Taser deaths prompt medical review

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

FORT WORTH — There are fresh concerns about Tasers after a young man died this week in the custody of Tarrant County police officers.

Since November, four suspects have died after being shot with a Taser, a device that uses a burst of high voltage electricity to incapacitate its target.

While three of the suspects had cocaine in their systems, Tarrant County Medical Examiner Dr. Nizam Peerwani said Tasers may have played a role in two of the deaths.

Dr. Peerwani said when stimulant drugs are in the system, they are already causing stress on the heart, and the jolt from a Taser may serve to compound the problem.



http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa050715_wz_taserfolo.adea8b8a.html


And Taser Abuse on Video: Headline: 2 Officers Could Be Fired Over Taser Use

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two police officers could lose their jobs because of the way they used a Taser during an arrest last summer.

A videotape from an in-car police camera showed a suspect -- who was in handcuffs -- being Tased for the fifth time during an arrest in August 2004.

Kansas City Police Chief James Corwin called it excessive force and recommended that the men be fired, which is the first time that's happened since Kansas City police started using Tasers last year.

"I was convinced we'd just punished a prisoner in our custody," said Corwin. The officers said they were using the Taser as instructed against a combative man.
<snip>
http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/4720783/detail.html
(The video is on the left hand side of the page)

[Testament]

1. Well...

The first doesn't have enough information about it, so it wouldn't be reasonable to start making assumptions. Tough, his mother should not sue Taser Intl.; if the shot was bad, sue the police department. The things have killed people, and we don't know how many times that kid was shocked, but the problem lies not with the tool, but how it is used by the police. The second story shows how bad it is in some cases.

This second story, I have no doubt that they'll be fired, as they should. The police Chief is exactly right it what he said.

[AX10]

2. I agree that the Police departments need to have their....

wallets emptied out in the suits. But you must remember that TaserInt marketed the taser as a "non-lethal" and "no pain" weapon. Both marketing schemes have been proven false, time and time again. TaserInt shares responsibility for this too.

Tasers have contributed to deaths and can be painful, depending on the person. Also, no use of physical force is NOT going to hurt. TaserInt is full of crap.

[Testament]

3. Show me where it is said to be "non-leathal"...

Less-leathal, just like rubber slugs, bean bags, CS gas, etc. Useful tools to keep officers safe and prevent more force from having to be used if used correctly. That is the marketing I've seen.

The first taser shot in the second scene was good as noted, the fifth, in handcuffs...now that is over the line (just adding a point I missed in my first post).

[jody]

4. Mfg claimed and law enforcement used Tasers as "less-than-lethal weapons"

Taser Intl Product Info
QUOTE
TASER® International is committed to providing non-injurious solutions to violent confrontation by developing products that enable law enforcement officers to protect themselves without causing injury or death to another human being. Most confrontations do not justify the use of lethal force, but you should not have to expose yourself to risk of injury from physical confrontation with a violent combatant. Effective non-lethal weapons do increase the safety of law enforcement officers, decrease suspect injuries, improve community relations, reduce litigation and police department medical and liability insurance costs, and have saved thousands of lives.
UNQUOTE

GAO reports 7,000 of the 18,000 U.S. law enforcement agencies use Tasers as "less-than-lethal weapons". See TASER WEAPONS Use of Tasers by Selected Law Enforcement Agencies

[Testament]

5. That's different than non-lethal, in the same catagory as the others...

I described. It's not some gimmick, it's the proper terminology for such a device. There are rules of engagement for less-than leathal force as there is for deadly force. They are different, but as long as the rules are followed, it is helpful to law enforcement and causes few fatalities. Now if they stopped enforcing unconsitutional laws such as firearm regulations and drug laws...that would save even more.

[jody]

6. Your question was "Show me where it is said to be 'non-lethal'" and

I provided you two sources. If you want to say "That's different than non-lethal" then I don't know what you're talking about. A weapon is either lethal or non-lethal and Tasers have so far been accepted as non-lethal.

[MrSandman]

7. Like saying that...

less-than-perfect is not the same as imperfect.

[Testament]

8. Less than Leathal can add up to leathal force as we've seen with the taser

...and non-leathal is a misnomer as that would mean that it would never cause death. Slaps and punches are leathal given enough of them, or in the right spot, just as with this. Look up a non-leathal force in the law books and conduct books of a police officer. It isn't there because there's just no such thing. The chief's understand that it becomes leathal under certain circumstances and after repeated use. Would you suggest not having bean bag rounds for the riot cops because they have killed some people? Those two weapons are in the same catagory.

As I've said, it's a problem when they don't follow the rules of engagement and use it like they did in the second case.

[AX10]

9. Jody showed you where TaserInt claimed the Taser...

is "non lethal". The reality is that Taser LIED about the facts regarding their weapon.