Another Man Dies After Police Use Taser

Earlier this month, a Virginia man died after Hampton police tasered him twice.The officers involved were placed on administrative leave.The death can be added to the mounting list of fatalities associated with the widespread use of Taser stun guns by law enforcement in recent years.An article published on Examiner.com looks at Taser-related deaths, the use of excessive force by law enforcement, and the implications of this recent tragedy for the region of Hampton Roads, Virginia.

The article includes some disturbing statistics about Tasers, raising questions about why law enforcement agencies continue to promote the use of these weapons.Despite significant training, police officers continue to demonstrate that they are unable to use Tasers safely.For example, Amnesty International reported that 80 percent of Taser incidents involved unarmed suspects and 36 percent of Taser incidents were a result of verbal non-compliance.Only three percent of the cases involved the threat of deadly assault.

Examples of Taser incidents that have occurred over the last few years include the following:

• In 2003, a mentally disabled man died after being Tasered for violating a home detention order.

• In Colorado, a man was Tasered in his genitals while he was handcuffed in the back of a police car.

• In 2007, a man was Tasered while holding an infant, which caused him to drop the infant on its head.

• In 2009, a ten year-old girl was Tasered after refusing to take a shower and becoming combative after her mother called the police to subdue her.

19-Year-Old Dies After Being Tasered By Police in San Bernardino

In mid-October, the Los Angeles Times reported another Taser-related death. In this case, San Bernardino police were apparently called to respond to a fight between three people at a board and care facility. After breaking up the fight, a 19 year-old man became “combative,” and the police used a Taser to control him. The young man then had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital. An hour later, he was pronounced dead.

Police officers across the United States carry Taser stun guns. Their general purpose is to temporarily disable a civilian who appears to be out of control. But Tasers are believed to have caused more than 150 deaths since 2001.

According to the Slate.com Explainer, Tasers are different from standard stun guns because they can shoot someone from a long distance – up to 20 feet away. Standard stun guns can only be used while up very close to the target. Tasers send an electric pulse with around 50,000 volts, which lasts for about five seconds. The electric pulse essentially gives the target a very intense shock, which causes pain, muscle contraction, and temporary paralysis. People shot with Tasers tend to fall down, and can sometimes suffer serious brain injury as a result of falling and hitting their heads. According to heart experts, Tasers can also cause cardiac arrest.