Houston Chronicle: Texas man's Taser death ruled homicide

[Heidi]

Aug. 27, 2009, 7:13PM

FORT WORTH, Texas — A mentally ill man's death after he was shocked twice by a police Taser was a homicide, a medical examiner's office ruled Thursday.

The family of Michael Patrick Jacobs Jr., 24, called for help April 18 saying he was causing problems, and Fort Worth police have said officers used the Taser after he became combative. Jacobs had difficulty breathing after he was handcuffed, and he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Jacobs was stunned with the Taser twice — the first time for 49 seconds and the second time for 5 seconds, with a 1-second interval between the shocks, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office report issued Thursday.

Neither paramedics at the scene nor emergency room personnel could revive him, according to the report. He was pronounced dead about noon that day — an hour after police used the Taser, the report said.

An autopsy showed no traces of alcohol or drugs, electrolyte imbalances, or signs of heart or lung disease, all of which can be contributing factors in a death.

Read more

[avaistheone1]

1. Tasers are being used too recklessly by the police, too indiscriminately

and without proper forethought. Tasers are lethal weapons period. They should be regarded as no less.

[TexasObserver]

2. Recommend. Some cops have no sense at all about using tasers.

We treat rabid dogs better than this.

[sasquatch]

3. I bet the cops that did it walk away from any charges

[grantcart]

4. it was an obvious homicide but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is criminal

It is either suicide, homicide (death by someone else), or natural cause.

Further investigation will determine whether it was criminal homicide or just homicide.

[Mythbuster]

5. I'm just guessin' but

I'd be willing to bet the "Homicide" ruling is due to the 49 sec. duration of the first shock... that's sounds a bit excessive to me. I know quite a few cops here in Fort Worth and worked with all of them for years, most here are really good officers and the dept. tends to hold the officers accountable for their actions. I hope that is the case here, because this case needs to go to the Grand Jury.

[LisaL]

6. The death was not due to drugs, natural causes, or suicide.

Thus it's homicide. Doesn't mean anyone will be charged.

[Mythbuster]

7. True

Any death determined to be "caused by another person" is a homicide whether it occurred as the result of an accident, negligence or intentional actions. Determining which category this potentially falls into is the duty of the Grand Jury. There have been four taser related deaths in Fort Worth since they began using tasers in 2001, this case is the first to be ruled a homicide. That's why I say it is good this will go to the Grand Jury.