Ex-cop may be charged in case of man Tasered to death

[LM4300]

After reading the actual article, this incident is similar to many other of the deaths that occurred after someone being subdued by the Taser.

The badguy is out of shape, using cocaine, PCP, may have other health problems etc, and then is involved in a physically exhausting wrestling match AND gets Tasered. To my knowledge, the use of the Taser itself has never been proven to be the ultimate cause of death in subsequent lawsuits. I think the term "excited delirium" is used for a person like this.

I have taken the Taser certification and felt its effects. I never heard of only 1200 volts of the 50,000 volts actually reaching your body when deployed, but I do know the Amps (which is what really can kill you) is very low. A medical defibrillator has much higher amps. A Taser will not stop your heart. It only causes intense pain and override your nervous system which causes your muscles lock up.

Based on the report, it seems that the cop did what he had to do. I'm willing to give the officer the benefit of the doubt until all the facts are in.

[Mr_Tom]

The badguy is out of shape,..." "may have other health problems etc, and then is involved in a physically exhausting wrestling match AND gets Tasered. To my knowledge, the use of the Taser itself has never been proven to be the ultimate cause of death in subsequent lawsuits.

Just trying to put this in prospective. If I shove someone(say that someone initiated by pushing me first), and he has a pre-existing condition, falls and hits his head and dies, am I liable for his death. Criminally and Civilly. Now add into that, I KNEW he had a pre-existing condition, since the news constantly runs articles of how out of shape we are, and he was visible overweight. Now add, I new the shove had the potential of causing some type of injury. Then add I had the option of not shoving..... Am I in trouble?

Now change the 'shove' into 'tasered', does it change my exposure to criminal/civil liabilities?

tom <just saying...>

P.S. Cops who say they were 'tasered' and it is ok is B*llshit. I worked in the nuclear industry, around high levels of radiation, heavy metals, asbestos. However statisticlly my life expectancy is actually higher than the general public. Why? Because to first work in the industry I had to be 'healthy'. The general public has no requirements.

[shefearsnothing]

Cops who say they were 'tasered' and it is ok is B*llshit.

If this is in reference to what I said I think he just meant that the guy didn't need medical attention etc even considering his pre-existing condition. I don't think he meant to imply (and I didn't mean to convey) that he was like "hey that was no big deal hit me again!" if you weren't referencing what I said then...nevermind me.

[LM4300]

Originally Posted by shefearsnothing

If this is in reference to what I said I think he just meant that the guy didn't need medical attention etc even considering his pre-existing condition. I don't think he meant to imply (and I didn't mean to convey) that he was like "hey that was no big deal hit me again!" if you weren't referencing what I said then...nevermind me.

If these last few replies had to do with me mentioning my Taser certification, I only let that be known to qualify my opinion.

Also, I can't buy in to the whole, substitue "Taser for shoving" argument. The scenario presented isn't the same.

[LittleRedToyota]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tom

Just trying to put this in prospective. If I shove someone(say that someone initiated by pushing me first), and he has a pre-existing condition, falls and hits his head and dies, am I liable for his death.

if you were justified in shoving him in the first place, you should not be...imho.

one thing i have still never heard the anti-taser cowd address is "what alternative do you want to see deployed?"

you have to accept the fact that the police will sometimes need to use physical means of some sort to control people who do not want to be controlled. the option of doing nothing does not always exist. the option of "talking it out" does not always exist.

what methods should the police employ in those cases?

(ETA: note: i am not making any judgement about whether the use of the taser was warranted in this case or any other particular case...i am addressing the argument that tasers should never be used...which is an argument many people seem to make.

whether the use of a taser was warranted--and whether it was used properly--in a particular case is an entirely different issue from whether or not tasers should be used at all.)

[shefearsnothing]

Originally Posted by LM4300

If these last few replies had to do with me mentioning my Taser certification, I only let that be known to qualify my opinion.

Also, I can't buy in to the whole, substitue "Taser for shoving" argument. The scenario presented isn't the same.

My question was for Tom. I wanted to clarify for him what I meant.

[adymond]

Until Tasers and pepper spray were options there were two choices for physically controlling a person who did not wish to be controlled. Either with hands/feet/billy club or with a pistol. Once a suspect was cuffed the pistol is no longer an option. Pepper spray is not always useful because simple things like wind and humidity can greatly effect it and in my opinion too many people are not sufficiently deterred from violent action with it. I don't know this case enough, but the options for a violent individual are limited and if we begin to take away options we are left with few that those against tasers can stomach.