Taser sued over 'non-lethal' claim

[caligirl]

A lawsuit filed Monday in the September death of a 21-year-old man whom Vallejo police repeatedly shocked with a stun gun accuses manufacturer Taser International of knowingly marketing a dangerously defective weapon as safe and "non-lethal."

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But medical experts say Taser ignores established medical evidence that shows that people intoxicated with drugs and people who are fleeing have heightened levels of adrenaline in their systems and may be more vulnerable to having their heart rhythms disrupted by a Taser shock. This could trigger a potentially fatal chaotic state known as ventricular fibrillation, causing cardiac arrest.

"I've seen the Taser folks say, 'Oh, the guy had cocaine in his system, that's the reason for his death,' '' said Dr. Zian Tseng, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist at UCSF who specializes in heart-rhythm disorders. "Well, someone with cocaine in their system is also much more prone to a Taser- induced cardiac arrest.''

"They cannot say that it's safe in my opinion,'' he added.

Taser says company studies where researchers shock anesthetized pigs confirm the stun gun can't trigger erratic heart beats. Tseng said knocked-out pigs won't have the same panicked adrenaline response of a suspect clashing with police.

"So what can you say: It was safe on anesthetized pigs," Tseng added. "It's far from a real world test.''

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/03/01/BAG0GBI7MC1.DTL

[doodadem]

1. I have a real problem with what they did to the PIGS!

Did you know that "farm" animals are not accorded the same protections for animal testing that small animals are? They can do whatever the hell they want to them.

[struggle4progress]

2. Man "Tased" in Chuck E. Cheese Salad Bar Dispute

AURORA, Colo. - Police found themselves in the crosshairs of public criticism after officers used a Taser stun gun to subdue a man accused of pilfering from a salad bar at a Chuck E. Cheese's pizzeria packed with families and young children.

"They beat this man in front of all these kids then Tased him in my sister's lap," said witness Felicia Mayo, who was at the establishment with her 7-year-old son. "They had no regard for the effect this would have on the kids. This is Chuck E. Cheese, you know."

Police responded to Chuck E. Cheese's after a manager complained that a patron had refused to show proof that he had paid for food. Police spokesman Larry Martinez said restaurant employees confronted the man, Danon Gale, 29, after they saw him "loading" his plate with salad.

http://www.kget.com/news/weird_news/story.aspx?content_id=5FEA504D-19F1-491F-B66A-4F4B65B3EDC8


Perhaps he waved a parsnip at them ...