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

[Dredly]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/22/...ath/index.html

guy shocked 7 times by Police Taser dies at a hospital later, cop is now facing homicide charges.

Wonder if this will have any impact on the wide spread usage of tasers

[Philadelphia]

I think the key question is whether the cop violated policy in the way he used the taser.

According to the coroner (who is apparently now an authority on the use of force by police ) the cop violated policy.

[Falcon118]

Here is a quote from the story.

"He's fighting, wrestling with an individual who weighs 100 pounds more than him," he said. "His partner had just come back to the police department from triple bypass surgery and could not assist Officer Nugent." Bold is mine.

With all due respect, please explain to me why this officer is on duty if he is unable to "perform his duties". Again no disrespect, but this looks like officer Nuggent, whether guilty or innocent, had no backup as his partner was medically not fit to assist. I do not excuse what the officer did. Also the story states that he was tased int he back of the police car. Can a LEO on the forum explain to me if there is any procedure that allows for a handcuffed person, that is already in a police cruiser, to be tased, or why that would be neccessary?

[mikepro8]

Originally Posted by Falcon118

Here is a quote from the story.

"He's fighting, wrestling with an individual who weighs 100 pounds more than him," he said. "His partner had just come back to the police department from triple bypass surgery and could not assist Officer Nugent." Bold is mine.

With all due respect, please explain to me why this officer is on duty if he is unable to "perform his duties". Again no disrespect, but this looks like officer Nuggent, whether guilty or innocent, had no backup as his partner was medically not fit to assist. I do not excuse what the officer did. Also the story states that he was tased int he back of the police car. Can a LEO on the forum explain to me if there is any procedure that allows for a handcuffed person, that is already in a police cruiser, to be tased, or why that would be neccessary?

Thats actually pretty easy. Ever see someone handcuffed in the back of a car kick out a window? I have. I have been kicked by someone in handcuffs while in the back of a car trying to get him out after he kicked a window. There were no taser's back then, but after I got kicked square in the chest and flew backwards, one of the other officers grabbed his leg and yanked him out of the car. Someone in handcuffs is not defenseless, by any means - and they are certainly not any less of a danger. Its taught all over that the person is not "secure" until you drop them off at the jail/prison/what have you.

[Tootie]

A police officer shocked a handcuffed Baron "Scooter" Pikes nine times with a Taser after arresting him on a cocaine charge. He stopped twitching after seven, according to a coroner's report. Soon afterward, Pikes was dead.

I think he is facing charges because of the last to shocks. If the prisoner stopped twitching after the 7th there was no need for the 8th and 9th ones.

[shefearsnothing]

Originally Posted by Falcon118

Here is a quote from the story.

"He's fighting, wrestling with an individual who weighs 100 pounds more than him," he said. "His partner had just come back to the police department from triple bypass surgery and could not assist Officer Nugent." Bold is mine.

With all due respect, please explain to me why this officer is on duty if he is unable to "perform his duties". Again no disrespect, but this looks like officer Nuggent, whether guilty or innocent, had no backup as his partner was medically not fit to assist. I do not excuse what the officer did. Also the story states that he was tased int he back of the police car. Can a LEO on the forum explain to me if there is any procedure that allows for a handcuffed person, that is already in a police cruiser, to be tased, or why that would be neccessary?

Yes, I had the same questions....

[Mr_Tom]

I think the key question is whether the cop violated policy in the way he used the taser.

Rule #1: Don't kill anybody.

Rule #2: Don't violate Rule #1!


Yeah, I think someone is going to pay deeply for this. Nice having tax payers foot the bill.

[knight0334]

Originally Posted by Philadelphia

I think the key question is whether the cop violated policy in the way he used the taser.

According to the coroner (who is apparently now an authority on the use of force by police ) the cop violated policy.

All coroners rule a death caused by another human as a homicide. Whether it is justified or not will be in the hands of the IA and DA.

If you cap someone and it is completely justified - a coroner will rule it homicide.

[Philadelphia]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tom

Rule #1: Don't kill anybody.

Rule #2: Don't violate Rule #1!


Yeah, I think someone is going to pay deeply for this. Nice having tax payers foot the bill.

Not exactly. Rule 1: don't intentionally, recklessly, negiligently or without justification kill anyone.

Rule 2: a violation of policy which causes the death of another pretty much establishes a violation of Rule 1. So, did the guy violate policy . . . . looks that way but who knows -- would have to see the policy.

[shefearsnothing]

I apologize in advance if this is already "common knowledge" but I didn't know it so I am going to share it. I spoke with the client of mine who was recently certified to train for taser use. I told him about this article and he said he read it on several sites after I told him about it because of course he didn't think ALL the info was being reported...as it usually is not. Anyway, he said that most people do not know (and of course the media does not want to report) that although tasers are 50,000 volts that is just to get it into your body but once it enters your body it's only 1200 volts. He also said this guy who died was on all kinds of drugs and he may have died anyway (well he was going to die of course because we ALL die eventually. We've been dying since the day we were born but you know what I mean) and really what this cop is going to have a hard time with is justifying how MANY times he used the taser on him. He said it's a shame there wasn't any video of exactly what happened because he has seen video footage of guys cuffed behind their back on the ground who were able to get an officer's gun out of their holster so yes, it can be justifiable to have to use that much force even when they're cuffed. (although a part of me is thinking WTF kind of officer is not trained to retain his firearm a little better but then I am not a cop so I am trying to just not go there in my mind and judge....and you never know what comes over a person high on drugs either....) At any rate his "final word" was that it seems hard to say one way or the other if the guy was completely out of line or not but it seems questionable to a degree. It's hard to say when getting the "facts" from just the media and knowing you're not getting them all. We talked a little about the guy in the airport too who was tased and died. He said that in a LOT of cases the person was going to die anyway as a result of something else....pre-existing, drugs etc. He told me that a supervisor of his took a taser to the chest for 15 seconds for some demonstration thing (there was stuff hooked up to him like monitors etc and medical staff nearby etc) and he had stints in his heart and had recently had surgery etc. He said absolutely nothing happened to him. I really don't know that much about them but that sounds pretty freaking nuts. The guy had his hotel room paid for and got a free taser out of the deal. I think you'd have had to give me something else to go with that hotel room to entertain myself other then a free taser if I was going to subject myself to torture. LOL! To each their own I guess! Anyway, FWIW...