Stunning Revelations: The Untold Story of Taser Related Deaths

[leftchick]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2894/

TASER International Inc. maintains that its stun-guns are “changing the world and saving lives everyday.” There is no question that they changed Jack Wilson’s life. On Aug. 4, in Lafayette, Colo., policemen on a stakeout approached Jack’s son Ryan as he entered a field of a dozen young marijuana plants. When Ryan took off running, officer John Harris pursued the 22-year-old for a half-mile and then shot him once with an X-26 Taser. Ryan fell to the ground and began to convulse. The officer attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but Ryan died.

According to his family and friends, Ryan was in very good physical shape. The county coroner found no evidence of alcohol or drugs in his system and ruled that Ryan’s death could be attributed to the Taser shock, physical exertion from the chase and the fact that one of his heart arteries was unusually small.

In October, an internal investigation cleared Officer Harris of any wrongdoing and concluded that he had used appropriate force.

Wilson says that while his son had had brushes with the law as a juvenile and struggled financially, he was a gentle and sensitive young man who always looked out for his disabled younger brother’s welfare, and was trying to better his job prospects by becoming a plumber’s apprentice.

“Ryan was not a defiant kid,” says his father. “I don’t understand why the cop would chase him for a half-mile, and then ‘Tase’ him while he had an elevated heart rate. If hadn’t done that, we know that he would still be alive today.”



Taser International co-founder and CEO Rick Smith shows how the company's X-26 Taser can be mounted to a rifle. The X-26 is being used in this manner by the military in Iraq.

[sweetheart]

1. the final solution is clean and cool

The men can wear sunglasses,
and kill drugs suspects and old ladies
with umpunity at home and abroad,
in the thickest of skin,
racists in sin,
makers of war,
fakers on tour.
ss bars in perfect,
ordnung.

[ThomCat]

2. These things are an excuse for force

instead of restraint. The idea that these things always safe is a myth, and more people are going to die because of it.

They should have to prove that these things are safe and non-lethal before marketing them as such. x(

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. Ah. First shock, then shoot.

and in a few cases, throw in a rape or three in between, if the BBC is correct.

[Gregorian]

4. Rick Smith is a murderer.

If Americans don't care enough about their society to eliminate these things, they're going to have a country that's not worth living in.

Not much else to say. I still can't believe the show COPS lasted more than a single season. It's wrong.

[leftchick]

5. I agree

:(

[TheMadMonk]

6. This case strikes me as simply a case of bad luck.

There are plenty of other far worse cases to hold up if you want to argue against tasers, or more correctly their misuse by law enforcement.

My biggest beef is with how they are marketed as safe. They aren't. They are safer than alternative methods of taking down a non-cooperative suspect.

Cops need to be better trained in the use of their equipment.
Cops need to be paid a wage commensurate with their job and its risks.
Cops need to be better screened to be sure they are suitable for the job.

None of these things will happen until people properly realise that law enforcement is a service that they pay for and not an absolute entitlement that the government has to provide.

[ret5hd]

7. Re: Cops need to be better screened...

In other words, if ya really really REALLY wanna be a cop, you probably shouldn't be allowed.

[TheMadMonk]

8. No, If you really, really, really want to have power over others...

you shouldn't be allowed. Wanting to make your community safer is a great motivation.