Ex-Cop on Trial for Homicide After Taser Death

Police departments across the country have increasingly issued Taser stun guns to officers with the idea that these weapons can be used in emergency circumstances, rather than resorting to the use of a real gun. In theory, if an officer feels he is being threatened, firing a Taser is a good alternative to firing a gun, since a Taser is less likely than a gun to cause serious injury or death.

Unfortunately, cops’ increased use of Tasers in recent years has demonstrated that this theory is deeply flawed.

For one thing, Tasers do, and have, caused deaths. In fact, since 2001, about 400 deaths have been attributed to the use of Tasers. Lawsuits have arisen throughout the United States as families seek justice for the loss of their loved ones.

Secondly, it has become increasingly clear that law enforcement officers are taking their use of Tasers beyond situations where it would be a substitute for a gun. There is concern that police may be more likely to use Tasers on a suspect, thinking they are safer than handguns. Yet, every time a Taser is used, there is a possibility of causing a death. (Taser’s own representative acknowledged the potential for fatalities when he referred to the stun guns as “less-lethal weapons.”)

Furthermore, a handful of officers have used their Tasers in completely inappropriate situations, such as where there is no real threat to safety. This is frightening territory. In January 2008 in Winnfield, Louisiana, for example, a police officer named Scott Nugent used his Taser to stun a 21-year-old man who was already detained in handcuffs. Nugent shot the Taser nine times, killing the young man. Now an ex-cop, Nugent will stand trial in June on charges of manslaughter and malfeasance, according to The Associated Press.