UCSF study raises doubts about stun gun safety

[n2doc]

Elizabeth Fernandez, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, January 24, 2009

The number of in-custody sudden deaths rose dramatically during the first year California law enforcement agencies began using stun guns, raising questions about the safety of the devices, according to a new study at UCSF.

"Tasers are not as safe as thought," said Dr. Byron Lee, one of the cardiologists involved in studying the death rate related to Tasers, the most widely used stun gun. "And if they are used, they should be used with caution."

The researchers analyzed sudden death data from 50 law enforcement agencies in the state that use Tasers. They compared the death rate pre- and post-Taser deployment - analyzing data for five years before each agency began using Tasers and five years afterward.

They found a sixfold increase in sudden deaths during the first year of Taser use - amounting to nearly 6 deaths per 100,000 arrests.

more:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/0...

[annabanana]

1. add that to the long long list of

"well, duh" and "no one could have predicted"