Analysis: Taser-Related Deaths In US Accelerating

[Hissyspit]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/taser-related-deaths-accelerating

Analysis: Taser-related deaths in US accelerating

By Daniel Tencer
Sunday, September 5th, 2010 -- 4:51 pm

The rate of deaths in Taser-related incidents is rising as police forces increasingly adapt the conducted energy weapons, a Raw Story analysis finds. A 2008 report (PDF) from Amnesty International found 351 Taser-related deaths in the US between June, 2001 and August, 2008, a rate of just slightly above four deaths per month.

A database of Taser-related deaths maintained at the African-American issues blog Electronic Village counts 96 deaths related to the use of Tasers since January, 2009.

Assuming the statistics are correct, that indicates the death rate has increased to an average of five per month.

Electronic Village counts the 96th Taser-linked death as being that of Adam Colliers, a 25-year-old resident of Snohomish County, Washington, who was reportedly "running up and down" a street and causing a disturbance when he was Tased by two officers. He stopped breathing shortly afterwards, and was pronounced dead in hospital a short while later.

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[Quantess]

1. Cops Taser Senior Citizen in His Own Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS-N1dl0VQA

[GCP]

2. They should just stop the use of tasers

It seems cops are ready to taser anybody they think is getting uppity.

[burnsei sensei]

3. You mean murders by Taser.

These are not "Taser-lined deaths" these are murders.
Those who do them are called murderers.
They have committed the worst crime one person can do to another.

[Swamp Rat]

4. It won't stop until a politician's child is killed.

:kick:

[howaboutme]

5. Justice - American serf style

There is a developing concept that average Americans are fodder for law enforcement if they even look the wrong way, contrary to the preferential treatment given to the Hollywood loser socialites and elites who rarely ever pay a price for their criminal dalliances.

Justice is about equal justice for all or there is no justice.

[izquierdista]

6. One should have been enough

To bankrupt the company, put the patent owners in jail on manslaughter charges, and discontinue the use of the hand-held electric chair.

[boppers]

7. How does it compare to police gun deaths?

Over-all police killings?

Such numbers are helpful to make meaningful comparisons.

[tblue37]

9. But these stupid cops are tasering people whom they would NOT have drawn a gun on in

the past.

If Tasers were used only in situations where a gun might have been used in the past, as a substitute for the gun, then your comparison would be valid. But since they are used in situations where a person merely asks a question or doesn't jump as high as the sadistic, power-mad cop wants him to jump, then the comarison is nonsense.

Since Tasers cause significant pain, using them to torture people into submission is a violation of citizens' rights. And since Tasers can cause or at least contribute to causing death, using them in situations where there is no threat to the officer or to anyone else is simply criminal.

[boppers]

13. That's why I asked about gun deaths *and* killings.

Guns, Tasers, pepper spray, batons, takedown methods, choke holds, (etc.) all have potentially lethal outcomes, so are there more, or less, deaths?

[aikoaiko]

8. I wonder what the rate of "taser deaths" is in context of "taser nondeath" incidents.

Show me the numbers!

[Dawson Leery]

10. Taser is Big Tobacco redux.

First, tasers were to be used in place of guns.
Then, tasers were to be used against overpowering violent suspects.
Then, tasers were to be used against anyone showing any sigh of resistance, including asking questions.

Taser is a horrible weapon (and it is a weapon, just as are the other WEAPONS that police carry).
It is a control weapon used with the intent to intimidate the citizen.

Ban tasers now!

[valerief]

11. If tasers are made criminal, only criminals will have tasers. Isn't that the 'weapon logic'?

[kentuck]

12. Do they kill more with tasers or guns?

Does anyone know?

[Dawson Leery]

14. Point is, come to find out.

tasers were never intended to replace guns.