There’s not much to see on the Dash-cam footage provided to our newsroom by the McCall Police Department, but the audio is compelling. Below is some of the transcript.
Wood: "Go and have a seat in the car."
Whaley: "What do I look like? A crook?"
Wood: "Sir, I'm telling you to go sit in your car. I'm not telling you you look like a crook, just go sit down in your car."
Whaley: "I resent your attitude young man."
Wood: "Sir, I'm not giving you any attitude, but I'm not giving you any option. Go sit down in your car right now."
Whaley: "Yes. You're giving me an option because I didn't do anything wrong."
Wood: "Go to your car right now. Sir, right now. I'm not asking."
Whaley: "I'm 80 years old, and I don't like your attitude."
Wood: "I can arrest you or you can go to your car. It's up to you right now. You have three seconds to decide."
Whaley: "Okay, arrest me." Wood: "Okay."
On the video, the incident continues to escalate.
Whaley: "Let go of me! Let go of me!"
Wood: "Sir, sir, I'm not going to let go. I don't want to hurt you. Sir, stop."
Whaley: "Let go of me. Let go of me."
Whaley sued Wood, and the McCall Police Department after the incident, claiming excessive force.
Whaley: "call the EMTs."
Wood: The EMTs is called. You're still resisting. You're telling me you have medical trouble, and yet you can still fight me. Put your hands behind your back.
Whaley: "You young little whippersnappers, who do you think you are? Huh? Who do you think you are?"
Wood: "I'm a police officer, I've given you an order, it’s for my safety and you have to obey it."
I think Wood asked him 6 times to go sit in his car (maybe only 5 depending on how you read it). Wood's tone in the audio was not what I was expecting. I expected him to be a smart azz, sounded calm and like he was trying to get Whaley to cooperate as best he could. Again, can't see how he was treating the guy physically but doesn't sound like a beat down....
Everything I'm hearing about the rancher incident sounds like the cops are at fault, but I've only heard one side. Waiting to hear the cops' side before I throw them under the bus.
Right? I've had harsher first date conversations. Of course the above should get Curdog and gang all saddled up to get some frontier justice.
32 days and counting, still lots of talk, but no action from the lynch mob.
