious assault and one count of second-degree child abuse. (Williams is not related to the college football superstar of the same name, drafted first Thursday in downtown Detroit by the Chicago Bears.) The officer faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
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According to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, Williams was at a home on East Outer Drive in Detroit when, on April 17, he “threatened and frightened his 10-year-old nephew by arcing with his state-issued Taser.” department while he was standing near the child.”
A Taser weapon, when activated, emits a flash of high-voltage electricity that, if it hits a person, can temporarily disable them by causing painful muscle contractions, according to an online description from Axon Enterprises Inc. , the gun’s manufacturer based in Arizona. Williams allegedly activated his Taser three times near the child. According to a Detroit Police Department spokesperson, Williams has been suspended with pay while the case against him continues.
Williams was given a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, meaning he was released with no obligation to pay only if he fails to appear in court. As a condition of his bond, he cannot possess any weapons or have contact with minor children. Williams’ next court date is a probable cause hearing set for May 3 at 8:45 a.m.; followed by a preliminary exam scheduled for May 9, also at 8:45 a.m.
His attorney, Detroit-based Wright Blake, could not be reached Friday evening.
Contact Bill Laytner: [email protected]
This article was originally published on Detroit Free Press: Intended to subdue violent suspects, a police officer’s Taser may have abused a child
