Great Granny Tasered for Bad Behavior Given $40,000 Settlement

Airdate : 10/13/2009

Should the great-grandmother at the center of this headline-making Taser drama be awarded $40,000?

The debate is now raging after authorities decided to pay her that amount to avoid a lawsuit.

72-year-old Kathryn Winkfein was pulled over for speeding near Austin, Texas. Cops said she was argumentative and foul-mouthed about getting a ticket.

Authorities said the officer warned her repeatedly to comply, and finally had no alternative but to Taser her.

The retired school teacher was charged with resisting arrest. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing, but Winkfein threatened to sue. Now she's just accepted a $40,000 settlement from Travis County, despite admitting on the Today show that her behavior was questionable!

"I just lost my temper. I do that about twice a year, but that day I lost it," she said.

The county says it would cost more to fight Winkfein's lawsuit than to settle it.

Police are outraged by the decision to pay her $40,000. One officer called the award "a miscarriage of justice." A police statement said, "It's very unfortunate when someone is rewarded for unlawful behavior."

Despite the settlement, the resisting arrest charges are still pending.